Women who took offence at Jay Scott's moko kauae told to apologise

By Sam Olley, RNZ

A Havelock North mother who was told her moko kauae scared children in a playground, wants to meet with the women who insulted her.

Two women asked Jay Scott (Ngāpuhi) to cover the tā moko on her chin with a mask or leave, last Wednesday.

The mother of four then posted about the racist remarks on social media, and has had messages of support from all over the country, and even overseas, but she has not heard from the women.

Scott said speaking to them would help heal the mamae - their comments left her in tears.

"They asked me if I could cover my chin, my moko kauae, with my mask, because I was 'scaring the children'. And if not, [they said] then leave. They didn't say please. They just asked me to leave."

She ignored the comments but felt "hurt and rage".

"I was boiling on the inside. I had to compose myself and hold my mana."

Jay Scott says she was told to cover up her moko kauae tattoo or leave a playground in Havelock North because she was 'scaring the children'. Photo / Paul Taylor

Scott was sitting with her 6-month-old and her three elder tamariki were playing.

She cried when she got home, and said a karakia.

Scott had felt uncomfortable about racial inequality in Hawke's Bay before but "never thought the race card would be slapped like that".

"I think Havelock North needs a bit of a wake-up, I can't hold all the residents from here accountable for what these two women did to me, but things need to change."

Scott suspected the women would have seen her speak out on social or news media platforms this week.

She wants to meet with them and educate them about the mana and history behind moko kauae.

"And just to get an understanding of what made them feel the need to come up to me. An apology would be great and lovely, but yeah, I'm not holding my breath.

"I hope they would never approach someone again like this."