| Learn the local customs of Easter Island. Tips and photos posted by real travelers and Easter Island locals. Map |
 | Easter Island Local Customs | Tips 1 - 10 of 23 |  |
European missionaries brought a new faith to the islanders of Rapa Nui - that of Roman Catholicism. We weren't fortunate enough to be able to attend a Sunday Mass in the church - a real treat we were told, with wonderful singing - but we certainly were able to observe the unique nature of the islander's faith in the way they bury their dead. Have you ever seen a more joyous cemetery?
Small shrines observed around the island also reflect the devotion of the local people whilst,inside the church, the carved wooden statues were a wonderful combination of Catholic imagery and Rapa Nui heritage. Leave a Comment
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Obviously this will depend on how you felt the level of service you were given was. It is typical that you will be collected from the airport by your host and taken back there too. They will normally give you flower necklaces on arrival and shell necklaces on departure. Shortly before leaving we gave our hosts a pack of deluxe biscuits and a bottle of Baileys. The bottle was much better received and by the time we left, it felt like we were leaving an old friend rather than a B&B host. Leave a Comment
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 Mass on a Sunday in Hanga Roa by easyoar
It seems like most of the island goes to church, even the big blokes with tattoos and swarthy complexions. It makes a great place to people watch, and the Rapa Nui singing is really rather good.
We were staying with a local, and she encouraged us to go, and we thoroughly enjoyed it - it is well worth going however religious or not that you are!
I regretted not taking my camera along, as the Rapa Nui mass was heaving, and people were videoing in there too. This picture was taken at the later Spanish mass when I just popped my head through the door and took a picture - the service is much quieter here!
If you go to the Rapa Nui mass, get there early so you get a seat! Leave a Comment
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 Rapa Nui: farewell shell
necklace by vtveen
In the morning of our departure Hetty got as a farewell from Rapa Nui a huge 'shell necklace'. (Later on, during our around the world trip in New Zealand and Australia, we got almost problems to import these necklace due to tough biosecurity check's in these countries.)
We had read about these local custom and we were so happy we brought also a gift for our hosts. So we didn't feel embarrassed and our hosts were very happy !! Leave a Comment
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 A floral greeting by sswagnerLeave a Comment
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We found that many of the locals preferred US dollars to Chilean pesos. Furthermore, we could bargain better with US dollars than with pesos. I will only exchange 200-300 for pesos (for gas, groceries, and other local items) on our next trip, however be sure to bring CASH. Although the most expensive part of our trip was the airline ticket, we found cash to be invaluable. Many of the locals will take credit cards, but usually with a 10-15% fee attached. Leave a Comment
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 by S_PotatoheadLeave a Comment
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Your hotel owner will probably see you off at the airport and give you a shell necklace. It would be nice to have something for them as well. Leave a Comment
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Do not forget to ask a native about the story of the bird man. Leave a Comment
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