Tahitian and French Influences in Easter Island, or the Zoopal Mystery Solved Thanks to Grant McCall

Abstract

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.