Easter Island Local Customs

  rongo rongo copy at island museum
by pure1942
 
  • rongo rongo copy at island museum
      rongo rongo copy at island museum
    by pure1942
  • Rapa Nui Flag
      Rapa Nui Flag
    by pure1942
  • Stone Hut at Orongo Ceremonial Village
      Stone Hut at Orongo Ceremonial Village
    by pure1942
  • Moai Kavakava
      Moai Kavakava
    by pure1942
  • Mahina Beer
      Mahina Beer
    by pure1942
 
Great Prices, Great Rooms
hotels.com We Know Hotels Inside And Out. Click or call now: 1-800-914-6835
Save up to 50% off Hotels Everyday
Expedia.com Photos, Reviews and the Guaranteed Lowest Prices

Sponsored Links

Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

The Birdman Cult

by pure1942

After the inter-tribal wars which marked the decline of the moai era, a new spiritual and political cult grew up in its place and operated between the 18th and 19th centuries . Developing from a warrior clan known as the matatoa, ‘The Birdman Cult’ grew as a replacement to the more traditional ancestor worship and moai based rituals of older generations. This spiritual worship evolved around the deities ‘Haua’ and ‘Make-Make’, the half man, half bird spirit responsible for the coming and going of the seasons and birds. The culmination of the cult’s celebrations came about at the start of spring every year, when the locals came together at Orongo for the tangata-manu competition. Without the moai culture and the traditions of the tribal kings or ‘ariki’ which had existed for the centuries before the civil unrest which brought about their downfall, the people of Rapa Nui needed a new...

Tip Photo
Flag

by pure1942

While the Chilean flag flying from the navy base in Hanga Roa reminds visitors of who is ultimately in charge, the locals have a fierce sense of independence and you are far more likely to see the red and white flag of Rapa Nui proudly displayed around the village. This is often to the annoyance of the Chilean authorities who insist that the only flag officially permitted to fly is the Chilean flag. This is largely ignored and while having no real anti-Chilean intentions or separatist connotations, it is widely flown in conjunction with pro-independence movements and demonstrations and is a large part of the permanent independence display near the central market. The unusual flag has a red ‘reimiro’ set against a white background. A ‘reimiro’ was a crescent-shaped chest plate traditionally worn by women and carved from wood. The name reimiro is a combination of the ancient Rapa Nui...

Tip Photo
Mahina Beer!

by pure1942

Until recently, visitors to Rapa Nui had to make do with imported Chilean (Escudo or Cristal) or Tahitian (Hianano) beer to quench their thirst. However, there is now a new local kid on the block, with the Mahina Brewery quickly gaining a good reputation and following on the island. The beer prides itself on being 100% natural and befitting the mystery and powerful history of the island, claims to be brewed under a full moon through a process perfected by an ancient wise man, Paca!In reality, the brewery is run by one of the island’s most well known entrepreneurs, Mike Rapu, and produces up to 3000 litres of beer a month although plans to expand the business are in the pipeline. There are two brews currently produced, a 4.8% pale ale and a 6.8% stout, which as an Irishman I loved!!! Both beers are brewed naturally and so does contain a certain amount of sediment. Many of the bars and...

Tip Photo
Language

by pure1942

While Spanish is the official language of Rapa Nui, the island does have its own indigenous language known as Rapa Nui. The language has roots in other Polynesian languages and is most closely related to Tahitian and Cook Islands Maori. Having visited New Zealand, Tonga and the Cook Islands before my trip to Rapa Nui, I was delighted to hear the similarities of some words to other Polynesian languages. These similarities are amazing when you consider the vast distances between these Polynesian islands! For example the New Zealand Maori word for canoe or boat is ‘waka’ whereas the Rapa Nui word is ‘vaka’. Likewise the word for ‘hello’ in NZ Maori is ‘Kia Ora’, in the Cook Islands it is ‘Kia Orana, in Tahiti it is ‘La Ora Na’, and in Rapa Nui it is ‘Iorana’. You can actually hear the subtle changes occurring as the words spread from west to east! However, today’s Rapa Nui language bears...

Rongo Rongo

by pure1942

In such an enigmatic and mysterious land, perhaps one of the most puzzling aspects of Easter Island relates to the strange rongo-rongo tablets. These wooden tablets seem to depict some form of ancient writing system and have baffled archaeologists, linguists, decoders and historians ever since outsiders first came across these highly unusual artefacts. Considered to be a written form of the ancient Rapa Nui language, nobody has, as yet, been able to decipher the pictorial writing system and it looks unlikely that anyone ever will. Vaguely resembling hieroglyphics, rongo-rongo is formed from characters and glyphs usually carved onto thin, irregularly shaped, wooden tablets using obsidian tools or small shark teeth. The symbols consist of about 120 basic characters, depicting a range of human, animal and bird figures, plants, natural objects and geometric shapes. These characters are...

