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Located in the Pacific Ocean near Chile, Easter Island attracts much attention due to the mystery surrounding its 887 colossal stone statues called moai, created by the Rapa Nui people between approximately 700 and 1100 AD. For the Rapa Nui, who are deeply spiritual and ancestral, each moai statue is considered an embodiment of a deceased person or a former powerful leader.
Currently, this area is a popular tourist destination with over 130,000 visitors annually. The tourism overload has led to many negative consequences, such as tons of waste generated by tourists and increasingly congested traffic. The situation culminated on March 5th when a truck crashed into the large stone base supporting a moai statue called aha, shattering it and causing the statue to fall to the ground.
The man who caused the incident has been a resident of the island for over 12 years. He has been arrested and charged with damaging a national monument. Investigations revealed he was not under the influence of alcohol while driving; police believe it was an accident caused by brake failure. The man will appear for a hearing next week.
Local authorities said the incident caused "immeasurable" damage. The Ma'u Henua community on Easter Island shared that they were "deeply saddened and outraged by the event," and hoped that authorities would severely punish the perpetrators and act swiftly to protect other moai and aha statues to prevent similar unfortunate incidents from happening again. For the indigenous people, "moai are not only archaeological relics but also sacred elements of a culture and important symbols representing the worldview of the Rapa Nui people."
Previously, the island's mayor, Pedro Edmunds Paoa, had proposed establishing traffic regulations to restrict vehicles from moving around the statues. However, most residents opposed this, deeming it unnecessary. The recent incident has forced everyone to reconsider this proposal.
In addition, Mayor Edmunds Paoa also hopes for a financial commitment from the museum to preserve the remaining moai statues on the island: "The moai statues are being buried, crumbled, and disappearing. They are made of volcanic rock, so they are eroded by rain and wind. Therefore, we need modern technology to preserve them."
