What's New Elsewhere Impressions from the Berlin Conference

The 9th International Conference on Easter Island and the Pacific (EIPC) dedicated to Cultural and Environmental Dynamics was held at the Ethnological Museum of Dahlem on June 21-26, 2015. The event was organized by Deutsches Archäologisches Institut, Christian-Albrechts-Universität Kiel, HafenCity Universität Hamburg, and the Easter Island Foundation. The organizing committee, headed by Dr. Burkhard Vogt, did a remarkable effort ensuring a smooth flow of the entire event.

The choice of the conference site and lodging was just perfect: the Ethnological Museum of Dahlem features one of the most renowned collections of Easter Island artifacts in Europe, many of which date from the historic expedition of Wilhelm Geiseler onboard the HMS Hyäne in 1882. The principal conference hotel, Seminaris, was comfortably located just across the street from the museum. The canopy of linden trees abundantly growing in the area provided much desired shade on sunny days and a natural rain protection during the passing showers. The evening before the conference was heralded by the ice-breaker party held at the Lepsius-Kolleg, located within walking distance from the Seminaris Hotel. The friendly atmosphere and golden rays of the setting sun created a perfect background for discussions over a beer or two; everybody enjoyed meeting friends and seeing colleagues known for years, as well as making new acquaintances. Thus, the base for intense and fruitful scientific communication was firmly established during the first evening.

The conference was opened by the Ambassador of the Republic of Chile in Germany, H.E. Mariano Fernández Amunátegui, followed by the welcome words by Dr. Richard Haas, the Deputy Director of the Ethnological Museum of Dahlem. The Easter Island Foundation's David Rose and Marla Wold addressed the participants with welcome words mentioning the news of the Easter Island Foundation and its successful scholarship programs. The keynote lecture on prehistoric ecological dynamics of Rapa Nui was presented by Dr. Christopher M. Stevenson. The Ethnological Museum kindly provided EIPC 2015 with two large conference halls and ample areas for coffee breaks, which catalyzed numerous important discussions in between the sessions.

The scientific program of the conference was rich and diverse, with 15 sessions covering topics related to historical and present-day land use, Rapa Nui cultural identity, new issues of paleobotany, biology and the marine environment, lithic production and techniques, demography and anthropology, studies of moai and ahu, research of Rapa Nui art and artistic trends in small portable sculpture, new developments in rongorongo script studies, the role of museum collections and archives in Rapa Nui studies, cutting-edge technologies for documentation of Easter Island sites and objects, challenges and future of knowledge, education and cultural heritage, improvement of communication strategies, problems and peculiarities of archaeological site management, as well as the impact of tourism on the fragile cultural heritage of the island. The intense scientific program of the conference was successfully fulfilled, with a total number of presented papers reaching 90. The participants also had the pleasure to see two recent documentaries "Buscando a Isla de Pascua: la película perdida" [Searching for Easter Island: the lost movie] and "Te Kuhane o te Tupuna, el espiritu de los ancestors" [The spirit of the ancestors], both of which attracted significant interest and loud applause.

The participants of the conference attended the evening reception at the museum, which was opened with welcome words by Dr. Richard Haas (the Deputy Director of the Ethnological Museum of Dahlem), and Dr. Dorothea Deterts (the Curator of the Pacific and Australian Collection). After the reception, we had a rare privilege to experience a night at the museum – a breathtaking visit to the Oceania exhibition hall opened after regular museum hours only for the participants of EIPC. The permanent exhibition of Easter Island artifacts is magnificent: one of a few surviving painted 'ao paddles, two rapa with beautiful finishes, several well-preserved moai kavakava, moai pa'apa'a, two lizard carvings (moko), a reimiro, wooden pendants (tahonga), clubs carved as stylized eels, 'ua and paoa, and one of the largest surviving rongorongo artifacts (alas, collected in a considerably eroded state). There are also several portable stone heads, gourd containers, nets, fishing implements, turtle shells used for belts, etc. Naturally, such a remarkable constellation of ethnological gems triggered much admiration and numerous discussions.

The savoring of cultural collections was not restricted to the Ethnological Museum of Dahlem; the organizing committee prepared a pleasant boat ride for participants, culminating with a visit to the Museum Island of Berlin, with a guided tour at the Neues Museum, which houses a splendid collection of Egyptian art including the famous bust of the Queen Nefertiti and other remarkable works from the Amarna Period. The highlight of the European Bronze Age collection at the Neues Museum includes one of the rare golden hats that had a possible calendar function.

