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 later lost at sea leaving behind eight descendants. In 1960, on a trip to South America, she met her second husband, Benito Alarcon, with whom she had two more children, Clara and Ricardo. Benito, who was known as Pipi Tau Taoraha, remembers his wife with much respect and admiration.
The Encounter with the Varua: A Ceremony of Acceptance
“We had barely arrived on the Island with my wife when we received a visit from Victoria Atan, who was also called Ruau Tekarera, coming on horseback with a white chicken, to invite us to the La Perousse Bay. Since at that time the Islanders weren’t allowed to roam freely over the Island, she had gotten a special permission from the Navy. When we arrived at the little port, Esperanza stayed on the beach while Victoria took me to Ahu Hekii where she started a very strange ceremony which lasted almost an hour. She spoke, she argued, she whispered and she sang in her language, placing her hands over my head. When she was finally done, she said to me, ‘Poki Hiva, son of the continent, the Varua (spirits) have accepted you. Within a week you will speak our language.’ Don’t ask me how, but it happened.”
A Simple Childhood and Work at the Williamson Balfour Company
Esperanza was always a happy person and very loved by all. Until she was 6, she was raised by Victoria Atan-Pakomio. Then she went to live with her parents, Amelia Tepano and Santiago Pakarati. She used to accompany her father and his brothers to plow the fields. At that time many of the children would run about naked. It was only when they were about 15 years old that they would receive their first clothing, a sailor’s jacket, and their first shoes made of the shoulder blades of a sheep tied with Kakaka (banana fiber). She never complained. On the contrary, she was simple but well-behaved. She was selected along with two other young girls, Anisina Rapahango and Ana Maria Paoa-Rangitopa, to work with the English administrators of the Williamson Balfour Company, helping their wives. She took on their values and made herself respected without stridency, by demonstrating her good sense with the things that happened.
As it happened, once she felt that one of her sisters, who had spent a long time living in France, was disrespectful toward her. Esperanza, the Atariki (the oldest of the children in the family) had ceded a property to her sister, who then took more than the amount agreed upon and built a house on it. Esperanza responded in accordance to the old ways. Without saying anything to anybody, she went over and burnt down the problem.
Survival on the Island: Water, Clothing, and Food
There was no running water on the Island, just tanks to collect the rainfall. Esperanza would get water in a tin can or with whatever she had on hand, but she always kept a can greased with mutton fat so that it wouldn’t rust. There was nothing else available.
Clothes were washed by boiling them with ashes. They came out impeccable. When we were thirsty and didn’t have water, she used a plant that resembles a clover called Poporo. It can be chewed and its acidity takes away thirst. Her father had a property on Maunga O Pipi where he was authorized by the Company to plant taro, uhi, manioc and other vegetables. He also raised pigs and chickens. We never lacked for food.
The Art of Fishing: Lobster, Eels, and Squid
In those days it was difficult to get fishing hooks. It was much easier to catch lobster which were found in the shallow waters. It was enough to bend down and pull out what you needed, ten or twelve at a time. To catch eels, Esperanza taught me to use my index finger wrapped in a rag. First you had to beat a bloodied fish around in the water and call “Hui-Hu-Hui…” like a dying sound. The eels would come in great quantities, probably thinking that there was a dying animal. I had to put my finger in the water and let an eel bite it, pulling him in rapidly and giving him a blow on the head. It was the same with the squid. You would take them in your hand, remove their teeth with your own and then grab them by their tentacles and beat them against the rock before putting them in a canvas sack. Those were great lessons in survival.
The Legacy of the Neru: Sacred Tradition of the Priestesses
Te Oho A Neru, Esperanza’s great-grandmother, was the last priestess to have been kept in her youth in the cave of the priestesses (Ana Hua Neru). She imparted some of the ancestral traditions of the Neru. Some priests used to observe the stars and make note of special births. Those children were then selected, separated from their parents, raised and taught the sacred traditions. They held monthly ceremonies, like the Papa Uihe Tu´u, on Poike Hill. They would paint their sexual organs with Kiea (colored earths) and dance under the full moon, imitating the sounds of the whale and emanating their “feminine energy” throughout the Island. After the slave raids, the Neru (priestesses) were abandoned to their own devices. No one brought food to the cave where they lived any longer. Esperanza’s great-grandmother survived by placing a stone in her mouth (a Maea Poro) which caused gastric juices to flow and keep her alive.
The Bond with Family Spirits
Esperanza maintained contact with the Varua, the three spirits that were allied with her family, Hiva-Kara´A-Rere, Pae-Pae-Atari-Vera and Mata-Vara-Vara. She used to make a bonfire each week to invoke them and deliver food to them. “She had a very special voice which was notable for its resonant quality. I can still hear her.”
Frequently Asked Questions About Esperanza Pakarati Tepano
Who was Esperanza Pakarati Tepano?
Esperanza Pakarati (1922-2005) was a Rapanui woman, great-granddaughter of the last priestess Te Oho A Neru and granddaughter of important local figures, such as catechist Nicolás Pakarati and Juan Tepano Huke.
Who was Te Oho A Neru?
She was the last priestess kept in her youth in the cave of the priestesses, Ana Hue Neru, who passed on to Esperanza part of the ancestral Neru tradition and survived the abandonment of the caves after the slave raids by placing a stone in her mouth to stay alive.
What survival techniques did Esperanza Pakarati master?
She knew how to gather lobster in shallow waters, catch eels using her finger wrapped in a rag along with a special sound to attract them, catch squid by hand, and used the Poporo plant to quench thirst when no water was available.
What were the Varua to Esperanza Pakarati?
The Varua were the three guardian spirits of her family Hiva-Kara´A-Rere, Pae-Pae-Atari-Vera and Mata-Vara-Vara with whom she kept contact through weekly bonfires and food offerings.
