“It’s breaking new ground for us as Māori, but also for people of colour,” Kaipara said
(Picture: YouTube)An “inspiring” newsreader has made history as the first person with a MÄori face tattoo to present primetime news.
Oriini Kaipara hosted Newshub’s 6 o’clock news on Monday (December 27) to fill in for regular hosts Sam Hayes and Mike McRoberts. She is set to take up a permanent role for the news outlet’s 4.30pm bulletin but hopes to become a presenter for the 6.00pm slot.
Kaipara explained that she got the tattoo in 2017 after a DNA test revealed she was 100 per cent MÄori. The moko kauae – a sacred lower chin tattoo worn by MÄori women – garnered much positive attention online, with one expressing the importance of “preserving culture in these kinds of diverse, human and beautiful ways.”
Talking to Stuff, she said: “It’s really exciting. I’m really enjoying it. I’m not speechless, but it’s a buzz. I am proud of how far I’ve come in being able to anchor 6pm right now.”
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“It’s breaking new ground for us as MÄori, but also for people of colour,” she said. “Whether you’ve got a moko kauae or not.”
“I’m very much aware that I’m the first [with moko kauae] to anchor a six o’clock primetime news bulletin,
“That is always at the back of my mind, that every step I make is like breaking through a glass ceiling,” she added.
Social feeds were flooded with love and support for the journalist, with many “hoping this 6pm news slot is made permanent for Oriini.”
I hope Oriini Kaipara gets that primetime spot! https://t.co/g297ni5yru
— Alex von Tunzelmann (@alexvtunzelmann) December 27, 2021
The new/old face of Aotearoa (New Zealand). Lovely to see Oriini Kaipara, a wahine with a moko kauae, reading the news. https://t.co/Mc93S8LvDZ
— Andrew Dykes (@Andrew_S_Dykes) December 28, 2021
I learned that the tribal marking is called moko kauae, and is reserved exclusively for the Māori women.
— A T&T Health Worker Stan Acct. (@GhostMan868) December 28, 2021
This beautiful anchor is Oriini Kaipara, and she’s making her people- especially the women- very proud. https://t.co/09cFcYlPMf
Oriini Kaipara became the first wahine with a moko kauae to front the 6pm news 😍😭😍😭 https://t.co/ge2jf6NWTt
— Rudi B. (@rudi_bee) December 28, 2021
Wahine ataahua! Oriini Kaipara speaks with eloquence…hearing fluent Te Reo Māori is absolutely refreshing to hear on the 6pm news. She’s is definitely a real keeper @NewshubNZ
— 🇳🇿🥝Not So Nice Mags 🥝🇳🇿 (@not_mags) December 27, 2021
The brilliant Oriini Kaipara is my new favourite news reader. I normally watch her on the Māori channel ~ she is head & shoulder above all of the rest .@NewshubNZ
— stable genius sandy may💫💫 (@sandzz77) December 28, 2021
including Mike Mc Roberts. She is fabulous !
🙌Right on! Indigenous representation & gender equality matters. This #NewZealand🇳🇿 bilingual journalist and broadcaster is of Tūhoe, Ngāti Awa, Tūwharetoa and Ngāti Rangitihi descent. Oriini Kaipara is the first wahine with a moko kauae to present the national news. @NewshubNZ https://t.co/gkXVVtO2D4
— Karyn Caplan 😷 (@KarynCaplan) December 28, 2021
The 37-year-old first made headlines when she presented TVNZ’s midday broadcast in 2019.
“It’s definitely a step forward, and a step-up. If there was a goal for me, it would be anchoring prime time news, and that’s happened,” she said.
“We’ve got a good team at Newshub, I don’t feel the pressure as much as I used to when I first started out in journalism. But that comes with doing the hard yards, and then actually realising it and doing it is really exciting.”
