Archaeology: Evidence of plant-based diets among Māori (Nature Communications)
8 April 2026
Some Māori groups in inland Aotearoa (the Māori name for New Zealand) in the 18th century may have eaten an almost entirely plant-based diet, according to a paper published in Nature Communications. The authors propose that the research is the first direct evidence of this type of diet in a Māori group from Aotearoa.
Early Māori communities in Aotearoa are known to have hunted, fished, gathered and gardened, eating a broad diet of land-based and marine resources. However, after settlement, diets became more regionally specific. According to archaeological and historical evidence, Māori groups who resided inland near the modern-day city of Hamilton (Kirikiriroa) intensified horticultural practices from the 16th century, growing sweet potato (kūmara), taro (a root vegetable), and yam (uwhikāho). Despite this evidence of gardening, less is known about the diet of Māori in this region.
Dr. Rebecca Kinaston and colleagues worked with the Waka Kotahi Tangata Whenua Working Group (representatives of local Waikato Māori, Ngāti Maahanga, Ngāti Wairere, Ngāti Koroki Kahukura and Ngāti Hauā, who hold customary authority over the land) to study Waikato Māori ancestral human remains (kōiwi tangata) of seven individuals and investigate past diet and mobility in this region. The individuals were dated to between 1700–1780 CE. Analysis of isotopes from these ancestors (tūpuna) indicates that the group lived on a primarily plant-based diet (consisting of staple foods such as sweet potato and taro), with little evidence of protein-rich foods such as meat and fish. This finding is supported by existing horticultural evidence in the area, as well as tooth wear and decay patterns associated with soft starchy food consumption. Two children (one male and one female) in the population appear to be local and were likely weaned onto plant foods within their first two to three years of life.
This work provides the first known direct evidence of Māori groups living on a largely plant-based diet and shows how intensive gardening practices, alongside local environmental knowledge, shaped everyday food choices and food security in inland Aotearoa.
- Article
- Open access
- Published: 07 April 2026
Kinaston, R.L., Keith, S., Hudson, B. et al. Horticultural intensification and plant-based diets of 18th century CE Waikato Māori in Aotearoa New Zealand. Nat Commun 17, 3040 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-70128-5
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