Kinship predicaments in Rapa Nui (Easter Island): Autochthony, foreign and substantial identities

Abstract

In this paper, I analyze adaptations of the Rapanui kinship system to a series of social changes that have occurred in the last 40 years. First, I will study the local terms of hua‘ai and haka‘ara, concepts used to describe the relationship of kinship that are fundamental in the construction of the group of relatives. Second, I analyze the influence that migration, a tourism-oriented economy, and the application of a particular legislation for indigenous people have on Rapanui kinship. I propose that today, Rapanui society cannot be analyzed without considering these aspects, since they have been instrumental in changing the definitions of kinship. In this process of adaptation to social changes, kinship is the main criterion used to define Rapanui identities in terms of what or who is considered foreign or autochthonous.