Oriini Kaipara, a 41-year-old television presenter from New Zealand, responded gracefully to a viewer’s negative comment about her traditional Māori face tattoo. The viewer had referred to her moko kauae, a significant cultural symbol for Māori women, as a “bad look.” In her response, Kaipara expressed immense pride in her heritage and the cultural importance of her tattoo. As the first-ever primetime TV newsreader to wear a moko kauae on New Zealand’s Newshub, she highlighted that these tattoos represent a woman’s ancestry, social standing, and leadership role within her community. The moko kauae is a revered symbol of Māori identity and heritage.
