University of Hawai'i Press

Climate change threatens Rapa Nui

(Source: http://whc.unesco.org/en/activities/883/)

World Heritage and Tourism in a Changing Climate, a new report by UNESCO and UNEP, illustrates how climate change will affect all World Heritage sites globally. Specifically, it examines how it will interact with and amplify the effects of other stresses, including urbanization, pollution, natural resource extraction, and tourism. The section about Rapa Nui describes the stresses due to tourism in the summer months (with an average of 5000 visitors daily) and notes that the primary potential impacts of climate change would be water shortages due to reduced summer rainfall, sea-level rise, and coastal inundation and erosion. The majority of the ahu and moai are located directly on the coast, and significant coastal erosional impacts are already being recorded at several important archaeological sites. As a result of climate change, greater wave heights and increased wave energy making contact with ahu could exacerbate damage to ahu and increase the possibility of moai toppling. Four important sites – Tongariki, Hanga Roa, Tahai, and Anakena - were identified as being most seriously threatened by potential wave damage. Quilliam et al. 2014 (Rapa Nui Journal 28:1) is cited as a primary source of information.

A language plan for Rapa Nui 50 years after incorporation into Chile

(Source: www.biobiochile.com)

At a meeting marking the 50th anniversary of the incorporation of the Rapanui into Chile, Mayor Gabriel Aldoney of Valparaíso (the administrative region in which Rapa Nui is included) announced the approval of measures to translate all public documents generated in the regional government that are related to the island into the Rapanui language, stressing the importance of the preservation of Rapanui culture. The mayor also said he will work with the Ministry of Education on a program that incorporates teaching the Rapanui language in island schools. Kimiora Hey Araki, an islander who studies on the continent, said this initiative highlights the fact that on the island, sadly only a small percentage of the population speak Rapanui.

Rapa Nui seeks greater rugby presence in Chile

(Sources: www.americasrugbynews.com and www.rugbiers.cl)

Leading rugby players from Rapa Nui competed in a Rugby Sevens tournament in Chile in April 2016 at the Copa I. Municipalidad de San Carlos. Rugby first gained popularity on Rapa Nui in 2002 and slowly has become an important sport. Rapa Nui’s rugby team is called Matamu‘a RC, and local schools now include rugby in their curriculum. Featured players may apply for grants or exchanges with Chilean educational establishments on the mainland. Carlos Morande, a journalist and former national rugby coach, has plans for a future Rapa Nui league and hopes to have organized tours to mainland Chile and to Polynesia in the future. Morandé notes that the islanders are skilled at rugby and only lack the opportunity for competition against more traditional teams. In June the Rapa Nui team will play in an international Rugby Sevens competition in Tahiti and will return to mainland Chile to play in September.

Islanders trained in conservation and sustainable use of marine resources

(Source: login.cl)

A training course on Fisheries Management and Conservation of Easter Island Marine Resources was held as part of a work program with members of the Mesa del Mar “Te Mau o te Vaikava o Rapa Nui", the Development Committee of Easter Island (Codeipa), the Undersecretary of Fisheries and Aquaculture (Subpesca), the National Fisheries Service (Sernapesca), and the Chilean Navy. There were 3 days of activities for the artisanal fisheries sector, tourism organizations, and the community at large. Issues discussed included conservation of aquatic resources and marine ecosystems, monitoring and control of fishing activities, and funding areas of research and production development. The Director of Fisheries and Aquaculture of Regions V, VI and VII, Manuel Ibarra, explained that the aim of the meeting was to present the principal lines of work in sustainability and resource conservation today developed by public agencies. He noted the recent project of the Research Fund for Fisheries and Aquaculture (IFAP) on biological fishing [End Page 60] studies and evaluation of the importance of coastal fisheries to Easter Island as well as the commitment of Subpesca and others to characterize and legally recognize the ancestral arts of rigging and traditional fishing on Rapa Nui.

