Figure 1: Curanto - food prepared in a traditional umu (earth oven) is distributed to all festival visitors. “Ariki meets ” Tapati Rapa Nui, a festival of indigenous identity or expression of constructed authenticity?

Wolfgang Kiss1

1 Pielgasse 8A, 7023 Pöttelsdorf, Austria, E-mail: [email protected]

DOI: 10.23791/552024

Abstract: Rapa Nui, , has had a great fascination for archaeological research since its discovery in 1722. The focus of interest was on the massive stone monuments, the , sculptures with a human face, which raise many questions. This stone evidence of ’s uniqueness led to its recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995. Central elements of the cultural identity of minorities often do not find enough reverberation in nation-states. In the case of Rapa Nui, the island in the South Pacific that has been part of since its annexation in September 1888, the rebellion against ruling powers has manifested itself not only in political protests but also in cultural terms, particularly in recent decades. This return to tradition and indigenous identity is particularly evident at the annual Tapati Rapa Nui Festival, whose origins go back to the late 1960s. Nevertheless, the correlation between tourist growth and the increasing expansion of the festival also allows an economic interpretation, although the islanders point to its primarily identity-enhancing function. Whether we are dealing with tradition or traditionalism in the definition of Mückler and Faschingeder (2012) at the Tapati Rapa Nui Festival is the subject of this research note.

Keywords: Rapa Nui, Cultural Performance, Authenticity, Indigenous identity

[Submitted as Research Note: 28 November 2020, acceptance of the revised manuscript: 25 March 2021]

20 Pacific Geographies #55 • January/February 2021 Introduction More than ever, different types of cultural festivals are strongly woven into international tourism’s various trajectories and textures. While the inter-relationships between festivity and tourism are far from inevitable, the two phenomena appear to be increas- ingly entwined as tourism extends its influence (Picard & Robinson 2006). Referring to the example of Tapati Rapa Nui Festival on the South Pacific island of Rapa Nui (Easter Island), this paper analyses whether the boundary between the representation of indige- nous authenticity and tourist spectacle has already been crossed. Rapa Nui, together with Hawai’i and New Zealand, marks one of the three corners of the Polynesian triangle (Fig- Source: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Datei:Easter_Island_map-en.svg. ure 2). As one of the most isolated Figure 2: Map of Easter Island (Rapa Nui). islands on earth - Pitcairn as the near- est inhabited island is about 2,075 km in many parts, cruel history like the deciphered until today. And it was only away, the Chilean mainland 3,515 km period of the slave raids of 1862/63, Sebastian Englert, head of the catholic – Rapa Nui measures an area of only in which a large part of the population mission station on the island from 1935, 163.6 km2 (Cristino & Izaurieta 2006). was deported to Peru to work in guano who started to learn rapanui (the indig- The capital, and at the same time the mining, and the years of oppression by enous language, which is nowadays spo- only larger settlement, is , European sheep farmers coming from ken only by the roughly 3,000 Rapanui) where 7,750 people live according Tahiti who seized the island and obliged and who wrote down the vague memo- to the last census in 2017 (Instituto the indigenous population to forced ries of some of the older islanders. Nacional de Estadísticas, Chile, n.d.). labour while being treated like animals The methods used for this research The main source of income is tour- in fenced-off territories (Fischer 1999; are essentially interviews, informal talks, ism, which is very good reflected in the Fischer 2005; McCall 1988). To increase audio and video recordings, and par- number of visitors that increased from its strategic position in the South ticipant observation during the Tapati 8,000 in 1981 to an estimated 120,000 Pacific, the Chilean flag was hoisted on Festival from January 29 to February in 2019 (Alba Roque 2018; Rivas 2017). the island in 1888, and Rapa Nui lost its 16, 2020. Moreover, I have conducted a History books first mention the island sovereignty through annexation (Del- large number of informal conversations with the discovery in 1722 by the Dutch sing 2015). Imported diseases reduced and have evaluated posts and comments admiral Jacob Roggeveen although the the population to around 100 islanders on social media (facebook, Instagram) prevailing opinion says that the ini- in 1877 (Mückler 2009) – therefore, oral from May 2019 to April 2020. tial settlers came from the Southeast tradition is almost not available today. Asian region in two waves and can be For example, the knowledge about the The Tapati Festival dated back to the 4th and 5th centuries script1 used exclusively on The Tapati Festival includes a series (Krendelov & Kondratov 1990; Mück- Rapa Nui could not be passed on, which of individual and group competitions ler 2009). The island looks back on a, meant that the characters could not be in sports, traditional art, and folk art, which take place at the beginning of February over two weeks. The central role is played by the extended family (mata) of each candidate, which has to select and train the participants for a wide variety of competitions and tasks during months of preparation. At the festival, points are being awarded to the candidates after the daily competitions by a professional jury. On the final day, the candidate with the most points in her account is crowned ariki (Concha Mathiesen 2017). Ariki can be translated into king or queen and is the designation that the

