In 2019, a delegation from Rapa Nui — made up of representatives of the Ma’u Henua Indigenous Community, the Governor, Codeipa and the Council of Elders — traveled to London to formally request the repatriation of the Moai Hoa Hakananai’a from the British Museum. The moai had been extracted from the ceremonial village of Orongo in 1868 and has been exhibited in London for more than 150 years. It was the first official meeting between a Rapanui delegation and the museum’s authorities on this matter.
Repatriation of the Moai Hoa Hakananai’a
A delegation of Rapanui, made up of representatives of the Ma’u Henua Indigenous Community, the Commission for Development of Easter Island (Codeipa) and the Council of Elders, accompanied by the Minister of National Properties, Felipe Ward, traveled to London to meet with the authorities of the British Museum and present a formal request for the repatriation of the Moai Hoa Hakananai’a. “Here your children and grandchildren have come to search for you,” was the phrase in the Rapanui language that a member of the delegation pronounced in front of the Moai Hoa Hakananai’a. In an intimate ceremony, the representatives of the Island presented offerings of red and white kiea (colored earth), with which the Moai had been painted originally. With the traditional song “I’He A Hotu Matu’a”, the delegation indicated its recognition of Moai Hoa Hakananai’a and requested that his Mana (spiritual power) soon return to Rapa Nui.
Following this, the delegation began the official process with the Chilean Embassy in London, holding an informative coordinating meeting with the Ambassador, David Gallagher. After the first encounter, the highly awaited meeting with the authorities of the British Museum, Hartwig Fischer (director), Jonathan Williams (assistant director) and other employees of the institution, was held. The group explained the spiritual importance of this ancestor within the Rapanui culture and his significance in the past, the present and the future of the Island.
“We sense that it was a positive encounter. The English people were able to understand how important Moai Hoa Hakananai’a is for us as a people with a living culture. I think that we are on the right path”, said Camilo Rapu, president of the Ma’u Henua Indigenous Community. This feeling was ratified by the Minister of National Properties, Felipe Ward: “The fact that we sat down to speak for the first time with the British Museum and that they accepted the invitation to visit the Island and verify for themselves what is happening in conservation which would enable us to take charge of a moai, such as Hoa Hakananai’a, leaves us with a light of hope.”
The Moai Hoa Hakananai’a — History and Significance
The Moai Hoa Hakananai’a — whose name in Rapanui means “he who conceals a secret” — was carved in volcanic basalt and bears on its back the iconography of the Tangata Manu or Bird-Man cult. Originally painted with red and white kiea, it was found at the ceremonial village of Orongo — a sacred enclave on the rim of the Rano Kau volcano — and removed in 1868 by the British naval expedition of HMS Topaze. It has been displayed at the British Museum in London ever since.
Unlike most moai — which represent the ancestor cult of the megalithic period — the Hoa Hakananai’a belongs to a later phase: the Bird-Man cult. The carvings on its back include bird-man figures, ceremonial oars (Ao) and representations of the god Make-Make, making it one of the most complete records of Rapa Nui’s ritual system. The stone slab paintings from Orongo documented by the German expedition of 1882 suffered a similar fate — they were taken to the Royal Museum in Berlin.
Other Advances in the Repatriation of Rapanui Heritage
The request to the British Museum is one of several active restitution processes driven by the Rapa Nui community. In 2023, more than 600 ancestral objects returned to Rapa Nui from the Kon-Tiki Museum in Norway after more than 70 years. The Natural History Museum in London restituted three Ivi Tupuna (ancestral remains). And in a separate process, the city of La Serena agreed to return an ancestral moai in exchange for a piece carved by contemporary Rapanui sculptors.
These advances are part of a global movement recognising the right of indigenous peoples to recover their cultural heritage — a cause the Ma’u Henua community and the Rapanui people have been pursuing for decades.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Repatriation of the Hoa Hakananai’a
What is the Moai Hoa Hakananai’a?
The Hoa Hakananai’a is a basalt moai from Rapa Nui found at the ceremonial village of Orongo and removed in 1868 by the British Navy. It bears on its back the iconography of the Bird-Man (Tangata Manu) cult. It is currently displayed at the British Museum in London.
Why is Rapa Nui requesting the return of the Hoa Hakananai’a?
For the Rapanui people, the Hoa Hakananai’a is not a museum object but an ancestor — a being with its own Mana. Its removal in 1868 was carried out without the genuine consent of the Rapanui people. The Ma’u Henua community considers its repatriation a cultural, spiritual and patrimonial right.
What did the British Museum agree to with the Rapanui delegation in 2019?
At the 2019 meeting, the British Museum accepted an invitation to visit Rapa Nui and assess the conservation conditions on the island — a prerequisite the Museum cited before making any decision on the repatriation of the Moai Hoa Hakananai’a. It was the first official meeting between both parties.
Have other Rapanui objects been repatriated?
Yes. In recent years, more than 600 ancestral objects (Ivi Tupuna) returned to Rapa Nui from the Kon-Tiki Museum in Norway after more than 70 years, and the Natural History Museum in London restituted three Ivi Tupuna. The repatriation of the Hoa Hakananai’a from the British Museum remains in process.
