Tapati Festival

 

The Tapati Festival is also called Rapa Nui Week, celebrated on Easter Island for the first two weeks of February.

The festival began in the 1970's as a way of maintaining and promoting the Rapa Nui culture, generating interest and a sense of identity for the children.

There are numerous dancing and singing competitions, as well as traditional sporting events such as canoeing, horse racing, and the island triathlon.

Haka Pei is an old rite of passage, proving oneself to be an adult and a warrior, by riding down the side of a volcano on a banana trunk sled.  As training for warriors, this was called "Ma'ari."

Only in the last few years has the festival become known among travelers, and the locals encourage visitors to join the events.