The View of Woman in Rapanui Society Part 2: Rapanui Women as Seen Through the Eyes of Seafarers, Missionaries and Scientists in the Eighteenth Century

Many observations about Rapanui women were recorded from the first arrival of Europeans to Easter Island. In general, the descriptions left by seafarers during the eighteenth century were only of certain groups, that is, those islanders with whom they had contact. This meant that only partial information of the actual reality was noted. One must also consider the short time spent on the island by these early visitors. In addition, outsiders oriented their descriptions toward physical characteristics, and behavior was interpreted from a European perspective.