A  television presenter with a traditional Mãori face tattoo responded gracefully to troll comments, reaffirming her cultural heritage and identity.

Online debates over facial tattoos are common, with some advocating for their cultural significance and others for their body use.

Oriini Kaipara, 41, a trailblazing  TV presenter, made history by being the first primetime TV news bulletin presenter with a Moko Kauae, a revered cultural mark worn by Mãori women.

Moko Kauae are important symbols of heritage and identity for Mãori, the indigenous Polynesian people of mainland New Zealand.

Facial tattoos on the lips and chin represent a woman’s familial connections, leadership, lineage, status, and capabilities.

Despite the accolades, one viewer, known as David, expressed his dissatisfaction with Kaipara’s Moko Kauae in his email to Newshub

“We continue to object strongly to you using a Māori newsreader with a moko [moko], which is offensive and aggressive looking,” he wrote, according to the Daily Mail. “A terrible look. She also speaks in the Māori language, which we cannot understand. “Stop it now.”

Despite David’s disparaging remarks, Kaipara bravely confronted the issue, sharing screenshots of the messages on her Instagram story and responding with dignity.

“Today, I had enough. I responded, Never do that.” I broke my code and hit the send button,” she said on Instagram, alongside a screenshot of David’s message.

Kaipara responded to David’s complaint by email, stating that she couldn’t take it seriously because there was no breach of broadcast standards.

She also attempted to correct his spelling of Moko, as David had previously referred to her name as “Moku.”

“I gather your complaints stem from a place of preference for how one should appear on screen,” Kaipara wrote in her email. Moko and those around them are not threatening, and they do not deserve such discrimination, harassment, or prejudice.

She wrote, “We mean no harm or ill intent, nor do we deserve such disregard.” Please refrain.

Despite David’s harsh criticism, Kaipara stated that she mostly receives positive feedback and seldom encounters cruel trolls.

Kaipara emphasized the need for more Māori advocates in an interview with The New Zealand Herald following her response to David’s complaint. “The fact that my existence triggers some people is a testament to why we need more Māori advocates in key roles across every sector.”

Overall, Kaipara’s dignified response is a powerful reminder of the importance of cultural pride and resilience in the face of adversity, and she is inspiring others to embrace their identities unapologetically and challenge discriminatory attitudes.