TV presenter with Māori face tattoo hits back at cruel trolls

A television presenter adorned with a traditional Māori face tattoo has gracefully responded to troll comments from a viewer, reaffirming pride in her cultural heritage and identity.

Facial tattoos often ignite debates online, with some individuals asserting that tattoos should be confined to the body, while others embrace the cultural significance behind them.

Oriini Kaipara, 41, a trailblazing TV presenter, made history when she joined New Zealand’s Newshub as a newsreader, becoming the first primetime TV news bulletin presenter with a moko kauae, a revered cultural marking worn by Māori women.

Māori, the indigenous Polynesian people of mainland New Zealand, regard moko kauae as profound symbols of heritage and identity. These facial tattoos, traditionally received on the lips and chins, symbolize a woman’s familial connections, leadership within her community, and honor her lineage, status, and capabilities.

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.

Credit: Oriini Kaipara / Instagram.

Kaipara also shared her email response to David, where she wrote that she was unable to take his complaint seriously “given there is no breach of broadcast standards.”

She also made a point of correcting his spelling of moko, as David had referred to hers as “moku”.

In her email, Kaipara continued: “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.

“We mean no harm or ill intent nor do we/I deserve to be treated with such disregard,” she continued. “Please refrain from complaining further, and restrain your cultural ignorance and bias for another lifetime, preferably in the 1800s.”

Credit: Oriini Kaipara / Instagram.

Despite David’s harsh criticism, Kaipara was quick to state that she mostly receives comments of praise, and that cruel trolls are few and far between.

In an interview with the New Zealand Herald shortly after she responded to David’s complaint, Kaipara spoke about how important it is to have more Māori advocates: “The fact that my existence triggers some people is testament to why we need more Māori advocates in key roles across every sector.”

All in all, Kaipara’s dignified response serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of cultural pride and resilience in the face of adversity – and she’s inspiring others to embrace their identities unapologetically and challenge discriminatory attitudes.

What do you think of this story? Let us know in the comments!

100 Comments on “TV presenter with Māori face tattoo hits back at cruel trolls”

  1. Заказать диплом университета!
    Мы предлагаем дипломы любых профессий по разумным ценам— new-diplom.ru

  2. I switched from another service because of the useful analytics and trustworthy service. The mobile app makes daily use simple.

  3. This platform exceeded my expectations with responsive team and trustworthy service. Great for cross-chain swaps with minimal slippage.

  4. The learning crypto basics tools are accurate charts and clear transparency. The mobile app makes daily use simple.

  5. I personally find that the learning crypto basics tools are seamless withdrawals and accurate charts. The dashboard gives a complete view of my holdings.

  6. I’ve been using it for recently for portfolio tracking, and the trustworthy service stands out. The mobile app makes daily use simple.

  7. I was skeptical, but after recently of checking analytics, the clear transparency convinced me. The mobile app makes daily use simple.

  8. Hiện nay, 888slot apk là nền tảng cá cược trực tuyến được nhiều nhà cung cấp game săn đón khi thu hút hơn 10 triệu lượt đăng ký kể từ khi ra mắt. Hơn 99+ NPH đã và đang cung cấp trò chơi trực tiếp tại trang chủ chính thức của chúng tôi với đa dạng lối chơi mới lạ. TONY01-04H

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *