A journalist has changed the face of television by becoming the first person with Māori facial markings to host a primetime news programme in New Zealand.
The 37-year-old Oriini Kaipara made headlines with her viral photos on Instagram, as many supporters expressed the importance of Māori representation.
View this post on Instagram
Kaipara made history in 2019 as the first woman with a ‘moko kauae’ to anchor a mainstream news bulletin, TVNZ. According to CNN, these facial markings are tattooed on the chin of women in the tradition of the Māori people (indigenous of what is now New Zealand), and she got her “moko” as a reminder of her power and identity as a Māori woman.
Hosting her first 6pm bulletin for Newshub on the TV channel Three was met with unwavering support as she filled in for the news show’s permanent anchors, Sam Hayes and Mike McRoberts in December. She was touched by someone who said her presence on the news made a positive impact on their own mental health, Stuff reports.
View this post on Instagram
Kaipara also fills in for the Newshub’s late-night news, and has a permanent presenting role on Newshub Live at 4.30pm, but said that anchoring prime time news was a goal for her that she has now achieved. “It’s definitely a step forward, and a step-up,” she told Stuff.
But she has received some backlash as well, as an Instagram user said “this is not cute or professional. I am not sure this is anything to be proud of” while another said ” looks like a beard. Why you do that to your face”.
These comments were tainted as “disrespectful” as culture and respect were brought to the forefront of the discussion.
Also read:
Make it stick: Set intentions, not New Year’s resolutions for 2022
Picture: Instagram / @oriinz