Rapa Nui Journal Volume 13 Issue 4

Moai Sightings

What's New in Polynesia

Hokule'a; Hawaii to Rapa Nui, June to October 1999

What's New in Hangaroa

Societal tensions are expressed in legends and myths. On Rapa Nui, we find many legends that focus on warfare and vengeance; even the offshore islets are said to have taken their position after quarreling with one another (Metraux 1971:389). Poignant (1967:69) notes that anxieties and fears reflected the facts of life on this stress-ridden island, and that myths are also linked with the land. "Named locations" often were described in detail in order to establish territorial claims.

Van Tilburg (1998) eloquently expressed our current understanding of the moai as "an icon exemplifying the fundamental Polynesian concern with genealogy, generation, status and respect. It served as a cultural motivator and modifier of group behavior." This covers the functions comprehensively-but fails to tell us how the moai accomplished all of these things.

I have been long puzzled about the denomination of 'Zoopal' that appeared in the annexation act of 9 September 1888 for nine out of the twelve Rapanui signatories, the other three being the Ari'i Atamu, Rupereto, and Pederiko Tadorna. This puzzle has represented for some colleagues and for me the Zoopal mystery. I have often interrogated local Rapanui people about the significance of the term 'Zoopal', getting contradictory and varied interpretations, none of them corresponding to the very convincing clarification of Englert and McCall.

Easter Island illustrates the importance of cultivation in support of large populations. Between the 9th and the 17th centuries an estimated 5000-10000 people were supported by their chiefs and kin groups including non-food producing members of society, such as the craftspeople who constructed, moved an~ erected the ahu and carved stone moai. Subsequent to the 17 century, as the centralized chiefdom gave way to competition among clans for leadership, warriors and competitors affiliated with the "Birdman cult" were also supported through cultivation of tuber and tree crops, the major means of subsistence for those who lived on Easter Island prior to European contact. Food production took on added importance as a subsistence practice, because terrestrial and marine faunal resources were reduced through exploitation that occurred between the 16th and 19th centuries (Ayres 1986; Steadman 1995) and possibly as a result of natural climatic changes between the 16th and 19th centuries (McCall 1993).