Easter Island

The Easter Island in Spanish Isla de Pascua , in language maori Rapa Harmed ) is a island isolated in south-east from the Pacific Ocean, particularly known for its monumental statues, the Moaï S and its single writing océanienne, the rongorongo HTTP: //www.rongo-rongo-COM.

The island, which is a province of the Chile, has for coordonnées :. It is with 3  700 km of the Chilean coasts and with 4  000 km of Tahiti, the inhabited island nearest being Pitcairn with more 2  000 km in the west. Its chief town is Hanga Roa and the island covers 162,5 km ² and counted 3.304 inhabitants in 2002.

She was discovered by the Dutch navigator Jakob Roggeveen the Easter Day, the April 5th 1722, and counted then close to 4  000 inhabitants. She was annexed by the Spain in 1770 and became Chilean possession in 1888.

Since 1995, the exceptional inheritance of the island is protected and registered with the World heritage from Humanity by UNESCO. Parks or natural reserves, sometimes supervised, enclose the zones of the vestiges. The community Grated Harmed day before jealously on the traces of its history and constitutes a capacity parallel with the Chilean official government.

History and settlement

See also: Settlement of Oceania

This island forming the limit Is Oceania, is famous for the vestiges megalithic of the first civilizations pascuannes. The archaeological inheritance includes/understands nearly 300 stone furnace bridges cut in terrasses  - the ahû   - and approximately 900 stone statues - the Moaï S - approximately 4,50 m in height.

The career of Rano Raraku is dug on the sides and in the crater of a Volcan, one can see there a very great number of moaïs. Some are finished and drawn up with the foot of the slope, others still in various states, of the outline to the quasi-finalization.

Apart from this spectacular inheritance, the first civilizations pascuanes left shelves and sculptures out of wood, Pétroglyphe S whose significance is not deciphered yet. The origin of the various waves of settlement is still discussed (Polynésie South American N or ).

See also: Settlement of Oceania, Language austronésienne

It is thought that the island was initially discovered by Polynésiens (the king Hotu Matua). There is 5  000 years (3  000 front J. - C), of the inhabitants of the littoral of the China of the South, farmers of millet and Rice, start to cross the strait to settle with Taiwan. Towards 2  000 before J. - C., of the migrations take place of Taiwan towards the Filipino . New migrations start soon of Philippines towards Célèbes and Timor and from there, the other islands of the archipelago Indonesia N. Towards 1  500 av. J. - C., another movement carries out Filipino in New Guinea and beyond that, the islands of the Pacifique. The Austronésiens are undoubtedly the first navigators of the history of humanity.

The Polynesians, on Catamaran S, would have left the Marquesas Islands to escape from wars or a natural disaster. The first moaïs resemble much the Tiki S which one can see in the islands of Polynesia (Hiva Hoa of the Marchionesses, Tahiti…). Since the years 1950, the date of the settlement of the island is estimated at 400 after J.C + 80 years by measurements with the radiocarbon. New studies highlighted pollution to the taken measures implying a more recent age. Last measurements in 2006 of radiocarbon propose establishments much more recent, towards 1200 after J.C, in a sector other than the littoral.

The Easter Island is especially known for the famous mysteries which surround manufacture, but especially the transport and the rise in the moaïs (transport of a block of basalt going from 2,5 to 20 m in height after éxumatoin of some on sometimes nearly 20 km). Other interrogations relate to the discovery of the plates of wood covered with signs (the plates Rongo-Rongo) which remain indecipherable, in spite of recent work of Steven Fischer which has advanced a possible translation disputed by all the linguists specialized in the language austronésienne because where it finds symbols phallic, other researchers find groups verbal, nominal or sentences. These plates are added to the mystery of the Easter Island because they are single in Polynesia (Polynesian culture being regarded as oral tradition). However all Polynesia is marked out writings.

