Lynn Rapu
Born
Lynn Jaime Rapu Tuki

(1969-12-09) 9 December 1969
Easter Island, Chile
OccupationTeacher
Spouse
Maima Tching Chi Yen
​
​
(m. 2014)​
Children2
RelativesLaura Rapu (niece)

Lynn Jaime Rapu Tuki (born 9 December 1969) is a Chilean promoter of the arts and traditions of the Rapa Nui People and head-teacher and founder of the Ma'aranui Cultural Academy and the Cultural Ballet Kari Kari. He is Cultural Ambassador of Asia-Pacific[1] and has been Head of the Liaison Office of the National Council of Culture and the Arts (CNCA, Consejo Nacional de la Cultura y las Artes, in Spanish).[2]

Background

Several major events back in the 1960s changed the course of the Island, which began revolving around the ever-growing touristic market. These events include the social movement led by Alfonso Rapu in 1964, the enactment of "Ley Pascua".[3] in 1966 in answer to the rebellion and the opening of the Mataveri International Airport later that same year, which meant a raise and perpetuation of the touristic flow.

This inflection point in the History of Rapa Nui translated in an impact both in their trade and their culture, being the later the most affected by foreign influence, which gave diversity to the native music. Dr. Ramón Campbell, in his book "La Herencia Musical de Rapa Nui" (The Musical Heritage of Rapa Nui) states "When I arrived on the Island (1964) there was still native music left and the musical traditions had been kept intact, without contamination from overseas which came with the tourist invasion from the main land in 1966 thanks to air travel being more available." Page 10.[4]

Biograpy

Lynn Rapu was born on Easter Island in 1969, son of Belisario Rapu Ure Ngorongoro and Ana Lola Tuki Teave.[5] His niece, Laura Rapu, is an Easter Island politician. He is part of a generation that, compared to their elders, grew up with much more freedom and access to income produced by touristic activity.

In 2014, he married Chinese-born anthropologist Maima Tching Chi Yen, worker of the Rapa Nui Ao Tupuna foundation.[6] They have two children together, Hopumanu and Analola.[6]

With the passing of his father in 1977 while his mother was abroad, Lynn and his siblings were sent to live in a local Children's Home for 5 years. During this period, his cultural education was strongly associated with people like Papiano Ika[7] -who lived in "La Colonia" Sanatorium,[8] for people with Hansen's disease-, Luis Pate Paoa (known as Kiko Pate[9]) and Ricardo Hito.[10]

At the age of 15 years old he began his career as a performance in a dance troupe formed by his brother Marcos Rapu, called Arangi Moana, mainly in the musical part executing instruments like the ukulele and percussion. Later in 1992, enters another group called Pokutangi as a musician and dancer for 4 years; it is in this experience when he decides to renounce the troupe and establish an academy focused on transmitting the essence of culture through discipline.

Contributions

Cultural Academy Ma'aranui

Ma'aranui Academy and the Cultural Ballet Kari Kari

Created the cultural academy back in 1996, where he teaches free classes in music, dance, native language, ancestral navigation principles, customs and crafts of Rapa Nui. It has formed recognized artist of the ethnic group, winners of the Tapati Rapa Nui festival and participants of various folkloric troupes. In the same year the Cultural Ballet Kari Kari[11][12] is founded, a traditional troupe with a long history in the island and with international presence.

Representative

Musicians from the Academy in a social event

Because of his knowledge on culture and ancient customs, Lynn usually represents and directs social and cultural events such as: wakes, church songs, family gatherings, social parties, receptions, among others. Some of the most important activities where he has been in charge are the reception of Polynesian double hulled canoes such as Hokule'a in 2017,[13] cultural exchanges[14] abroad and winner for 17 consecutive years as a director of dance troupes for the Tapati Rapa Nui festival[15]

Other Projects

In 1998, while running the Academy and the dance troupe, he began teaching Culture Courses in the local school Lorenzo Baeza Vega.[16][17] He usually taught these classes outside the classroom. This course included Rapa Nui Language, traditional fishing, and music, amongst others. He stopped giving this class in school in 2004.