Source of all photos: Wolfgang Kiss 2020. Queen of Tapati carries after her cor- Figure 3: La farándula – The parade marks the climax and conclusion of Tapati Rapa Nui. onation. This coronation, and thus

Pacific Geographies #55 • January/February 2021 21 Pacific Islanders’ identity is viewed by external observers. Over time, Tapati has undergone many changes. For example, various competitions of the festival were held in specific places on the island in the past: “Every competition had its place” (Andrade Buscar 2004). One of the reasons for choosing different locations was that the locals wanted to commem- orate events at particular sites to give them a specific meaning. Using them in this context was intended to trans- form the sites into physical and cultural reservoirs of knowledge, restore the mythical time and importance attached Figure 4: Participants in the competition for the production of flower crowns, paintings and shell to them at the time, and create a link necklaces in Hanga Piko. between life and place. Following a competition on a loca- “reign” for the coming year, can be fishing), some of which quite extreme, tion like , the quarry where interpreted as a reference to the Bird- arts and crafts performances (Figure 4) the moai (Figure 6) were cut out of the man cult2, which was practised on the (production of traditional mahute fab- volcanic rock is undoubtedly imposing island from around 1500 AD until the ric, carving, sculpturing, production of and builds a historical bridge to the last documented ceremony in 1866 flower crowns, feather hats and shell people who created these statues. Or, (Esen-Baur 1983; Weiss 1978). The necklaces), and folkloric singing and to follow a performance on the beach victorious tribal leader of the yearly dancing performances (Figure 5). of , the bay where, according competition was called Tangata manu to mythical lore, chief Hotu Matua, or “Birdman”. This ritual, dedicated to Theoretical embedding in who came from the East Pacific region the creation god , commem- the discourse of tradition and to Rapa Nui, went ashore. Although orated the discovery and possession of authenticity these physical manifestations of emo- the first egg laid by the sooty tern on This research, which is theoretically tional references have been largely lost , a small island off the coast located at the interface between ethno- in present days for various reasons, the of Rapa Nui (Mückler 2009). history and identity research, tries to link reports of events surrounding Tapati Candidates of the Tapati are young, cultural authenticity and performance continue to point out where the foun- unmarried women, usually in their late analysis. In addition to the debate on dations and connections to the ances- teens or early twenties. At first sight, tradition (Keesing & Tonkinson 1982; tors originally lay. what sounds like a well-known beauty Hanson 1989; Thomas 1992) versus Despite these efforts to increase the contest, at a closer look, turns out to traditionalism (Mückler & Faschingeder attractiveness of the festival, the motives be a festival celebrating the islanders’ 2012) in the sense of “invented tradi- for the constant expansion and adap- culture and tradition. The contestants tions” (Hobsbawm & Ranger 2012), I tation of the event were of economic compete for individual fame, prizes, argue that the festival in its current form nature. The two weeks of the festival and points for the ariki title’s final vote. is increasingly moving from a festival of are the most important time for local This title is awarded for one year and and for the islanders to a money-making tourism and contribute significantly to entitles the winner to certain privileges tourist spectacle. the income of the residents. Although such as cash and material prizes, study “Indigenous traditions, like all tradi- the islanders stress the fact that most of scholarships, and travel. Although there tions, are not fossilized remains of the the activities are “traditional” and are is no limit to the number of candidates, past; they are constantly being reinter- held in rapanui, the percentage of for- the considerable financial and human preted and resignified to accommodate eign elements that are communicated resources required for a Tapati applica- innovations and socio-cultural changes as traditional is increasing. For example, tion result in only two or three candi- that constantly bombard their lives both the queen’s coronation with a crown dates who compete (Bendrups 2008). from within and without their societies.” cannot be verified in any historical The Tapati Festival, which was first (Ramos cited in Rivas, 2017: 414) This equivalent. The sash given to the queen carried out in 1967 - in the beginning as quote by Brazilian ethnologist Alcida is made of mahute4, but it is a sash like a copy of the Chilean Spring Festival3 - Rita Ramos focuses on an important those worn by winners of international serves to revive cultural practices, pass aspect. Traditions, and here in particular beauty contests (Fortin 2009). It is not them on to subsequent generations and indigenous traditions, must not be inter- about condemning these elements as strengthen social ties and structures. The preted as “sacred” ancestral traditions, modernisation or accuse them of lack- individual Tapati competitions, which but rather as part of ongoing negoti- ing authenticity. But one could argue are contested not only by the candidates ation and reappraisal of history and that this development is a logical one, but also by other members of the family, identity. Dittmer (2021 in this volume) in which a culture takes over aspects cover a wide range of sports (Rapa Nui takes a similar approach in her research of other cultures and thus shows that triathlon, horse race, canoeing, javelin, note when she tackles the issue of how it is progressing, growing, and moving

