Hoa Hakananai’a, which represents the ancestors of the indigenous people of Rapa Nui (the ancestral name for Easter Island), was taken without permission in 1868 by the Royal Navy , which presented it to Queen Victoria, who later donated it to the British Museum.
Where was Hoa Hakananai a found?
This lonely moai statue in London was originally located inside a dwelling in the ceremonial village of Orongo on Rapa Nui, aka Easter Island . The exact age is unknown, but it’s widely believed to have been built between 1000 and 1600.
Does Hoa Hakananai a belong on Easter Island or in the British Museum?
Hoa Hakananai’a is a moai, a statue from Easter Island. It was taken from Orongo, Easter Island (Rapa Nui) in 1868 by the crew of a British ship and is now in the British Museum in London .
How did HOA Hakananai a end up in the British Museum?
Upon the return of HMS Topaze to England in 1869, Hoa Hakananai’a was offered to Queen Victoria by the Admiralty , which had been made aware of his existence by Commodore Powell. Queen Victoria subsequently donated Hoa Hakananai’a to the British Museum.
What does Hoa Hakananai A represent?
This lonely moai statue in London was originally located inside a dwelling in the ceremonial village of Orongo on Rapa Nui, aka Easter Island. ... Natives later gave it the name “Hoa Hakananai’a,” meaning lost or stolen friend , because it was removed from the island by British explorers in 1868.
Are there any Easter Islanders left?
The Rapa Nui are the indigenous Polynesian people of Easter Island. ... At the 2017 census there were 7,750 island inhabitants—almost all living in the village of Hanga Roa on the sheltered west coast.
Who and why did they build the moai?
Moai statues were built to honor chieftain or other important people who had passed away . They were placed on rectangular stone platforms called ahu, which are tombs for the people that the statues represented.
What is carved on the back of Hoa Hakananai A?
According to the team, other observations from the digital imaging include: when Hoa Hakananai’a was half-buried by soil and food debris, small designs known as komari , representing female genitalia, were carved on the back of the head.
How were the moai moved?
With one rope around the head of the statue and another around the base, they “ walked” the moai replica forward by swiveling and rocking it from side to side . Using this method, Pavel Pavel estimated that an experienced crew could move a statue approximately 650 feet each day.
What is the meaning of moai?
listen), or moai (Spanish: moái, Rapa Nui: moʻai, meaning “statue” in Rapa Nui ), are monolithic human figures carved by the Rapa Nui people on Easter Island in eastern Polynesia between the years 1250 and 1500. ... Almost all moʻai have overly large heads three-eighths the size of the whole statue.
What was the purpose of Hoa Hakananai a likely to have been?
Since its arrival at the British Museum in London, the Hoa Hakananai’a moai became one of the most important and admired objects , not only among archaeologists and historians, but also among artists, writers, and the general public, becoming a popular icon of Rapanui culture for the world.
Why is it called Easter Island?
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 .
Who found the Moai statues?
When Dutch explorer Jacob Roggeveen first discovered Easter Island in 1722, all the Moai on the island stood proudly upright. Sadly, over the next 150 odd years most had toppled over.
Why are there no trees on Easter Island?
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. ... However there is evidence the Polynesian rat (Rattus exulans) was present from 900 and it seems clear that these rats caused widespread deforestation.
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 .
Do the Rapa Nui still exist?
First of all, the Rapa Nui haven’t been wiped off the face of the Earth: the Rapa Nui people still make up over half the Polynesian population today . Their ancestors likely arrived on Easter Island, now part of Chile, roughly a millennium ago.
