2,000 miles from South America, this speck in the South Pacific has a unique culture. Its history is full of twists and turns. Here’s one such twist — the birds that early explorers discovered on Easter Island are no longer there!
The endemic (native) birds are believed extinct, and the current birds are “immigrants” — they were introduced in more recent years. The trees have suffered similarly.
They disappeared from being overused by humans, among other reasons. The birds need the trees for their nests!
The Flat Friends learned that the place known the world over as Easter Island is actually called Rapa Nui (part of Chile).
During the past four hundred years the Dutch, Spanish, British and Peruvians had all visited Rapa Nui, even some American ships. Some were explorers, in need of supplies. They meant to trade for food and water. Unfortunately, they left behind diseases the locals had never encountered before.
Others were out to acquire land for “King and Country”. They traded for a claim to own the island — something the locals didn’t understand. Sheep farmers tried to take over the land to raise their herds… and destroyed the landscape in the process.
Saddest of all were the slavers who stole people, and forced them to work without pay.
Through all of this, not only have the Rapa Nui people survived, but they have managed to preserve the Moai — statues that stand as tall as two and three story buildings, that were carved hundreds of years ago.
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