Rapa Nui National Park (Spanish: Parque nacional Rapa Nui) is a national park and UNESCO World Heritage Site located on Easter Island, Chile. Rapa Nui is the Polynesian name for Easter Island; its Spanish name is Isla de Pascua. The island is in the southeastern Pacific Ocean, at the southernmost edge of the Polynesian Triangle. Chile took control of the island in 1888. The park is famous and recognized as a World Heritage Site because of the 887 stone statues called "moai." These statues were created by the early Rapa Nui people, who lived on the island between 300 and 1200 AD. Most of the island is part of Rapa Nui National Park, which UNESCO declared a World Heritage Site on March 22, 1996, because of its cultural importance. The park is now managed by the Ma´u Henua Polynesian Indigenous Community, the first independent group on the island. The indigenous Rapa Nui people have regained control of their ancestral lands and are responsible for managing, protecting, and preserving their heritage. On December 1, 2017, former President Michelle Bachelet returned the Rapa Nui National Park to the indigenous people. For the first time in history, money earned from the park is used to support the island and protect its natural heritage.

Geography

The island is far away from other landmasses and forms the eastern edge of Polynesia. It is located 3,700 kilometers (2,300 miles) west of Chile, about 2,200 kilometers (1,400 miles) east of Pitcairn Island (the closest inhabited place), and is the most remote place on Earth where people live. The park is shaped like a triangle, with a length of 23 kilometers (14 miles) and a width of 11 kilometers (6.8 miles). It is home to the remains of an ancient culture that built large stone structures called "moai," made from volcanic rock. The landscape includes volcanoes and a rough coastline. Elevation ranges from sea level to 300 meters (980 feet). The area has freshwater lakes, volcanic craters, and a coastline that is worn away by waves.

The park has a warm sub-tropical climate with southeast trade winds from October to April. The average yearly rainfall is 1,250 millimeters (49 inches), with rain falling mainly during the winter season. Winter temperatures average 19°C (66°F), and summer temperatures average 24°C (75°F).

History

The Rapa Nui people arrived on the island between 300 and 1200 CE. In 1935, the Chilean Government established the park. At that time, the native Rapa Nui people were limited to a reserve near the capital city, Hanga Roa, while the rest of the land was given to sheep ranchers. In 1964, a movement for independence began. By the 1980s, the lease for sheep farming ended, and the entire island became a historic park. The island’s population grew from 2,770 in 1972 to 3,792 by 2002, with most people living in the capital.

From 1972 to 2015, the Rapa Nui National Park was managed by CONAF (National Forest Corporation). In 2016, the park was jointly managed by the Chilean government and the Ma'u Henua community. In 2017, the park was granted to the indigenous Rapa Nui community for 50 years, with the option to renew the agreement.

Chile took control of the island in 1888. The island is famous for its 887 remaining stone statues called "moai." Much of the island is part of the Rapa Nui National Park. On 22 March 1996, UNESCO recognized the park as a World Heritage Site of cultural importance under criteria (i), (iii), and (v).

In October 2022, a forest fire damaged the park, causing "irreparable" harm to wetlands and the moai statues in the archaeological area.

Culture

The moai statues in the park range in height from 2 to 20 metres (6 to 65 feet). These statues were carved from volcanic rock, specifically a yellow-brown volcanic tuff found only at Ranu Raraku, a location on the southeast side of the island. Some moai were also made from red scoria. The shrines where the statues were placed for worship are called "ahu." These shrines are usually built near the coast and run parallel to it. Many unfinished moai can still be seen in the quarries where they were carved. The creation and movement of the 887 statues are considered impressive achievements in both art and physical effort. Restoration work on the moai has been ongoing since 1950. Between 1837 and 1864, all the standing statues were knocked over, likely due to tribal conflicts, though they suffered little damage. Later, during the restoration period, with help from international teams, the statues were moved back to their original positions. The moai represented the most respected ancestors of a clan, believed to give "mana" to living leaders. The park also contains a few petroglyphs and paintings.

The Birdman cult, which replaced the worship of the moai, was centered at Orongo, a ceremonial site called Mata Ngarau. This location is on a narrow ridge 250 metres (820 feet) above sea level, between the ocean and the deep crater of Rano Kau volcano, which last erupted about 150,000 to 210,000 years ago.

