"Rapa Nui Point Rapa Nui Point is a rocky point projecting 180 m westwards into Shirreff Cove from the west coast of the small (2.6 km by 1.6 km) ice-free promontory forming the north extremity of Ioannes Paulus II Peninsula, western Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica and ending up in Cape Shirreff. The point is dominated by ""Scarborough Castle"", a 35 m crag roughly charted and descriptively named by the British sealer Captain Robert Fildes in 1821. The feature is named descriptively from its resemblance to the moai figures of Easter Island (Rapa Nui), Chile. Rapa Nui"
"Rapa Nui people The Rapa Nui are the aboriginal Polynesian inhabitants of Easter Island in the Pacific Ocean. The easternmost Polynesian culture, the descendants of the original people of Rapa Nui (Easter Island) make up about 60% of the current Rapa Nui population and have a significant portion of their population residing in mainland Chile. They speak both the traditional Rapa Nui language and the primary language of Chile, Spanish. At the 2002 census there were 3,304 island inhabitants—almost all living in the village of Hanga Roa on the sheltered west coast. As of 2011, Rapa Nui's main source of"
"of bone meal. Rapa Nui people The Rapa Nui are the aboriginal Polynesian inhabitants of Easter Island in the Pacific Ocean. The easternmost Polynesian culture, the descendants of the original people of Rapa Nui (Easter Island) make up about 60% of the current Rapa Nui population and have a significant portion of their population residing in mainland Chile. They speak both the traditional Rapa Nui language and the primary language of Chile, Spanish. At the 2002 census there were 3,304 island inhabitants—almost all living in the village of Hanga Roa on the sheltered west coast. As of 2011, Rapa Nui's"
"Rapa Nui National Park Rapa Nui National Park is a national park and UNESCO World Heritage Site located on Easter Island, Chile. Rapa Nui is the Polynesian name of Easter Island; its Spanish name is Isla de Pascua. The island is located in the southeastern Pacific Ocean, at the southeastern extremity of the Polynesian Triangle. The island was taken over by Chile in 1888. Its fame and World Heritage status arise from the 887 extant stone statues known by the name ""moai"", whose creation is attributed to the early Rapa Nui people who inhabited the island around 300 AD. Much"
"Rapa Nui language Rapa Nui or Rapanui () also known as Pascuan (), or Pascuense, is an Eastern Polynesian language spoken on the island of Rapa Nui, also known as Easter Island. The island is home to a population of just under 6,000 and is a special territory of Chile. According to census data, there are about 3,700 people on the island and on the Chilean mainland who identify as ethnically Rapa Nui. Census data do not exist on the primary known and spoken languages among these people and there are recent claims that the number of fluent speakers is"
"Rapa Nui mythology Rapa Nui mythology, also known as Pascuense mythology or Easter Island mythology, refers to the native myths, legends, and beliefs of the Rapa Nui people of Easter Island in the south eastern Pacific Ocean. According to Rapa Nui mythology Hotu Matu'a was the legendary first settler and ""ariki mau"" (""supreme chief"" or ""king"") of Easter Island. ""Hotu Matu'a"" and his two canoe (or one double hulled canoe) colonising party were Polynesians from the now unknown land of Hiva. They landed at Anakena beach and his people spread out across the island, sub-divided it between clans claiming descent"
"Rapa Nui mythology Rapa Nui mythology, also known as Pascuense mythology or Easter Island mythology, refers to the native myths, legends, and beliefs of the Rapa Nui people of Easter Island in the south eastern Pacific Ocean. According to Rapa Nui mythology Hotu Matu'a was the legendary first settler and ""ariki mau"" (""supreme chief"" or ""king"") of Easter Island. ""Hotu Matu'a"" and his two canoe (or one double hulled canoe) colonising party were Polynesians from the now unknown land of Hiva. They landed at Anakena beach and his people spread out across the island, sub-divided it between clans claiming descent"
"by a team including Anna-Sapfo Malaspinas (from the Natural History Museum of Denmark) analysed the genomes of 27 native Rapa Nui people and found that their DNA was on average 76 percent Polynesian, 8 percent Native American and 16 percent European. Analysis showed that ""although the European lineage could be explained by contact with white Europeans after the island was 'discovered' in 1722 by Dutch sailors, the South American component was much older, dating to between about 1280 and 1495, soon after the island was first colonised by Polynesians in around 1200."" In 1954 William Willis sailed alone on a"