The conference banquet was held in a lovely garden, with everyone enjoying the rich taste of German cuisine. The definite hit of the cultural program was a concert by a musical band of Rapanui people living in Germany, bringing the warm touch of joyful energy to the calm summer evening, virtually transferring the entire party to the hospitable shores of our beloved island. Strong applause at the closing ceremony highlighted the success of EIPC and expressed the gratitude of the participants to the organizing committee for the successful event and to the Ethnological Museum of Dahlem for their kind hospitality. With the closing words said, the 9th Easter Island and Pacific Conference became history. The future publication of the Conference Proceedings will definitely underline the strength of the main scientific results presented at EIPC 2015. But even when these lines are written, it is already possible to say with all certainty that it was a wonderful event full of communication and joy of seeing each other; these pleasant memories will stay for a long time with all the participants of the Berlin Conference.

Left: EIF President David Rose enjoying one of the many social events at the conference

Center left: Tuti Lillo Haoa of Vai Te Mihi cultural group delivered a passionate performance in the Rapanui language, complete with full face paint and a richly decorated dance paddle

Center right: Marla Wold, EIF Scholarship Committee Chairperson and Sidsel Millestrom at a conference session

Right: Merahi Atam, together with the other EIPC participants, contemplating the unique collection of Rapanui objects during the Night at the Museum reception (photo reproduced thanks to the kind permission of Ethnologisches Museum der Staatlichen Museen zu Berlin – Preußischer Kulturbesitz).

Below: Group photograph of the conference attendees.

Project to study effects of climate change on Rapa Nui

(source: Pensacola News Journal; www.pnj.com)

Wade Jeffrey, a microbial biologist at the Center for Environmental Diagnostics and Bioremediation at the University of West Florida, is part of a team of international scientists including Claudia Hernández from the Universidad Andres Bello in Chile, who are conducting research on how world climate change might impact the fragile ecosystem of Rapa Nui. The island is a biological hot spot in the nutrient-starved South Pacific Gyre, thought to be one of the largest and least-productive ecosystems in the South Pacific. Jeffery and Hernández are trying to determine what controls the bacteria growth and the increased productivity around these hot spots. The team of researchers will conduct a one month expedition in October, collecting water samples that will examine growth, biomass and diversity. Because of Rapa Nui's isolation, it is conducive to studying cause and effect relationships within a simple system. Jeffrey is also studying microbes in the desert salt springs in Chile, a country that he describes as a goldmine for microbial research due to the extreme ecological diversity. The hope is that information gleaned from the research on Rapa Nui will illuminate how climate change could impact the island and may have implications that extend beyond the island as well.

Teacher's strike and student protest in Chile

(sources: www.bloomberg.com and fsrn.org)

In March, Chilean President Michelle Bachelet pushed through the largest tax increases in almost half a century to increase teachers' wages and eliminate education fees. The vision of bringing Chile closer to developed-nation status through improved education collided with the interests of the Chilean teachers' union and with student's demands for free high quality public education. Chile had previously been operating under an educational system that favored wealthier students at the expense of poor students.

Approximately 300,000 students at State schools (including some of EIF's scholarship recipients) could not attend classes for seven weeks as teachers waged their longest strike in almost five decades to protest educational reform, including plans to make their evaluations more stringent. "The prolonged strike is worrying and it is damaging the children," said Manuel Sepulveda, a director at the research group Educación 2020.

One of President Bachelet's campaign promises was the guarantee of high quality free education for all, with the idea that education is the key to boosting productivity and to Chile becoming a developed nation. Giving both students and teachers what they desire has been more challenging than expected, however. Teachers were protesting against a bill in Congress that would link their wage increases to a more regular evaluation of teaching standards, while students protested over insufficient educational reforms. Jaime Gajardo, the head of the teachers' association that has led the strike, noted that evaluations could be discriminatory and that could result in educators neglecting their teaching duties to prepare for evaluations. Gajardo also noted that while the union is in agreement with the proposed reforms, that they want to make sure the stated goals are consistent with the fine print of the laws. Other complaints from teachers and students include the lack of public participation writing of the bills.

Two more bills need to be approved before the government's education package is completed. One will transfer state schools to the control of the education ministry from local municipalities, while the other will gradually introduce free university education.

Bachelet's administration has already approved a bill to eliminate fees in schools that receive funding from the State.

Because these reforms are costly and the minister of finance says the Chilean economy will not grow as fast as originally anticipated, Bachelet says the government won't have "all the resources originally forecast to carry out our program and meet social demands"; she noted that some of her commitments will have to be prioritized.

Marine park in Chile planned to preserve the waters around Rapa Nui

(source: www.theguardian.com)

The intent to create what would become one of the world's largest marine parks was announced at the Our Ocean Conference in Valparaíso, attended by U.S. Secretary of State, John Kerry. Chile has plans to create the marine park in an effort to halt illegal fishing and to protect fish stocks around Rapa Nui. According to Joshua Reichert, lead on environmental initiatives at the Pew Charitable Trusts, this is an important step toward establishing the world's first generation of great marine parks. If approved by the Rapanui people, after consultation by the Chilean government, fishing will be banned from a 631,368 sq km (243,630 sq miles) area, although local fishermen will still be allowed to fish in their local waters. The marine park will border another park planned by the British government that encompasses an 834,000 sq km (322,000 sq miles) area around the Pitcairn Islands to the west.

