Testimony from the Past Esperanza Pakarati (1922 – 2005) was the great-granddaughter of the last Rapanui priestess, Te Oho A Neru, whom she actually knew, and granddaughter of important local personages, the catechist Nicolas Pakarati and Juan Tepano-Huke. She was married at a young age to Esteban Atan-Pakomio, who was
Maori Legend Creation Story The Maorí believe that the universe is represented by the supreme god Taaroa and his union with Fei-Materai, who represents the night, from which Ranginui (the sky) and Papatuanuku (the earth) were born. In the beginning, the sky and the earth were joined in such a
Marine Park on “Salas y Gómez” The international conservation organization, Oceana, and the National Geographic Society scheduled an expedition to the Salas y Gómez Island in March of 2010. The scientific team, with their guide, Michel García, a diver from Easter Island, were able to record the underwater life that
by Jo Anne van Tilburg — Director, Easter Island Statue Project (EISP) With the ratification of excavation permits from the Island authorities, Jo Anne van Tilberg completed the first stage of excavations begun in Abril of 2010 in the quarry at Rano Raraku, which were interrupted earlier this year by
Sergio Tepano Cuevas Today, all the public services on Easter Island are locally administered by a Rapanui executive. One of these is Sergio Tepano-Cuevas, 35 years old, the son of Ricardo Tepano and Ximena Cuevas, who is the current Head of the Office of Indigenous Affairs, CONADI. His paternal grandparents
Ma’u Henua Informs Government pressure to modify the Contract of Concession of the Park. November 23, 2017 will be remembered as an historic day for the Rapanui people. The nation of Chile, through the government of the then-President Michelle Bachelet, signed Decree 119 of the Ministry of National Properties, turning
Mata Ki Te Rangi Eyes which look to the Sky Be Alexandra Edwards Rapa Nui Planetarium It has taken 4 years to complete the construction of the planetarium, and it has been a labor of love. During this time, under the auspices of the Planetarium foundation, we have been doing
Collective Show My Moai Mana Gallery Rapa Nui presents the Collective Show “Mi Moai” of scaled replicas of the ancestral megalithic Rapanui statues and of ritual objects carved in wood. Eighteen sculptors, between masters and apprentices, have brought to life more than 30 Moai (statues), expressing their soul through technical
Testimony from the Past President, Indigenous Community Ma’u Henua Camilo Rapu-Riroroko, 38 years old, is the son of Camilo Rapu-Haoa and Maria Eugenia (Tita) Riroroko-Hey. He studied in the Lorenzo Baeza Public School of Easter Island, did his secondary studies at the Barros Arana National Institute in Valparaiso and then
Hanga Piko The Hidden Bay Hanga Piko means “hidden bay”, since it is surrounded by small hills which keep it out of sight, unlike most of the other coves or bays of the Island which are usually on a plain. Given its good access to the sea and its conditions
The tomb of Pito Pito “Pito Pito” was the local nickname given to the Frenchman, Jean Baptiste Ounésime Dutrou-Bornier, a merchant mariner. He first saw Easter Island in 1866 as the captain of the ship “Tampico”, bringing two French missionaries of the order of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and
Kuini Analola Rescuing ancestral navigation in Rapa Nui Myths and legends tell us of the heroic migration of the Polynesians throughout the length and breadth of today’s Polynesia. However, the knowledge of the traditional methods of navigation has been almost lost following the European colonization. Researchers, such as Heyerdahl and
