Rapa Nui: Polynesian Triangle
Rapa Nui Paper Rapa Nui is the most South Eastern point of the Polynesian triangle located in the Pacific Ocean. Rapa Nui is also known as Easter Island. This name came about through the voyage of Jacob Roggeveen. In the 18th century, this Dutch explorer sailed the south Pacific. He then came across the island on April 5, 1722, which so happened to be on Easter Sunday in the Christian calendar. For tradition sake, He then renamed the island Paach-Eyland, which translates to “Easter Island”. The name has stuck with the island ever since (Charola, Foot, Hunt, Martinsson-Wallin). The island is located 27ʻ09°S and 109ʻ26°W in the South Pacific Ocean. It lies about 4,000 kilometers west of Santiago, Chile. The surface of the island is about
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166 square kilometers. There are three volcanoes that erupted to help form the island with multiple minor ones. The three large eruptions of volcanoes are called Terevaka, Poike, and Rano Kau. These three help determine the triangular shape of the island (Charola, 15). Terevaka is the northern most point of the island. This volcano was the youngest out of the three. Mountain Terevaka is also the highest point of the island reaching 500 meters about the sea level. Poike is the east point and also the oldest volcano. Rano Kau is the southwest point of the island. The rolling landscape is created by the lava flows of Terevaka (Charola, 15).
Caves and caverns are found all around the island that originally was from the lava tubes. Caves by the shore and cliffs, may have emerged from the erosion of waves while the lava was still soft and forming. The climate of the island has moderate temperature and an average of 27° C. Winds are always present, during every season around. The rainfall is usually and comes in showers, rarely storms. The land is nourished with rainfall, resulting in sloping landscapers and occasional wood areas (Charola, 15).
The thought of the first settlers to inhabit a place is always an open question with many different answers. Many articles including Charola’s Easter Island article, The Heritage and its Conservation, states that the first settlers came from Marquesas Islands. There is an oral tradition that says the legendary king Hot Matuʻa; “left Hiva, sailed toward the rising sun” (Charola, Martinsson-Wallin, Schoch) Polynesians have great skills of navigation. When taking a voyage, Polynesians always carried many people, food, plants, and animals to stay alive and bring supplies in case of finding a new home.
Not only was it thought that the Marquesan people were the first settlers, but the thought of South America is another possibility. There is a suggestion that settlers could have been as early as 400 A.D. due to the studies of the radiocarbon in Poʻike ditch. (Martinsson-Wallin, 244) The reason South American is a possibility is the similarities of the two cultures. South America has many similar plants of Rapa Nui as well as the advanced technology, and grand civilization. The main reason people believe more on Marquesas settlement is due to the strong Polynesian influence (Charola, Hunt).
The first settlers are thought to have arrived around 400-700 A.D (Charola, Foot, Schoch). According to the legend, there were about 100 to possibly 400 settlers that came along for the voyage to Rapa Nui. Hotu Matuʻa was said to land in Anakena beach that is on the northern point of the island. Anakena is said to be the first place of settlement due to the trench tests. (Martinsson-Wallin, 254,257) They carried seeds, tubers, plants, and animals. The settlers brought pig, dog, and chicken, but the chicken was the only animal that survived the trip. And whether they intentionally meant to bring the rats or not, they did anyway (Charola, Foot, Hunt).
The plant that they introduced was kumara, a sweet potato with about 25 varieties.
Also, they brought taro, yam, a gourd, banana, sugar cane, ti, and turmerie. The trees introduced were the paper mulberry, tapa, soapberry, Oceania rosewood, and sandalwood. There is very little of these plants that are still available (Hunt).
When the first inhabitants arrived, Rapa Nui was most likely covered with many bushes, grasslands, and wooded forests. Many areas had palms, trees, ferns, lichens, and mosses. One important tree was the Rapa Nui endemic palm tree that was similar to the Chilean Palm. With the presence of small trees and bushes, there were also insects, mollusks, and sea animals. The animal population was limited to migrating seabirds. There is not much activity left on island dues to the hunting interfering with their breeding grounds (Charola, Martinsson-Wallin).
It is said in the legend that Hotu Matuʻa divided the island, which he called Te Te Pito 'o te Henua. This was the center or end of the earth that was split into two parts: the Kote Mata Nui to the north and west, and the Kote Mata 'Iti to the east and south. Various clans named Miru or mata, which then became the Tuʻuaro, occupied the north and west. Each clan leader was Hotu Matuʻa son or grandson (Charola, …show more content…
18-19).
