2023-10-06 04:42:43
The past of this attractive place and Chile have a common history. Photo: composition by Jazmin Ceras/La República/Anakena
Just as in Africa and Asia there is only one place that speaks Spanish, in Oceania something similar happens. On that continent, Spanish has been dominated for more than a century and, to this day, it is still present. Although the distance between this nation and Chile It is 3,686 km, there is a very strong bond that unites both territories and we are not just referring to the language. Find out the full story in this note.
What is the only place in Oceania that speaks the Spanish language?
The only oceanic place that speaks Spanish is Easter Island or Rapa Nui. It is considered one of the most attractive places in the world for its culture and natural landscapes. Despite being located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, it is part of the continent of Oceania. It has around 7,750 inhabitants.
On Easter Island, the official languages are Spanish and Rapanui. A total of 900 moai occupy the island, considered a World Heritage Site since 1995. After the colonization of the 19th century, only 111 natives remained on the island. More than 300 years have passed since its discovery and thousands of tourists visit it annually, including many Chileans.
A total of 900 moai occupy the island, considered a World Heritage Site since 1995. Photo: National Geographic
What unites this Easter Island and Chile?
The past of Easter Island and Chile has a common history. It turns out that this place is part of the continent of Oceania, but it is also the island territory of Chile. This Polynesian island is the most isolated inhabited place in the world.
It was in 1888 that the Chilean sailor Policarpo Toro took official possession of the island, incorporating it into the territory of Chile. Subsequently, the Government of that country leased it to a company that converted it into a sheep farm.
The Chilean sailor Policarpo Toro took possession of the island in 1888. Photo: @museomaritimocl/X
In 1996, Rapa Nui was once more leased, but this time back to Chile. From that moment, tourism and revaluation of its archaeological heritage marked a new link between the oceanic inhabitants and the Chileans.
To know who discovered this place, we must go back to April 5, 1722, when the Dutch navigator Jakob Roggeveen landed on this island for the first time and it was he who gave it the name Rapa Nui. Together with his crew, he also discovered the famous moais.
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