Oriini Kaipara, a New Zealand journalist of Māori descent, made history in 2021 by becoming the first presenter to appear on national television with a facial tattoo.
While she received a lot of support, one viewer named David was not impressed. This was because the tattoo in question was a moko kauae, a facial tattoo traditionally worn by women in Māori culture.
David wrote to the Newshub editorial team, calling Kaipara’s tattoo a “moku” and describing it as “offensive.” He was also not happy about Kaipara using the Māori language during her segments.
“We strongly continue to oppose you using a Māori TV presenter with a ‘moku,’ which is offensive and looks aggressive. A bad appearance. She also breaks into the Māori language, which we do not understand. Stop it now.”
On Instagram, she responded to the viewer’s comments. “Today I am tired. I responded. I never do this. I broke my own code and pressed send,” she said, before showing her followers an image of her email response.
“Thanks for all the complaints against me and my ‘moku.’ I find it very hard to take them seriously, since there is no violation of broadcasting standards. If I may, I would like to correct you on one thing – it’s moko, not moku. A simple and helpful pronunciation guide of ‘Maw-Caw’ will help you articulate the word correctly,” she quipped in the email.
“I imagine your complaints come from a preference for how someone should appear on screen, according to you. Moko and the people who wear it are not threatening and do not deserve such discrimination, harassment, and prejudice. Moko is an ancient cultural mark exclusive to the indigenous people of Aotearoa, including me.”
“We do not wish to cause harm or bad intentions, nor do we/I deserve to be treated with such disrespect. Please stop complaining and avoid your ignorance and cultural prejudice for another life, preferably in the 1800s,” Kaipara concluded.
Photo and video: Instagram @oriinz. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