"analysis of Easter Island's current inhabitants indicates that the 36 people living on Rapa Nui who survived the devastating internecine wars, slave raids and epidemics of the 19th century and had any offspring, were Polynesian. Furthermore, examination of skeletons offers evidence of only Polynesian origins for Rapa Nui living on the island after 1680. According to legends recorded by the missionaries in the 1860s, the island originally had a very clear class system, with an ""ariki"", king, wielding absolute God-like power ever since Hotu Matua had arrived on the island. The most visible element in the culture was production of"
"Nui People have been found to be of Polynesian origin through genetic analysis of mitochondrial DNA of pre-historic skeletons. Genetic analysis performed by Erik Thorsby and other geneticists in 2007 revealed genetic markers of European and Amerindian origin that suggest that the Rapa Nui had European and Amerindian contributions to their DNA during or before the early 1800s. Jacob Roggeveen was the first European to record contact with the Rapa Nui. Roggeveen allegedly set sail either in search of Juan Fernandez Islands or David's Island but instead arrived at Easter Island on April 5, 1722 (Easter Sunday). He remained on"
"strong evidence of Polynesian origins. However, since few islanders survived the 19th century slave raids, epidemics and deportations (perhaps only 0.25% of the peak population), this evidence depends on how representative the survivors were of the general Rapanui population. 4 The Mystery of Easter Island - Katherine Routledge 1919 Hotu Matu'a Hotu Matu'a was the legendary first settler and ""ariki mau"" (""supreme chief"" or ""king"") of Easter Island and ancestor of the Rapa Nui people. Hotu Matu'a and his two canoe (or one double hulled canoe) colonising party were Polynesians from the now unknown land of Hiva (probably the Marquesas)."
"the island for about a week. Felipe González de Ahedo visited the Rapa Nui in 1770 and claimed the island for Spain on a document which the islanders wrote on in rongorongo, the now undecipherable Rapa Nui script. James Cook and Jean-François de Galaup, comte de Lapérouse, visited the island for a few days in 1774 and 1786, respectively. The Rapa Nui currently speak Spanish and the traditional Rapanui language. The Rapanui language, also known as Pascuan, is classified as an Eastern Polynesian language and is currently written in Latin script. Rapanui is a minority language, as most Rapa Nui"
"Hotu Matu'a Hotu Matu'a was the legendary first settler and ""ariki mau"" (""supreme chief"" or ""king"") of Easter Island and ancestor of the Rapa Nui people. Hotu Matu'a and his two canoe (or one double hulled canoe) colonising party were Polynesians from the now unknown land of Hiva (probably the Marquesas). They landed at Anakena beach and his people spread out across the island, sub-divided it between clans claiming descent from his sons, and lived for more than a thousand years in their isolated island home at the southeastern tip of the Polynesian Triangle. Polynesians first came to Rapa Nui"
"other artifacts. However, land clearing for cultivation and the introduction of the Polynesian rat led to gradual deforestation. By the time of European arrival in 1722, the island's population was estimated to be 2,000–3,000. European diseases, Peruvian slave raiding expeditions in the 1860s, and emigration to other islands, e.g. Tahiti, further depleted the population, reducing it to a low of 111 native inhabitants in 1877. Chile annexed Easter Island in 1888. In 1966, the Rapa Nui were granted Chilean citizenship. In 2007 the island gained the constitutional status of ""special territory."" Administratively, it belongs to the Valparaíso Region, comprising a"
"Anakena Anakena is a white coral sand beach in Rapa Nui National Park on Rapa Nui (Easter Island), a Chilean island in the Pacific Ocean. Anakena has two ahus; Ahu-Ature has a single moai and Ahu Nao-Nao has seven, two of which have deteriorated. It also has a palm grove and a car park. Anakena is unusual for Easter Island in that it is one of only two small sandy beaches in an otherwise rocky coastline. According to island oral traditions, Anakena was the landing place of Hotu Matu'a, a Polynesian chief who led a two-canoe settlement party here and"
"Fenua Tapu Fenua Tapu is an islet of Nui atoll in the Pacific Ocean state of Tuvalu. It is the most southern and most eastern islet of Nui and is the largest (area 1.38 km²). Most Nuians live on the western end of Fenua Tapu, where a village including the settlements of Alamoni - Maiaki and Manutalake - Meang (Tanrake) lies. A Dutch expedition (the frigate ""Maria Reigersberg"") found Nui on the morning of June 14, 1825 and named Fenua Tapu as ""Nederlandsch Eiland"". A New Island in the Pacific.— In July last, the Pollux, Dutch sloop of war, Captain"
"settlement routes towards Rapa Nui further East. Southern Austral migration from Rapa Nui to Mangareva in the 1300s characterized one of the final acts of Early Polynesian expansion . Therefore, the language of Rapa Nui shares a lot of vocabulary with Mangarevan. Mangarevan mythology also includes common deities and gods found across the Polynesian triangle. For instance, in Mangareva, ""Tu"" was the most important god whereas in New Zealand and Hawai'i, the god Kū was a deity of war. Similarities amongst the Polynesian triangle also includes the goddess Haumea who is responsible for Creation, and the demi-god Māui who fished"
