A television presenter with a traditional Māori facial tattoo graciously replied to troll insults, asserting her cultural history and identity.
Internet debates over facial tattoos are common, with some arguing that they should only be on the body and others appreciating their cultural significance.
Oriini Kaipara, 41, a pioneering TV presenter, made history by joining New Zealand’s Newshub as a newsreader, becoming the first primetime TV news bulletin presenter wearing a moko kauae, a respected traditional marking worn by Māori women.
Māori, the indigenous Polynesian people of mainland New Zealand, value moko kauae as important markers of tradition and identity. These face tattoos, which are customarily placed on the lips and chins, represent a woman’s family connections, leadership in her society, and respect for her ancestry, rank, and ability.
Despite the plaudits, one viewer, known as David, expressed his displeasure with Kaipara’s moko kauae in his 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, as reported by the Daily Mail. “This is a poor appearance. She also speaks in the Māori language, which we cannot comprehend. “Stop right now.”
Undeterred by David’s insulting words, Kaipara confronted the matter front on, posting screenshots of the messages on her Instagram account and replying with grace and dignity.
“Today, I had enough. I replied. I never do that. “I broke my own code and hit the send button,” she stated in an Instagram post, alongside a copy of David’s letter.
Kaipara also released her email answer to David, in which she stated that she couldn’t take his complaint seriously “given there was no breach of broadcast standards.”
She also made a point of correcting his spelling of moko, as David had called hers “moku.”
In her email, Kaipara continued, “I suppose your criticisms derive from a desire for how one should seem on-screen, according to you. Moko and those with them are not frightening, and they do not deserve such discrimination, abuse, and intolerance.
“We mean no harm or ill intent, nor do we/I deserve to be treated with such disregard,” she insisted” “Please refrain from complaining further and restrain your cultural ignorance and bias for another lifetime, preferably in the 1800s.”
Despite David’s harsh criticism, Kaipara was quick to point out that she receives largely positive comments and that vicious trolls are rare.
Kaipara expressed the need for more Māori champions in critical jobs across all sectors in an interview with the New Zealand Herald after her response to David’s complaint.
Overall, Kaipara’s dignified answer serves as a poignant reminder of the value of cultural pride and perseverance in the face of hardship, and she is motivating others to embrace their identities unabashedly and confront discriminatory beliefs.
What do you think about this story? Please let us know in the comments.