Felipe Teao, 1917-2002

Felipe Teao Arancivia, better known on the island as "Hani Hani" due to his dark suntanned complexion, died last year. I first met Felipe in 1981 and for several years he worked with my research project. He was remarkable, with a great zest for life - a sort of Zorba-the-Greek, Rapanui style. He could range over the landscape like a goat, leaping from rock to rock. He knew every cave, every site, every petroglyph; he knew which rocks contained aku-aku and knew all the various legends about them.