Prominent among the eclectic hoard of treasures in London’s British Museum is the imposing figure of Hoa Hakananai’a, a four-tonne basalt statue from the Chilean Pacific territory of Rapa Nui – named Easter Island by European explorers.
The statues, known as moai, were carved by the island’s indigenous Rapa Nui people to embody the spirit of a prominent ancestor, with each considered to be the person’s living incarnation.
The moai are one of the main attractions for visitors but to locals they have spiritual significance
“The British taking the moai from our island is like me going into your house and taking your grandfather to display in my living room,” says Anakena Manutomatoma, who is a native of the island and serves on Rapa Nui’s development commission.
“For us, the repatriation of Hoa Hakananai’a is an absolute priority.”
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