Jakubowska-Vorbrich Zuzanna (1975). Assistant Professor at the Institute of Iberian and Ibero-American Studies of the University of Warsaw, lecturing on History of Spain up to the 19th century and History and Culture of Easter Island. Her main fields of interest are early travel narratives by explorers who visited Rapa Nui (she published a book Odkryta przypadkiem, pojęta opacznie. Wyspa Wielkanocna w osiemnastowiecznych relacjach podróżników na tle rozważań o spotkaniu kultur [Discovered by Chance, Interpreted Amiss: Easter Island in the 18th Century Travel Reports as Seen from the Intercultural Encounters Perspective], Warsaw 2013, a bilingual source edition: Still More to Discover. Easter Island in an Unknown Manuscript by the Forsters from the 18th Century / Wciąż odkrywana. Wyspa Wielkanocna w nieznanym rękopisie Forsterów z XVIII wieku, Warsaw 2014, as well as a series of scientific papers), and history of Madrid, especially in the 18th century. She is also a translator and, by avocation, a ‘birder’ and a photographer. She also learns to sail. Supervisors: Christopher (A.K.A. Krzysztof Konstanty) Vorbrich and Jerzy Mazurek
La fascinación por el Pacífico siguió y aumentó en el siglo XIX gracias a escritores como Julio V... more La fascinación por el Pacífico siguió y aumentó en el siglo XIX gracias a escritores como Julio Verne, Mark Twain, Robert Louis Stevenson o Pierre Loti, cuya descripción de la isla de Pascua es uno de los textos escogidos por la profesora polaca Zuzanna Jakubowska para abordar algunas de las cuestiones críticas sobre la escritura, traducción y recepción de los numeroso textos existentes sobre el Pacífico. A la gran variedad de formatos, géneros y estilos (diarios de viajes, poesías, informes, memorias, cuadernos de bitácora, etcétera), se unen los problemas de traducción y edición crítica, lo que impide conocer las ideas de los que escribieron sobre el gran océano, y en particular sobre el caso que nos ocupa: Rapa Nui. La autora ha seleccionado la obra de cuatro autores (el padre Eugène Eyraud, evangelizador de la isla, el marino chileno Luis Ignacio Gana, el cirujano Tomás Guillermo Bate y el escritor francés Julien Viaud, conocido como Pierre Loti) y, de cada uno de ellos, un fragmento significativo de uno de sus textos, comparándolos, en el caso de Eyraud y Loti, en sus diferentes versiones para demostrar los fallos en la traducción y la diferencia con los manuscritos originales. En cuanto a los fragmentos de los chilenos Gana y Bate, la autora los comenta literariamente, remarcando sus contradicciones y las diferentes imágenes que surgen de sus lecturas. En definitiva, una oportuna llamada de atención que, si bien se puede aplicar a todos los textos generados por los escritores del Pacífico, tiene especial significado referida a la isla de Pascua, ínsula tan solitaria como encubierta por las más variadas y disparatadas interpretaciones: misteriosa, legendaria, romántica, dramática, científica, extraterrestre, etcétera. [de la Introducción al tomo por S. Bernabéu Albert, C. Mena García y E. J. Luque Azcona, p. 18-19]
Vol. 26 (1) May 201268 I explain my rendering of the statue’s name in a footnote, and I believe t... more Vol. 26 (1) May 201268 I explain my rendering of the statue’s name in a footnote, and I believe the explanation given to be sufficient for the reader familiar with Rapanui language. Let me reword it. Sebastian Englert (1938) was the first to notice the existence of glottal stop in Rapanui. Olaf Blixen (1972) was the first to systematically record the phoneme in all positions. Thus, the glottal stop that appears in the name of the statue is a reconstruction resulting from philological analysis. Van Tilburg follows Steven Fischer’s suggestion (Fischer 1991) that the name means ‘Stolen Friend’, cf. nanai‘a ‘robber/thief’ (Fuentes 1960). However, the second part of the name represents a derived verb used as an attribute in the nominal phrase. It includes the causative-simulative hakaprefix, which has two meanings: “to make something X” or “to act like X”. A verb derived with the hakaprefix cannot have a passive reading when used as an attribute. This rule is not stated in the published ...
In the year 1770, a Spanish captain named Felipe González de Haedo visited Easter Island and clai... more In the year 1770, a Spanish captain named Felipe González de Haedo visited Easter Island and claimed it for the Spanish Crown. This act, meant as a strategic measure against other European nations, did not carry with it any serious consequences, because Spain was not really interested in this remote territory. Nevertheless, several journals and reports of the voyage were produced, containing valuable knowledge of the island, its people and culture, and some of them were subsequently translated into English (1903, B. C. Corney); at that moment the island was already a Chilean colony. In the present paper I discuss two subjects: 1) the cultural encounter as presented in the original Spanish texts, 2) differences and distortions that can be found in their English translation. When examining this type of documents, we can clearly see an example of double translation and the interpretation process: primo, the European image of an unknown Pacific culture, and secundo, the rendition of this image as seen by an English speaking author. It is of a high interest if not also value to examine how distant is the last mentioned vision of the culture of Easter Island from its original.
The present article deals with a previously unknown manuscript found in the Jagiellonian Library ... more The present article deals with a previously unknown manuscript found in the Jagiellonian Library in Cracow (Poland). Written in French, the document was composed by the Forsters, famous naturalists that traveled with Captain Cook. The manuscript is a complete essay on Easter Island, being at the same time a political, social and philosophical manifesto. For Rapa Nui, it includes descriptions and commentaries not present in other writings by both authors. Transcription and translation are offered in this paper, as well as the analysis of technical and meritorical aspects of the manuscript
Artykuł przedstawia i analizuje dwa współczesne filmy dokumentalne dotyczące Wyspy Wielkanocnej (... more Artykuł przedstawia i analizuje dwa współczesne filmy dokumentalne dotyczące Wyspy Wielkanocnej (Rapa Nui): Buscando a Isla de Pascua, la película perdida [Poszukując zaginionego filmu Isla de Pascua] (2014) oraz Te Kuhane o te Tupuna / El Espíritu de los ancestros [Duch przodków] (2015). Pierwszy film opowiada historię odnalezienia i restauracji innego filmu dokumentalnego – z lat 60. – i przywrócenia go wyspiarskiej społeczności, jest to więc film o kompozycji szkatułkowej. Drugi dokument opowiada o podróży do Europy z zamiarem (fikcyjnym) odzyskania rapanujskiego posągu moai, będącego eksponatem w Muzeum Brytyjskim. Możemy go zatem nazwać filmem drogi. Oba dokumenty poruszają tematykę historyczną. społeczną i kulturalną, nie stroniąc od trudnych motywów z przeszłości i teraźniejszości Rapa Nui.
Ciało, choroby i praktyki lecznicze w różnych kulturach świata, red. Bożena Płonka-Syroka i Mateusz Dąsal, 2021
Kokongo, Rōviro and Hansen’s Disease: Medical Doctors on Easter Island (Rapa Nui) in the years 17... more Kokongo, Rōviro and Hansen’s Disease: Medical Doctors on Easter Island (Rapa Nui) in the years 1786–1853
The paper analyses the accounts of medical doctors (and an anthropologist) who happened to visit Easter Island between the years 1786 and 1853. They were, above all, naval surgeons; one of them – Verdugo Binimelis – was also the first medical doctor who resided on the island. Some of them left their memories in form of travelogues, others wrote more formal reports. The topics addressed are the physical appearance and character of the indigenous people, as well as specific medical issues: diseases observed, sanitary problems, the question of leprosy, the condition of the local hospital, the epidemics of measles and a viral infection known as kokongo, etc. One of the most interesting accounts was written by Chauvet who – without having visited the island – undertook the analysis of typical Rapanui wooden figures moai kava kava from the medical perspective. The paper also comments on the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.
