Explorer

This Kiwi Newsreader Is Trending, Chin Up With Her Traditional Face Tattoo

Oriini Kaipara read the 6 pm news bulletin on Newshub Live, wearing a moko kauae, a traditional tattoo worn by Māori women on their lower chin. Māoris are the indigenous people of New Zealand.

New Delhi: A newsreader in New Zealand has become the first person ever to anchor a prime-time news show with a traditional face tattoo worn by Māori women. 

Oriini Kaipara, 37, who sports a moko kauae, read the 6 pm news bulletin on Newshub Live in New Zealand on Monday. 

Moko kauae is a traditional tattoo worn by Māori women on their lower chin. Māoris are the indigenous people of New Zealand.

According to reports, Kaipara got the tattoo inked in 2019 and has been since reading news on television with it for mid-day broadcast. This is the first time she read out the prime-time news as she had to appear as a temporary replacement for the regular evening hosts for the show, Indy100 reported. 

Kaipara took to her Instagram account to share images and a video of her ‘debut’ as prime-time newsreader. She captioned the post: “6pm Debut.”

Take a look:

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Oriini Kaipara (@oriinz)

According to a report on Dailymail.co.uk, Kaipara, a mother of four from Auckland, found out about her “100 per cent” Māori origins after she took a DNA test in 2017.

She decided to go for the traditional tattoo in 2019.

The report said she followed a particular process known as Tā moko, representing “family heritage and social status”. For Māori women, it said, the moko was a “rite of passage, marking the passage between girl and adulthood and symbolises transformation”.

Kaipara is of Tūhoe, Ngāti Awa, Tūwharetoa and Ngāti Rangitihi descent, the report said.

Quoting Kaipara, it said presenting primetime news was a lifelong dream, adding that she now hopes more Māori women would be seen reading the news with their traditional tattoos. 

View More
Advertisement
Advertisement
25°C
New Delhi
Rain: 100mm
Humidity: 97%
Wind: WNW 47km/h
See Today's Weather
powered by
Accu Weather
Advertisement

Top Headlines

3 'Khalistani' Terrorists Gunned Down In Encounter With Police In Uttar Pradesh's Pilibhit
3 'Khalistani' Terrorists Gunned Down In Encounter With Police In Uttar Pradesh's Pilibhit
Hyderabad Stampede: Police Make Fresh Revelation About Allu Arjun, Release CCTV Footage
Hyderabad Stampede: Police Make Fresh Revelation About Allu Arjun, Release CCTV Clip
Will Elon Musk Be The US President One Day? Donald Trump Has This Answer
Will Elon Musk Be The US President One Day? Donald Trump Has This Answer
'Teach Your Kids Ramayana, Else Someone Will Take Your Lakshmi': Kumar Vishvas' Veiled Dig At Sonakshi's Wedding
'Teach Your Kids Ramayana, Else...': Kumar Vishvas' Veiled Dig At Sonakshi's Wedding To Zahir
Advertisement
ABP Premium

Videos

Delhi Elections 2025: Registrations for Mahila Samman Yojana and Sanjeevani Yojana Begin TodayDelhi Elections 2025: Registration for Mahila Samman Yojana and Sanjeevani Yojana Begins TodayPolice Gunned Down All Three Terrorists Involved in the December 18 Grenade Attack in GurdaspurDelhi Elections 2025: Registration for Mahila Samman and Sanjeevani Yojanas Starts Today

Photo Gallery

Embed widget