Rapa Nui
Sign in to saveEastern Polynesian language spoken on the island of Rapa Nui, also known as Easter Island
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Rapa Nui is the language traditionally spoken by the indigenous people of Easter Island in the South Pacific. It is part of the Polynesian language family and represents an important part of the cultural heritage of the island's native population.
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Rapa Nui or Rapanui ( English: /ˌræpəˈnuːi/; Rapa Nui: [ˈɾapa ˈnu.i]; Spanish: [ˈrapa ˈnu.i]), also known as Pascuan (/ˈpæskjuən/ PAS-kew-ən) or Pascuense, is an Eastern Polynesian language. It is spoken on Easter Island, also known as Rapa Nui.
The island is home to a population of just under 6,000 and is a special territory of Chile. According to census data, there are 6,659 people (on both the island and the Chilean mainland) who identify as ethnically Rapa Nui. Census data does not exist on the primary known and spoken languages among these people. In 2008, the number of fluent speakers was reported as low as 800. Rapa Nui is a minority language and many of its adult speakers also speak Spanish. Most Rapa Nui children now grow up speaking Spanish and those who do learn Rapa Nui begin learning it later in life.