Czarownice, czarownicy, czary. Obrazy kulturowe, literackie, artystyczne (ed. Adam Anczyk), 2020
Magic in the Traditions and Legends of Easter Island
Due to occidental interventions, epidemic d... more Magic in the Traditions and Legends of Easter Island
Due to occidental interventions, epidemic diseases and slave raids (18–19 c.) the population of Easter Island (Rapa Nui) almost went extinct, and their beliefs and traditions are largely lost now. However, thanks to the reports of first explorers and early ethnologists, there is enough written material left for us so that we could try to reconstruct and interpret the old legends and cult to some extent (especially comparing them to their equivalents in other Polynesian cultures). The legends and myths of Easter Island that survived – although the history of their present form is not very long – present a thoroughly Polynesian mentality and are full of symbolical and magical motifs. We know, moreover, that a certain group of ‘priests’ or ‘shamans’ played a significant role in the Rapanui society, as well as supernatural beings in which the indigenous people have believed and, in general, still do. In the present paper I will try to present a sketch of the Rapanui magical thinking.
Easter Island and the Pacific. Cultural and Environmental Dynamics, ed. Burkhard Vogt, Annette Kühlem, Andreas Mieth, Hans-Rudolf Bork, 2019
Resumen
Un informe recién descubierto, escrito por los Forster a la luz de otros trabajos de su ... more Resumen
Un informe recién descubierto, escrito por los Forster a la luz de otros trabajos de su autoría: reflexiones comparativas y navegacionales
La originalidad del presente artículo reside en la comparación del recién descubierto manuscrito titulado Mémoire Sur Waïhou, ou L’Isle de Pâques, escrito en francés por Johann Reinhold Forster y George Forster, con obras suyas bien conocidas: A Voyage, Resolution Journals y Observations. Mémoire –conservado en la Biblioteca Jaguelónica en Cracovia (Polonia) –constituye el núcleo de nuestro trabajo; se discuten su forma y contenido, su mensaje y objetivos, así como las diferencias respecto a otras obras Forsterianas. Sobre todo, se descubren motivos de carácter novedoso, ausentes en otros textos de los Forster, pero incluidos en el manuscrito. Estos elementos arrojan una nueva luz sobre las investigaciones acerca de Isla de Pascua. Además, ponemos especial énfasis en cuestiones de geografía y navegación, hasta ahora poco estudiados en el contexto de Isla de Pascua. Otro asunto no menos importante que tematizamos, es nuestro intento de establecer la verdadera autoría del documento.
Summary
The originality of the present paper lies in a comparative study between a recently discovered Mémoire Sur Waïhou, ou L’Isle de Pâques, originally written in French by Johann Reinhold Forster and George Forster, and their famous works: A Voyage, Resolution Journals and Observations. Mémoire, kept in the Jagiellonian Library in Cracow, is the core of the comparative work we are seeking to conduct. The document’s form and content are discussed, as well as its message, aims, and the differences with other Forsterian works – especially new remarks and commentaries, absent in the known publications by the Forsters. These motifs shed new light on the research on Easter Island. Moreover, a special emphasis is put on such questions as geography and navigation, seldom studied in the context of Rapa Nui. Another important issue is determination of the true author of Mémoire
Translation Landscapes - Internationale Schriften zur Übersetzungswissenschaft, Band 3, eds. Piotr Sulikowski, Anna Sulikowska, Emil Lesner, 2019
In two works by the Forsters, Observations Made During the Voyage Round the World and Mémoire sur... more In two works by the Forsters, Observations Made During the Voyage Round the World and Mémoire sur Waïhou, the authors inserted comparative tables of Pa-cific region languages that helped them to prove, already in the 18 c., the affinity of various Pacific tribes. In this paper I analyze those tables, comparing the parts dedicated to the Easter Island language and checking the accuracy of translation of the terms noted down by the Forsters.
Espacios en movimiento. El pasado y futuro de las estructuras urbanas y rurales, 2019
Resumen. Isla de Pascua, un territorio de unos 170 km 2 , poblado por unas 6 mil personas, puede ... more Resumen. Isla de Pascua, un territorio de unos 170 km 2 , poblado por unas 6 mil personas, puede equipararse a un pueblo o una aldea. Desde 1888 Rapa Nui pertenece a Chile; situada a la distancia de 3700 km de sus costas, cumple con la definición de un área periférica. Tras la primera visita europea en 1722 y otras expediciones que se produjeron a lo largo del siglo XVIII, a partir de la mitad del siglo XIX la isla sufrió cambios culturales y sociales de gran magnitud. Acabadas las razzias esclavistas, la población decimada por enfermedades contagiosas fue evangelizada por los misioneros; luego la isla fue convertida en un rancho de ovejas por comerciantes extranjeros. Mientras tanto fue anexionada a Chile. Ya en el siglo XX Rapa Nui fue escena de dos levantamientos de los indígenas, quienes tenían que esperar hasta 1966 a que se les otorgase la ciudadanía plena. En 2007 la reforma constitucional transformó Isla de Pascua en el llamado Territorio Especial, pero los problemas de la pequeña comunidad rapanui no terminaron. Hoy los pascuenses intentan luchar por un mayor grado de autodeterminación y contra la avalancha de turistas que pone en peligro el medio ambiente insular y su riqueza arqueológica.
“The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters”. Misconceptions about Easter Island in the Light of 21st Century Science. Ed. & Coord. Zuzanna Jakubowska-Vorbrich, 2018
Abstract
In 1870 a Chilean warship visited Easter Island (Rapa Nui); it was a training expedition... more Abstract In 1870 a Chilean warship visited Easter Island (Rapa Nui); it was a training expedition for young cadets, but the aim was also to prepare a scientific report about the island, its inhabitants and environment. This important report by Ignacio Luis Gana, underestimated by Easter Island experts, is rich in detail; it contains a wide range of information about hydrology, climate, fauna and flora, local history and current social situation of the island. It is also inspiring from an anthropological and political point of view. Firstly, the author’s frame of mind presents an obsolete worldview characteristic of early discoverers, yet combined with a certain, rather modern clear-headedness. Secondly, the document evidences an obvious interest on the part of Chile in Easter Island as a territory with promising potential, although the Chilean authorities claimed the opposite and annexed Rapa Nui only after a long debate, in 1888. The document is accompanied by a short report by the ship’s surgeon Guillermo Bate, on the physiological and medical aspects of the local community’s life, containing controversial commentaries about their alleged anthropophagous habits.