Fishermen on Easter Island have complained in the past about industrial fishing trawlers illegally taking tuna from their waters, and satellite analysis has indicated more than two dozen possible illegal fishing vessels in the area over the period of a year.

Richard Branson blogged that "This wonderful action will protect treasures off the shores of this remote island, as well as the brilliant biodiversity that feeds the local Rapa Nui people, and helps them continue their centuries-old cultural traditions."

The intent to create a marine park around what Chilean President Michelle Bachelet called the "iconic island" of Easter Island, will proceed only if it is supported by the local community following consultation.

President Bachelet also announced the creation of a marine park around two other islands located off the coast of Chile, San Ambrosio and San Félix. Alex Muñoz, Vice President for Oceana, a marine NGO in Chile, said: "With the creation of this large marine park, Chile also becomes a world leader in marine conservation." The two Chilean marine parks would cover an area greater than 1,000,000 sq km.

Rapanui perspective on the proposed marine park

(source: Sara Roe Pakarati; www.huffingtonpost.com)

Sara Roe Pakarati describes the current situation of the waters around Rapa Nui: "Imagine if your livelihood depended on the fish you caught from the ocean. Imagine if these fish also fed your family. Now pretend that every time you go out in your boat, you catch far fewer fish than you did 10 years ago. When you are in the water, you are struck by how much less fish there are than when you were growing up."

Roe Pakarati describes the legacy of Polynesian seafaring and the deep connection of these skills, passed down for generations, and how intertwined they are with the daily lives of the Rapanui people. The waters surrounding Rapa Nui contain at least 142 species, many of them endemic. The nutrient-rich waters are critical breeding grounds for many species; the great biodiversity has allowed local marine fauna to thrive.

The fish living in the sea around the Rapa Nui, however, are under constant threat from poachers and from other human activities responsible for pollution and garbage. The Rapanui people realized that in order to save their livelihood, and ensure that there would still be fish available for future generations, they needed to make a plan to protect their waters.

A Rapa Nui Ocean Round Table (called Te Mau o Te Vaikava o Rapa Nui) was created, made up of local organizations that each have a stake in the health of the ocean. For over a year, they have worked to develop an ocean protection plan to present to the Chilean government with the common goal of ensuring a vibrant ocean for Rapa Nui in the future.

Working with scientists from the Bertarelli Foundation and The Pew Charitable Trusts since 2012, they reviewed research that demonstrates the importance of fully-protected marine areas, giving fish the ability to reproduce and thrive, which ultimately results in larger and healthier numbers of fish. Over time, this will help rebuild critical populations of marine life in the waters around Rapa Nui, a twofold benefit to the island's fishing community and to the improved health of the marine environment.

Their plan uses the Polynesian tradition of rahui, a temporary ban on fishing for key species or to prevent overfishing in certain areas, and includes a large protected marine park complemented by an area where local traditional fishing and other conservation measures would be managed along with the Polynesian practice of tapu.

The marine park plan is similar to what Hawaiians advocated ten years ago with the creation of the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. Polynesian cultures recognize the importance of the ocean and know that its resources need to be managed well in order to be sustained.

Roe Pakarati ends by stating that: "We are at a critical moment for our planet. We hope Easter Island's plan becomes one that other island communities and leaders will consider. We would be glad to share our experiences and the lessons we've learned with them. Our oceans are depending on us to take action."

Artificial Easter Island-inspired reef in Florida accidentally destroyed

(sources: www.browardpalmbeach.com and www.sunsentinal.com)

A project conceived and funded by Boca Raton philanthropist Margaret Blume, who spent $500,000 from her family trust to make it a reality, was originally inspired by a photo of an underwater sculpture in Mexico. Together with her family, Blume came up with the idea of an Easter Island-themed artificial reef for divers to be installed off the coast of Florida.

Eight concrete moai replicas, each about 22 feet tall and attached to a barge 150 feet long by 45 feet wide, were created by Pompano Beach sculptor Dennis MacDonald using reclaimed materials. The replicas weighed 600,000 pounds and were to be sunk in 75 feet of water off of Deerfield Beach. What should have been a very slow controlled sinking quickly spiraled out of control when the barge tipped over and sank, crushing all of the moai sculptures. Some people theorized that the sinking could have been due to top heaviness and improper ballasting, while another commentator posited that it was because of the misappropriation of sacred images. Not to be dissuaded, the group, called Recreate Rapa Nui Reef, is gearing up to try it again. This time, the moai will be systematically lowered to the bottom in an upright position using a crane.