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Rapa Nui people

Adapted from Wikipedia · Explorer experience

A traditional portrait of a man from Easter Island, decorated with feathers.

The Rapa Nui people are the original people of Easter Island, a special place far out in the ocean. They belong to the Indigenous Polynesian peoples and have a rich and interesting culture.

Most Rapa Nui people today live on Easter Island or in Chile. They speak their own language called Rapa Nui, but also speak Chilean Spanish. Many visitors come to the island to see the amazing large stone statues named moai. These statues are very important to the Rapa Nui people and are a big part of what makes Easter Island famous.

Rapa Nui culture includes special stories, music, and art. They have beautiful tattoos that show a person's importance. Their traditional meals often include fish, sweet potatoes, and bananas, cooked in special earth ovens. The Rapa Nui people love to keep their traditions alive and share them with others who visit their beautiful island home.

Images

Traditional dance and music from Easter Island showcasing the cultural heritage of the Rapa Nui people.
A group of Easter Islanders gathered outside a church door during the Mana Expedition in 1914.
A historical portrait of a woman from Easter Island, showcasing traditional attire and cultural heritage.
Traditional tattoos of Tepano, a nobleman from Easter Island, showcasing the cultural heritage of the Rapa Nui people.
Portrait of Juan Tepano from the Mana Expedition on Easter Island, showcasing historical imagery of the region.
Portrait of Tepano, a nobleman from Rapa Nui (Easter Island), showcasing traditional face tattoos from the 19th century.

Related articles

Easter Island
Chile
Moai

This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Rapa Nui people, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

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