22 Pacific Geographies #55 • January/February 2021 instead of freezing and dying. Never- theless, it is important to identify these changes and adaptations and explain that this decision is quite controversially discussed among the people living on the island. This change becomes par- ticularly clear when looking at the struc- ture of the festival in the last two years. The dramaturgy was originally designed around a competition between two families and the “rule” for the com- ing year, and thus clearly interpreted as a reference to the Birdman cult’s long-prac- tised ritual. But from 2019 onwards, the organisers were no longer able to per- suade a second family to participate. Figure 5: Takona (body painting) - a participant of the competition in Hanga Vare Vare. Reasons for this development The expansion of the festival and biggest part is alcohol. Like a big binge in order to avoid accidents that have the introduction of new elements not drinking with participants and tour- occurred in previous years. We hope in line with initial intentions resulted in ists [...] for two years now, it has been to continue to preserve and rescue the a fundamental rejection of the Tapati a little better since the festival area, traditions of the Rapanui people […].” Festival by many of the 36 mata (tribes) and farándula (Figure 3) are no longer (Ma’u Henua Celebrates Pei Amo 2020). on the island. A growing number of served alcohol [...] now the situation has Ma’u Henua’s reaction shows that the Rapanui people withdraw from active improved a little.” preservation of traditions is important participation in the festival because of She also notes that in particular the to the population. Therefore, it is not increasing influences from continental grand parade at the end of the festival surprising that, although the event was Chileans who live on Rapa Nui, a taxi is no longer understood as a festival of not even mentioned with a word on the driver, who is Chilean himself, tells me Rapanui in which the community pre- municipality’s official portals, the influx on the way from the airport to the city. sents itself in its cultural diversity, but is of visitors especially from the Rapanui (Interview with anonymous, 2020). celebrated exclusively as a tourist attrac- community was enormous. Therefore, a deep division concerning tion in which, apart from the candidate’s the festival within the Rapanui com- family, the islanders show little interest. Conclusion munity becomes obvious. New travel This results in a decrease in the number Although more and more Rapanui restrictions to the island, in force since of participants and spectators, which in are withdrawing giving the impression 2018, were intended to counteract this 2020 was only a fraction compared to that the festival is being left exclusively development. Another resident on the previous years. for tourist marketing, the past year island for almost thirty years even goes In this apparent division of the popu- marked by COVID-19 pandemic has a step further and locates the problem lation, one can also see an instrumental- reinforced an emerging reflection pro- in the “nature of the indigenous pop- isation of Tapati for political purposes. cess. Claims for reflection and a refo- ulation”: “Residence laws will not help Although the indigenous groups are not cusing of the festival on the cultural there either. The problem is the Rapanui necessarily interested in complete polit- heritage can be observed (Municipali- themselves [...] they are lazy. They take ical independence from Chile (which dad de Rapa Nui 2020). the workers from the mainland, but on seems to be a difficult project from an Whereas the economy of Rapa the other hand, they do not really want economic point of view), they want to Nui relies to 90% on tourism, and a them on the island.” (Interview with achieve self-determination and political major portion of the income is gener- Zsakai, 2020) and cultural emancipation. In addition ated during the Tapati Festival period, The increasing formation of groups to recurring violent conflicts on the most of the “Continentals”, Chileans among the residents leads to more and island, this tendency is also reflected working in the tourism sector, left the more controversies within the indige- in the rejection of the increasing com- island after a complete lockdown has nous community that are openly carried modification of the festival by indige- been imposed on the island in March out. In this context, I have to highlight nous Rapanui. The open conflict was 2020. As a result, the total population the investigations and accusations of brought to outsiders’ attention when, (which was around 7,800 in 2018) on corruption against the mayor and the during Tapati 2020, the Haka Pei5, one the island dropped dramatically – it leadership of Ma’u Henua, an indige- of the most popular events, was first seems that Rapanui people are getting nous community that runs the National officially cancelled and then still carried back their island. Although economi- Park (Young 2020). This social rift and out by Ma’u Henua, who sees herself as cally problematic, the isolation that the other major problems that the organ- the representative and official voice of island is facing for almost a year now, isers of Tapati have to face have been the indigenous community. can be seen as an opportunity to fill described by Greindl (Interview, 2020): “We sponsored this event through the Tapati vision with new life. As it is “In the last few years, it has become placing safety barriers for the public and expected that commercial flights to the more and more a tourist show [...] the grooming the track for the competitors island will not reopen before mid-2021,

