Ancient Māori remains point to largely plant-based diets before colonization
by University of OtagoSadie Harley
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New research led by the University of Otago—Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka, in close partnership with mana whenua, is shedding new light on Māori diet and burial practices in Aotearoa New Zealand prior to European colonization. The study, conducted with the approval and guidance of Waikato hapū and iwi—Ngāti Maahanga, Ngāti Wairere, Ngāti Koroki Kahukura and Ngāti Hauā—provides the first direct scientific evidence that some Māori ate predominantly plant-based diets before Pākehā (European) arrival.
It is one of only a small number of studies in Aotearoa to use scientific analysis of kōiwi tangata (human remains) to investigate diet, childhood life histories and chromosomal sex.
The kōiwi tangata were accidentally discovered during archaeological investigations associated with the Hamilton Section of the Waikato Expressway, undertaken on behalf of NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi.
The findings have been published in Nature Communications.
Plant-based diets revealed in ancestors
Lead author Dr. Rebecca Kinaston, Director of the archaeology consultancy BioArch South and affiliate of Coastal People: Southern Skies Center of Research Excellence, which is hosted by Otago, says the research highlights the central role of horticulture—particularly of kūmara and taro—in Māori society during this period.
"These findings provide direct biological evidence that supports Māori oral histories, ethno-historical accounts and archaeological research," Dr. Kinaston says.
"They show that plant foods were a central component of the diet for some individuals, including children, in this region."
Researchers used advanced isotope and enamel peptide analysis of kōiwi tangata of seven tūpuna (ancestors), including four children, to determine diet, place of childhood residency and chromosomal sex.
Visual analysis of their teeth indicated diets rich in soft, starchy and sticky foods, consistent with cultivated crops such as kūmara and taro.
The isotope results show that the children were likely weaned onto these plant foods within their first two to three years of life.
Insights into pre-colonial burial practices
The study also provides rare insight into Māori burial practices prior to the widespread influence of Christianity.
The kōiwi tangata were recovered from a borrow pit formed by the extraction of gravel used to amend soils for kūmara cultivation.
The tūpuna were interred as a secondary burial, a practice that was common during later periods and may relate to protecting ancestors during times of conflict, or to specific ritual practices associated with tapu.
Co-author Dr. Jonny Geber, of the University of Edinburgh, says "these insights help us understand how tūpuna were cared for and ritually treated before major cultural changes brought by colonization."
Lead archaeologist for the Hamilton Section of the Waikato Expressway, Sian Keith, of Sian Keith Archaeology Ltd, says the research was only possible through sustained collaboration and trust with mana whenua.
"We are deeply grateful to Ngāti Maahanga, Ngāti Wairere, Ngāti Koroki Kahukura and Ngāti Hauā for approving this research and guiding how it was carried out," she says. "Their support, knowledge and authority were fundamental for the research."
Publication details
Rebecca L. Kinaston et al, Horticultural intensification and plant-based diets of 18th century CE Waikato Māori in Aotearoa New Zealand, Nature Communications (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-70128-5
Journal information: Nature Communications
Provided by University of Otago