Abstract
Main description
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Rapa Nui, Easter Island, has had a great fascination for archaeological research since its discovery in 1722. The focus of
interest was on the massive stone monuments, the moai, sculptures with a human face, which raise many questions. This stone
evidence of Polynesian culture’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 Chile 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.
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