Resumen En 1870 un navío chileno visitó Isla de Pascua (Rapa Nui); fue un viaje de instrucción para cadetes jóvenes, pero su objetivo era también preparar un informe científico acerca de la isla, sus habitantes y medio ambiente. Ese documento importante, escrito por Ignacio Luis Gana, subestimado por estudiosos de la problemática rapanui, es muy detallado; contiene un amplio abanico de datos acerca de la hidrología, clima, fauna y flora, historia local, así como situación social actual de la isla. También vale la pena analizarlo desde la perspectiva antropológica y política. En primer lugar la mentalidad del autor expresa una ideología anticuada, típica para los primeros descubridores europeos del Nuevo Mundo, pero con ciertos elementos modernos y juicios lúcidos. Segundo, del documento se desprende el obvio interés de Chile por Isla de Pascua como territorio dotado de un potencial prometedor, aunque las autoridades chilenas lo negaban en aquel momento y anexionaron la isla tan solo tras un largo debate, no antes del 1888. El documento está acompañado por un corto informe del cirujano primero Guillermo Bate, acerca de aspectos fisiológicos y médicos de la vida de la comunidad local. Este informe contiene unos comentarios controvertidos sobre las supuestas costumbres antropófagas de los habitantes.
“The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters”. Misconceptions about Easter Island in the Light of 21st Century Science. Ed. & Coord. Zuzanna Jakubowska-Vorbrich, 2018
Resumen
En el presente artículo deseo ocuparme de un episodio que tenía lugar durante la visita ... more Resumen En el presente artículo deseo ocuparme de un episodio que tenía lugar durante la visita del Capitán James Cook en Isla de Pascua (1774) y fue descrito, entre otros, por los Forster, naturalistas de su tripulación (precisamente, eran supernumerarios). Se trata del primer encuentro entre un indígena rapanui y los exploradores, que se produjo a bordo de “Resolution”. A mi parecer, la explicación de los hechos, presentada por George Forster, constituye un ejemplo de malendentido o interpretación errónea de lo ocurrido. Que yo sepa, hasta el presente momento este error no ha sido descubierto por los expertos en el tema de la exploración temprana de Isla de Pascua.
Summary In this present paper I would like to expound and explain an event that took place during the visit of Captain James Cook to Easter Island (1774), and was described, among others, by the Forsters – the naturalists belonging to his crew (strictly speaking, they were supernumeraries). It was the scene of the first encounter between an indigenous Rapanui and the explorers aboard the “Resolution”. To my mind, the presentation of the episode, offered by George Forster, constitutes an example of misunderstanding or misinterpretation of what really had happened. To the best of my knowledge, this mistake has not previously been discovered by researchers specializing in the early exploration of Easter Island.
For the last 10 years I have studied travel narratives from four main expeditions that visited Ea... more For the last 10 years I have studied travel narratives from four main expeditions that visited Easter Island (Rapa Nui) in the 18th century, namely the Dutch from 1722 (the voyage which discovered the island for the Europeans), the Spanish from 1770, the English from 1774 and the French from 1786. Ships’ logbooks, diaries, reports and memories, written as a result of these voyages, include not only valuable knowledge about the Rapanui reality and culture, but also countless examples of misinterpretations, misunderstandings and misrepresentation of the facts. In this present paper I would like to focus on one interesting example. It concerns the Spanish expedition, during which the island was annexed to the Crown. According to one interpretation of events that took place on Rapa Nui, the Spanish arrival coincided with celebrations of an important local festivity related to an astronomical event whose enormous cultural importance has been recognized by almost all civilizations since Palaeolithic times and this circumstance determined the attitude of the indigenous people towards the Europeans. However, in my opinion such explanation is dubious.
Translation Landscapes - Internationale Schriften zur Übersetzungswissenschaft, Band 2, eds. Piotr Sulikowski, Anna Sulikowska, Emil Lesner, 2018
At the beginning of the 20th century, ethnographers tried to record the legends and traditions of... more At the beginning of the 20th century, ethnographers tried to record the legends and traditions of Easter Island (Rapa Nui) and to translate them into European languages. Issues of grammar and vocabulary as well as the strangeness of the Polynesian culture led to problems with the proper and unambiguous rendition of these tales; another issue is that European cultural interference sometimes permeates the translations. This paper closely examines three legends of Easter Island in different translations published by early researchers. As these examples illustrate, today we at times actually have to ‘translate’ the legends again, striving to rediscover and recover certain lost meanings.
El sueño bolivariano. Estudios polaco-españoles sobre la independencia latinoamericana, 2017
Resumen: Aunque varias naciones podían sentirse en el derecho de reclamar la posesión de la Isla ... more Resumen: Aunque varias naciones podían sentirse en el derecho de reclamar la posesión de la Isla de Pascua, fue Chile que se hizo dueño de Rapa Nui. El artículo [escrito en 2010, publicado en 2017] cuenta la historia de la anexión, partiendo de la época de incursiones esclavistas peruanas; a continuación se describen los tiempos de misioneros y comerciantes, el momento de la toma en posesión de la isla por los chilenos en 1888, la explotación comercial de Rapa Nui y la actuación de la Armada chilena. Se citan importantes documentos y se mencionan cuestiones controvertidas y confusas, como las inconsistencias en el acta de anexión. Palabras clave: Isla de Pascua, Rapa Nui, Chile, anexión, 1888
Tytuł: JAK EKS-KOLONIA ZDOBYŁA KOLONIĘ: PRZYŁĄCZENIE WYSPY WIELKANOCNEJ Do CHILE W 1888 R. Streszczenie: Chociaż niejeden naród mógł rościć sobie prawa do Wyspy Wielkanocnej, to Chile stało się jej właścicielem. Artykuł [na[isany w 2010 r., opublikowany w 2017] opisuje historię aneksji, poczynając od epoki rajdów peruwiańskich łowców niewolników; następnie relacjonowane są czasy misjonarzy i handlowców, ceremonia objęcia wyspy w posiadanie przez Chilijczyków w roku 1888, eksploatacja komercyjna Rapa Nui oraz działania chilijskiej floty. Tekst zawiera cytaty z istotnych dokumentów; opisuje także kwestie kontrowersyjne i niejasne, jak np. nieścisłości w traktacie aneksyjnym. Słowa kluczowe: Wyspa Wielkanocna, Rapa Nui, Chile, aneksja, 1888
Title: HOW A FORMER COLONY GAINED A COLONY: ANNEXATION OF THE EASTER ISLAND TO CHILE IN 1888 Summary: Although various nations could claim the right to Easter Island, it was Chile that eventually became the owner of Rapa Nui. The article [written in 2010, published in 2017] recounts the story behind the annexation of the island from the period of Peruvian slave raids on. It also presents the times of missionaries and merchants, the ceremony of the annexation to Chile in 1888, the commercial exploitation of the island and the actions undertaken by the Chilean fleet. The paper draws on and quotes crucial historical documents and raises controversial und unclear questions such as the inconsistencies in the Annexation Treaty. Key words: Easter Island, Rapa Nui, Chile, annexation, 1888
Ideologías en traducción. Literatura, didáctica, cultura, 2016
Resumen: Julien Viaud, conocido como Pierre Loti, visitó Isla de Pascua en condición de cadete en... more Resumen: Julien Viaud, conocido como Pierre Loti, visitó Isla de Pascua en condición de cadete en el año 1872. Fruto de aquel viaje fue su diario, reescrito y pulido por él mismo tras varios años. Existen traducciones española e inglesa de estos textos, cada una traducida a partir de otra versión del diario original. Por si fuera poco, el análisis revela que los textos traducidos difieren en cuanto al contenido de los documentos originales. Eso contribuye a la distorsión de la imagen de Isla de Pascua, lugar siempre excesivamente mitificado, cuya historia y cultura frecuentemente sufren malinterpretación. El objetivo del artículo es analizar los mencionados textos para evidenciar ejemplos de la dicha tergiversación de los diarios originales de Pierre Loti, para asimismo aconsejar a los futuros investigadores un cuidado especial al manejar documentos poco fidedignos.