Pacific Geographies #55 • January/February 2021 23 cultural politics in a Latin American nation-state. Honolulu, University of Hawai’i Press. Dittmer, H. (2021). Moana made waves: Discussing the representation of Pacific islanders in the Disney movie Moana. Pacific Geographies, 55 (January/ February 2021), 25-29. DOI: 10.23791/552529 Esen-Baur, H.-M. (1983) Untersuchungen über den Vogelmann-Kult auf der Osterinsel. Wiesbaden, Steiner. Fischer, H. (1999) Schatten auf der Osterinsel: Plädoyer für ein vergessenes Volk (2. überarb. Aufl.). Oldenburg, BIS. Fischer, S. R. (2005) Island at the end of the world: the turbulent . London, Reaktion. Fortin, M. (2009) The Development of Theatre in Easter Island. Dunedin, University of Otago. Hanson, A. (1989) The making of the Maori: Culture invention and its logic. American anthropologist, 91(4), 890-902. Figure 6: A moai watching over the people of Rapa Nui. Hobsbawm, E. J., & Ranger, T. O. (Eds.). (2012) The Invention of tradition. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press the festival has been shortened to one tion to collect the first egg of the sooty Instituto Nacional de Estadísticas, Chile (n.d.) Censo week. Moreover, the organisers of the tern from Motu Nui, a small island 2017. Available from: http://resultados.censo2017.cl festival intended to celebrate the return offshore Rapa Nui. Keesing, R. M., & Tonkinson, R. (1982) Reinventing to their roots, OF and FOR the resi- 3 Following the incorporation of Traditional Culture: The Politics of Kastom in Island dents of Rapa Nui (Tapati Rapa Nui Easter Island into the Chilean political Melanesia. Mankind. (special issue) (13)4, Sydney, Oficial 2020). system, this festival, ordered by the Anthropological Society of New South Wales. Since natural resources are very scarce administration in 1967 and very wide- Kiss, W. (2020) Ariki trifft Tangata manu: Tapati Rapa Nui, ein Festival indigener Identität oder on the island, electricity is provided spread in Latin America, was intended Ausprägung konstruierter Authentizität? Wien, by generators, water is precious and to highlight the link with the mainland. Universität Wien. 4 depleted, everything, from industrial to Bark of the Paper mulberry tree Krendelov, F. P., & Kondratov, A. M. (1990) Die consumer goods and even most of the 5 This risky game consists of sliding Geheimnisse der Osterinsel (2. Aufl.). Moskau, Verl. food supply has to be imported from down the hillside, lying on a kind of Mir [u.a.]. the mainland. The steady accumulation rustic sledge built with two trunks of Ma’u Henua celebrates Pei Amo 2020. (2020) Moe of garbage, over-fishing, the constant bananas joined together. At speeds that Varua, 145, 15–17. McCall, G. (1988, November) Chile’s Bitter Pacific increase of tourist arrivals, but also sometimes reach 80 km/h, the contest- Legacy. Pacific Islands Monthly. lichenification and erosion processes ants descend to the base of the hill. Mückler, H. (2009) Einführung