By Ma’u Henua Communications
The Ma‘u Henua Indigenous Community, with funding from ICRART (International Centre for Rock Art) and the Spanish Ministry of Culture, developed the Training Course for the Conservation of Rapa Nui’s Cultural Heritage, aimed at updating and strengthening the skills of the teams responsible for its protection.
Ma‘u Henua currently has heritage professionals with academic training and experience in conservation, archaeology, and other disciplines related to its safeguarding. In this context, the training allowed participants to deepen their knowledge, incorporate new tools, and update methodologies to address the challenges involved in the conservation of Rapa Nui’s cultural heritage.
The program was coordinated by Fernando Carrera Ramírez, a Spanish archaeologist and conservator-restorer with extensive experience in the conservation of archaeological sites and rock art, as well as a long professional connection to the island.
During the course, national and international specialists addressed different areas, including preventive conservation, site registration and condition assessment, risk evaluation, intervention planning, monitoring, and maintenance.
Carrera particularly highlighted the management model developed on Rapa Nui and the role of its community in protecting the territory.
“That the direct heirs of this culture are the ones who self-manage their cultural heritage is a model to follow,”
noted the specialist, who described the management and conservation strategies implemented on Rapa Nui as “exemplary.”
