Today on the Google home page, you could see the art of Jordan Tuhura of Ngāti Porou to celebrate Waitangi 2025.
Tuhura wanted the design to represent the bringing together of different perspectives which shapes the national identity in Aotearoa.
“In totality, the Doodle honours the legacy of the Treaty, celebrating peace, unity, and the potential for a shared future grounded in respect, understanding, and mutual care,” he said.
To ensure the showcasing of diversity within te ao Māori, he used the art forms of different rohe in the piece. Even the light or dark modes were considered with light mode taking inspiration from Te Ika-a-Māui (the North Island) and the dark mode fromTe Waipounamu (the South Island).
Drawn in the carving style of Taranaki, pou tahi represents taonga both tangible (lands and estates, forests, fisheries and other properties) and intangible (reo and mātauranga) which alludes to te Tiriti and safeguarding that which is precious to Māori.
This illustration combines traditional Māori art forms with modern digital design techniques.
Pou rua and rima take the theme of protection of people, culture and the environment - with pou rua being drawn in the carving style of Te Tai Tokerau and pou rima of Waikato, Hauraki.
The style of carving from Northern iwi was drawn on for pou rua which focuses on protection of people, culture and the environment.
At the centre, pou toru and whā share a hongi. Toru represents the British people and their kāwangatanga (governance), acknowledging the Crown’s role in governing its settlers, and whā represents Ngāi Māori and the retention of Māori rangatiratanga under Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
The final pou reflects the Tūranga style from Te Tai Rāwhiti which also highlights the safeguarding of taonga.
The outer pou wield tewhatewha - a wooden staff used in ceremony to lead, direct and guide.
Here, the tewhatewha symbolises the collective need to navigate towards a future which honours and respects the Treaty principles and the wishes of tīpuna who signed Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
