New Zealand broadcaster, Oriini Kaipara becomes first person with Māori face markings to anchor Primetime news

Oriini Kaipara, a New Zealand broadcaster has become the first person with M?ori face markings to anchor the national news in primetime.  

Yahoo! News reported that Kaipara who has a moko kauae or a traditional chin marking worn by M?ori women, filled in for the permanent anchors on Newshub Live’s 6 p.m. news bulletin on New Zealand’s Three channel on Monday December 27.

The broadcaster told Stuff; 

“I am proud of how far I’ve come in being able to anchor 6 p.m. right now.

“It’s definitely a step forward and a step up. If there was a goal for me, it would be anchoring primetime news, and that’s happened.

“That is always at the back of my mind, that every step I make is like breaking through a glass ceiling. It’s breaking new ground for us as M?ori, but also for people of color. Whether you’ve got a moko kauae or not.”

Kaipara previously received notoriety after she was named the first person with a moko kauee to anchor the TVNZ 1’s midday news broadcast in 2019.

In 2017, Kaipara discovered she was almost 100 percent M?ori through DNA test, according to The Guardian. Ever since then, she said, she has made representation and inclusion on television a part of her mission.