These first migrants had succeeded in building, starting from very limited resources, a technologically advanced company. They had drawn up hundreds of statues. The important tree resources of which they laid out disappeared dice the first centuries along the coast. As of the year 1600, the island would have lost the major part of its vegetation. The inhabitants underwent tribal fights as from this time the construction of the ceremonial platforms slows down considerably. Then slavery exterminated a third of the population.

History of the discovery

The first European to have seen these islands, was in 1687, the “  Pirate   ” Edward Davis on board her ship the Bachelor' S Delight whereas he wanted to circumvent the Îles Galápagos with broad of the Cape Horn. He saw the island by chance rather and believed to have found the legendary continent of the South. However, no unloading followed its discovery.

Its current name comes from the Dutchman Jakob Roggeveen who accosted there, left in forwarding with three ships on order the Business firm of the Western Indies. He discovered it Sunday of Easter 1722. He called it Paasch-Eyland (Easter Island). The Mecklenbourg eois Carl Friedrich Behrens took part in forwarding and his published report with Leipzig directed the attention of Europe towards this hardly known area of the Pacific.

The following explorer was the Spaniard Don Phelipe Gonzalez de Haedo who had received from the viceroy of the Peru the order to annex the island Roggeveens on behalf of the Spanish crown . The forwarding of Gonzalez de Haedo unloaded the November 15th 1770. After a visit fast and very partial of the island, one half-day exploration in only one sector, after a friendly contact with a population with hierarchical social structure, Don Pheliphe Gonzalez de Haedo decides to annex this ground (he does not think that it is about the Island of Roggeven) with the crown of Spain and names it Île of San Carlos. He made plant several crosses on the point of Poike. During the years which followed, Spain was only concerned very little with its new possession. Proof was made in cartography that it was indeed discovered of the Roggeveen Dutchman, this remote ground could not belong to Spain.

During its second forwarding of the Southern Pacific, James Cook visited March 13rd 1774 with the March 17th the 1774 Easter Island. It was not filled with enthusiasm by the island and wrote in its book of bord : “  No nation will never fight for the honor to have explored the Easter Island, there are another island in the sea which offers less coolings and conveniences for navigation and it is that-ci.  ” However, its stay brought essential observations on the geological constitution, the vegetation, the population and the statues  - which had already been reversed in their majority. We must have pilot images of this time to the German naturalist Johann Reinhold Forster and his/her son Johann Georg Adam Forster which took part in Cook forwarding. Reinhold Forster drew the first sketches of the statues (Moaï S) which, engraved and published in a typically romantic style then, created sensation in the living rooms.

In 1786, unloaded on the Easter Island the French count Jean-François Gallup of Perugia at the time of its terrestrial circumnavigation carried out on the order of the king Louis {{XVI}}. Perugia had the order to draw precise charts in order to contribute, with the study of the people of the Pacific to the formation of the dolphin.

The diseases introduced by European explorers like tuberculosis and syphilis caused a constant reduction in the population. A particularly dark chapter is written on this subject: a Peruvian tradesman of slaves made arm several ships in 1862 and kidnapped, at the time of raids, probably more than 11.407 islanders to send them like servile labor to the exploitations of the islands Guano. All that, added to constant epidemics as from 1864 caused the dramatic reduction in population of which the number fell to 111 people in 1877. The Rapanui people failed to disappear from planet.

In 1882, the German drain-hole S.M.S. Hyäne visited during 5 days the Easter Island during a forwarding in the Pacific. The captain-lieutenant Geiseler had the order of imperial admiralty to undertake scientific studies for the ethnological department of the royal museums Prussian with Berlin. Forwarding provided inter alia very detailed descriptions of the customs and habits, the language and the writing of the Easter Island as well as exact drawings of various cultural objects, statues (Moaï S), sketches of house and a detailed plan of the place of worship Orongo.

The doctor of ship William Thomson took the first photographs of statues (Moaï S) in 1886 whereas he visited the island aboard American ship Mohican .