Palabras clave: Isla de Pascua, Pierre Loti, relaciones de viaje, traducción, tergiversación de documentos.
Abstract: Pierre Loti and Easter Island. Diaries, translations, visions. Julien Viaud, A.K.A. Pierre Loti, visited Easter Island in 1872 as a naval cadet. During the voyage he kept a logbook, which he decided to rewrite and polish up after many years. There exist translations of his diary into Spanish and into English. However, each of these translations is based on a different version of the original text. Moreover, the investigation shows that the foreign language renditions differ as far as the content found in the original documents is concerned. This situation contributes to the distortion of the image of Easter Island: a place that always undergoes an excessive mythologisation, and whose history and culture are frequently misinterpreted. The aim of the present paper is to analyse the above-mentioned texts in order to demonstrate examples of the said misrepresentation of the original diaries by Pierre Loti. The definitive aim is to encourage future researchers to be especially cautious with documents of dubious credibility.
Keywords: Easter Island, Pierre Loti, travel reports, translation, distortion of documents.
Easter Island Agriculture in Pre-Contact and Protohistoric Times. A Polemic Against the Collapse ... more Easter Island Agriculture in Pre-Contact and Protohistoric Times. A Polemic Against the Collapse Theory
In the paper I present a popular version of the history of Easter Island, according to which the local society destroyed their environment and culture, due to imprudent management of resources. Then, drawing on 18th century travel reports, and on scientifi c publications, I present the true condition of Easter Island agriculture at that time. Finally I demonstrate that the Easter Islanders knew how to cope creatively with deteriorating environmental conditions, to drive away the spectre of famine, and to secure a further development of their culture, then interrupted by negative consequences of contacts with the Western civilisation.
[in:] Conocer el Pacïfico. Exploraciones, imágenes y formación de sociedades oceánicas, ed. S. Bernabéu Albert, C. Mena García y E. J. Luque Azcona, 2015
La fascinación por el Pacífico siguió y aumentó en el siglo XIX gracias a escritores como Julio V... more La fascinación por el Pacífico siguió y aumentó en el siglo XIX gracias a escritores como Julio Verne, Mark Twain, Robert Louis Stevenson o Pierre Loti, cuya descripción de la isla de Pascua es uno de los textos escogidos por la profesora polaca Zuzanna Jakubowska para abordar algunas de las cuestiones críticas sobre la escritura, traducción y recepción de los numeroso textos existentes sobre el Pacífico. A la gran variedad de formatos, géneros y estilos (diarios de viajes, poesías, informes, memorias, cuadernos de bitácora, etcétera), se unen los problemas de traducción y edición crítica, lo que impide conocer las ideas de los que escribieron sobre el gran océano, y en particular sobre el caso que nos ocupa: Rapa Nui. La autora ha seleccionado la obra de cuatro autores (el padre Eugène Eyraud, evangelizador de la isla, el marino chileno Luis Ignacio Gana, el cirujano Tomás Guillermo Bate y el escritor francés Julien Viaud, conocido como Pierre Loti) y, de cada uno de ellos, un fragmento significativo de uno de sus textos, comparándolos, en el caso de Eyraud y Loti, en sus diferentes versiones para demostrar los fallos en la traducción y la diferencia con los manuscritos originales. En cuanto a los fragmentos de los chilenos Gana y Bate, la autora los comenta literariamente, remarcando sus contradicciones y las diferentes imágenes que surgen de sus lecturas. En definitiva, una oportuna llamada de atención que, si bien se puede aplicar a todos los textos generados por los escritores del Pacífico, tiene especial significado referida a la isla de Pascua, ínsula tan solitaria como encubierta por las más variadas y disparatadas interpretaciones: misteriosa, legendaria, romántica, dramática, científica, extraterrestre, etcétera.
[de la Introducción al tomo por S. Bernabéu Albert, C. Mena García y E. J. Luque Azcona, p. 18-19]
The Annexation of Easter Island (Rapa Nui) by Chile in 1888
Although various nations could cla... more The Annexation of Easter Island (Rapa Nui) by Chile in 1888
Although various nations could claim the right to Easter Island, it
was Chile that finally became the owner of Rapa Nui. The article narrates the history of the annexation, starting from the period of Peruvian slave raids. What follows is a report on missionaries and merchants times, the moment of the cession of sovereignty by the Rapanui in 1888, a commercial exploitation of the island and actions of the Chilean fleet. Important documents are quoted and controversial, doubtful questions are mentioned, such as inconsistencies in the Annexation Treaty.
La fascinación por el Pacífico siguió y aumentó en el siglo XIX gracias a escritores como Julio V... more La fascinación por el Pacífico siguió y aumentó en el siglo XIX gracias a escritores como Julio Verne, Mark Twain, Robert Louis Stevenson o Pierre Loti, cuya descripción de la isla de Pascua es uno de los textos escogidos por la profesora polaca Zuzanna Jakubowska para abordar algunas de las cuestiones críticas sobre la escritura, traducción y recepción de los numeroso textos existentes sobre el Pacífico. A la gran variedad de formatos, géneros y estilos (diarios de viajes, poesías, informes, memorias, cuadernos de bitácora, etcétera), se unen los problemas de traducción y edición crítica, lo que impide conocer las ideas de los que escribieron sobre el gran océano, y en particular sobre el caso que nos ocupa: Rapa Nui. La autora ha seleccionado la obra de cuatro autores (el padre Eugène Eyraud, evangelizador de la isla, el marino chileno Luis Ignacio Gana, el cirujano Tomás Guillermo Bate y el escritor francés Julien Viaud, conocido como Pierre Loti) y, de cada uno de ellos, un fragmento significativo de uno de sus textos, comparándolos, en el caso de Eyraud y Loti, en sus diferentes versiones para demostrar los fallos en la traducción y la diferencia con los manuscritos originales. En cuanto a los fragmentos de los chilenos Gana y Bate, la autora los comenta literariamente, remarcando sus contradicciones y las diferentes imágenes que surgen de sus lecturas. En definitiva, una oportuna llamada de atención que, si bien se puede aplicar a todos los textos generados por los escritores del Pacífico, tiene especial significado referida a la isla de Pascua, ínsula tan solitaria como encubierta por las más variadas y disparatadas interpretaciones: misteriosa, legendaria, romántica, dramática, científica, extraterrestre, etcétera. [de la Introducción al tomo por S. Bernabéu Albert, C. Mena García y E. J. Luque Azcona, p. 18-19]
Vol. 26 (1) May 201268 I explain my rendering of the statue’s name in a footnote, and I believe t... more Vol. 26 (1) May 201268 I explain my rendering of the statue’s name in a footnote, and I believe the explanation given to be sufficient for the reader familiar with Rapanui language. Let me reword it. Sebastian Englert (1938) was the first to notice the existence of glottal stop in Rapanui. Olaf Blixen (1972) was the first to systematically record the phoneme in all positions. Thus, the glottal stop that appears in the name of the statue is a reconstruction resulting from philological analysis. Van Tilburg follows Steven Fischer’s suggestion (Fischer 1991) that the name means ‘Stolen Friend’, cf. nanai‘a ‘robber/thief’ (Fuentes 1960). However, the second part of the name represents a derived verb used as an attribute in the nominal phrase. It includes the causative-simulative hakaprefix, which has two meanings: “to make something X” or “to act like X”. A verb derived with the hakaprefix cannot have a passive reading when used as an attribute. This rule is not stated in the published ...
