Google doodle unveiled to celebrate Waitangi Day doodle with Māori design on whārangi kāinga (homepage)

Māori designer Vincent Egan has created a homepage Doodle that will sit on all New Zealand Google homepages to celebrate Waitangi Day.

Poi, pukana and kapa haka are shared experiences for many people across New Zealand, whether as participants or spectators.

Egan, of Māui Studios, has created an image of kotahitanga through kapa haka in today’s Waitangi Day Doodle. Māui Studios is a kaupapa Māori production studio that develops end-to-end digital content solutions grounded in mātauranga Māori.

“The Doodle artwork delivers a message of kotahitanga – the importance of unity and a celebration of our collective cultures in Aotearoa New Zealand. This piece is a tohu, or symbol, of how awesome we are as a people when we come together and look out for each other.”

Displayed today on the Google New Zealand homepage, the 2024 Waitangi Day Doodle shows a group of New Zealanders participating in or celebrating elements of the kapa haka festivals, mau rākau weaponry workshops or annual tribal celebrations Egan has experienced.

The design captures a moment in time with whānau and friends: taking centre stage are a diverse group of tamariki, each representing components of kapa haka – practising with poi and taiaha, and a cheeky Māori boy – a tamaiti haututū – performing a haka dance movement and doing a pukana. The scene is bookended by a proud Māori father who is holding a trophy one of his tamariki has won in a manu kōrero speech competition; and an older Pasifika aunty who is on kai duty with some freshly made rēwana [sweet bread].

In the centre of the image is a girl gazing in interest and wonder at the collective wairua [spiritual essence] of everyone coming together and participating in events. It speaks to the numerous cultures participating, and an embracing of each culture’s spirit.