Tomas Tepano

Música Rapa Nui is the musical tradition of Rapa Nui (Easter Island), a Polynesian culture now within Chile. It blends ancestral Polynesian chant and dance-song with instruments and song forms introduced in the 19th–20th centuries. Core elements include communal chant (riu, ute), call-and-response vocals, vigorous dance rhythms (notably the sau‑sau and the haka-like hoko), and percussion-driven grooves played on slit drums, hand drums, shell trumpets, and body percussion. Since the 1900s, guitars and ukuleles have become central, and many songs are performed in the Rapa Nui language, often evoking the ocean, voyaging, moai ancestors, and mana (spiritual power). In the late 20th century, staged ensembles and touring bands popularized a high-energy, theatrical version of the style—combining traditional chants, drums, and dances with contemporary harmony and song structure—making Música Rapa Nui a living, evolving heritage that speaks to both island identity and broader Polynesian connections.