In the year 1770, a Spanish captain named Felipe González de Haedo visited Easter Island and clai... more In the year 1770, a Spanish captain named Felipe González de Haedo visited Easter Island and claimed it for the Spanish Crown. This act, meant as a strategic measure against other European nations, did not carry with it any serious consequences, because Spain was not really interested in this remote territory. Nevertheless, several journals and reports of the voyage were produced, containing valuable knowledge of the island, its people and culture, and some of them were subsequently translated into English (1903, B. C. Corney); at that moment the island was already a Chilean colony. In the present paper I discuss two subjects: 1) the cultural encounter as presented in the original Spanish texts, 2) differences and distortions that can be found in their English translation. When examining this type of documents, we can clearly see an example of double translation and the interpretation process: primo, the European image of an unknown Pacific culture, and secundo, the rendition of this image as seen by an English speaking author. It is of a high interest if not also value to examine how distant is the last mentioned vision of the culture of Easter Island from its original.
The present article deals with a previously unknown manuscript found in the Jagiellonian Library ... more The present article deals with a previously unknown manuscript found in the Jagiellonian Library in Cracow (Poland). Written in French, the document was composed by the Forsters, famous naturalists that traveled with Captain Cook. The manuscript is a complete essay on Easter Island, being at the same time a political, social and philosophical manifesto. For Rapa Nui, it includes descriptions and commentaries not present in other writings by both authors. Transcription and translation are offered in this paper, as well as the analysis of technical and meritorical aspects of the manuscript
Artykuł przedstawia i analizuje dwa współczesne filmy dokumentalne dotyczące Wyspy Wielkanocnej (... more Artykuł przedstawia i analizuje dwa współczesne filmy dokumentalne dotyczące Wyspy Wielkanocnej (Rapa Nui): Buscando a Isla de Pascua, la película perdida [Poszukując zaginionego filmu Isla de Pascua] (2014) oraz Te Kuhane o te Tupuna / El Espíritu de los ancestros [Duch przodków] (2015). Pierwszy film opowiada historię odnalezienia i restauracji innego filmu dokumentalnego – z lat 60. – i przywrócenia go wyspiarskiej społeczności, jest to więc film o kompozycji szkatułkowej. Drugi dokument opowiada o podróży do Europy z zamiarem (fikcyjnym) odzyskania rapanujskiego posągu moai, będącego eksponatem w Muzeum Brytyjskim. Możemy go zatem nazwać filmem drogi. Oba dokumenty poruszają tematykę historyczną. społeczną i kulturalną, nie stroniąc od trudnych motywów z przeszłości i teraźniejszości Rapa Nui.
Ciało, choroby i praktyki lecznicze w różnych kulturach świata, red. Bożena Płonka-Syroka i Mateusz Dąsal, 2021
Kokongo, Rōviro and Hansen’s Disease: Medical Doctors on Easter Island (Rapa Nui) in the years 17... more Kokongo, Rōviro and Hansen’s Disease: Medical Doctors on Easter Island (Rapa Nui) in the years 1786–1853
The paper analyses the accounts of medical doctors (and an anthropologist) who happened to visit Easter Island between the years 1786 and 1853. They were, above all, naval surgeons; one of them – Verdugo Binimelis – was also the first medical doctor who resided on the island. Some of them left their memories in form of travelogues, others wrote more formal reports. The topics addressed are the physical appearance and character of the indigenous people, as well as specific medical issues: diseases observed, sanitary problems, the question of leprosy, the condition of the local hospital, the epidemics of measles and a viral infection known as kokongo, etc. One of the most interesting accounts was written by Chauvet who – without having visited the island – undertook the analysis of typical Rapanui wooden figures moai kava kava from the medical perspective. The paper also comments on the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.
Czarownice, czarownicy, czary. Obrazy kulturowe, literackie, artystyczne (ed. Adam Anczyk), 2020
Magic in the Traditions and Legends of Easter Island
Due to occidental interventions, epidemic d... more Magic in the Traditions and Legends of Easter Island
Due to occidental interventions, epidemic diseases and slave raids (18–19 c.) the population of Easter Island (Rapa Nui) almost went extinct, and their beliefs and traditions are largely lost now. However, thanks to the reports of first explorers and early ethnologists, there is enough written material left for us so that we could try to reconstruct and interpret the old legends and cult to some extent (especially comparing them to their equivalents in other Polynesian cultures). The legends and myths of Easter Island that survived – although the history of their present form is not very long – present a thoroughly Polynesian mentality and are full of symbolical and magical motifs. We know, moreover, that a certain group of ‘priests’ or ‘shamans’ played a significant role in the Rapanui society, as well as supernatural beings in which the indigenous people have believed and, in general, still do. In the present paper I will try to present a sketch of the Rapanui magical thinking.
Easter Island and the Pacific. Cultural and Environmental Dynamics, ed. Burkhard Vogt, Annette Kühlem, Andreas Mieth, Hans-Rudolf Bork, 2019
Resumen
Un informe recién descubierto, escrito por los Forster a la luz de otros trabajos de su ... more Resumen
Un informe recién descubierto, escrito por los Forster a la luz de otros trabajos de su autoría: reflexiones comparativas y navegacionales
La originalidad del presente artículo reside en la comparación del recién descubierto manuscrito titulado Mémoire Sur Waïhou, ou L’Isle de Pâques, escrito en francés por Johann Reinhold Forster y George Forster, con obras suyas bien conocidas: A Voyage, Resolution Journals y Observations. Mémoire –conservado en la Biblioteca Jaguelónica en Cracovia (Polonia) –constituye el núcleo de nuestro trabajo; se discuten su forma y contenido, su mensaje y objetivos, así como las diferencias respecto a otras obras Forsterianas. Sobre todo, se descubren motivos de carácter novedoso, ausentes en otros textos de los Forster, pero incluidos en el manuscrito. Estos elementos arrojan una nueva luz sobre las investigaciones acerca de Isla de Pascua. Además, ponemos especial énfasis en cuestiones de geografía y navegación, hasta ahora poco estudiados en el contexto de Isla de Pascua. Otro asunto no menos importante que tematizamos, es nuestro intento de establecer la verdadera autoría del documento.
Summary
The originality of the present paper lies in a comparative study between a recently discovered Mémoire Sur Waïhou, ou L’Isle de Pâques, originally written in French by Johann Reinhold Forster and George Forster, and their famous works: A Voyage, Resolution Journals and Observations. Mémoire, kept in the Jagiellonian Library in Cracow, is the core of the comparative work we are seeking to conduct. The document’s form and content are discussed, as well as its message, aims, and the differences with other Forsterian works – especially new remarks and commentaries, absent in the known publications by the Forsters. These motifs shed new light on the research on Easter Island. Moreover, a special emphasis is put on such questions as geography and navigation, seldom studied in the context of Rapa Nui. Another important issue is determination of the true author of Mémoire
Translation Landscapes - Internationale Schriften zur Übersetzungswissenschaft, Band 3, eds. Piotr Sulikowski, Anna Sulikowska, Emil Lesner, 2019
In two works by the Forsters, Observations Made During the Voyage Round the World and Mémoire sur... more In two works by the Forsters, Observations Made During the Voyage Round the World and Mémoire sur Waïhou, the authors inserted comparative tables of Pa-cific region languages that helped them to prove, already in the 18 c., the affinity of various Pacific tribes. In this paper I analyze those tables, comparing the parts dedicated to the Easter Island language and checking the accuracy of translation of the terms noted down by the Forsters.
