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New Zealand News Presenter With Maori Face Tattoo Shuts Down Complaining Viewer
She finally broke her code and slaps down one of complainers.
Newshub presenter Oriini Kaipara from New Zealand became the first indigenous woman with a traditional Maori tattoo to be an anchor for a prime-time news broadcast. The tattoo called a moko kauae, is a face tattoo that covers her lips and chin.
She spoke in 2021 of the tattoo that she got in 2019, “It’s a huge honor. I don’t know how to deal with the emotions.”
“When I doubt myself, and I see my reflection in the mirror, I’m not just looking at myself. I’m looking at my grandmother and my mother, and my daughters, and those to come after me, as well as all the other women and Maori girls out there. It empowers me.”
Many applauded her, but some viewers were not supporting it. The journalist decided to address one such complaint on her Instagram page as she’s “had enough” of it.
“Today I had enough. I responded. I never do that. I broke my own code and hit the send button,” she wrote for her 58k followers. The user who had written to Newshub’s entire newsroom had called her face tattoo “offensive” and “a bad look” and only identified as David.
“She also bursts into the Maori language which we do not understand. Stop it now,” the complaint continued.
“Thank you for all your complaints against me and my ‘moku’. I do find them very difficult to take seriously, given there is no breach of broadcast standards,” she replied. “If I may, I’d like to correct you on one thing – it is moko not ‘moku’. A simple, helpful pronunciation guide of ‘Maw-Caw’ will help you articulate the word correctly.”
“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 or prejudice.”
“Moko are ancient cultural markings unique to the indigenous people of Aotearoa, myself included. We mean no harm or ill intent, nor do we deserve to be treated with such disregard. Please refrain from complaining further, and restrain your cultural ignorance and bias for another lifetime, preferably in the 1800s.”
She signed off the reply with a polite farewell in Maori, “Nga mihi matakuikui o te wa.”
She didn’t forget to be identified as “the lady with the moko kauwae who speaks Maori but MOSTLY English on TV.”
The New Zealand Herald interviewed her regarding the reply. Kaipara explained that David had been particularly persistent with his complaints. But she emphasized that such negative are rather rare and most people are “lovely and thoughtful.”
“The fact that my existence triggers some people is testament to why we need more Maori advocates in key roles across every sector.”
