Who were the original inhabitants of Easter Island?

Who were the original inhabitants of Easter Island?

Polynesian
Early Settlement The first human inhabitants of Rapa Nui (the Polynesian name for Easter Island; its Spanish name is Isla de Pascua) are believed to have arrived in an organized party of emigrants. Archaeology dates their arrival at between 700-800 A.D., while linguists estimate it was around the year 400.

Are the Rapa Nui still alive?

They speak both the traditional Rapa Nui language and the primary language of Chile, Spanish. At the 2017 census there were 7,750 island inhabitants—almost all living in the village of Hanga Roa on the sheltered west coast.

What happened to the natives of Easter Island?

In this story, made popular by geographer Jared Diamond’s bestselling book Collapse, the Indigenous people of the island, the Rapanui, so destroyed their environment that, by around 1600, their society fell into a downward spiral of warfare, cannibalism, and population decline.

Can you holiday on Easter Island?

Mystery abounds on Easter Island holidays as you explore this incredibly picturesque piece of land surrounded by the brilliant blues of the Pacific Ocean. Magical sunrises, fascinating history, relaxing beaches and enriching cultural experiences await you. It’s time to start planning.

How did the first inhabitants come to Rapa Nui?

The Austronesian Polynesians, who first settled the island, are likely to have arrived from the Marquesas Islands from the west. These settlers brought bananas, taro, sugarcane, and paper mulberry, as well as chickens and Polynesian rats. The island at one time supported a relatively advanced and complex civilization.

Where are the Rapa Nui people today?

Easter Island
The Rapanui are a Polynesian people, the majority of whom live on Easter Island. A few hundred live on mainland Chile and in Tahiti. As of 2013, only 2,553 people self-identified as Rapanui, comprising about 0.3 per cent of Chile’s total indigenous population. The majority of this community lives in urban areas.

Why did the people of Easter Island resort to cannibalism?

The ‘ecocide’ narrative doesn’t stand up With no trees to anchor the soil, fertile land eroded away resulting in poor crop yields, while a lack of wood meant islanders couldn’t build canoes to access fish or move statues. This led to internecine warfare and, ultimately, cannibalism.

Is Rapa Nui Spanish?

Rapa Nui or Rapanui (English: /ˌræpəˈnuːi/, Rapa Nui: [ˈɾapa ˈnu. i], Spanish: [ˈrapa ˈnu. i]), also known as Pascuan (/ˈpæskjuən/) or Pascuense, is an Eastern Polynesian language of the Austronesian language family. It is spoken on the island of Rapa Nui, also known as Easter Island.

Did people on Easter Island eat each other?

With no trees to anchor the soil, fertile land eroded away resulting in poor crop yields, while a lack of wood meant islanders couldn’t build canoes to access fish or move statues. This led to internecine warfare and, ultimately, cannibalism.