Research on the degradation of the island (14th century/19th century)

The aspect of the island currently strikes by the absence of forest. That had not always been the case: the first European explorers describe the presence of wood. There exist many traces of roots and nut of a palm tree, the Paschallococos disperta . On the 900 statues (Moaï S) present on the island, about half lie unfinished in the principal career. The obvious precipitated stop of their production lets suppose that an extraordinary event put an end to the customs and habits of the island. Last archaeological research, in particular the analysis of the Pollen S contained in the sediments or of the remainders of meal, proves that the single action of the man does not have suffices for déforester completely the island. It is now allowed that several species of trees completely disappeared or at least their number fell considerably during very a short period located at the 17th century. Several assumptions were put forth, one being the one long period presence of dryness which fell down on the island contributing to drain the resources of the island. To mitigate this dryness inhabitants of island have called upon gods so that the Pluie returns, which can at that time explain the frenzy of construction of the moaïs there, increasingly many and increasingly colossal (largest which was ever set up makes 22  m in height and weighs 160 tons). Realizing that erections of ahûs were vain, the inhabitants revolted against the gods and cut down themselves their idols in a brutal collective outburst plunging the island in chaos. Another assumption is that of the predatory role of the rats, introduced precociously, and which would have eaten coconuts before they can germinate.

La surviving population with the cannibalism had developed new traditions to preserve the remaining resources. In this worship of “the man bird”   - in Rapanui Tangata manu   - (14th century/15th century, 18th century), a race was held each year, where a representative of each clan, chosen by his chiefs, was to plunge in the sea and to swim until Motu Nui, a small island near, in order to seek first egg of the season of the Sterne S will manutara . The first swimmer of return with an egg then controlled the distribution of the resources of the island for his clan for one year. This tradition perduré until the 19th century.

Whatever the reasons of its decline, the European intervention rang the knell of the culture rapanui. In its article entitled “Of the genocide to the écocide: the rape of Grated Harmed,” Benny Peiser wants to show the proof of a car-survival on the Easter Island at the time of the arrival of Europeans. The article of Peiser is, in fact, a shingling criticism of the book of Jared Diamond entitled “ Collapse ” (collapse), showing this last of Pseudo-science. However, Peiser itself is unaware of frequently the scientific facts which contradict its theories (for example, by denying the fact that the Polynesian expansion resulted in an important degradation from the ecosystem, fact irrefutably attested by archaeological research - to also see Henderson Island.)

However, its observations on the degradation of the cultures after the arrival of Europeans are very instructive. Certain small trees, the such Toromiro, could have strewn certain sections of the island largely degraded today. Cornelis Bouman, the captain of Jakob Roggeveen, written in its book of edge, “  … of yams, banana trees and coconuts we do not have anything considering, like any other tree or culture.  ” But, according to Carl Friedrich Behrens, the officer of Roggeveen, “  The natives presented branches of palm trees like offerings of peace. Their houses built on piles were smeared of luting and were covered with sheets of palmier.  ” This indicates the presence of palm trees at that time, although they could be coconuts introduced after the extinction of the indigenous palm trees.

The Easter Island suffered from a strong erosion of the ground during the last centuries, doubtless the result of deforestation. However, this process seems gradual but to be accelerated by an intensive breeding of sheep during most of the 20th century. Jakob Roggeveen reports that the Easter Island was exceptionally fertile, producing great quantities of bananas, potatoes and of cane with sugar. At the time of the passage of Mr. of Perugia, person in charge of the French forwarding which visited the island in 1786, his gardener declared that “  three workdays per annum   ” could provide for the need for the population. In addition, the Rollin officer wrote, “  Instead of meeting men destroyed by the famine… I found, on the contrary, a considerable population, with more beauty and of grace that I had not met on others îles  of it; ; and a ground, which, with a negligible ploughing, provided excellent provisions, and an abundance sufficient enough for the consumption of the inhabitants.   ”

Curiously, a century later, Europeans found that the island was only useful only for the breeding of the sheep.