In 2011 he was named Cultural Ambassador of the Asia-Pacific, and was legal representative of the Rapa Nui Culture abroad. While he carried out his functions, he gave the opportunity to various music and dance troupes from the island to take part in several cultural exchanges throughout Polynesia and was able to get young Rapanui people to participate as crew members of Polynesian canoes such as Vaka Fa'afaite and Te Aurere.[18] He took part in the Forum: “Reflexiones desde la Experiencia Maori” (“Thoughts from the Maori Experience”)[19] in the Universidad de Chile. Later on, in 2016-2017, he was named Head of the Liaison Office in the Consejo Nacional de la Cultura y las Artes, on Easter Island.

Debut

Even though the Ma’aranui Academy was created back in 1996, it was not until 1997 that the Cultural Ballet Kari Kari gave their first performance as a troupe. This first performance took place in Hotel Iorana, on Rapa Nui. It was not long until they began touring outside the island. Their most outstanding performances so far have been (in chronological order):

Year Country Description
1998 Spain Tourism promotion strategy
1998 Portugal Tourism promotion strategy
2003 Marquesas Islands Festival
2004 Republic of Palau Festival of Pacific Arts[20]
2004 New Zealand Cultural Exchange
2008 China, South Korea, Vietnam Asian Cultural Exchange
2011 Tahiti Heiva Festival[21]
2011 Marquesas Islands Marquesas Islands Festival[22]
2012 Solomon Islands Festival of the Pacific Arts[23]
2013 France Tourism promotion strategy[24]
2014 Marquesas Islands Festival of the Polynesian Islands[25]
2015 Santiago, Chile Maori and Rapanui Cultural Exchange. GAM[26]
2016 Guam Festival of the Pacific Arts[27]

Discography

The Cultural Ballet Kari Kari have their own discography, which comprises different ancient songs.

Year Album
1998 Kari Kari
2000 Kuhane O Te Kari Kari
2000 Ariki Takona
2008 Ate Ara Taumana

Certificates

Year Mention Issuing Entity
2012 Cultural Delegate in Rapa Nui Corporación Municipal de Isla de Pascua[28]
2014 Main cultural promoter of the Rapa Nui ethnic group Corporación Municipal de Isla de Pascua
2015 Recognition as Cultural Ambassador Gobernación Provincial[29]
2017 Recognition to the Ma'aranui Academy for its 20 years of service to the community Corporación Nacional de Desarrollo Indígena
2017 Certificate for winning the Tapati Rapa Nui Festival for 17 consecutive year Dirección General Tapati Rapa Nui

