Māori ancestors arrived from East Polynesia in waka canoes, adapting to New Zealand's diverse environments. They developed unique iwi societies, agriculture, and art forms. This migration represented the final major phase of Polynesian expansion. Oral traditions detail the voyages and settlement challenges.

Māori waiata, haka, and whakapapa genealogies form core literary traditions, influencing contemporary Pacific and indigenous poetry worldwide on themes of arrival and belonging.