Sustainable ingenuity of Michael Reynolds leaves its mark on Rapa Nui

(Source: elmostrador.cl)

A total of 1,500 tires, 40,000 aluminum cans, 15,000 glass bottles, 10,000 plastic bottles and 10 tons of cardboard were used in the construction of the Toki Rapanui Music School, which opened in April 2016 on Rapa Nui. Toki was founded by Rapanui islander and concert pianist Mahani Teave, with the aim of preserving the culture of the island and becoming a center where children can develop their musical abilities along with other artistic disciplines. The sustainably-constructed, flower-shaped building was designed and built by New Mexico architect Michael Reynolds with the help of numerous volunteers. The ceiling of the Toki Music School is based on an elastomeric membrane, donated by American entrepreneur Glenn McShand, through his company Master Tec. The biodegradable material does not use petroleum products, is fire resistant and it has a lifespan of 25 years. It consists of a molecular technology that has been used in aerospace programs and aims to reduce the environmental impacts of mining processes and power generation plants. Toki Rapa Nui is also equipped with photovoltaic panels for sustainable electricity generation. Reynolds has been in charge of several similar Latin American projects as part of the organization Earthship Biotecture, dedicated to globally promoting buildings constructed with earth-filled tires that use thermal mass to naturally regulate indoor temperatures.

CONAF opens tourism center on Rapa Nui

(Source: elmostrador.com)

As part of a series of activities to celebrate the 46th anniversary of Corporación Nacional Foerstal (CONAF), a tourism center opened in May 2016. Besides being the provincial office for CONAF, the 100 square meter building features a multipurpose room used to hold classes for environmental and heritage education, provide information about the rules of Rapa Nui National Park, and hold meetings and training courses for CONAF rangers and staff.

The space will also be available to the community to use for meetings and events that aim to promote education on conservation, archaeology, nature, flora and fauna, among others, according to Ninoska Cuadros, provincial head of CONAF on Rapa Nui.

The project was funded through the Fondo Nacional de Desarollo (National Fund for Regional Development), and the governor of Easter Island has also been supportive as this project provides benefits to all; officials, tourists and of course the community, according to Cuadros.

The building is located on the way to Rano Kau and Orongo, sites with high tourist visitation, and is situated within the perimeter of the CONAF offices where the Rapa Nui National Park nurseries are located. The building has a taupea (terrace) for climatic and cultural reasons. Cuadros emphasized that on the island, life happens between the inside and the outside, so having the taupea is ideal for Rapa Nui style meetings to be held in a natural space between the interior and exterior of the center.

President Bachelet signs a residence bill for Rapa Nui

(Source: www.latercera.com)

In April 2016, Chilean President Michelle Bachelet signed a bill of residence, stay, and movement of persons in the territory of Easter Island. The president flew into Mataveri International Airport on April 30 and was greeted by Mayor Petero Edmunds and Governor Carolina Hotu. During her speech, she said that while the island is the heritage of the Rapanui people, at the same time it is national and world heritage, therefore it is the responsibility of everyone, no matter where they come from.

The bill addresses the requirements for entry to Easter Island, the amount of time spent in the territory; the establishment of demographic load capacity; registration and monitoring of flows of people in and out; declaration of states of latency and saturation, if the limit of carrying capacity reaches a certain level; and special measures that include regulations for passenger transport companies. Offenses and penalties related to noncompliance with regulations are also addressed, and a board of management on the subject of capacity has been created.

Bachelet noted that she instructed the ministers of interior and agriculture within CONAF to start an agreement of association for the State of Chile to transfer the management of the Rapa Nui National Park to the Rapanui people within the next few months.

Mayor Edmunds said that this was the most active consultation in the history of the island, which indicates that the entire community wants the regulation of migration and residence of visitors to the island, and noted they are very pleased with the signing of the bill. Details include:

  • • a set maximum period of stay for Chilean and foreign visitors of 30 days (the period of 30 days [End Page 61] will not apply to those who are on the island for exercise of any public function or economic activity, family relationships, or employment relationships;

  • • visitors must present documents such as identity cards or other identification, passages back and forth, and a document proving accommodation or a letter of invitation from a resident;

  • • air and maritime transport must submit a list of passengers and crew;

  • • the bill provides for a management study of demographic burden to be held every 8 years (the first study will be performed by the UC). A population limit load will be established from the results of this study and the interior ministry may decree a state of dormancy or saturation and implement measures restricting migration;

  • • a demographic burden management board will collaborate with responsible bodies to insure that compliance with the law in place;

  • • penalties are proposed for a breach, ranging from reprimand to expulsion and prohibition of entry.

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