in die Ethnologie that slowly destroy the giant moai go Ozeaniens. Wien, facultas.wuv. hand in hand with social developments Acknowledgement Mückler, H., & Faschingeder, G. (Eds.). described in this paper. Such develop- I am deeply thankful to all the peo- (2012) Tradition und Traditionalismus: zur ments increasingly demand actions to ple in Rapa Nui who contributed to this Instrumentalisierung eines Identitätskonzepts. Wien, preserve the island’s cultural heritage research work. Thanks to Hannah Ditt- Promedia [u.a.]. and sensitive ecological balance. There- mer and Claudia Ledderucci for proof- Municipalidad de Rapa Nui. (2020, October 27) Ahora tenemos los ojos abiertos. Available fore, it is not surprising and a sign of reading and to all reviewers. from: https://www.facebook.com/MuniRapaNui/ hope for this magnificent festival when posts/4560240777383461 a Rapanui woman comments alongside References Picard, D., & Robinson, Prof. M. (2006) Festivals, one of the competitions: “... write that Alba Roque, A. P. (2018) Isla de Pascua: visualización Tourism and Social Change: Remaking Worlds. down! We don’t do this for you visitors de la acción del turismo. Madrid, ETS Arquitectura Clevedon, Channel View Publications. Universidad Politécnica de Madrid. [...] we don’t play anything for you. We Rivas, A. (2017) Ono Tupuna, the richness of the Andrade Buscar, P. (2004) Artífices del imaginario. La ancestors. Multiples Landscapes Relationalities LIVE our culture every day!” (Interview Puesta en Escena, una Aproximación a la Construcción in Contemporary Indigenous Rapa Nui. Berkley, with anonymous, 2020) de Identidad Rapa Nui. Santiago de Chile, University of California Universidad Academia de Humanismo Cristiano. Tapati Rapa Nui Oficial. (2020, Endnotes Bendrups, D. (2008) Pacific Festivals as Dynamic October 9). Available from: https://www. 1 The Rongorongo script consists Contact Zones. Shima: The International Journal of facebook.com/TapatiRapaNuiOficial/ Research into Island Cultures, 2(1), 14–28. of horizontally arranged and to the photos/a.420822304653948/3298704706865679/ right running symbols in the form of Concha Mathiesen, R. (2017) Dinámica del Turismo Thomas, N. (1992) The inversion of tradition. y Transformaciones en los usos del Patrimonio en la Isla American Ethnologist, 19(2), 213-232. anthropomorphic as well as zoomor- de Pascua. Barcelona, Universitat de Barcelona. Weiss, G. [VerfasserIn]. (1978) Der Vogelkult auf der phic figures or objects, which were Cristino, C.& Izaurieta, R. (2006) Easter Island: Total Osterinsel: Eine ethnohistorische Untersuchung. 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Corresponding Author: Mag. Wolfgang Kiss, MA [[email protected]] graduated from the Vienna University of Economics and Business and holds a Master‘s degree from the Institute for Social and Cultural Anthropology at the University of Vienna.

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