The earliest people who lived on the island called it "Te Pito o Te Henua," meaning "the navel/end of the world." The first European to reach the island was Dutch explorer Jacob Roggeveen on Easter Day, 1722. He named the island "Easter Island" after the holiday. He noted that the island's inhabitants were divided into three groups: those with dark skin, those with red skin, and those with very pale skin and red hair. In the 19th century, a Tahitian visitor named the island "Rapa Nui," meaning "Big Rapa," because it resembled the island of Rapa but was larger. In Chile, the island is known as "Isla de Pascua," which means "Easter Island" in Spanish.

Ecology

Because the island is isolated, there are many species of animals and plants that are found nowhere else. The park is managed under IUCN Management Category II in southeastern Polynesia. The island's history related to its geography and environment has changed significantly from ancient times, when palm trees and a dense forest covered the land. Before Polynesians arrived in the 4th century, the island had a wide range of vegetation, including trees, shrubs, ferns, and grasses. Today, the island is mostly covered in grass, with only a few ornamental trees and shrubs scattered across it.

Of the 150 recorded plant species, 45 are unique to the island. However, the island is mostly grassland, with only three endemic grass species. In ancient times, the only trees on the island were Sophora toromiro and Paschalococos. The toromiro tree is now extinct on the island, and Paschalococos may be related to the Chilean palm, Jubaea chilensis. In the grassy areas of the island, the vegetation is mostly made up of species from the Austrostipa and Nassella genera. Other plants are not native to the island. Among the shrubs, the hau hau (Triumfetta semitriloba) is still present, but Coprosma spp. is no longer found on the island. The wood from the now-extinct Jubaea palm was used to create tools for moving the large stone moai statues. Carbon dating shows this tree existed on the island until the 17th century. Ferns are native to Rapa Nui, and four of the 15 recorded species are unique to the island: Doodia paschalis, Polystichum fuentesii, Elaphoglossum skottsbergii, and Thelypteris espinosae. Triumfetta semitriloba, once thought to be extinct, was rediscovered in 1988. A 1991 report noted that 166 introduced plant species are present, along with 46 native species, including nine that are unique to the island. In the lower part of the Rano Raraku crater, tall bulrushes like totora are found, likely brought to the island by travelers from South America.

The island's only mammals are rodents and carnivores. Recorded reptiles include three species of marine turtles and two land lizards: Lepidodactylus lugubris and Ablepharus boutoui poecilopleurus. Four bird species live on the island: three that live on land and one that lives in the ocean. These are Fregata nubor, the red-tailed tropicbird (Phaethon rubricauda), and the Kermadec petrel. Three species of small moths are found in the park, and none are related to species from South America. One of these is Asymphorodes trichogramma.

Conservation

Invasive plants were brought to the area for use in feeding animals. Forest fires often happen, which harm the plants that naturally live there. Studies show the land is damaged by erosion and the large number of visitors.

The area became a national park in 1935, but the first plan to manage it was not started until the 1980s. Because there was not enough money, conservation efforts were not strong at first. International groups then helped by providing money and advice. Chile created a group called the Rapa Nui Monuments Board, which allowed the group to work without government control. The World Monument Fund began working there in 1968, and UNESCO later named the site a World Heritage site because of its cultural value. An airline, which uses an airport built in 1965 and expanded in 1985, connects Chile and the island. This has led more scientists to study the island’s heritage and learn about its past culture.

The Rapa Nui National Park is now managed by the Ma´u Henua Polynesian Indigenous Community, the first group on the island that can make its own decisions. The Rapa Nui people have regained control of their traditional lands and are responsible for managing, protecting, and preserving their heritage. In December 2017, former President Michelle Bachelet returned the land that was part of the Rapa Nui National Park to the indigenous people. For the first time in history, money earned from the park is used to help the island and protect its natural heritage.

The park’s conservation efforts are based on studies showing the cultural heritage has great value. The management plan focuses on these studies. The park is divided into areas, including zones for cultural preservation, natural areas, spaces for farming and grazing, and areas for visitors. Conservation efforts and activities like farming, raising animals, growing fruit trees, and fishing are balanced in the management plans for the island.

Gallery

• A monument located on Rapa Nui, also known as Easter Island.
• Rapa Nui, which is the name of Easter Island.
• Tukuturi, a statue called a moai, found at Rano Raraku.
• The area around the Rano Raraku volcano, where many moai statues were carved but not finished.
• A view of the Rano Raraku volcano from the south side.