Easter Island and the Pacific Polynesians

Easter Island was discovered by Dutchman Captain Jacob Roggeveen in 1722 on Easter Day. Over 2000 miles from Tahiti and Chile, Easter Islands lies in the South Pacific and was called "Te Pito O Te Henua", Navel of the World or Land's End, by its early settlers.

Click to view a map of Easter Island

Today, Rapa Nui is the modern name for Easter Island and is used to refer to the people, language and culture. Easter Island is famous for several things; the foremost being the famous Moai statues. Many petroglyphs, wood carvings, crafts and other cultural items were found on the island. The Rongorongo script developed by the islanders and deciphered in 1996 by Dr. Steven Fischer was the only written language in Oceania. What we are most interested in, though, is their powerful navigational skills.

Petroglyphs at Tongariki, showing the ahu and moai in the distance. Photo by Clive Ruggles.

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