Espacios en movimiento. El pasado y futuro de las estructuras urbanas y rurales, 2019
Resumen. Isla de Pascua, un territorio de unos 170 km 2 , poblado por unas 6 mil personas, puede ... more Resumen. Isla de Pascua, un territorio de unos 170 km 2 , poblado por unas 6 mil personas, puede equipararse a un pueblo o una aldea. Desde 1888 Rapa Nui pertenece a Chile; situada a la distancia de 3700 km de sus costas, cumple con la definición de un área periférica. Tras la primera visita europea en 1722 y otras expediciones que se produjeron a lo largo del siglo XVIII, a partir de la mitad del siglo XIX la isla sufrió cambios culturales y sociales de gran magnitud. Acabadas las razzias esclavistas, la población decimada por enfermedades contagiosas fue evangelizada por los misioneros; luego la isla fue convertida en un rancho de ovejas por comerciantes extranjeros. Mientras tanto fue anexionada a Chile. Ya en el siglo XX Rapa Nui fue escena de dos levantamientos de los indígenas, quienes tenían que esperar hasta 1966 a que se les otorgase la ciudadanía plena. En 2007 la reforma constitucional transformó Isla de Pascua en el llamado Territorio Especial, pero los problemas de la pequeña comunidad rapanui no terminaron. Hoy los pascuenses intentan luchar por un mayor grado de autodeterminación y contra la avalancha de turistas que pone en peligro el medio ambiente insular y su riqueza arqueológica.
“The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters”. Misconceptions about Easter Island in the Light of 21st Century Science. Ed. & Coord. Zuzanna Jakubowska-Vorbrich, 2018
Abstract
In 1870 a Chilean warship visited Easter Island (Rapa Nui); it was a training expedition... more Abstract In 1870 a Chilean warship visited Easter Island (Rapa Nui); it was a training expedition for young cadets, but the aim was also to prepare a scientific report about the island, its inhabitants and environment. This important report by Ignacio Luis Gana, underestimated by Easter Island experts, is rich in detail; it contains a wide range of information about hydrology, climate, fauna and flora, local history and current social situation of the island. It is also inspiring from an anthropological and political point of view. Firstly, the author’s frame of mind presents an obsolete worldview characteristic of early discoverers, yet combined with a certain, rather modern clear-headedness. Secondly, the document evidences an obvious interest on the part of Chile in Easter Island as a territory with promising potential, although the Chilean authorities claimed the opposite and annexed Rapa Nui only after a long debate, in 1888. The document is accompanied by a short report by the ship’s surgeon Guillermo Bate, on the physiological and medical aspects of the local community’s life, containing controversial commentaries about their alleged anthropophagous habits.
Resumen En 1870 un navío chileno visitó Isla de Pascua (Rapa Nui); fue un viaje de instrucción para cadetes jóvenes, pero su objetivo era también preparar un informe científico acerca de la isla, sus habitantes y medio ambiente. Ese documento importante, escrito por Ignacio Luis Gana, subestimado por estudiosos de la problemática rapanui, es muy detallado; contiene un amplio abanico de datos acerca de la hidrología, clima, fauna y flora, historia local, así como situación social actual de la isla. También vale la pena analizarlo desde la perspectiva antropológica y política. En primer lugar la mentalidad del autor expresa una ideología anticuada, típica para los primeros descubridores europeos del Nuevo Mundo, pero con ciertos elementos modernos y juicios lúcidos. Segundo, del documento se desprende el obvio interés de Chile por Isla de Pascua como territorio dotado de un potencial prometedor, aunque las autoridades chilenas lo negaban en aquel momento y anexionaron la isla tan solo tras un largo debate, no antes del 1888. El documento está acompañado por un corto informe del cirujano primero Guillermo Bate, acerca de aspectos fisiológicos y médicos de la vida de la comunidad local. Este informe contiene unos comentarios controvertidos sobre las supuestas costumbres antropófagas de los habitantes.
“The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters”. Misconceptions about Easter Island in the Light of 21st Century Science. Ed. & Coord. Zuzanna Jakubowska-Vorbrich, 2018
Resumen
En el presente artículo deseo ocuparme de un episodio que tenía lugar durante la visita ... more Resumen En el presente artículo deseo ocuparme de un episodio que tenía lugar durante la visita del Capitán James Cook en Isla de Pascua (1774) y fue descrito, entre otros, por los Forster, naturalistas de su tripulación (precisamente, eran supernumerarios). Se trata del primer encuentro entre un indígena rapanui y los exploradores, que se produjo a bordo de “Resolution”. A mi parecer, la explicación de los hechos, presentada por George Forster, constituye un ejemplo de malendentido o interpretación errónea de lo ocurrido. Que yo sepa, hasta el presente momento este error no ha sido descubierto por los expertos en el tema de la exploración temprana de Isla de Pascua.
Summary In this present paper I would like to expound and explain an event that took place during the visit of Captain James Cook to Easter Island (1774), and was described, among others, by the Forsters – the naturalists belonging to his crew (strictly speaking, they were supernumeraries). It was the scene of the first encounter between an indigenous Rapanui and the explorers aboard the “Resolution”. To my mind, the presentation of the episode, offered by George Forster, constitutes an example of misunderstanding or misinterpretation of what really had happened. To the best of my knowledge, this mistake has not previously been discovered by researchers specializing in the early exploration of Easter Island.
For the last 10 years I have studied travel narratives from four main expeditions that visited Ea... more For the last 10 years I have studied travel narratives from four main expeditions that visited Easter Island (Rapa Nui) in the 18th century, namely the Dutch from 1722 (the voyage which discovered the island for the Europeans), the Spanish from 1770, the English from 1774 and the French from 1786. Ships’ logbooks, diaries, reports and memories, written as a result of these voyages, include not only valuable knowledge about the Rapanui reality and culture, but also countless examples of misinterpretations, misunderstandings and misrepresentation of the facts. In this present paper I would like to focus on one interesting example. It concerns the Spanish expedition, during which the island was annexed to the Crown. According to one interpretation of events that took place on Rapa Nui, the Spanish arrival coincided with celebrations of an important local festivity related to an astronomical event whose enormous cultural importance has been recognized by almost all civilizations since Palaeolithic times and this circumstance determined the attitude of the indigenous people towards the Europeans. However, in my opinion such explanation is dubious.
Translation Landscapes - Internationale Schriften zur Übersetzungswissenschaft, Band 2, eds. Piotr Sulikowski, Anna Sulikowska, Emil Lesner, 2018
At the beginning of the 20th century, ethnographers tried to record the legends and traditions of... more At the beginning of the 20th century, ethnographers tried to record the legends and traditions of Easter Island (Rapa Nui) and to translate them into European languages. Issues of grammar and vocabulary as well as the strangeness of the Polynesian culture led to problems with the proper and unambiguous rendition of these tales; another issue is that European cultural interference sometimes permeates the translations. This paper closely examines three legends of Easter Island in different translations published by early researchers. As these examples illustrate, today we at times actually have to ‘translate’ the legends again, striving to rediscover and recover certain lost meanings.
