The cooling of the climate, confirmed by a detailed tree ring study near Hokitika, shows a significant, sudden and long-lasting cooler period from 1500.

This coincides with a series of massive earthquakes in the South Island Alpine fault, a major earthquake in 1460 in the Wellington area, tsunamis that destroy many coastal settlements, and the extinction of the moa and other food species.

These are likely factors that lead to sweeping changes to the Māori culture, which develops into the most well-known "Classic" period that is in place when European contact is made.

This period is characterized by finely made pounamu weapons and ornaments, elaborately carved canoes—a tradition that will later extend to and continue in elaborately carved meeting houses (wharenui), and a fierce warrior culture, with fortified hillforts known as pā, frequent cannibalism, and some of the largest war canoes ever built.