A TV presenter proudly displaying a traditional Māori facial tattoo has gracefully addressed negative comments from a viewer, reaffirming her pride in her cultural heritage and identity.
Facial tattoos often spark debate online, with some arguing that tattoos should only be on the body, while others embrace the cultural significance they hold.
Oriini Kaipara, 41, made history as the first primetime TV news presenter with a moko kauae, a sacred facial tattoo worn by Māori women. She joined New Zealand’s Newshub as a newsreader, breaking new ground in the industry.
Māori, the indigenous Polynesian people of New Zealand, view moko kauae as powerful symbols of identity and ancestry. These tattoos, traditionally applied to the lips and chin, represent a woman’s familial ties, leadership, and respect for her lineage, status, and abilities.
However, despite the praise, one viewer, named David, expressed his disapproval of Kaipara’s moko kauae in an email to Newshub.
“We continue to object strongly to you using a Māori newsreader with a moko [moko], which is offensive and aggressive looking,” David wrote, according to the Daily Mail. “A bad look. She also bursts into the Māori language, which we do not understand. Stop it now.”
Undeterred by David’s remarks, Kaipara chose to confront the criticism directly. She shared screenshots of the email on her Instagram story, responding with both grace and dignity.
“Today I had enough. I responded. I never do that. I broke my own code and hit the send button,” she wrote, alongside the screenshot of David’s message.
Kaipara also posted her email response, in which she pointed out that there was no breach of broadcast standards, and she corrected David’s misspelling of “moko,” as he had referred to it as “moku.”
In her response, Kaipara wrote: “I gather your complaints stem from a place of preference on how one must look on-screen according to you. Moko and people with them are not threatening, nor do they deserve such discrimination, harassment, and prejudice.”
She added, “We mean no harm or ill intent, nor do we/I deserve to be treated with such disregard. Please refrain from complaining further and restrain your cultural ignorance and bias, preferably in the 1800s.”
Despite the negative feedback from David, Kaipara made it clear that the majority of comments she receives are positive, and that hateful trolls are a rare occurrence.
In a subsequent interview with the New Zealand Herald, Kaipara spoke about the importance of having more Māori voices in influential roles. “The fact that my existence triggers some people is testament to why we need more Māori advocates in key roles across every sector.”
Kaipara’s dignified response serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of cultural pride and resilience. She inspires others to embrace their identities unapologetically and stand up against discriminatory attitudes.
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