Easter Island is a mysterious place in the South Pacific in which giant stone statues echo their historical enchantments. The island is located 2,300 miles from Chile’s west coast and 2,500 miles east of Tahiti. The island was formerly referred to Rapa Nui to its first inhabitants. The island was later christened Paaseiland or Easter Island by the Dutch explorers to honor the day of their arrival in 1722. The island was annexed by Chile during the 19th century and today it mainly serves as a place where many come to visit each year, a tourism location. Many visit the mystifying sites such as the giant statues, the ceremonial village of Orongo and the Rano Kao volcano.
The creators of the enormous statues were considered
master craftsmen and engineers. These marvels are distinctive to other
sculptures discovered in the Polynesian cultures. The role the statues served
in the ancient Polynesian civilization and the way they have been constructed
and transported has puzzled many for centuries.
Rapa Nui was the first name given to Easter Island by the
Polynesians. The first king of Rap Nui was Hoto-Matua, a ruler possibly from
the Marquesa Islands. The approximately 900 large statues provides the greatest
evidence that a rich culture was established by the original inhabitants. The
statues averaged 13 feet in height and weighed approximately 13 tons. The huge
stone busts were referred to as “moai.” They were carved out of porous rock
formed by volcanic ash. It is still a wonder how the statues were moved all
over the island.
There were distinct cultural phases: the early period
(700-850 A.D.), the middle period (1050 – 1680), and the late period (after
1680). Between the first two phases there was evidence that many early statues
were destroyed and the statues were rebuilt. The later statues were larger and
heavier. During the middle period burial chambers were constructed. The moai were
believed to represent the important people who were deified after their death.
The biggest statue found constructed during the middle period measured 32 feet
tall and weighed approximately 82 tons.
The later period, laced with civil wars and destruction,
involved many statues being pushed over and many obsidian spear points were
found. Two competing ethnic groups existed during this time period: The
Short-Ears and the Long-Ears. Many lost their lives during heated conflicts.
The first known European traveler to set foot on the
island was a Dutch explorer named Jaob Roggeveen. He arrived in 1722. As stated
earlier, the Dutch named the island Paaseiland or Easter Island to celebrate
their date of arrival.
After about 50 years in 1770, the Spanish viceroy of Peru
sent explorers to the island. They spent four days and estimated the population
to be at approximately 3,000 people. Four years later after a civil war the
British navigator Sir James Cook arrived to find that the island’s population
dropped to only 600 to 700 men with only about 30 women still remaining.
Jean-Francois de Galaup, a French explorer, discovered
2,000 people on the island when he arrive in 1786. The major influx of people
was decimated by a slave raid from Peru in 1862 which was made worse by smallpox
being introduced to the small community. The population was reduced to 111 by
1877. Catholic missionaries decided to settle on the island to convert the
natives to Christianity. Chile annexed the island and rented much of the land
for sheep raising. In 1965 the government of Chile appointed a governor for
Easter Island. The residents of the island became citizens of Chile.
Easter Island was formed by a series of volcanic
eruptions. It is 14 miles long and seven miles wide. The hilly terrain and
subterranean caves filled with corridors extend into the mountains of volcanic
rock serve as a challenge for people who want to explore the island. The
largest volcano is Rano Kao and the highest point is Mount Terevaka, which
reaches 1,969 feet above sea level. The climate is subtropical and sunny and
dry.
In 1995, UNESCO named Easter Island a World Heritage
site. The island has no natural harbor, however, ships can anchor on the west
coast at Hanga Roa, the island’s largest village with a population of about
3,300. The island houses a mixed population, mostly of Polynesian ancestry, and
the Spanish language is the most prevalent language spoken. The economy is
supported by tourism.
The history of the island involves visitors from many
countries. The mysterious large Polynesian statues have provided an unsolved
puzzle for many for centuries. Why and how were they constructed? The island
serves as a tourist attraction for many today.
History.com. Easter Island. Retrieved on March 7, 2017
from www.history.com/topics/easter-
island
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