Administration

Politically, the Easter Island belongs today to the Chile. Ellea the statute of a department (Departemento) of the Area of Valparaíso. One of the governors accredited by the Chilean government manages the island. Since 1984 it always acts of an islander. Since 1966 a municipal council of 6 people is elected every 4 years in the commune of Hanga Roa. One of these 6 elected officials is named mayor of the island. A dozen police officers station on the island and ensure, enter others, the safety of the airport. The armed forces and the navy are very present. The navy has a boat of patrol which is also useful in the event of rescue at sea. The currency is the Chilean Peso but it should be noted that the US Dollar was essential little by little, so that it is a secondary currency today and is accepted everywhere. The Easter Island is a territory free from customs duties, so that the receipts resulting from the taxes and other taxes are relatively mean. The public budget in a very great measurement is subsidized by Chile.

Infrastructures

Since in the years 1970 NASA proceeded to the enlarging of the aerodrome of Mataveri, thus creating an emergency landing strip for the space shuttles, the large transport aircrafts can from now on land on this airport, more isolated from the world. This enlarging caused to increase the tourist frequentation of the island, which represents the first source of revenue today. The number of tourists remains however very limited compared to other tourist island. Recently, a service of water centralized is available. Previously, the running water was limited to the reserves of the lakes formed in the craters of the volcanos and to the ground water. The electric distribution network functioning thanks to generators diesels is connected to other islands to provide them in energy. The roads located near Hanga Roa and of Mataveri are tarred, it is the same for the road active of Hanga Roa to the beach of Anakena and all along the southern part to almost the island of Poike.

The school of Hanga Roa teaching is ensured until obtaining Prueba de Aptitud, being equivalent to the French Baccalaureat. Vocational trainings and superiors are however available only on the continent. Moreover, UNESCO supports a bilingual program of teaching Rapanui - Spanish. The departments of health are much better than in other isolated regions of Chile. The small hospital has a doctor, of a dentist as well as midwife. An ambulance is also placed at the disposal of the hospital.

Other infrastructures like the banking church, post office, services, pharmacy, of small shops, a supermarket, snack bars and other restaurants improved considerably since the years 1970 and this in particular to satisfy the needs always increasing for the tourists. Other services like telephony by satellite or Internet are well heard also available. A discotheque was even built for young people.

Demography

One estimates that at his apogee, i.e. between the 16th century and the 17th century, the Easter Island sheltered some 10,000 inhabitants. Following the food shortages and the quarrelsome behaviors of the successive leaders, the number of inhabitants had been reduced to 2,000 or 3,000 inhabitants before the arrival of Europeans. The deportation towards the Peru inhabitants intended for the forced labors made fall the number of inhabitants with 900 in 1868. As for those which could return, the diseases which they had contracted caused a new demographic retreat. Another phenomenon with the demographic consequences is to be noted; part of the island then exploited by intensives breedings of sheep carried out by a European consortium had as a consequence the displacement of a whole part of the population. As regards the plot of land exploited by these breedings, its expansion was strongly weakened, just like in all North-East of the island. This conflict of interests caused in 1871 the emigration of 168 inhabitants (the island did not comprise any whereas a small thousand) who then accepted the assistance of the missionaries present on the island. In 1877 the number of inhabitants fell to 111, after which the population increased again gradually. In 1888, year of the annexation of the island by Chile, 178 inhabitants were listed.

At the 20th century, the population was locked up in a zone delimited by the Chilean authorities, which managed the island like a warship. All the remainder of the island was reserved for the breeding of the sheep. This state of imprisonment succita for most of the population the desire to leave the island. Many inhabitants tried to escape and rejoin Tahiti, at 30 days of sea, on boats of fortune. Some made shipwreck, but others succeeded. The Chilean army then took measures to stop this exile (See the book of Marie-Francoise Peteuil, " Escaped prisoners of the Easter Island "). It is only in years 1960 that the living conditions really improved, after a revolt of the autochtones, which was accompanied by an increase in the population. In 1960 one counted more than 1,000 inhabitants.

