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TAPATAI FESTIVAL   Easter Island Mysterious and Enigmatic Easter Island Map Where to stay The Basics Tapatai Festival

	Photos compliments of Municipalidad de Rapa Nui

ABOUT TAPATAI FESTIVAL - text compliments of Easter Island Foundation: 
Tapati was first held in 1969 and was called Semana de Rapa Nui. At that time, it was a summer festival featuring singing, dancing and a small parade.

Tapati has evolved into a spectacular festival that includes dancing, ritual chants, art exhibits, carving competitions, horse and boat races, body painting, a string figure (kai-kai) contest, the selection of a queen, an amazing parade and a triathlon event, amongst other attractions such haka pei, where participants slide down the side of a mountain on banana trunks at top speeds.

The entire village participates and the event ends with the annual crowning of the festival queen by moonlight at the Tahai complex. Visitors are truly enveloped in a unique and exotic Polynesian happening.