Tip Photo
Moai Kavakava

by pure1942

Rapa Nui is justifiably famous for its magnificent giant, stone moai. However, the island also has a proud and ancient tradition of fine wood carving (strange for an island that has been virtually treeless for centuries!). Nonetheless, intricate wooden carvings of war clubs, ceremonial paddles (ao), writing tablets (rongo-rongo), ceremonial dress pieces and chest plates (reimiro) and statues have been found all over the island. The term moai actually stems from the Rapa Nui word for ‘image’ and so does not confine its use solely to the famous stone moai of Easter Island. There are also smaller, wooden moai although their characteristics are very different to the stone giants. The moai kavakava are not as well known as their stone counterparts but are just as mysterious and intriguing. Kavakava literally means ‘ribbed figure’ and the reason behind this strange name becomes immediately...

Tip Photo
Island Name

by pure1942

Easter Island and its Spanish equivalent ‘Isla de Pasqua’ are the names most commonly used to reference this small Pacific island. However if you really want to score brownie points with the locals you should refer to the island by its traditional name, Rapa Nui. The name Easter Island only came after a Dutch expedition under Admiral Jacob Roggeveen became the first Europeans to set foot on the island on Easter Sunday 1722 and named this speck of land, Easter Island. However, even the traditional name, Rapa Nui, isn’t the original name for the island. The name Rapa Nui (meaning Big Rapa) was only given to the island in the last few centuries by Tahitian sailors who likened the island to a larger version of Rapa Iti (meaning Small Rapa) located in the Bass islands of French Polynesia. The original name for the island is in fact, Te Pito O Te Henua, which means ‘naval of the world’. What...

Manu – Moving the Moai!

by pure1942

The most romantic theories of how the moai were transported originate from oral island traditions which state that the moai simpy ‘walked’ to their intended destination using the ancient power of manu, which made the statues come to life. Theorists have claimed that this is in fact evidence backing up their claims that the statues were moved upright and that the oral stories are just exaggerated versions of what they believe to be the process used...that the statues were moved upright by using ropes to rock and twist the statue along its route. This may have made the statues appear to ‘walk’.Other local legends exist based on stories that a king Tuu Ku Ihu moved them by calling on the power of the god make-make, while other stories state that a powerful local woman, who lived alone on one of the hills, was able to order the moai about the island at her will.

Tip Photo
Enjoy the Easter Island People

by bevis58

Most of my In-laws live on Easter Island. Traveling there continues to be very safe. I am going in Feburary. The Islanders are not against tourism, they welcome it. You will not find friendlier people anywhere. The Islanders are peacefully protesting against the government of Chile which took their ancestrial lands many years ago and are dragging their feet in negotiations to find a solution. They also want Chile to limit immigration from the mainland ( Chile) because the Island does not posses or want to build the infastructure required to handle the influx of Chilenos. They want to preserve Easter Island in its current natural polynesian state.

A floral greeting

by sswagner

If you are staying at a guesthouse, it is customary to be met at the airport and to recieve a floral lei. These are hand made by the islanders. When departing, I also received a shell necklace. This is a good reminder of Easter Island's Polynesian roots.

Tip Photo
Local traditions and culture in Easter Island

Top 3 Hotels in Easter Island

explora Rapa Nui - Posada de Mike Rapu  Easter Island

 49 Opinions

 Hotels in Easter Island

Manu Nui Inn  Easter Island

 11 Reviews and 46 Opinions  Breakfast was from 8.00 till 10.00 And breakfast was different every day. Every day there was a... 

 Hotels in Easter Island

Taha Tai Hotel  Easter Island

 2 Reviews and 66 Opinions  Taha Tai was a cozy accomodation about a block away from the ocean. Rooms can be rented facing the... 

 Hotels in Easter Island

7 Hotels in Easter Island
 
Explore the World
Travel Destinations
Travel Highlights

The Place

Reviews and photos of Easter Island attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Easter Island sightseeing.

Experience Easter Island
 

Questions and Answers

ANNE930 profile photo

Q:  Hi All, I live in Macau PRC and am thinking of visiting Easter Island which is always one of my dream places. But travelling to... 

langlanglangpelikan profile photo

A: Hi! Was on that amazing island a few years ago. And then the only flights from South America was from Santiago, Chile. But there were also possible to fly there from... 

Read 6 Replies

postQuestion_button

Click here for best deals for Easter Island

Compare hotel Rates !
Booking.com Excellent choice, Save money
Great Rooms, Great Prices
Hotels.com Low Rates Guaranteed!  Click or Call an Expert at 1-800-45-HOTEL
Book Now - Pay Later!
Venere.com Best Prices & No Cancellation Fees! Hotels, Apartments, B&Bs and More!
Save up to 50% off Hotels Everyday
Expedia.com Photos, Reviews and the Guaranteed Lowest Prices

Sponsored Links