Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Al Mayadeen correspondent: An Israeli drone strike targeted the town of Al-Qlailah, Southern Lebanon.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in South Lebanon: Israeli drone strikes town of Harouf, Nabatieh district.
Factions' statement: The attendees agreed to support and continue implementing the ceasefire agreement measures, including the withdrawal of the occupation and lifting the siege.
Factions' statement: Calling for an end to all forms of torture and violations against prisoners in occupation prisons and the necessity of obligating the occupation to do so.
Statement: The current moment is crucial, making the meeting a true turning point toward national unity in defense of our people and their right to life, dignity, and freedom.
Factions' statement: Call for an urgent meeting of all Palestinian forces and factions to agree on a national strategy.
Factions' statement: Continuing joint work to unify visions and positions to confront the challenges facing the Palestinian cause.
Statement of the factions: Emphasis on the unity of the Palestinian political system and the independent national decision.
Statement: Approval to establish an international committee to oversee the financing and implementation of the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip.
Statement: The committee is responsible for managing life and services in cooperation with Arab brothers and international institutions, based on transparency and accountability.

Historic Moai statue to be returned to Easter Island

  • By Al Mayadeen Net
  • Source: Agencies
  • 22 Feb 2022 10:47
2 Min Read

After being kept at a Chile museum since 1870, the sacred statue returned to its home place, over 3,000 kilometers from the coast.

  • x
  • The moai heads at Rano Raraku, the quarry on Easter Island. The sculptures have bodies attached, but they are buried under the dirt and not visible. About 400 moai are here in various stages of carving. (Karen Schwartz/AP)
    The Moai heads at Rano Raraku, the quarry on Easter Island (AP)

After being placed in Santiago since 1870, a colossal Moai statue - one of the most iconic stone monuments from Easter Island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean - made its way back to its homeland on Monday.

This comes after years of campaigning to have it returned to Rapa Nui, the local name of the island. 

Moai statues are monolithic human figures which date back to years between 1250 and 1500 A.D, and are symbols of religious and political leadership and power. To their sculpturers, the statues have magical and spiritual meanings hence why they are sacred to the Rapa Nui community. 

The sculpture, which weighs 715 kg, will be transported to Valparaiso in Chile by truck, to have the monument naval-shipped to the island on a journey that will take five days time.

Related News

China’s green strategy redefines Latin America’s global dev. role

Ancient mummies in Asia may be world’s oldest, study finds

The decision is part of a campaign whose target is to return ancient monuments of religious, cultural or spiritual significance, particularly sacred and funerary objects to Rapa Nui.

“For the first time, a Moai will return to the island from the mainland,” said Consuelo Valdes, Chile’s minister of culture.

  • A Moai Tau del Ivi Tupuna statue sits inside the Natural History Museum in Santiago, Chile, before it is returned to Chile’s Easter Island, the statue has been at the museum since 1870. Photograph: Natural History Museum of Chile/AFP/Getty Images
    The Moai Tau del Ivi Tupuna statue inside the Natural History Museum in Santiago, Chile, before it is returned to Rapa Nui. (Natural History Museum of Chile)

“Without a doubt, this is part of a work that as a ministry we began years ago with the return of various collections and ancestors to their homeland.”

Rapa Nui has over 1,000 stone statues of giant heads which have made it to UNESCO world heritage site status. 

In Santiago, the capital of Chile, the Rapa Nui community honored the decision at the National Museum of Natural History, which still keeps two other smaller sculptures.

The statue, carved many hundred years ago, will be kept in the Padre Sebastián Englert Anthropological Museum on the island.

  • Moai statue
  • Chile
  • UNESCO World Heritage Site

Most Read

From previous scenes of the Qassam Brigades targeting an Israeli D9 bulldozer with a Yassin 105 shell, east of Deir al-Balah. (Military Media of the Qassam Brigades)

US knew fatal Rafah blast cause was not Hamas op., says journalist

  • Politics
  • 20 Oct 2025
'Israel’s Digital Iron Dome: Weaponizing the web against Palestine

'Israel’s Digital Iron Dome: Weaponizing the web against Palestine

  • Technology
  • 24 Oct 2025
Abu Hamza, the spokesperson for the Al-Quds Brigades, during a speech televised on October 22, 2025 (Al-Quds Brigades Military Media)

Al-Quds Brigades' Abu Hamza mourns leaders, vows continued resistance

  • Politics
  • 22 Oct 2025
US missionary kidnapped in Niger capital, suspected taken toward Mali

US missionary kidnapped in Niger capital, suspected taken toward Mali

  • Africa
  • 23 Oct 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
Undated photo of Hanwha Ocean’s Goeje Shipyard in South Korea (Hanwha Ocean)
Politics

China counters US maritime bloc with sanctions on Hanwha Ocean

Catherine Connolly speaks after being after being elected as the new President of Ireland at Dublin Castle, Ireland, Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025. (AP)
Politics

Connolly wins Irish presidency in blow to political establishment

Buildings destroyed during the Israeli air and ground offensive are seen in the Al-Shati camp, in Gaza City, Friday, Oct. 24, 2025. (AP)
Politics

'Israel's' post-ceasefire demolitions in Gaza violate agreement: Hamas

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi attends the 17th annual BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, July 7, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Iran’s Araghchi: Our nuclear bomb is resilience, not weapons

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS