Dr Johnson Witehira is an internationally recognised leader in Māori design, art, and creative technologies. His work weaves together Mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge) with emerging digital tools, spanning visual arts, game design, typography, and storytelling.

As Professor of Toi Hangarau (Creative Technology) at Massey University, Johnson is reshaping the future of design education in Aotearoa. His research and teaching centre Māori values and frameworks, advancing bicultural and Indigenous-led approaches in a field often dominated by Western systems.

His award-winning projects push the boundaries of Māori creative expression. Te Aho Matihiko – The Digital Thread (2023), an augmented reality (AR) experience developed with IDIA, won a Best Design Award in Toitanga. Using AR to bring traditional Māori weaving to life, the work connects digital audiences with whakapapa (genealogy) and tukutuku (latticework storytelling) in powerful new ways.

As co-founder of PAKU, a product design studio exploring Māori form and function, Johnson has helped redefine everyday tools through an Indigenous lens. In 2022, PAKU Gardening Tools earned global recognition with a Core77 Design Award (Toys & Play category).

Beyond design and digital projects, Johnson contributes to major research initiatives. He is a co-author of Pātaka Kai: Growing Kai Sovereignty (Massey University Press, 2025), a new book exploring Indigenous food systems and climate resilience. His upcoming publication, Mana Mātātuhi: Māori Engagement with Lettering and Typography, continues his deep exploration into Māori visual culture, identity, and the power of language.

Johnson’s kaupapa includes Indigenous design systems, Māori typography, immersive storytelling, culturally responsive public spaces, and innovation in Māori material culture. Through his leadership, Johnson Witehira is helping to shape a design future where Māori voices, aesthetics, and values are central — not only in Aotearoa, but around the world.

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