31 Journal of Paciic Archaeology – Vol. 8 · No. 2 · 2017 – article – A Review of Archaeological Māori Canoes (Waka) Reveals Changes in Sailing Technology and Maritime Communications in Aotearoa/New Zealand, AD 1300–1800 Geofrey Irwin,1 Dilys Johns,1 Richard G.J. Flay,2 Filippo Munaro,2 Yun Sung3 & Tim Mackrell1 ABSTRACT We compare ethnological views of Māori canoes (waka) of the irst colonisation period with those of the European contact period, and then describe diverse archaeological waka from the interim period. he aim is to reconstruct basic design elements of whole canoes and to suggest their relative ages. Variations in form relate to diferences in sailing ability and we refer to scientiic performance testing of a range of model canoe hulls and sails. We ind that through time technological change in waka correspond to other changes in New Zealand archaeology including demographic and social shits, and the contraction of interaction spheres. he irst canoe-builders in New Zealand adjusted to a new environment. he country became isolated within East Polynesia, but there were widespread communications and capable sailing canoes on the New Zealand coast. hrough time, with a shit from multihulls to monohulls and changes in hull form, we see a general decline in the sailing performance of canoes and the development of new types more suited to paddling and downwind sailing. However, notwithstanding this trend, outrigger canoes which could sail well persisted into late pre-European times in both the north and south of the country. Keywords: Canoes, boat technology, sailing performance, mobility, Māori INTRODUCTION Canoes were primary artefacts of seaborne migration and mobility, but scarcity of archaeological canoe remains has led to uncertainty and debate about the history of ma- rine technology. New inds of the remains of Māori ca- noes (waka) in Aotearoa/New Zealand have improved the inventory in Polynesia. An on-going collaboration of ar- chaeology, waterlogged wood conservation and the study of sailing performance aims to investigate the capability and cultural context of Paciic sailing canoes, both ancient and modern (Irwin and Flay 2015, Johns et al. 2014). We begin with a summary of current views about Māori canoes of the irst colonisation period derived mainly from comparative Polynesian ethnology, which 1 School of Social Science, University of Auckland, New Zealand. 2 Yacht Research Unit, University of Auckland, New Zealand. 3 School of Architecture and Planning, University of Auckland, New Zealand. Corresponding author: g.irwin@auckland.ac.nz Submitted 25/1/2017, accepted 22/5/2017 we compare with those of the later European contact pe- riod described historically and ethnographically (Ander- son et al. 2014, Finney 2006, Haddon and Hornell 1997, Irwin 2006, Pawley and Pawley 1994). We then describe archaeological waka from the interim period, aiming to reconstruct basic design elements of whole canoes from fragments, and to suggest their relative ages where possi- ble. Variations in form relate to diferences in sailing abil- ity and we refer to performance testing of model canoes held to represent traditional and earlier forms. Finally, we relate changes in canoe technology, through time, to the changing context of Māori settlement, society and mari- time communication. MāORI  (CaNOes), eaRly aND laTe he literature about Oceanic canoes is huge, but distinct canoe complexes can be identiied (Doran 1981). he ear- lier forms of canoe in East Polynesia were the only ones to reach New Zealand (Haddon and Hornell 1997). Both double canoes and single outrigger canoes reached New Zealand and Māori traditions refer to both (Best 1925). Oceanic canoes were generally double-ended in under-