Rapa Nui, also known as Easter Island, never experienced a ruinous population collapse, according to an analysis of ancient DNA from 15 former inhabitants of the remote island in the Pacific Ocean.

Rapa Nui (Easter Island)

• About: It is a remote island in the southeastern Pacific Ocean, part of Chile. 
• European Contact: Dutch explorer Jacob Roggeveen first encountered the island on Easter Sunday in 1722, giving it the name Easter Island. 
• Moai Statues: It is famous for its moai statues, giant monolithic human figures carved by the indigenous Rapa Nui people.
  • They are shaped like large human heads and erected on stone pedestals. 
  • They were carved in volcanic stone at quarries and then moved to their current locations across the island. 
• UNESCO World Heritage site: It is designated as UNESCO WHS.
• Geography of Rapa Nui: The island’s geography is harsh and challenging for humans. 
  • Its lava-covered terrain is rocky with limited freshwater sources, poor soil quality, and a low diversity of flora and fauna.
• Current Administration: Today, Rapa Nui is part of Polynesia and is officially a territory of Chile.

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Widely Contentious Notion of population Collapse of Rapa Nui

• Theory of Easter Island’s population collapse due to “ecocide” or environmental mismanagement: It was widely accepted that the population of Rapa Nui collapsed after overexploiting resources.
• • Notion of Ecological Suicide, or “Ecocide: In the context of Rapa Nui (Easter Island), the term is used to describe the potential scenario where overpopulation and the extensive use of resources led to environmental degradation. 
  • According to the “ecocide” hypothesis, the environmental changes were triggered by a growing population of over 15,000 people in Rapa Nui, leading to resource depletion, warfare, famine, and even cannibalism, which ultimately caused a catastrophic population collapse in the Island.

Findings of the New Research published in the journal ‘Nature’

• Population Stability Before European Contact: 
  • Genetic analysis indicates that the Rapa Nui population steadily grew from the 13th century until European contact in the 18th century.
  • This stability challenges the belief that there was a major population collapse before Europeans arrived.
• Catastrophic Events Post-European Contact
  • The study reveals that the population faced two significant catastrophes following European arrival:
    • Chilean Slave Traders: Abducted more than a third of the population.
    • Smallpox Outbreak: Led to a drastic decline, reducing the population to about a hundred individuals.
• Refuting the Ecocide Theory
  • The study provides new insights into Rapa Nui’s history and counters the ecocide theory.
  • Contrary to the ecocide theory, evidence suggests that the pre-modern Rapa Nui did not overexploit their island’s resources.
  • The population may have been living sustainably, only to suffer due to external factors, not internal mismanagement.
• Evidence of Pre-European Contact
  • High-quality ancient genomes reveal that around 10% of the Rapanui gene pool has Indigenous American origins.
  • This contact likely occurred before the arrival of Europeans, suggesting interactions with Indigenous Americans.
• Broader Implications
  • It highlights the need to consider repatriation of Rapanui ancestors’ remains and emphasises the preservation of their cultural legacy.
  • Control of Genetic Data: The Rapanui community, through the “Comisión Asesora de Monumentos Nacionales” (CAMN), will have control over the use and access to genetic data of their ancestors.
  • Exposing of Derogatory Myths: In many ways, the Rapa Nui genomes also show how genomic evidence can expose the derogatory myths that often surround Indigenous people and give them their real histories back

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