Regardless of the numerous secrets that shrouded the early origins of Easter Island and its people, there is one particular fact that all historians would agree upon even today. During a certain period of the island’s history, its inhabitants experienced serious forest destruction. Historians propose that Easter Islanders of the past burned down a majority of the trees that grew on the island to make room for clear lands as well as build wooden canoes, which served as their primary vessel for seafaring.
Historians also hypothesized that the ancient islanders crafted special tools to transport the massive Moai. Nevertheless, the Rapa Nui that we see today is dramatically different from what it used to be during the time of its early inhabitation.
Survival of the Fittest
The world is filled with people who are willing and ready to offer tourists special insights into the Rapa Nui way of life. This man is a perfect example of such an individual. Moi is employed by a company called Ancestral Tours that shows Easter Island visitors the kind of life that the Rapa Nui people followed in order to survive with the island’s scarce resources, whether it was through its waters or lands.
In his water-based exhibitions, Moi guides tourists on a snorkeling adventure at Ovahe Beach. Once they succeeded in catching a fish carried by the waves of the sea, Moi would then prepare it as a meal in front of the tourists and a line of statues who stand by in the background like a squad of soldiers.
The Capital City
These days, Easter Island has more than its fair share of island dwellers who actually do not hail from such parts. Nine out of ten of the island’s populace reside in its capital Hanga Roa which, quite frankly speaking, doesn’t have much going in.
Hanga Roa possesses a pretty undeveloped infrastructure, with just a single bank and a handful of private enterprises. Its government strictly regulates the construction of buildings and structures in the capital because of its strong emphasis on tourism on the island. Nonetheless, there are other various parts of Easter Island that tourists would surely enjoy staying on.
Distant Location
As you would have imagined, Easter Island is among the most isolated places in the entire world. The next closest island that is populated, Pitcairn, is located about 1,200 miles west of Easter Island. The nearest major land mass is Chile, which lies 2,300 miles far in the east. Obviously, you’d have to cover thousands of miles of the sea just to get to the remote Easter Island in the Pacific.
With that being said, the same question still stands: is Easter Island worth such a demanding voyage? Well, the answer will be determined by your level of desire to step foot on the famed island and witness the iconic Moai, up close and personal. Besides that, you will also find an abundance of amazing natural beauty and a rich history everywhere on the island.
Where Did the Name Come From?
The land of the Moai came to be known as Easter Island after it was discovered by Dutch explorer Jacob Roggeveen during an expedition to find “Davis Land”. Roggeveen was the first-ever European to reach the remote volcanic island in the Pacific and called it Paasch-Eyland which meant "Easter Island" in 18th century Dutch. And as it appeared, it was during an Easter Sunday (April 5, 1722), when the Dutch explorer found the island.
Formally a territory of Chile, the official name of the island is “Isla de Pascua”, which is in Spanish, but at the same time would translate to “Easter Island” in English. It also goes by the name of Rapa Nui, due to its similarity to the Rapa Island of the Bass Islands.