References

  1. ↑ "Conversatorio: "Reflexiones desde la Experiencia Maorí ¿Es posible indigenizar la sociedad chilena?" •". www.uchileindigena.cl (in Spanish). Retrieved 2017-10-11.
  2. ↑ "Gobierno de Chile - Directorio de Transparencia Activa - Consejo Nacional de la Cultura y las Artes > Dotación a honorarios". www.gobiernotransparentechile.gob.cl. Retrieved 2017-10-11.
  3. ↑ "LEY-16441 01-MAR-1966 MINISTERIO DEL INTERIOR - Ley Chile - Biblioteca del Congreso Nacional". Ley Chile - Biblioteca del Congreso Nacional. 1966-03-01. Retrieved 2017-10-11.
  4. ↑ Campbell, Ramón (2015). La Herencia Musical de Rapa Nui. Rapanui Press. p. 10.
  5. ↑ "Analola Tuki Chavez". polinesia-chilena.blogspot.cl. Retrieved 2017-10-11.
  6. 1 2 "Personas mayores imparten talleres de agricultura y música a niños en Rapa Nui". www.litoralpress.cl. Retrieved 2023-09-24.
  7. ↑ Chile., BioBioChile - La Red de Prensa Más Grande de (2013-02-05). "Murió el último interno del leprosario de Isla de Pascua". BioBioChile - La Red de Prensa Más Grande de Chile (in Spanish). Retrieved 2017-10-17.
  8. ↑ "En Isla de Pascua se construyó el primer leprosario del país". La Tercera (in European Spanish). Retrieved 2017-10-17.
  9. ↑ Bendrups, Dan (2010). "Easter Island Music and the Voice of Kiko Pate: A Biographical History of Sound Recording". The World of Music. 52 (1/3): 253–268. JSTOR 41700034.
  10. ↑ "Magdalena recuerda a sus padres RICARDO HITO y VERONICA ATAMU". polinesia-chilena.blogspot.cl. Retrieved 2017-10-17.
  11. ↑ Conrich, Ian; Mückler, Hermann (2016-05-06). Rapa Nui – Easter Island: Cultural and Historical Perspectives. Frank & Timme GmbH. ISBN 9783732902651.
  12. ↑ "Municipalidad de Las Condes: Las Condes Al Día, Las Condes TV". www.lascondes.cl (in Spanish). Retrieved 2017-10-17.
  13. ↑ Big Island Video News (2017-03-07), Hōkūleʻa Celebrated On Easter Island (Mar. 6, 2017), retrieved 2017-10-17
  14. ↑ "DIRAC - Público vitorea la danza Rapa Nui en Festival de Artes del Pacífico". dirac.minrel.gov.cl. Retrieved 2017-10-17.
  15. ↑ "EyN: LA FIESTA HECHA A MANO". www.economiaynegocios.cl. Retrieved 2017-10-17.
  16. ↑ Chile, Ministerio de Educación - Gobierno de. "MIME - Ministerio de Educación de Chile". www.mime.mineduc.cl. Retrieved 2017-10-12.
  17. ↑ "Political Reviews" (PDF). 2017.
  18. ↑ "New Zealand Māori Arts & Crafts Institute, Report for the year ended: 31 March 2014 E.15 (E.15)".
  19. ↑ UChile Indígena (2015-07-08), Primera Parte CONVERSATORIO: "REFLEXIONES DESDE LA EXPERIENCIA MAORÍ...", retrieved 2017-10-12
  20. ↑ california (2008-07-07), Palau 2004 Pacific Arts Festival - Rapa Nui Dancers 1, retrieved 2017-10-12
  21. ↑ HeivaIti (2011-07-28), RAPA NUI HEIVA 2011.mov, retrieved 2017-10-12
  22. ↑ Pâques, Délégation de l'île de. "Une délégation de l'Île de Pâques au Festival des Marquises 2011". TAHITI INFOS, les informations de Tahiti (in French). Retrieved 2017-10-12.
  23. ↑ "Delegación Rapa Nui participará en Festival de las Artes del Pacífico" (in European Spanish). Retrieved 2017-10-12.
  24. ↑ S.A.P., El Mercurio (2013-10-08). "Pascuenses sorprenden con sus bailes en lugares emblemáticos de París | Emol.com". Emol (in Spanish). Retrieved 2017-10-12.
  25. ↑ TNTV. "Festival Polynesia : 3e soirée culturelle - Ile de Pâques". Tahiti Nui Télévision - Les informations de Tahiti, les vidéos de Polynésie (in French). Retrieved 2017-10-12.
  26. ↑ "Intervención de culturas maorí y rapa nui". www.gam.cl (in Spanish). Centro Gabriela Mistral. Retrieved 2017-10-12.
  27. ↑ "Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de Chile - Agrupación Rapa Nui participó en el XII Festival de Artes del Pacífico en Guam". www.minrel.gov.cl (in Spanish). Retrieved 2017-10-12.
  28. ↑ "Municipalidad de Rapa Nui". www.rapanui.net (in European Spanish). Retrieved 2017-10-12.
  29. ↑ "Gobernación Provincial Isla de Pascua". Gobernación Provincial Isla de Pascua. Retrieved 2017-10-12.

Bibliography

  • Campbell, R. (2015). La Herencia Musical de Rapa Nui. Rapanui Press.
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