Repatriation in Rapa Nui, Ka Haka Hoki Mai Te Mana Tupuna

Abstract

This chapter explores the ontological relevance of repatriation within the specific context of Rapa Nui, a Pacific Island and non-self-governing territory under Chilean colonialism. Today, the right to repatriation is endorsed by the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (2007), which establishes that states should facilitate repatriation processes through fair, transparent, and effective mechanisms developed in conjunction with Indigenous peoples concerned. In Chile, however, Indigenous repatriation remains completely unregulated. The central problem addressed in this chapter arises by recognising that the debates around repatriation are grounded in an epistemological friction. Focusing on repatriation in Rapa Nui, this chapter analyses the patrimonialisation of this Pacific Island as a form of state appropriation, objectification, and monumentalisation of Indigenous cultures, and the grave consequences of Chile’s heritage policy for Rapanui repatriation efforts.

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