A news broadcast host hit back at a viewer who called her tattoo a ‘bad look’ and revealed its true meaning.
Oriini Kaipara made history in 2021 when she was the first person to host a primetime news show on national TV with a certain tattoo.
Her facial tattoo can be seen beginning at the sides of her lips and running down her entire chin, which was met with a lot of love from fans.
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However, some viewers didn’t take too kindly to her new ink.
After learning Kaipara was receiving a number of complaints about her facial tattoo, a lot of people took to her defence on social media.
One said: “It’s beautiful and about time.”
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Another wrote: “I don’t understand why anyone would have a problem with this.”
But one viewer called David was not impressed.
This is because the tattoo in question was a moko kauae.
A moko kauae is a facial tattoo traditionally worn by women in the Maori culture.
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Kaipara told CNN at the time of getting it as she wanted to remind herself of her culture, adding: “It’s a huge honour. I don’t know how to deal with the emotions.”
She continued: “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 hers to come after me, as well as all the other women, Māori girls out there and it empowers me.”
While she shared to The New Zealand Herald, that many viewers send her ‘lovely and thoughtful’ messages, one ‘relentless’ viewer kept badgering her about the tattoo.
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David wrote to the Newshub newsroom, calling Kaipara’s tattoo a ‘moku’ and describing it as ‘offensive’.
He also wasn’t pleased with Kaipara’s use of the Māori language during her segments.
David wrote: “We continue to object strongly to you using a Māori TV presenter with a moku, which is offensive and aggressive looking. A bad look.
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“She also bursts into the Māori language which we do not understand. Stop it now.”
This is where Kaipara drew the line and shared her response to him with her Instagram followers, which went on to describe the meaning of the moko kauae.
“Today I had enough. I responded. I never do that. I broke my own code and hit the send button,” she said, before showing them an image of her email response.
It read: “Thank you for all the complaints against me and my ‘moku.’ I do find them very difficult to take seriously given there is no breach of broadcast standards.
“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, and 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/I deserve to be treated with such disregard.
“Please refrain from complaining further, and refrain your cultural ignorance and bias for another lifetime, preferably in the 1800s.”
Kaipara told The New Zealand Herald that the complaints were only sent ‘by a minority’ and that she shared how ‘we need more Maori advocates in key roles across every sector’ after she noted how her ‘existence triggers some people’.
Topics: News, Social Media, TV
Britt Jones