Ep. 37 - Easter Island, Chile
Adventure number 37 takes us to one of the most remote human inhabited places in the world: Easter Island. Over 1,000 statues across the island tell the story of the native Rapa Nui people that have inhabited the island in good times and bad for nearly as many years as there are statues. Listen now to learn about the story of this awesome place and get it on your travel bucket list!
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Transcription:
*Intro music*
Hello and welcome to episode 37 of The Friday Take Five. A podcast where we take about five minutes each Friday to step back from the craziness of life and delve into history and adventure. I’m your host, Mark Moran, and with this podcast I’m aiming to scratch an itch for travel bugs and history lovers alike. Every week, we’ll discover a new place with a new story. It’s my hope that you’ll walk away with a renewed appreciation for history and a new travel destination to add to your bucket list. With that, let’s discover.
*Transition music*
Another week, means another adventure. Episode 37 takes us off the coast of Chile to the “special territory” that is Rapa Nui, also known as Easter Island.
Though it’s considered a Chilean “special territory”, Easter Island is roughly a 5 hour flight from the South American country, in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, and considered one of the most remote inhabited islands in the world.
I’ve yet to hit this enigmatic destination, but it is most definitely on my list. Though as with many island destinations, there are great swimming, surfing, scuba diving, and stargazing opportunities on and around Easter Island, for many including myself, the main draw of this unique place is tied to its mystery, and history.
The small Easter Island, just 7 miles wide and 14 miles long, is home to more than 1,000 Moai, which are scattered across the island. Moai, for those unfamiliar, are massive statues with large heads and a *typically* buried torso. Varying in size, the largest of these statues on the island, “El Gigante”, stands at nearly 72 feet.
The Rapa Nui people, first inhabitants of the island and originally of Polynesian descent, are said to have arrived on the island between 800 and 1200 AD… Scientists can’t seem to come to agreement on the date here but, for our purposes just know it’s been awhile. Anywayyy, in the 400 or so years after their arrival, the Rapa Nui got to work hand carving these incredible Moai as depictions of their ancestral chiefs that were meant to protect their community.
The unfortunate reality is that the people of Easter Island have not been very well protected throughout their history. Though experiencing periods of prosperity in their time on the island, the Rapa Nui have also struggled through civil war, famines, cannibalism, slave raids and epidemics brought on by colonial contacts, and near complete collapse of the population.
What’s miraculous though is the fact that through it all, the Rapa Nui have survived. The native people, at one point down to less than 100 in number, today account for half of the island’s roughly 8,000 residents.
As remote as this uniquely historical destination is, it’s definitely not impossible to reach. Interestingly, an agreement between the US government and Chile in 1985 led to the lengthening of an air strip on the island so it could serve as an emergency landing site for the space shuttle. It’s had the good side effect I guess of enabling wider body jets to also land on the island, thus boosting tourism.
Many folks will add a 4-5 day stay in Easter Island as part of a larger South America trip, which is exactly what I’m hoping to do as part of larger trip inclusive of Patagonia and some other great South American finds.
If you haven’t been to Easter Island yet, I hope you’re starting to consider this incredibly historic place. I hope to see you soon out by the Moai.
*Transition music*
Hey there! Thanks for listening to another episode of The Friday Take Five. If you haven’t already, be sure to give us a 5 star rating on podcasting platforms, and share this episode with a friend. Have your own stories about Easter Island, feedback or recommendations on places or stories for us to cover? We’d love to hear it so please follow us and give us a DM on socials @FridayTakeFive or email us at thefridaytakefive@gmail.com. Stay curious, stay adventuring, and have a great weekend!
*Outro music*