Oriini Kaipara, a newsreader in New Zealand, made history by becoming the first person with a traditional face tattoo to anchor a primetime news broadcast.
As photos of the journalist went viral — it won many hearts online with people stressing how representation matters — and they, wanting to find out more about the woman whose profession as a broadcast journalist spans almost two decades.
Oriini Kaipara Tattoo Meaning
So, Oriini Kaipara has an ethnic lower chin tattoo that is worn by Māori women called a ‘moko kauae’.
Oriini got the tattoo inked in January 2019 after a DNA test in 2017 revealing that she is 100% Maori. On January 6, 2019, she uploaded the pictures of the tattooing process on her Instagram @oriinz (with 23.2k followers as of 30 December 2021), to write: “Taonga Tuku Iho 💛 E tuku tonu nei” In English, it means, Living Heritage 💛 Ongoing”.
So, a moko kauae tattoo represents the women’s whanau, and the authority, responsibility, status, and commitment towards the traditions, culture, and heritage.
Oriini Kaipara DNA
Kaipara explained that Oriini got the tattoo in 2017 after a DNA test revealed she was 100 percent Māori.
The bilingual journalist had taken the test for a story of Maori’s native affairs when she discovered that although she has European ancestors, her parents had passed on only their non-Pakeha genes. Now, she identifies as Tūhoe, Ngāti Awa, Tūwharetoa and Ngāti Rangitihi.
Does Oriini Kaipara Have A Husband?
Back in June 2017, Oriini Kaipara went around as a single mother.
However, in an interview in December 2019, when explaining her experience of getting a tattoo, Oriini mentioned a husband as she said, “there was a big uproar about her getting one as a pakeha woman, and her Maori husband giving her permission.”
Who Is Oriini Kaipara Baby Father?
So yes. It is the ex-husband that is the baby father of her two younger kids: Nikau, and Ngarongokahira. Also, she shares the other two Paetawhiti and Te Aomihia with her ex-husband who was still her boyfriend. And it seemed Orinni has been mostly responsible for raising all her kids.
Who Are Oriini Kaipara Parents?
Oriini Kaipara’s mom had a major role in even bringing up Oriini’s children. When her second-born Te Aomihia was six-month-old, the matriarch sat Oriini down and told her, “Look, I don’t want you to stay at home and be a statistic. I’ll look after the babies, but you need to get your life sorted.” And that was how Oriini managed to go for her national diploma in Film and Television Production, Documentary Production, Presenting at South Seas Film and Television School in 2002.
It was from then and until 2004, that she and her ex-husband had two more children, son Nikau, 15, and daughter Ngarongokahira, 8.
Now, Oriini said she already had her “Don’t be like me. Live your life first. I learned the hard way. You don’t have to go through what I did” talk with two of her eldest.
Back to talking about Oriini’s mom again, the matriarch passed away recently in September 2021.
Recalling her final moment with her, heartbroken Oriini had taken to her Instagram to compose a long heartfelt piece, part of which read: “I keep replaying our final moment of life together, lying in bed next to you, sobbing uncontrollably – trying to do it quietly so I wouldn’t worry you. You knew. You heard. And you forced yourself awake and mustered all your strength to wrap your arms around me… You kissed my forehead and whispered, “I will find you”.
Oriini, however, has not mentioned her father anywhere, in her sharing on social media.
Related FAQs
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How Tall Is Oriini Kaipara?
Oriini Kaipara is below 5’6” tall in height.
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When Is Oriini Kaipara Birthday?
As she celebrated her recent birthday on the 25th of October 2021, Oriini took to her Instagram to beautifully write: “Grateful for my mum for giving me life 38 years ago so I could celebrate this day with her and our whānau. Happy birthday to us, Mum 💜”.
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How Much Is Oriini Kaipara Net Worth?
Orinni Kaipara, who is currently filling in for the regular hosts on Newshub Live evening show and the late-night news at Newshub, Three that is owned by Discovery Network, had nearly $750K net worth when she went viral on the internet in December 2021.
She has been also serving as a reporter and host of Māori Television’s current affairs program, Native Affairs, as of March 2016.
