Global IT giant celebrates Waitangi Day with Google Doodle by local Māori artist

Google's Waitangi Day doodle.
Google's Waitangi Day doodle. Photo credit: Supplied

The global IT giant Google is celebrating Waitangi Day with a Google Doodle by local Māori artist Hori-Te-Ariki Mataki.

Mataki, the founder of Ariki Creative, has developed the artwork, which will be seen nationally on Waitangi Day on New Zealand's Google homepage.

The Google Doodle celebrates the ambitions of two cultures and their shared desire to protect and provide for their people. 

The doodle takes its likeness from pounamu, a taonga in Māori culture, the colours represent the physical - land, sea and air - taonga of tangata whenua, Mataki explained 

"The outstretched arms of the tiki represent the integration of cultures and future innovation to protect these natural domains of our environment, the flora and fauna, for all generations to come." Mataki said. 

"This tiki artform represents the ambitions of our tipuna, and honours the aspirations of both Māori and the wider community for protection of land, community and partnership." 

Mataki is a self-described urban Māori futurist, a multi-disciplinary digital creative with a foundation in traditional Māori philosophy.