The Moai Statues of Easter Island Suffered Irreversible Damage from Fire: What Does the Future Hold for the Island’s Tourism Industry?

Paula Tepano with other protesters at a square in Hanga Roa. People on the island have been organizing demonstrations here since nationwide protests against inequality began in Chile last October (Photo: Naomi Larsson for Toward Freedom).

In early October, fire engulfed hundreds of acres of Rapa Nui National Park, located on Easter Island, Chile. In recent years, Easter Island has brought more than 100,000 annual visitors to its shores to view over a thousand monolithic statues, called moai, that populate the Pacific island. The famed statues were left in critical condition after the fire burned the park. “The damage caused by the fire can’t be undone,” said Mayor Pedro Edmunds Paoa of Rapa Nui in an interview with Radio Pauta, “the cracking of an original emblematic stone cannot be recovered, no matter how many millions of euros or dollars are put into it.”

Easter Island is located around 2,000 miles off the west coast of Chile and remains one of the world’s most remote inhabited islands. A shortage of volunteer firefighters on the island delayed the response time and allowed time for the flames to spread. Mayor Paoa and other Chilean officials believe that it was no accident that the fire broke out. Mayor Paoa stated that “all fires on Rapa Nui are caused by human beings.” There is suspected foul play, as investigators believe the fire was caused by an “arson attack.” 

According to records, this is not the first time that the moai statues have been damaged. In 2020, an island resident was arrested after damaging a statue with a truck. The truck was left unattended and a parking brake failure resulted in its collision with a nearby ceremonial statue platform. Carelessness and a lack of reverence for Easter Island’s treasures have initiated social and environmental movements that are advocating for a “laissez-faire” approach to allow the island to run on its natural course. The statues are one of the most prized historical relics of ancient culture and many people are skeptical of the impacts tourism is having on the island. 

The COVID-19 pandemic introduced two years of pause to Easter Island’s tourism industry, which was a source of panic for officials. The island’s economy is highly dependent on the frequency of tourists and the island’s consistent warm climate allows the island to host visitors year-round.  Rapa Nui reopened after the pandemic and now brings three flights of tourists from Santiago to Easter Island each day. Although tourism is a primary benefactor for the island, there is evidence that it will also cause its destruction.

The term“over-tourism” was coined to describe the events that lead to an influx of tourists that in turn adversely affect the destination. Critics are presenting evidence that Easter Island is experiencing signs of over-tourism and prompting officials to reevaluate the current accessibility of the island. Signs of damage to historic landmarks, a rush towards construction and infrastructure, and the minimization of the native peoples’ cultures has raised concerns from local people and the island’s officials. Mayor Edmunds states that tourists are “damaging the local idiosyncrasy and the thousand-year culture is changing and not for the good." Social activists are pressing Chilean government officials to protect the island’s history and disallow or limit tourists from visiting the island. In 2018, Mayor Pedro Edmunds passed a ruling that all tourists and non-Rapa Nui peoples can stay on the island for 30 days, down from the previous enforcement of 90 days. 

There are only 5,000 full-time residents on the island and half are Rapa Nui descendants. Native activists and allies are speaking out against the dilution of the island’s original culture and human rights violations. The Council of Elders has spoken out about police forces unjustly holding local protestors in custody after peaceful protests and criminalizing the Rapa Nui people’s advocacy groups.

The Council of Elders and the Rapa Nui Parliament submitted a petition to obtain recognition of their rights over the island of Rapa Nui. There is currently 13 percent of the island’s land under the jurisdiction of the Rapa Nui people, which is lower than previously documented years. The majority of the island is owned and operated by the private companies and the Rapa Nui National Park, which is operated by the Chilean government.

The island has been handed over to tourists at the hands of the Chilean government, which has progressively disallowed the indigenous people of the island to stay in touch with their land and culture. Local people have voiced that over-tourism is diluting the historic legacy of Easter Island. The Rapa Nui people have presented the report of “Truth and New Treatment Commission and the Statute on Autonomy of Easter Island.” This report aims to return the exclusive ownership of Easter Island to the Rapa Nui people. The Chilean State has indicated its willingness to engage in dialogue and collaborate with the Rapa Nui people to accomplish their goals. Paula Tepano, from the Rapa Nui Indigenous community states, “We want to administer ourselves, our own businesses, we want our Moai back, we want to work on our land, our culture.”