An art piece that really speaks to my culture, is one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The Moai (statue were built by the Rapa Nui people between 1,100 and 1,500 CE on Easter Island off the Pacific Coast of Chile. These statues are commonly referred to as “Easter Island Heads”, since the for the longest time the statues were thought to be just the head left. In July, 2017 it was announced that there were whole bodies to these statues, buried deep within the ground. More than impressive feats to behold, they were theorized to be depictions of tribe heroes and leaders within the tribe. The locations seem intentional, but to the naked eye, it might not be apparent. All the Moai are only placed in the same area as fresh water. No statue, no water. Water is vital to the existence of man-kind, early peoples, relied on these water sources more-so. They also served as a centre to gather around with your tribes-people, your community. Many of these values are still seen in Chile today; no matter how bad things get, you always have your family. That is something, we must treasure. The impact of this art piece has been endless. It brings a huge influx of tourism to the country and helps show our culture to a wide audience of people who want to experience it. It brings a sense of pride to the people of Rapa Nui and Chile.

WORKS CITED:

“Moai Statues.” Easter Island Travel, www.easterisland.travel/easter-island-facts-and-info/moai-statues.

Nace, Trevor. “The Famous Easter Island Heads Have Hidden Bodies.” Forbes, 26 July 2017, www.forbes.com/sites/trevornace/2017/07/26/famous-easter-island-heads-have-hidden-bodies/?sh=3a6218eef804.

Nelson, Verity. “Moai.” The British Museum, www.britishmuseum.org/about-us/british-museum-story/contested-objects-collection/moai.

Reporter, Guardian Staff. “Easter Island Fire Causes ‘Irreparable’ Damage to Famous Moai Statues.” The Guardian, 7 Oct. 2022, www.theguardian.com/world/2022/oct/07/easter-island-fire-causes-irreparable-damage-to-famous-moai-statues.

Rodríguez, Rubén. “La Teoría Que Explica El Significado De Los Misteriosos Moai De La Isla De Pascua.” elconfidencial.com, 20 Oct. 2018, www.elconfidencial.com/alma-corazon-vida/2018-10-19/moai-significado-ubicacion-isla-pascua-misterio_1632737.

Wikipedia contributors. “Moai.” Wikipedia, 9 Dec. 2022, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moai.