"of canoes that showcases the signature dances of each of Polynesian culture. The current show, ""Rainbows of Paradise"", which premiered in May 2010, was preceded by ""This is Polynesia"" and ""Ancient Legends of Polynesia"". Each of the major Polynesian cultures has its own section, centered on a traditional village. Hourly performances and cultural learning experiences take place in these villages. Villages include: In addition to the villages, the PCC has a special exhibit dedicated to Rapa Nui (Easter Island or Isla de Pascua) and a tribute to the 1850s LDS mission. Visitors may participate in a luau, such as the"
"Easter Island Easter Island (, ) is a Chilean island in the southeastern Pacific Ocean, at the southeasternmost point of the Polynesian Triangle in Oceania. Easter Island is most famous for its nearly 1,000 extant monumental statues, called ""moai"", created by the early Rapa Nui people. In 1995, UNESCO named Easter Island a World Heritage Site, with much of the island protected within Rapa Nui National Park. It is believed that Easter Island's Polynesian inhabitants arrived on Easter Island sometime near 1200 AD. They created a thriving and industrious culture, as evidenced by the island's numerous enormous stone ""moai"" and"
"Tahiti, and Easter Island, had only relatively recently been settled by indigenous peoples. The most famous Polynesian art forms are the Moai (statues) of Rapa Nui/Easter Island. Polynesian art is characteristically ornate, and often meant to contain supernatural power or mana. Polynesian works of art were thought to contain spiritual power and could affect change in the world. However the period beyond 1600 AD had seen intense interaction with European explorers, in addition to continuing earlier cultural traditions. The collections of European explorers during the period show that classical Polynesian art was indeed flourishing. In the 19th century, depopulation of"
"ago. Polynesians also share cultural traditions such as religion, social organisation, myths, and material culture. Anthropologists believe that all Polynesians have descended from a south Pacific proto-culture created by an Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian) people that had migrated from southeastern Asia. The other main Polynesian cultures are Rapa Nui (now known as Easter Island), Hawaiʻi, Marquesas, Sāmoa, Tahiti, Tonga, and Cook Islands. Over the last five millennia, a sequence of complicated and remarkable transoceanic treks were performed in an unprecedented accomplishment of navigation and curiosity. The final segments of these feats were across extreme and unmatched distances: to Hawaii, Rapanui, and Aotearoa."
"Rapa Nui opposed to private property and in favor of traditional communal property. On 26 March 2015, local minority group Rapa Nui Parliament took control over large parts of the island, throwing out the CONAF park rangers in a non-violent revolution. Their main goal is to obtain independence from Chile. The situation has not yet been resolved. History of Easter Island Geologically one of the youngest inhabited territories on Earth, Easter Island, located in the mid-Pacific Ocean, was, for most of its history, one of the most isolated. Its inhabitants, the Rapa Nui, have endured famines, epidemics of disease and"
"Puna Pau Puna Pau is a quarry in a small crater or cinder cone on the outskirts of Hanga Roa in the south west of Easter Island (a Chilean island in the Pacific Ocean). Puna Pau also gives its name to one of the seven regions of the Rapa Nui National Park. Puna Pau was the sole source of the red scoria that the Rapa Nui people used to carve the pukao (topknots) that they put on the heads of some of their iconic moai statues. The stone from Puna Pau was also used for a few non-standard moai including"
"This example sentence was recorded first in 1948 and again in 2001 and its expression has changed from VSO to SVO. Easter Island's indigenous Rapa Nui toponymy has survived with few Spanish additions or replacements, a fact that has been attributed in part to the survival of the Rapa Nui language. This contrasts with the toponymy of continental Chile, which has lost most of its indigenous names. Rapa Nui language Rapa Nui or Rapanui () also known as Pascuan (), or Pascuense, is an Eastern Polynesian language spoken on the island of Rapa Nui, also known as Easter Island. The"
"Matu'a, believed to be the first settler of Easter Island, and the Tangata manu. The Tangata manu is the mythology of the Birdman religion and cult which had creator god Makemake and a competition with eggs to choose the birdman who would remain sacred for five months. More recent Rapa Nui mythology includes the story of the epic battle between the Hanau epe and the Hanau momoko. The trans-Neptunian dwarf planet Makemake is named after this creator deity. The best known aspect of the Rapa Nui culture is the ""moai"", the 887 human figures carved from rock between 1250 and"
