Television presenter Oriini Kaipara, proudly wearing a traditional Māori face tattoo, responded gracefully to online trolls, reaffirming her cultural pride and identity.
Kaipara, a trailblazing 41-year-old newsreader for New Zealand’s Newshub, made history as the first person to deliver a primetime news bulletin while wearing the moko kauae, a significant cultural symbol worn by Māori women. The moko kauae, traditionally placed on the lips and chin, reflects a woman’s heritage, status, leadership, and familial connections within the Māori community, the indigenous Polynesian people of New Zealand.
Despite the praise Kaipara has received, one viewer named David expressed his displeasure through an email to Newshub. According to the Daily Mail, David’s message criticized Kaipara’s appearance, calling her moko “offensive and aggressive looking” and dismissing her use of the Māori language as “incoherent.”
Rather than ignoring the remarks, Kaipara confronted them head-on. She shared the email exchange on her Instagram story, handling the situation with grace and dignity. In her response to David, Kaipara pointed out that his complaints were based on personal preferences about appearance and corrected his misspelling of the word “moko.” She made it clear that moko kauae represents no threat, and such expressions of cultural pride do not deserve intolerance or discrimination.
“We mean no harm or ill intent,” Kaipara wrote. “Neither do we deserve to be treated with such disregard.” She added a sharp rebuke, telling David to hold off on expressing his “cultural ignorance and bias” until a time more suited to such views—“ideally the 1800s.”
Despite this negative comment, Kaipara emphasized that most responses to her are positive, and trolls like David are the exception. In an interview with the New Zealand Herald following the incident, Kaipara spoke about the importance of having more Māori advocates in prominent positions. “The fact that my existence triggers some people is testament to why we need more Māori advocates in key roles across every sector,” she said.
Kaipara’s composed response serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of cultural pride and resilience. Her actions inspire others to embrace their identities with confidence and stand up against prejudice.
HAPPY MOMENTS: Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce Seal Victory with Kiss After Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl 2024 Triumph.
Taylor Swift, unable to contain her reaction, was left visibly in shock as Mecole Hardman’s touchdown secured the team’s OT win.
The Chiefs began the game with a worrisome 10-3 score, eventually reaching 19 all until OT.
Swift, in the VIP box with Ice Spice and Blake Lively, went wild in celebration.
Supporting Travis Kelce since the 2023 season began, Swift has attended 13 Kansas City Chiefs games (including the Super Bowl). The pop singer flew in from Japan a few hours ago, making it in time to see her boyfriend create history at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
Earlier during the game, Swift was caught in another viral moment as she huddled with her friends in similar fashion. It was the first lead for the Chiefs of the night, Mahomes passing to wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling.
Mahomes was just as pumped post-game, out of breath as he credited the win to his teammates:
“The guys never faulted. I can’t take all the glory, man. I’m proud of my guys, man. This is awesome. Legendary”.
Speaking about coach Andy Reid and the final call, Mahomes added:
“Coach Reid, he’s a legend, man. And Mecole Hardman, battled through adversity this year. Making that play was special. It’s a start (of a dynasty). I’m not done. We’re going to celebrate tonight, but we’re not done. We got a young team, we gonna keep this going”.
Leave a Reply