According to the census of 2002, the island counts 3,791 inhabitants. Astonishing figure when it is known that the island was inhabited only by 1,938 people in 1988. This increase rests primarily on the Chilean Immigration. The consequence of this important wave of immigration is the modification of the ethnic Composition of the population. In 1982 Rapanui accounted for 70% of the population. In 2002 they were nothing any more but 60%. Among the 40% remainder, 39% were from European origin (it acted temporary residents in general, like the employees of administration, the military personnel, the scientists and their assistants) and 1% of another source. These last decades did not know however only waves of immigration. Good number of inhabitants of the Easter Island emigrated on the continent. At the time of the census of 2002 one noted that 2,269 Rapanui Chilean lived apart from the island. The Population density of the Easter Island is only of 23ha/km ² (for comparison: France, 113ha/km ²; Belgium, 342ha/km ²). In the middle of the 19th century, 6 Agglomération S gathered the inhabitants of the Easter Island; Anakena, Tongariki, Vaihu, Vinapu, Matavei and Hanga Roa. Today, the inhabitants are concentrated in the villages of Hanga Roa, Mataveri and Moeroa in South-west. These villages developed the ones at sides of the others, so that they are regarded today as only one and single agglomeration. The official language is the Spanish . The Rapanui, dialect of Western Polynesia, is however used in the daily exchanges between inhabitants.

Tourism

It has been possible to visit the island for a few years, tourism becoming the principal resource of the island. Only one airline company serves the island in 2004  : LAN Chile .

The track of the airport of Mataveri cut the island in two, and its big length makes it possible to accommodate where necessary, the space shuttles for an emergency landing.

Anecdotes

  • the antipodean Point of the island is in the district of Jaisalmer, in the the Rajasthan in India. It is an uninhabited place between the villages of Kuchchri, Häbur and Mokal.

  • the catholic parish of the Easter Island belongs today to the Chilean diocese of Valparaíso. It belonged to the apostolic Vicariat of the islands of Tahiti until in 1911, before being transferred to Chile. It seems that the diocese with the armies of Chile was then responsible for the pastoral load of the island. Then, the October 24th 1934, the parish was assigned with the apostolic vicariate of the Araucanía (located in Chile exchange-Southerner, to 4.500 km in the south-east of the island), with the load of the fathers capuchins. The January 5th 2002, the parish was transferred last once to Valparaíso.

Mythology of Easter Island

See also: Mythology of Easter Island

( Mythologie Grated Harmed )

  • Tangata manu
  • Make-make
  • Hotu Matu' has

Policy

Mayor

Pedro Edmunds Paoa (Left Christian-Democrat Chile)

Communal advisers

  • Hipólito Juan Icka Nahoe (Left Humanistic Chile)

  • Eliana Amelia Olivares (UDI)
  • Nicolás Haoa Cardinali (Independent of right-hand side)
  • Marcelo Icka Paoa (Left Christian-Democrat Chile)
  • Alberto Hotus Chávez (Left for the democracy)
  • Marcelo Hill Bridge (Left for the democracy)

Chilean presidential election of 2005, results in the commune of Isla de Pascua

First electoral turn: Sunday, December 11, 2005

Source: Tricel ''

Second round: Sunday, January 15, 2006

Source: Tricel (pdf)

See too

Intendant ( Intendente ) of the Area of Valparaíso

  • Iván Of Refined Mallet

Provincial governor

  • Province of Isla de Pascua : Mrs. Melania Carolina Hotus Hey

Deputy S

Senator S

References

Random links:Louis Béguet | Rick Tocchet | Bunting striolé | Lanfear (the Wheel of Time) | The Sequence of the misadventures | Carlisle