Rita Ora Faces Backlash After Mistaking Her Husband Taika Waititi’s Ethnicity as Samoan
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Pop singer Rita Ora is currently receiving online backlash after calling her husband Sāmoan on live television. The “Poison” singer committed the mistake when she was convincing a The Voice Australia contestant be part of Team Rita.
Rita Ora Commits Awkward Blunder about Her Husband’s Ethnicity on The Voice Australia
A recent episode of The Voice Australia showed contestant Marley Sola wowing audiences with a rendition of Stevie Wonder’s “Ribbon in the Sky.” After his performance, coaches took the time to ask about his musical background.
According to Sola, he grew up singing in a Sāmoan church and is part Sāmoan. This has apparently rung a bell on coach Jason Derulo, who tried to make a connection with him by showing off his Sāmoan tattoos. The “Savage Love” singer also told Sola that his security guard is Sāmoan.
Ora, who tied the knot with Māori filmmaker Taika Waititi last year, then chimed in. Unexpectedly, she’s offered wrong information people anticipate her to get right.
“I’m married to half a Sāmoan man, so,” she said.
For those who may not know, Waititi is part of the indigenous people of Aotearoa, a Māori-language name for New Zealand. Furthermore, he is a mix of Māori, Russian Jewish, Irish, and French Canadian. Over the years, the Waititi has been vocal about this diverse heritage.
Ora is high likely meaning to say “Polynesian” which refers to various indigenous peoples of the Polynesian region, rather than “Sāmoan.” Be that as it may, fans are understandably confused and disappointed with Ora’s live mistake.
Fans Criticize Her for Not Knowing that Waititi is Maori
Upon finding out about the mistake, internet users were quick to express their displeasure. Now, many fans are questioning the couple’s relationship, particularly Ora’s feelings for Waititi.
“He spent his whole career telling innovative Maori stories, and advocating for native voices and storytelling on the big screen. And his wife doesn’t even know he’s Maori. Did they even have a conversation before getting married?!” one person wrote.
“If my spouse mis-identified my heritage…I’d be pissed,” another person commented.
Meanwhile, one user expressed their secondhand embarrassment of Ora’s blunder. One fan, on the other hand, stated that indigenous peoples are used to being mistaken when it comes to their identity, “usually not by our spouses,” however.
At present, neither Ora not her husband has reacted to the ongoing online bashing. Nonetheless, fans believe Ora should be more careful and aware of her words, especially when spouting details about her married life.
