Music of Easter Island

Traditional musical dance of Rapa Nui (Easter Island)

History

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Pu o Hiro

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The Rapa Nui used an ancient stone aerophone called the Pu o Hiro (Trumpet of Hiro) for fertility rituals and to call the Polynesian god of rain Hiro.[1] By blowing through the main hole it emits a deep Trumpet sound.[1] During droughts, the Ariki Paka (nobles) would dress in ceremonial clothing and pray for rainfall.[1] They chanted the following song:[1]

E te uá, matavai-roa a Hiro-é
(The rain, the great tears of Hiro)
ka hoa mai koe kiraro
(Send us down)
ka rei mai koe kiraro
(Pour down)
e te u´a matavai-roa a Hiro-é
(The rain, the great tears of Hiro)

Music school

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The first music school on the Easter Island was opened in 2012 by Mahani Teave, and teaches piano, cello, ukulele, and violin.[2][3]


See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Pu o Hiro, the trumpet of Hiro". Imagina Rapa Nui Easter Island. October 29, 2021. Archived from the original on April 2, 2023.
  2. ^ Edwards, Isabel Custer (13 January 2017). "The Music School on the Most Isolated Island in the World". Huffington Post. Retrieved 23 November 2017.
  3. ^ "Pianist Mahani Teave launches international campaign to build a music school in Easter Island". This is Chile. Retrieved 23 November 2017.
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