El sueño bolivariano. Estudios polaco-españoles sobre la independencia latinoamericana, 2017
Resumen: Aunque varias naciones podían sentirse en el derecho de reclamar la posesión de la Isla ... more Resumen: Aunque varias naciones podían sentirse en el derecho de reclamar la posesión de la Isla de Pascua, fue Chile que se hizo dueño de Rapa Nui. El artículo [escrito en 2010, publicado en 2017] cuenta la historia de la anexión, partiendo de la época de incursiones esclavistas peruanas; a continuación se describen los tiempos de misioneros y comerciantes, el momento de la toma en posesión de la isla por los chilenos en 1888, la explotación comercial de Rapa Nui y la actuación de la Armada chilena. Se citan importantes documentos y se mencionan cuestiones controvertidas y confusas, como las inconsistencias en el acta de anexión. Palabras clave: Isla de Pascua, Rapa Nui, Chile, anexión, 1888
Tytuł: JAK EKS-KOLONIA ZDOBYŁA KOLONIĘ: PRZYŁĄCZENIE WYSPY WIELKANOCNEJ Do CHILE W 1888 R. Streszczenie: Chociaż niejeden naród mógł rościć sobie prawa do Wyspy Wielkanocnej, to Chile stało się jej właścicielem. Artykuł [na[isany w 2010 r., opublikowany w 2017] opisuje historię aneksji, poczynając od epoki rajdów peruwiańskich łowców niewolników; następnie relacjonowane są czasy misjonarzy i handlowców, ceremonia objęcia wyspy w posiadanie przez Chilijczyków w roku 1888, eksploatacja komercyjna Rapa Nui oraz działania chilijskiej floty. Tekst zawiera cytaty z istotnych dokumentów; opisuje także kwestie kontrowersyjne i niejasne, jak np. nieścisłości w traktacie aneksyjnym. Słowa kluczowe: Wyspa Wielkanocna, Rapa Nui, Chile, aneksja, 1888
Title: HOW A FORMER COLONY GAINED A COLONY: ANNEXATION OF THE EASTER ISLAND TO CHILE IN 1888 Summary: Although various nations could claim the right to Easter Island, it was Chile that eventually became the owner of Rapa Nui. The article [written in 2010, published in 2017] recounts the story behind the annexation of the island from the period of Peruvian slave raids on. It also presents the times of missionaries and merchants, the ceremony of the annexation to Chile in 1888, the commercial exploitation of the island and the actions undertaken by the Chilean fleet. The paper draws on and quotes crucial historical documents and raises controversial und unclear questions such as the inconsistencies in the Annexation Treaty. Key words: Easter Island, Rapa Nui, Chile, annexation, 1888
Ideologías en traducción. Literatura, didáctica, cultura, 2016
Resumen: Julien Viaud, conocido como Pierre Loti, visitó Isla de Pascua en condición de cadete en... more Resumen: Julien Viaud, conocido como Pierre Loti, visitó Isla de Pascua en condición de cadete en el año 1872. Fruto de aquel viaje fue su diario, reescrito y pulido por él mismo tras varios años. Existen traducciones española e inglesa de estos textos, cada una traducida a partir de otra versión del diario original. Por si fuera poco, el análisis revela que los textos traducidos difieren en cuanto al contenido de los documentos originales. Eso contribuye a la distorsión de la imagen de Isla de Pascua, lugar siempre excesivamente mitificado, cuya historia y cultura frecuentemente sufren malinterpretación. El objetivo del artículo es analizar los mencionados textos para evidenciar ejemplos de la dicha tergiversación de los diarios originales de Pierre Loti, para asimismo aconsejar a los futuros investigadores un cuidado especial al manejar documentos poco fidedignos.
Palabras clave: Isla de Pascua, Pierre Loti, relaciones de viaje, traducción, tergiversación de documentos.
Abstract: Pierre Loti and Easter Island. Diaries, translations, visions. Julien Viaud, A.K.A. Pierre Loti, visited Easter Island in 1872 as a naval cadet. During the voyage he kept a logbook, which he decided to rewrite and polish up after many years. There exist translations of his diary into Spanish and into English. However, each of these translations is based on a different version of the original text. Moreover, the investigation shows that the foreign language renditions differ as far as the content found in the original documents is concerned. This situation contributes to the distortion of the image of Easter Island: a place that always undergoes an excessive mythologisation, and whose history and culture are frequently misinterpreted. The aim of the present paper is to analyse the above-mentioned texts in order to demonstrate examples of the said misrepresentation of the original diaries by Pierre Loti. The definitive aim is to encourage future researchers to be especially cautious with documents of dubious credibility.
Keywords: Easter Island, Pierre Loti, travel reports, translation, distortion of documents.
Easter Island Agriculture in Pre-Contact and Protohistoric Times. A Polemic Against the Collapse ... more Easter Island Agriculture in Pre-Contact and Protohistoric Times. A Polemic Against the Collapse Theory
In the paper I present a popular version of the history of Easter Island, according to which the local society destroyed their environment and culture, due to imprudent management of resources. Then, drawing on 18th century travel reports, and on scientifi c publications, I present the true condition of Easter Island agriculture at that time. Finally I demonstrate that the Easter Islanders knew how to cope creatively with deteriorating environmental conditions, to drive away the spectre of famine, and to secure a further development of their culture, then interrupted by negative consequences of contacts with the Western civilisation.
[in:] Conocer el Pacïfico. Exploraciones, imágenes y formación de sociedades oceánicas, ed. S. Bernabéu Albert, C. Mena García y E. J. Luque Azcona, 2015
La fascinación por el Pacífico siguió y aumentó en el siglo XIX gracias a escritores como Julio V... more La fascinación por el Pacífico siguió y aumentó en el siglo XIX gracias a escritores como Julio Verne, Mark Twain, Robert Louis Stevenson o Pierre Loti, cuya descripción de la isla de Pascua es uno de los textos escogidos por la profesora polaca Zuzanna Jakubowska para abordar algunas de las cuestiones críticas sobre la escritura, traducción y recepción de los numeroso textos existentes sobre el Pacífico. A la gran variedad de formatos, géneros y estilos (diarios de viajes, poesías, informes, memorias, cuadernos de bitácora, etcétera), se unen los problemas de traducción y edición crítica, lo que impide conocer las ideas de los que escribieron sobre el gran océano, y en particular sobre el caso que nos ocupa: Rapa Nui. La autora ha seleccionado la obra de cuatro autores (el padre Eugène Eyraud, evangelizador de la isla, el marino chileno Luis Ignacio Gana, el cirujano Tomás Guillermo Bate y el escritor francés Julien Viaud, conocido como Pierre Loti) y, de cada uno de ellos, un fragmento significativo de uno de sus textos, comparándolos, en el caso de Eyraud y Loti, en sus diferentes versiones para demostrar los fallos en la traducción y la diferencia con los manuscritos originales. En cuanto a los fragmentos de los chilenos Gana y Bate, la autora los comenta literariamente, remarcando sus contradicciones y las diferentes imágenes que surgen de sus lecturas. En definitiva, una oportuna llamada de atención que, si bien se puede aplicar a todos los textos generados por los escritores del Pacífico, tiene especial significado referida a la isla de Pascua, ínsula tan solitaria como encubierta por las más variadas y disparatadas interpretaciones: misteriosa, legendaria, romántica, dramática, científica, extraterrestre, etcétera.
