First inhabited by the Rapa Nui people a thousand years ago, Easter Island is best known for its hundreds of giant stone statues. But what inspired a group of ancient Polynesian explorers to settle in such a remote spot in the South Pacific? How did they almost bring their own community to the point of collapse? And as ancient traditions meet with modern tourism, what is the future for the Rapa Nui people?

This is a Short History of Easter Island.

Written by Emma Christie. With thanks to Dr. Jo Anne Van Tilburg is an American archaeologist and the Director of the Easter Island Statue Project. She’s spent three decades working on Rapa Nui.

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