"evidence that the moai had been carved by the Rapa Nui and not by a separate group from South America. At least some of the moai were painted; ""Hoa Hakananai'a"" was decorated with maroon and white paint until 1868, when it was removed from the island. It is now housed in the British Museum, London, but there are demands (2018) for its return to Rapa Nui. The statues were carved by the Polynesian colonizers of the island, mostly between circa 1250 A.D. and 1500 A.D. In addition to representing deceased ancestors, the moai, once they were erected on ahu, may"
"both William Mulloy and Thor Heyerdahl in the 1950s, and both of its ahus have been restored. Anakena was used as one of the film locations for the 1994 Kevin Reynolds film ""Rapa Nui"". Anakena Anakena is a white coral sand beach in Rapa Nui National Park on Rapa Nui (Easter Island), a Chilean island in the Pacific Ocean. Anakena has two ahus; Ahu-Ature has a single moai and Ahu Nao-Nao has seven, two of which have deteriorated. It also has a palm grove and a car park. Anakena is unusual for Easter Island in that it is one of"
"Hawaiki In Polynesian mythology, Hawaiki (also rendered as ""Avaiki"" (Society Islands), ""Savai'i"", (Samoa), ""Havai’i"" (Reo Tahiti)) is the original home of the Polynesians, before dispersal across Polynesia. It also features as the underworld in many Māori stories. Anne Salmond states Havai'i is the old name for Raiatea, the homeland of the Māori. When James Cook first sighted New Zealand in 1769, he had Tupaia on board, a Raiatean navigator and linguist. Cook's arrival seemed to be a confirmation of a prophecy by Toiroa, a priest from Mahia. At Tolaga Bay, Tupaia conversed with the priest, ""tohunga"", associated with the school"
"Rapa Nui (Easter Island) by AD 300, Hawaii by AD 400, and into New Zealand by about 1280 CE. There is evidence, based in the spreading of the sweet potato, that they reached South America where they traded with the Native Americans. In the Indian Ocean they sailed west from Maritime Southeast Asia; the Austronesian peoples reached Madagascar by ca. 50–500 CE. This ""out of Taiwan model"" has been challenged by a 2008 study. Examination of mitochondrial DNA lineages shows that they have been evolving within Island Southeast Asia (ISEA) for a longer period than previously believed. Population dispersals occurred"
"income derived from tourism, which focuses on the giant sculptures called moai. Rapa Nui activists have been fighting for their right of self-determination and possession of the island. Protests in 2010 and 2011 by the indigenous Rapa Nui on Easter Island objecting the creation of a marine park and reserve, have led to clashes with Chilean police. Rapa Nui are believed to have settled Easter Island between 300 and 1200 CE. Previously, the date of arrival was estimated to be around 700–800 CE, but more-recent evidence from radiocarbon dating supports an arrival date as late as 1200 CE. The Rapa"
"Tukuturi and also for some petroglyphs. Puna Pau Puna Pau is a quarry in a small crater or cinder cone on the outskirts of Hanga Roa in the south west of Easter Island (a Chilean island in the Pacific Ocean). Puna Pau also gives its name to one of the seven regions of the Rapa Nui National Park. Puna Pau was the sole source of the red scoria that the Rapa Nui people used to carve the pukao (topknots) that they put on the heads of some of their iconic moai statues. The stone from Puna Pau was also used"
"of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series takes place on the Island of Rapa Nui. Tapati Rapa Nui festival (""week festival"" in the local language) is an annual two-week long festival celebrating Easter Island culture. Population at the 2012 census was 5,761 (increased from 3,791 in 2002). In 2002, 60% were persons of indigenous Rapa Nui origin, 39% were mainland Chileans (or their Easter Island-born descendants) of European (mostly Spanish) or mestizo (mixed European and indigenous Chilean Amerindian and/or Rapa Nui) origin and Easter Island-born mestizos of European and Rapa Nui descent, and the remaining 1% were indigenous mainland"
"the reserve areas (including monoliths and structures) with agricultural activities, livestock grazing, orchards and traditional fishing sites has evolved in the integrated management plans for the island. The management of the park is the responsibility of the Conservation Department of Chile's National Forestry Corporation (CONAF). Rapa Nui National Park Rapa Nui National Park is a national park and UNESCO World Heritage Site located on Easter Island, Chile. Rapa Nui is the Polynesian name of Easter Island; its Spanish name is Isla de Pascua. The island is located in the southeastern Pacific Ocean, at the southeastern extremity of the Polynesian Triangle."