British Museum Faces Backlash Over Easter Island Statue Ownership

• British Museum criticized for Easter Island moai ownership.
• Chilean influencer prompts closure of museum’s Instagram.
• Rapa Nui Mayor demands return of Hoa Hakananai’a, highlighting cultural tensions.

In a surge of social media activism originating from Chile, the British Museum finds itself entangled in a growing controversy over the ownership of a moai statue from Easter Island. Users are flooding the museum’s Instagram, demanding the repatriation of the culturally significant artifact.

Chilean influencer Mike Milfort spearheaded the campaign, leading to the closure of comments on the museum’s Instagram and drawing global attention to the issue. Despite initial efforts to control the narrative by deactivating comments on some posts, the British Museum faces persistent calls for the return of the moai statues to Chilean territory.

Rapa Nui Mayor Pedro Edmunds Pao has been a vocal critic of the museum’s possession of the moai, emphasizing the cultural importance of the Hoa Hakananai’a and urging recognition of its significance. The campaign has gained traction, reaching Chilean President Gabriel Boric, highlighting the growing momentum behind the calls for repatriation.

The controversy brings to light the unique identity of Rapa Nui, located 2,300 miles west of mainland Chile, and its desire for greater autonomy. With over 1,000 moai statues on the island, a request for the return of the two moai in 2018 went unanswered, despite a reciprocal visit. Mayor Edmunds Pao stresses the need to establish the rightful ownership of the Hoa Hakananai’a and proposes that its return could serve as Rapa Nui’s ambassador, symbolizing peace.

The situation underscores the complex intersection of cultural heritage, international relations, and social media activism. The British Museum finds itself navigating the digital age, where calls for repatriation resonate globally, putting institutions on the spot to address demands for the return of culturally significant artifacts.