On top of all the plants and animals that the Rapa Nui people grew to have a good food system, they also relied on their surroundings, the ocean. Archaeologists found about 215 fish bones. There were many different types of fish but taxa (jacks, tunas, wrasses) seemed to be the most important. The strategy that was very important to these people was fishing, either offshore or inshore. The fishing techniques are trolling, long-line, angling, and net fishing. Dolphin and porpoise bones were also found for a certain period of time that showed much off shore fishing strategies (Martinsson-Wallin, 262).
The thought that is, “was Rapa Nui sustainable”? Rapa Nui was a non-sustainable place. The first settlers were isolated and did not know what to really do, but tried their best to keep themselves alive. The worst thing that happened to the Rapa Nui people was the disappearance of their crucial resource, wood. Climate change had triggered a disaster and the start of deforestation (Foot, 15).
The Easter Island palm was closely related to the Chilean palm, which could grow 75 feet tall with 6 feet in diameter (Foot, 15). This was the ideal wood for construction canoes for transporting and helping erect the large Moʻai statues. This was also a valuable food source with edible nuts and sap. The tree was also a nesting place for birds. The wood and palms were used for housing and cooking. Forests were soon cleared to make land available for agriculture (Foot, Hunt).
The cultivation of sweet potatoes, taro, and other food crops were planted. Wood became crucial and extensive in supporting the islanders culture overall. Deforestation was well under its way by 800 A.D. The islanders did not understand what was happening to their forests. Without realizing how fast things were happening, by the 15th century, the Easter Island palm tree became extinct on Rapa Nui (Foot, 16).
There was a peak in population and culture by the 1500’s. Statues stayed the same while trees became smaller. The islanders relied on inland fishing because there was no wood for canoes as well as no birds because they had no homes. This then resulted in soil erosion, which reduced their crop yields. Chicken production and possible cannibalism replaced food. People were going to starve otherwise (Foot, 16).
The thought that deforestation was not only thought to be done by the effect of the Europeans coming to the island. Europeans first arrived around 1772 (Charola, Foot, Hunt). But Hunt received evidence form the pollen and charcoal studies that Rapa Nui started its deforestation already before Europeans arrived (602) The other idea possibly could be the rats. And the thought that rats alone could deforest the island was impossible (Hunt, 607) The one reason that led me to believe that rats could not have made that much damage is that there are other Pacific Islands that have the rat and have not deforested. Yes there are problems that these rats could have added to the problem, but certainly not the center.
The two explanations that led the Rapa Nui people to be non-sustainable are “ignorance and neglect”(Foot, 17). The people were ignorant on the fact that they decided to burn their number one source of food and culture to keep them alive. The neglect was by each individual, leaders, and the communities. Change had come so rapid that it was way too late for correction. Real crisis did not appear right away until a century after the last palm disappeared. The palm was a slow growing tree that was not sustainable for the lifetime of these people. There was no population control or forest preservation (Foot).
“The lessons of Easter Island emerging from recent evidence is clear to the world today”. (Foot, 18) This remote island had no emigration controller for the growing population and no imported knowledge to learn any alternative technology so these people could adapt with their surroundings. This environmental disaster destroyed its economy and culture. For Hawaiʻi, us people, we must learn to preserve our resources that we have. Thinking about tearing up land for nonsense reasons or even buildings is a ridiculous thought. Hawaiʻi is already relying on importing so many goods to keep our over populated island going. If we were to lose all connections, we would not be able to sustain our living. It is sad to say, but I can see Hawaiʻi fall apart like Rapa Nui if we do not do anything with our environment NOW. WE MUST TAKE CHARGE!
Works Cited
Charola, A.
Elena. "The Heritage and Its Conservation." Easter Island (1994): n. page. World Monuments Fund. Web. .
Foot, David K. "Easter Island: A Case Study In Non-Sustainability." Greener Management International 48 (2004): 11-20. Academic Search Premier. Web. 20 Nov. 2013.
Hunt, Terry L., and Carl P. Lipo. "Revisiting Rapa Nui (Easter Island) "Ecocide." Pacific Science 63.4 (2009): 601-616. Academic Search Premier. Web. 20 Nov. 2013.
Martinsson-Wallin, Helene, and Susan J. Crockford. "Early Settlement Of Apa Nui (Easter Island)." Asian Perspectives: Journal Of Archeology For Asia & The Pacific 40.2 (2001): 244. Academic Search Premier. Web. 20 Nov. 2013.
