The TV host, who has a beautiful Māori face tattoo, responded to a viewer’s negative comments in a very classy way. She spoke of her strong pride in her cultural background and identity.
People often argue online about face tattoos because some think they should only be on the body and others like them because they are culturally significant.
Oriini Kaipara, who is 41 years old, was one of the first people to host shows on TV. She made history when she became a presenter for New Zealand’s Newshub.Oriini was the first TV newscaster in prime time to freely wear a moko kauae, which is a traditional dress for Māori women.
The original Polynesian people who lived on mainland New Zealand were the Māori. They see moko kauae as important parts of their history and identity. Women usually get these tattoos on their lips and chins to show their family ties and leadership in the community. They also show respect for their heritage, social status, and skills.
Even though Kaipara’s moko kauae got praise, David told Newshub in an email that he wasn’t happy with them.
A story in The Daily Mail said that we strongly disagree with using a Māori newsreader with a moku [moko] that looks rude and angry. It looks bad. We also don’t understand her because she talks in the Māori language. Please stop right away.
Even though David said bad things, Kaipara was brave and dealt with the problem immediately. Her Instagram story had pictures of the messages, and she replied with poise and respect.
“Today was the day I had enough,” she wrote on her Instagram story. It took me a while to answer, which is something I never do. When I hit the “Send” button, I broke my own rules. A picture of David’s message was sent along with this.
Kaipara also emailed David and told him that she couldn’t take his complaint seriously because “broadcast standards have not been violated.”
David had written “moku” instead of “moko,” so she told him to fix the spelling of “moko.”
Kaipara wrote in her email that it seems like your issues are about how you personally think people should look on screen. She made it clear that Moko and people who are connected to them should not be discriminated against, harassed, or treated badly because they are not dangerous.
“It’s not our intention to hurt or offend you, and you don’t deserve to treat us so badly,” she said. “Please stop complaining and try to get over your cultural ignorance and bias, as if you were still living in the 1800s.”
Even though David was very critical, Kaipara quickly replied that she mostly gets nice comments and doesn’t run into many mean trolls.
During an interview with the New Zealand Herald, Kaipara stressed how important it is to have more Māori champions in different areas. She said that the fact that her very presence upsets some people shows how important it is for more people to be represented.
Overall, Kaipara’s respectful response is a powerful reminder of how important it is to have national pride and be strong when facing problems. She is inspiring people to be proud of who they are and speak out against injustice.
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