A TV host adorned with a traditional Māori facial tattoo has elegantly addressed negative comments from a viewer, reaffirming her pride in her cultural background and personal identity.
Debates often arise online regarding facial tattoos, with some arguing that tattoos should be limited to the body, while others appreciate the cultural significance they hold.
At 41 years old, Oriini Kaipara, a pioneering presenter, made history by becoming the first primetime news anchor with a moko kauae, a respected cultural symbol worn by Māori women.
The Māori people, the original Polynesian inhabitants of mainland New Zealand, consider moko kauae to be powerful representations of their heritage and personal identity. These facial tattoos, traditionally inked on the lips and chins, signify a woman’s familial ties, her role as a leader in the community, and acknowledge her lineage, status, and abilities.
Oriini Kaipara. Credit: Oriini Kaipara / Instagram
However, amidst the accolades, one viewer, known as David, voiced his discontent with Kaipara’s moko kauae in an email to Newshub.
“We continue to object strongly to you using a Māori newsreader with a moku [moko] which is offensive and aggressive looking,” he wrote, per 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 disparaging remarks, Kaipara bravely addressed the issue head-on, sharing screenshots of the messages on her Instagram story and responding with 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 on an Instagram story accompanied by a screenshot of David’s message.