Scoch, Robert M., and Gary Baddeley. "A Proposal to Investigate and Possibly Uncover Significant New Evidence." The Mysteries of Easter Island (1999): n. pag. The Disinformation Company Ltd. Web. 20 Nov. 2013.
.
166 square kilometers. There are three volcanoes that erupted to help form the island with multiple minor ones. The three large eruptions of volcanoes are called Terevaka, Poike, and Rano Kau. These three help determine the triangular shape of the island (Charola, 15). Terevaka is the northern most point of the island. This volcano was the youngest out of the three. Mountain Terevaka is also the highest point of the island reaching 500 meters about the sea level. Poike is the east point and also the oldest volcano. Rano Kau is the southwest point of the island. The rolling landscape is created by the lava flows of Terevaka (Charola, 15).
Caves and caverns are found all around the island that originally was from the lava tubes. Caves by the shore and cliffs, may have emerged from the erosion of waves while the lava was still soft and forming. The climate of the island has moderate temperature and an average of 27° C. Winds are always present, during every season around. The rainfall is usually and comes in showers, rarely storms. The land is nourished with rainfall, resulting in sloping landscapers and occasional wood areas (Charola, 15).
The thought of the first settlers to inhabit a place is always an open question with many different answers. Many articles including Charola’s Easter Island article, The Heritage and its Conservation, states that the first settlers came from Marquesas Islands. There is an oral tradition that says the legendary king Hot Matuʻa; “left Hiva, sailed toward the rising sun” (Charola, Martinsson-Wallin, Schoch) Polynesians have great skills of navigation. When taking a voyage, Polynesians always carried many people, food, plants, and animals to stay alive and bring supplies in case of finding a new home.
Not only was it thought that the Marquesan people were the first settlers, but the thought of South America is another possibility. There is a suggestion that settlers could have been as early as 400 A.D. due to the studies of the radiocarbon in Poʻike ditch. (Martinsson-Wallin, 244) The reason South American is a possibility is the similarities of the two cultures. South America has many similar plants of Rapa Nui as well as the advanced technology, and grand civilization. The main reason people believe more on Marquesas settlement is due to the strong Polynesian influence (Charola, Hunt).
The first settlers are thought to have arrived around 400-700 A.D (Charola, Foot, Schoch). According to the legend, there were about 100 to possibly 400 settlers that came along for the voyage to Rapa Nui. Hotu Matuʻa was said to land in Anakena beach that is on the northern point of the island. Anakena is said to be the first place of settlement due to the trench tests. (Martinsson-Wallin, 254,257) They carried seeds, tubers, plants, and animals. The settlers brought pig, dog, and chicken, but the chicken was the only animal that survived the trip. And whether they intentionally meant to bring the rats or not, they did anyway (Charola, Foot, Hunt).
The plant that they introduced was kumara, a sweet potato with about 25 varieties.
Also, they brought taro, yam, a gourd, banana, sugar cane, ti, and turmerie. The trees introduced were the paper mulberry, tapa, soapberry, Oceania rosewood, and sandalwood. There is very little of these plants that are still available (Hunt).
When the first inhabitants arrived, Rapa Nui was most likely covered with many bushes, grasslands, and wooded forests. Many areas had palms, trees, ferns, lichens, and mosses. One important tree was the Rapa Nui endemic palm tree that was similar to the Chilean Palm. With the presence of small trees and bushes, there were also insects, mollusks, and sea animals. The animal population was limited to migrating seabirds. There is not much activity left on island dues to the hunting interfering with their breeding grounds (Charola, Martinsson-Wallin).
It is said in the legend that Hotu Matuʻa divided the island, which he called Te Te Pito 'o te Henua. This was the center or end of the earth that was split into two parts: the Kote Mata Nui to the north and west, and the Kote Mata 'Iti to the east and south. Various clans named Miru or mata, which then became the Tuʻuaro, occupied the north and west. Each clan leader was Hotu Matuʻa son or grandson (Charola, …show more content…
18-19).
On top of all the plants and animals that the Rapa Nui people grew to have a good food system, they also relied on their surroundings, the ocean. Archaeologists found about 215 fish bones. There were many different types of fish but taxa (jacks, tunas, wrasses) seemed to be the most important. The strategy that was very important to these people was fishing, either offshore or inshore. The fishing techniques are trolling, long-line, angling, and net fishing. Dolphin and porpoise bones were also found for a certain period of time that showed much off shore fishing strategies (Martinsson-Wallin, 262).
