ABSTRACT. Easter Island deforestation has traditionally been viewed as an abrupt island-wide event caused by
the prehistoric Rapanui civilization
, which precipitated its own cultural collapse.
What destroyed 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.
Who deforested Easter Island?
By the time Easter Island was “discovered” by
Dutch explorer Jacob Roggeveen
on Easter Day (5 April) in 1722 it was completely deforested.
Why is there no trees on Easter Island?
When it rains on the island, also known as Rapa Nui, the water rapidly drains through the porous volcanic soil, leaving the grass dry again. That's one reason why the island at the end of the world has
stayed almost entirely bare
, with no trees or shrubs.
What is the truth about Easter Island?
Surprisingly few of the human remains from the island show actual evidence of injury, just 2.5%, and most of those showed evidence of healing, meaning that attacks were not fatal. Crucially, there
is no evidence
, beyond historical word-of-mouth, of cannibalism.
What is the problem with Easter Island?
Easter Island off the coast of Chile has a
major trash problem
. It's near what's known as a “trash vortex” in the middle of the South Pacific and floating waste is constantly washing ashore. Local officials estimate the growing population is producing more than 20 tons of trash per day.
How did humans get to Easter Island?
Some scientists say that Easter Island was not inhabited until 700–800 CE. … 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
.
Did Easter Island ever have trees?
Easter Island was
covered with palm trees for over 30,000 years
, but is treeless today. There is good evidence that the trees largely disappeared between 1200 and 1650.
Who discovered Easter Island first?
The first known European visitor to Easter Island was
the Dutch explorer Jacob Roggeveen
, who arrived in 1722. The Dutch named the island Paaseiland (Easter Island) to commemorate the day they arrived.
What language is spoken on Easter Island?
Islanders smile, sing and dance in polyester costumes to cater to the mostly Spanish-speaking spenders. Ever since Chile annexed Easter Island more than a century ago, the Spanish language has been chipping away at the Polynesian-based language called
Rapa Nui
.
How do you say hello in Easter Island?
Basics[edit] Hello.
Pe hē ‘Iorana.
‘Iorana.
Can you move to Easter Island?
Entering Easter Island as a
resident
When boarding a plane going to Rapa Nui as a resident, you simply have to show your passport. If you don't have a rapa nui family name, the board control will look you up in their computer system to verify that you are in fact a resident.
Is Easter Island safe?
Is Easter Island safe?
It's hard to think of any safer place than Easter Island
. Tourists that are victims to violent crimes such as robbery, rape or murder is unheard of. Unless you're looking for a fight, you can walk by yourself at night without worrying about your safety.
How much does it cost to fly to Easter Island?
| Expense Cost (daily) | Transportation $24,000 CLP ($37 USD) | Total $66,000 CLP ($100 USD) | Total (four days) $264,000 CLP ($400 USD) + flights | *You can reduce this to $16,000 CLP (camping) or $30,000 CLP (dorm) |
|---|
Is it true that the heads on Easter Island have bodies?
As a part of the Easter Island Statue Project, the team excavated two moai and discovered that each one had a body, proving, as the team excitedly explained in a letter, “that
the ‘heads' on the slope here are, in fact, full but incomplete statues
.”
Is Easter Island a good place to live?
A Chilean territory with volcanoes, subtropical vegetation, and a surprising history, Easter Island is a fascinating place to explore. Tourism is the island's largest source of income, and it largely sustains the livelihoods of those people living on Easter Island permanently—indigenous locals are called Rapa Nui.
