The world's first ever Māori emoji app Emotiki has launched in time for the summer period, with 200 Māori and cultural icons.
The app, now available to iphone and android users is free and allows users to click on individual Emotiki icons and share them across social media platforms, messaging and email. They can also be used to assign to contacts, save to devices, print and more.
The concept is led and owned by Rotorua-based visitor attraction Te Puia. The app uses the latest technology to share the Māori words and concepts with all New Zealanders and other cultures.
Te Puia general manager sales and marketing Kiri Atkinson-Crean says it's exciting to finally be launching the app.
“We announced the development of the world’s first Māori emoji app in May, and since then a huge amount of work has gone on behind the scenes, including working closely with Te Arawa and Te Puia pakeke (elders), to make this Te Arawa led app a true representation of who we are.
We wanted to give people, particularly our young people, another way to express themselves and our unique Māori culture. The Emotiki app is a light-hearted, easy-to-use way to share the meaning of Māori words and concepts with other cultures and with all New Zealanders.”
Emotiki stickers are made up of images or animations that can be sent or placed on messages, photos and other stickers, as a fun way for people to express themselves in a conversation without typing or using the standard keyboard emojis.
“Te Puia is one of the first in New Zealand to utilise sticker pack technology, all in time for summer road trips and shenanigans, as well as the 2017 Te Matatini National Kapa Haka Festival. A similar sticker-like system is also currently being developed for use on Android devices and will be included in the app once it’s ready to go.”
The all-inclusive app allows people to see what Emotiki icons are trending, create their own favourites board, see recently added icons and purchase Emotiki merchandise such as t-shirts and hoodies.