Pā

An intricate system of trenches and terraces ensures these fortifications sit on high ground.

For many Māori clans (hapū), the modern era was a period of permanent settlement and forming strong ties with a territory. As different hapu set down roots on the archipelago, the clans both became less mobile and grew in numbers, constructing extensive fortification systems to defend their villages and resources. The pā, or fortified villages, usually brought together members of a single clan. However, several small clans could reside in one pā, while the larger hapū might own several. They were most often built near a strategic resource (fertile land, lakes, rivers, quarries), thereby securing access to it and restricting the possibilities of capture. Consisting of concentric sets of trenches and wooden walls, these fortification systems were built to make the most of the territories’ geographical features. Their designers generally constructed them on high ground and accentuated the unevenness of the terrain by digging large pits, above which palisades, terraces, and platforms offered defenders a tremendous strategic advantage.