The thought that is, “was Rapa Nui sustainable”? Rapa Nui was a non-sustainable place. The first settlers were isolated and did not know what to really do, but tried their best to keep themselves alive. The worst thing that happened to the Rapa Nui people was the disappearance of their crucial resource, wood. Climate change had triggered a disaster and the start of deforestation (Foot, 15).
The Easter Island palm was closely related to the Chilean palm, which could grow 75 feet tall with 6 feet in diameter (Foot, 15). This was the ideal wood for construction canoes for transporting and helping erect the large Moʻai statues. This was also a valuable food source with edible nuts and sap. The tree was also a nesting place for birds. The wood and palms were used for housing and cooking. Forests were soon cleared to make land available for agriculture (Foot, Hunt).
The cultivation of sweet potatoes, taro, and other food crops were planted. Wood became crucial and extensive in supporting the islanders culture overall. Deforestation was well under its way by 800 A.D. The islanders did not understand what was happening to their forests. Without realizing how fast things were happening, by the 15th century, the Easter Island palm tree became extinct on Rapa Nui (Foot, 16).
There was a peak in population and culture by the 1500’s. Statues stayed the same while trees became smaller. The islanders relied on inland fishing because there was no wood for canoes as well as no birds because they had no homes. This then resulted in soil erosion, which reduced their crop yields. Chicken production and possible cannibalism replaced food. People were going to starve otherwise (Foot, 16).
The thought that deforestation was not only thought to be done by the effect of the Europeans coming to the island. Europeans first arrived around 1772 (Charola, Foot, Hunt). But Hunt received evidence form the pollen and charcoal studies that Rapa Nui started its deforestation already before Europeans arrived (602) The other idea possibly could be the rats. And the thought that rats alone could deforest the island was impossible (Hunt, 607) The one reason that led me to believe that rats could not have made that much damage is that there are other Pacific Islands that have the rat and have not deforested. Yes there are problems that these rats could have added to the problem, but certainly not the center.
The two explanations that led the Rapa Nui people to be non-sustainable are “ignorance and neglect”(Foot, 17). The people were ignorant on the fact that they decided to burn their number one source of food and culture to keep them alive. The neglect was by each individual, leaders, and the communities. Change had come so rapid that it was way too late for correction. Real crisis did not appear right away until a century after the last palm disappeared. The palm was a slow growing tree that was not sustainable for the lifetime of these people. There was no population control or forest preservation (Foot).
“The lessons of Easter Island emerging from recent evidence is clear to the world today”. (Foot, 18) This remote island had no emigration controller for the growing population and no imported knowledge to learn any alternative technology so these people could adapt with their surroundings. This environmental disaster destroyed its economy and culture. For Hawaiʻi, us people, we must learn to preserve our resources that we have. Thinking about tearing up land for nonsense reasons or even buildings is a ridiculous thought. Hawaiʻi is already relying on importing so many goods to keep our over populated island going. If we were to lose all connections, we would not be able to sustain our living. It is sad to say, but I can see Hawaiʻi fall apart like Rapa Nui if we do not do anything with our environment NOW. WE MUST TAKE CHARGE!
Works Cited
Charola, A.
Elena. "The Heritage and Its Conservation." Easter Island (1994): n. page. World Monuments Fund. Web. .
Foot, David K. "Easter Island: A Case Study In Non-Sustainability." Greener Management International 48 (2004): 11-20. Academic Search Premier. Web. 20 Nov. 2013.
Hunt, Terry L., and Carl P. Lipo. "Revisiting Rapa Nui (Easter Island) "Ecocide." Pacific Science 63.4 (2009): 601-616. Academic Search Premier. Web. 20 Nov. 2013.
Martinsson-Wallin, Helene, and Susan J. Crockford. "Early Settlement Of Apa Nui (Easter Island)." Asian Perspectives: Journal Of Archeology For Asia & The Pacific 40.2 (2001): 244. Academic Search Premier. Web. 20 Nov. 2013.
Scoch, Robert M., and Gary Baddeley. "A Proposal to Investigate and Possibly Uncover Significant New Evidence." The Mysteries of Easter Island (1999): n. pag. The Disinformation Company Ltd. Web. 20 Nov. 2013.
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