Editorial
Presenter Oriini Kaipara has made history by becoming the first person with a traditional Māori face tattoo to read the primetime news bulletin.
The 37-year-old made her debut on Newshub on December 27, when she was reportedly asked to fill in for the show’s usual hosts, Sam Hayes and Mike McRoberts.
According to Stuff, Kaipara was left ‘proud’ by her achievement and couldn’t believe the huge ‘step forward’ in primetime news.
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She reportedly said: “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.
“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.”
It’s believed she then said that the Newshub team had been supportive of her, explaining that she didn’t feel a huge weight of ‘pressure’ in the role.
She added: “But that comes with doing the hard yards, and then actually realising it and doing it is really exciting.”
Kaipara’s chin tattoo – which is also called a moko kauae – was reportedly inked in 2017 after she took a DNA test and found out she was 100% Māori.
The tattoo is traditionally worn by Māori women and after having it inked, it’s believed the journalist made it her ‘goal’ to sport it on primetime news.
Reportedly, Kaipara previously worked at TVNZ. However, she was apparently then offered a role with Newhub’s network, Three.
It’s believed that the journalist will take over the 6pm prime time news slot until Thursday, December 30.
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