A New Zealand TV presenter has made history by becoming the first journalist to appear on air with a face tattoo.
Oriini Kaipara is said to have a ‘Moko Kauae’ (traditional lower chin tattoo) similar to Mori women.
According to Times Now, Kaipara went on air on Monday to read her regular news bulletin, which was anchored by Sam Hayes and Mike McRoberts.
Following the publication of the bulletin, the 37-year-old said she had realised a “lifelong dream,” aiming to set an example for other Mori women who want to be journalists.
On Christmas Day, the bilingual presenter became the first wahine with a traditional lower chin tattoo to front the 6pm news, bringing her closer to achieving her ultimate goal of winning a full-time primetime anchor position. https://t.co/9aGdTVqVti pic.twitter.com/l8Mixb3gWe
— Stuff (@NZStuff) December 27, 2021
It’s a buzz, but I’m not speechless. While speaking with Stuff, Kaipara, a mother of four, expressed. “I’m proud of how far I’ve gone to be able to anchor 6 p.m. at this point. It is unquestionably a step forward and forward.”
“If I had a goal, it would be to anchor prime time news, and that’s exactly what I’ve done,” she continued.
Oriini Kaipara, 37, is the first person in New Zealand’s history to anchor the news wearing her moko kauae, a traditional lower chin tattoo worn by Māori women. Her markings celebrate the rite of passage from girl to adulthood — symbolizing a personal process of transformation. pic.twitter.com/UBXnhuhqF5
— Lakota Man (@LakotaMan1) December 28, 2021
Kaipara described her time in the newsroom as follows: “I don’t feel the pressure as much as I did when I first started out in journalism since we have a great team at Newshub. But that comes with putting in the hard work, and then realising and executing it is a thrilling experience.”
The young anchor discovered she was 100% Mori four years ago, descended from Tuhoe, Ngati Awa, Tuwharetoa, and Te Arawa. Not long after that, she acquired a’moko kauae.’
