The TV presenter, who has a stunning tattoo of a Māori face, gracefully responded to a viewer’s disparaging remarks and conveyed her deep pride in her identity and cultural background.
Online debates concerning facial tattoos are common because some individuals think they belong only on the body and others recognize the cultural significance of these body art pieces.
At 41 years old, Oriini Kaipara rose to prominence as a television presenter. When she started working as a newsreader for Newshub in New Zealand, she made history. As an important traditional emblem for Māori women, Oriini became the first-ever primetime TV news bulletin presenter to proudly wear a moko kauae.
Moko kauae are important symbols of the Māori people’s identity and legacy, who are the original Polynesian settlers of mainland New Zealand. These facial tattoos, which are typically located on the chins and lips, honor a woman’s abilities, social standing, and ancestry while also symbolizing her leadership role in the community.
In spite of the positive feedback, David sent Newshub an email expressing his displeasure with Kaipara’s moko kauae.
According to The Daily Mail, we vehemently object to the employment of a Māori newsreader who has an aggressive and offensive-looking moku (moko). It does not look nice. She also speaks in Māori, which is a language we cannot understand. Please put an end to it right now.
In spite of David’s critical remarks, Kaipara bravely faced the issue head-on. She answered with grace and respect, posting screenshots of the remarks on her Instagram story.
“Today was the day I had enough,” the woman stated on her Instagram account. It took me a while to answer, something I seldom do. I hit the send button, going against all I believed in. There was a screenshot of David’s message attached to this.
In another email to David, Kaipara expressed her inability to consider his complaint as “there is no violation of broadcast standards.”
She also underlined that he should alter his spelling of “moko,” as David had spelled it incorrectly.
Kaipara wrote in her email that it appears your grievances stem from your own personal inclinations about how individuals ought to appear on screen. She underlined that since Moko and those connected to them are not dangerous, they shouldn’t be the target of prejudice, harassment, or discrimination.
She went on, “We/I do not deserve to be treated with such disrespect, and we have no intention of causing harm or ill will.” “Please stop making new complaints and make an effort to overcome your prejudice and ignorance of culture, as if you were in the 1800s.”
Kaipara swiftly clarified that she rarely experiences nasty trolls and that she primarily gets good responses in spite of David’s severe criticism.
Kaipara told the New Zealand Herald in an interview how important it is to have more Māori spokespeople across a range of areas. She said that the fact that some people are offended by her just by being there emphasizes the need for more representation.
All things considered, Kaipara’s graceful response serves as a potent reminder of how important cultural pride and resiliency are when facing difficulties. She is inspiring people to confront bigotry and boldly accept who they are.
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