An Emotiki® emoji is New Zealand’s take on a unique Māori emoji selection, with 200 Māori and Kiwi cultural icons for people to share their kiwiana moments with each other and the world.

From emotions to sports, situations, foods and icons, all Emotiki® emojis are familiar to, or have been made famous through New Zealand’s Māori culture.

Developed by Te Puia in Rotorua, the Emotiki® app is a free and all-inclusive app, allowing users to click on individual Emotiki® emoji icons and share, via messaging, email, select social media platforms, assign to contacts, and more.


Can I send Emotiki® emojis to people if they don’t have the app?

Yes, you can.

What social media platforms does the app work in?

Emotiki® emojis work with select social media platforms and any other app your operating system integrates with.

What devices will the app work on?

Emotiki® emojis work on iOS8 and later, and Android 4.4 and later smartphones and tablets. If you have iOS10 you also have access to the sticker pack.

Do I need to give the app full access to my phone?

No. The app will only ask you for access to your mobile data network, so your privacy is ensured.

Can I use more than one icon at a time?

Not at the moment. The icons are essentially images, so can only be sent one at a time. We are working on being able to send multiple icons at once and will let you know when this functionality is available.

Can I access icons and the app directly through messaging, Facebook etc.?

No, icons must be accessed and sent from the app itself. With iOS10 sticker packs, however, these can be sent directly within iMessage. If users want to share across other platforms they will need to do so through the app.

Will the app work on updated operating systems?

Yes it will. We are currently working on a new version for Android that will integrate with the latest OS update and include a sticker pack-like function. We also plan to release regular updates and new features.

What are stickers?

Stickers are the latest in messaging technology and are made up of images or animations that can be sent or placed on messages, photos and other stickers, as a fun and engaging way for people to express themselves in a conversation without typing or using the standard keyboard.

How do I use them?

Stickers are used like normal emojis but you can do more with them within iMessage. You can communicate using just stickers, or stickers and text; you can grab and drop them into messages; delete ones already sent; reply without needing to type; make them big, turn them upside down, etc. so much more.

How are they different from ‘normal’/other emojis?

There are two types of emojis – ones which come with operating systems as part of the keyboard, the others being app-based, like the Emotiki® app. App-based emojis will ultimately give people more functionality through using stickers – which can be drawn on, enlarged, rotated, dropped onto other images and so on.

Why does the app use a sticker pack and not an emoji keyboard?

Sticker packs are the latest in messaging technology and allow for more functionality than keyboard emojis. The future of emojis will be in sticker format, so we decided to get a jump-start.

Can I get stickers on my Android device?

Not yet. A sticker pack-like system is currently being developed for Android, based on the latest operating system upgrade, Nougat 7.1. The upgraded messaging functionality wasn’t supported on the previous operating system, which is why it hasn’t been developed at the same time as Apple.

Do I need the app to use the sticker pack on Apple devices?

The sticker pack works separately from the app, but you’ll only be able to use the Emotiki® emoji icons in iMessage and not elsewhere on social media or other apps. You will need the full Emotiki® app to use the icons across everything.

Why is Apple the only OS with a sticker pack?

Functionality wasn’t supported on Android operating systems, but Apple’s latest update has a significantly upgraded messaging system, which allows for the use and better functionality of stickers. A similar sticker system is currently being developed for Android, based on the latest operating system upgrade, Nougat 7.1.

Do we track your information?

We do not track user data when you are using the Emotiki® app or website. When you use the Emotiki® emoji we do not track or store information from your device, such as what Emotiki® you have used, keystrokes, the user’s contacts or credit card information. We assure you that we do not read or do not have access to any of your conversations. If a user uses the app or website to purchase any of our Emotiki® merchandise we will need to collect information to facilitate the transaction. Our use of your information for purchasing merchandise is controlled by our privacy policy which tells you about the collection, use, disclosure, security and accessibility of information.

Are the Emotiki® emojis culturally insensitive?

We have been extremely careful to develop Emotiki® emojis with the blessing and input from Māori Pakeke elders and Te Puia staff members, with icons going through a rigorous sign-off process, to ensure accuracy and that no offence is caused. Our aim is to share our unique and precious Māori culture with the world in as many ways as possible, and working with the latest technology in messaging is another way in which we can do this.

Why’s it taken so long to launch?

We know it’s taken a bit longer than we thought to launch the Emotiki® app, but we wanted to make sure it is truly usable and intuitive, with a whole lot of work done in the background to make sure that was the case. It has been well worth the wait – so download it and start planning your convos!

I’m having techy issues, what do I do?

Contact us at: emotiki@tepuia.com


Once you have downloaded the Emotiki® app from the App Store or Google Play, just follow the step by step guide available on the App.


Emotiki® tee shirts and hoodies are just the beginning of an exciting Emotiki® merchandise collection. These are available online at emotiki.com, at the Te Puia souvenir shop, and from your Emotiki® app store.