Save Rapanui Benefit Los Angeles

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Lono Kollars, Kaleponi Advocates for Hawaiian Affairs
Phone: 951.534.3750
E-mail: lono.kollars@yahoo.com

SAVE RAPA NUI: EASTER ISLAND IN CRISIS
with Rapa Nui Film, Music, Art and Discussion to Support the Indigenous People in Crisis

When: Thursday, October 28, 2010, from 6:00PM - 11:00PM

Where: Barnsdall Art Park, 4800 Hollywood Blvd, LA, CA 90027

VIP Reception and Seating: $50 (at 6:00pm)
General Admission: $25

Info: Santi Hitorangi, United Nations Representative for Rapa Nui and Longtale International will be co-hosting a screening and panel discussion of the documentary “BEING RAPANUI,” a Rapa Nui perspective, with an exhibition and silent auction of Rapa Nui Petroglyphs rubbings as well as other art donated by La Luz de Jesus Gallery to help support the struggle of the Rapanui indigenous people to keep their ancestral homelands on Easter Island.

The event is sponsored by: KAHA, (Kaleponi Advocates of Hawaiian Affairs), Imipono Projects, VC (Visual Communications), Longtale International and La Luz de Jesus Gallery

Traditional Pacific Island haka and entertainment, live musicc and DJ Ninja Simone (Soul Sessions).

Los Angeles, CA—

Rapa Nui, also known as Isla de Pascua, but better known as Easter Island, is part of the Polynesian Triangle that stretches from Hawaii to the North, Rapa Nui to the East and New Zealand to the South. Easter Island has long been the subject of curiosity and speculation. How and why did its inhabitants carve and transport the massive statues (Moai) which surround the island? What remains of this culture today, and what lessons can we learn from their legacy?

Rapa Nui is one of the most remote places on the planet. Their closest neighbor, Pitcairn Island with fewer than a hundred inhabitants, is about 1,300 miles to the West. Continental Chile is about 2,200 miles to the East. It is a U.N. World Heritage site, famous for its monolithic Moai, stone statues created and moved by the islanders’ ancestors.

Until 1888, Rapa Nui was unclaimed by any foreign country. The island lacked rivers and trees, and a safe anchorage. Chile annexed the island under the impression that it had agricultural potential and strategic possibilities as a naval station. Formal annexation brought little change to the island until 1896 when Chile placed the island under the jurisdiction of the Department of Valparaiso. The island was turned into a vast sheep ranch under the direction of a Valparaiso businessman, Enrique Merlet, who confiscated buildings and all animals left to the Rapanui by the missionaries who had fled the island in the wake of Dutrou-Bornier's reign of terror. Islanders were forced to build a stone wall around the village of Hangaroa and, except for work, permission was needed to leave the area even to fetch water from the crater. Those who revolted against these perverse rules were exiled to the continent, few returned.

As of August 4th, 2010, the people of Rapa Nui have non-violently re-occupied the lands that had been unlawfully taken by Chile from their grandparents. The Chilean government has responded by sending in armed forces. As the Rapa Nui people strive to reclaim their island and independence, the islanders may be on the brink of extermination at the hands of Chilean forces.

A peaceful resolution would be the hope for restoration to the world and a new beginning for Te Pito O Te Henua “the Navel of the World,” what the early settlers called Rapa Nui.

The Indian Law Resource Center in Washington D.C. has agreed to represent the Rapa Nui families and the Rapa Nui Parliament.

Although many people think the island is deserted and the Moai are a mystery, the Rapa Nui are very much alive and has been a civilization of master engineers, artists and survivalists for nearly 2000 years.

For more information about Rapa Nui, contact Susan Hitorangi: (845) 596 5403,
Tepitoproductions@mac.com or go to SaveRapa Nui.org.

The Barnsdall Gallery Theater is owned and operated by the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs

Chilean Troops Flown In to Supress Rapanui

CHILEAN TROOPS FLOWN IN  TO SUPRESS  RAPANUI  - ON THE VERGE OF EXTINCTION  - September 29, 2010

 

Contact:               Kihi Tuki-Hito   011 56 9 88190047

                        Levanate Araki  011 56 9 81506843

                          Santi Hitorangi  1 845 596 5402

 

This morning a C-47 military plane arrived on Rapanui  (aka Easter Isalnd) with a contingency of SWAT teams to augment the already in-place armed forces set to remove indigenous Rapanui people from their ancestral lands..   Since July 31, the Rapanui have been non-violently re-occupied the land illegally taken from their grandparents and have been , asking for their legal title to be restored.

 

Tonight the Rapanui people are on high alert – expecting what may come in the wee hours of the morning. 

 

This afternoon Marisol Hito, spokeswomen of the Hitorangi clan,  presented the Rapanui case to the Human Rights Commission of the Chilean House of Representatives.     The Commission unanimously voted to stay any order to harm or remove Rapanui people from their claims.

 

Marisol Hito stated that,  “We have been asking to negotiate for 60 days with the Chilean government, but they have refused to negotiate and instead sent in armed troops to cause psychological and physical duress .  From day one we have been expressing that our claim is for recognition of title to our lands, and the ability to manage  our sovereignty.   Under Chilean law  only Rapanui people can legally hold title to land on the island.”

 

 The Human Rights Commission filed a protective order for the 18 children that are in occupation at the Hanga Roa Hotel,  reclaiming their land title and future.    The Hanga Roa property was illegally sold during the Pinochet regime to a non-Rapanui  person, and was subsequently transferred to a non-Rapanui corporation, in violation of Chilean law.

 

Kihi Tuki-Hito  showed the Rapanui flag on the back of his jacket and spoke to  press after the 8 hour meeting with the Human Rights Commission.  He said,  “  We want  to peacefully restore our rights to our land and self government”.

 

Chile has refused to conduct serious and meaningful peaceful negotiations and has criminalize all the Rapanui claimants in  violation of human rights and  of  the Universal Declaration of Indigenous Rights,  to which Chile is a signatory.

 

Ironically  Chile uses the Rapanui moai, the well-known monolithic stone statutes,   on its currency and passports  as a symbol colonial supremacy over Rapanui people. 

 

Only 5,000 Rapanui people exist today .   Any violence against them is an act of extinction to these legendary people who are a heritage and treasure of humanity.  In 1994 UNSECO declared Rapanui as a “heritage of humanity.”

 

If we as humans can save the smallest inhabited place on the planet earth, Rapanui, then when we  can learn how to heal and save our entire human existence on this  planet.

 

This is a an S.O.S. for the world to save itself.

 

For more information go to SaveRapanui.org

Matato'a - Here Ma'ohi

To our whanau from Rapanui Nau mai Haere Mai, Kia kotahi ra Te Moana Nui a Kiwa !!!