[de la Introducción al tomo por S. Bernabéu Albert, C. Mena García y E. J. Luque Azcona, p. 18-19]
The Annexation of Easter Island (Rapa Nui) by Chile in 1888
Although various nations could cla... more The Annexation of Easter Island (Rapa Nui) by Chile in 1888
Although various nations could claim the right to Easter Island, it
was Chile that finally became the owner of Rapa Nui. The article narrates the history of the annexation, starting from the period of Peruvian slave raids. What follows is a report on missionaries and merchants times, the moment of the cession of sovereignty by the Rapanui in 1888, a commercial exploitation of the island and actions of the Chilean fleet. Important documents are quoted and controversial, doubtful questions are mentioned, such as inconsistencies in the Annexation Treaty.
"No subject in science can be deeply understood without the history of its roots and the human st... more "No subject in science can be deeply understood without the history of its roots and the human story behind it. This fine collection of essays does precisely that. It offers a well edited and refreshing approach to the way ‘monsters’ are produced about the past of Easter Island (Rapa Nui) when we put our scientific mind to rest. The bundle is concluded with a nice and very welcome overview of the state of affairs in the field of rongorongo inscriptions". - Jan J. Boersema, Leiden University, Author of "The Survival of Easter Island" (CUP, 2015)
The extended title of the present work is appropriate for such an innovative and multifaceted boo... more The extended title of the present work is appropriate for such an innovative and multifaceted book. It alludes to the fundamental subject matter of the research which Zuzanna Jakubowska asserts concisely and in support of which she presents the first rate evidence.
The author’s aims appear difficult to fulfil. Her research questions the long established dogma, that all possible works of any literary or scientific value by the Polish-Royal-Prussia born Forsters (supernumeraries on James Cook’s Second Circumnavigation, 1772–1775) have been both identified and closely read, and that nothing new of any primary value could possibly be found in the documentation of the Voyage.
The aim of Zuzanna Jakubowska’s research is also of a rather sensitive nature. The literary heritage of the Forsters is claimed by six nations or states, namely by Poland, Germany, England, Scotland, France, and, last but not least, by Lithuania.
The present work is especially important with reference to Poland and Lithuania. The Forsters were contemporaries of Cook and King George III of Great Britain and Ireland, and Catherine, Empress of Russia, as well as of King Stanislas Augustus Poniatowski of the Polish/Lithuanian Commonwealth. All the above had a profound effect on the lives of the Forsters.
As alluded above, the Forsters were born near the Free City of Gdańsk/Danzig in the territory of Royal Prussia. Royal Prussia was at the time part of the Crown of Poland, which itself constituted part of the abovementioned Polish/Lithuanian Commonwealth. The Forsters were partly forgotten in the countries which formed the monarchy. The work of Z. Jakubowska strives to bring them back to the pantheon of the old Commonwealth’s heritage.
from the Instroduction by K. K. Vorbrich
Rozbudowany tytuł niniejszej publikacji pasuje do tak nowatorskiej, wielowątkowej książki. Wskazuje na sedno badań, które autorka nie tylko klarownie przedstawiła, ale również poparła dowodami pierwszej klasy.
Cele, jakie przyświecają autorce, są niezmiernie trudne do realizacji, albowiem badania Zuzanny Jakubowskiej kwestionują powszechnie akceptowany dogmat, iż w przypadku Forsterów – pochodzących z Prus Królewskich, dodatkowych członków załogi Jamesa Cooka podczas jego drugiej wyprawy dookoła świata (1772–1775) – wszelkie możliwe pisma o jakiejkolwiek wartości literackiej i naukowej są znane i dokładnie przestudiowane, a zatem nie jest możliwe uzupełnienie dokumentacji z owej wyprawy o żaden nowy, cenny tekst.
Cele, jakie przyświecają badaniom autorki, są również dość delikatnej natury. Pretensje do spuścizny literackiej po Forsterach rości sobie bowiem sześć narodów i państw: Polska, Niemcy, Anglia, Szkocja, Francja, a wreszcie Litwa.
Niniejsza praca jest szczególnie ważna w odniesieniu do Polski i Litwy. Forsterowie żyli w czasach Cooka i Jerzego III, króla Wielkiej Brytanii i Irlandii, a także carycy Katarzyny oraz króla Stanisława Augusta Poniatowskiego – władcy Rzeczpospolitej Obojga Narodów. Monarchowie ci wywarli na podróżników przemożny wpływ.
Forsterowie urodzili się nieopodal Wolnego Miasta Gdańska, na terenie Prus Królewskich, należących do ówczesnej Korony Polskiej, która wchodziła w skład Unii Polsko-Litewskiej. Dawne kraje Unii po trosze o nich zapomniały. Praca Z. Jakubowskiej dąży do przywrócenia im należnego miejsca w panteonie dziedzictwa polsko-litewskiego.
"The book is composed of three main parts. The first one comprises a vast and multifaceted backgr... more "The book is composed of three main parts. The first one comprises a vast and multifaceted background against which travel reports are later analysed, with the discussion of the problem of the ‘other’ as a point of departure. The matter is approached from both philosophical and psychological angle and is closely interwoven with the rich topic of cultural encounters between the Old and the New World. Successive chapters are dedicated to such issues as the Eurocentrism and the European sense of superiority; the perception of the New World from the European perspective; the interaction with other cultures, with a special attention dedicated to such phenomena as imperialism, violence, but also communication and goods exchange. One of the main topics is the vision of the ‘otherness’ presented in travel narratives and reports, with the emphasis on scientific texts from the past. The question posed is whether the travel writings are not only linguistically, but also culturally translatable.
The second part contains excerpts of 20 travel narratives (logbooks, reports, memoirs) dedicated to Easter Island, translated into Polish from Dutch, German, English, Spanish and French. Original first editions and manuscripts were used for the purpose. With few and limited exceptions, up to the moment the materials have been unknown to the Polish reader.The texts came into existence as a result of four 18th century expeditions, commanded by Jacob Roggeveen (1722), Felipe González de Haedo (1770), James Cook (1774) and the Count of La Pérouse (1786), respectively. In the introduction to this section the journeys and the travellers are briefly described.
The third, fundamental part is a thorough analysis of the abovementioned narratives, conducted in the form of the confrontation between the vision of Easter Island as presented in the travel writings with the present knowledge we possess on the subject. The issues discussed range from the marine and land natural environment to the indigenous people of the Island, their spiritual, social and material culture, and the course of their encounters with the Europeans. The recurrent themes are the misinterpretations, manipulations and simplifications that can be found in the specialist and popular literature, as well as two well-known discussions, concerning the Easter Islanders’ origin and the theory of the collapse of its civilisation. Recent study results are presented, indicating that the ‘ecocide’ supposedly committed by the Easter Islandersin the past not necessarily must be true.
Apart from the statement that the ancient society of Easter Island was highly capable of a successful functioning in a demanding environment, the book closes with a conclusion that the Rapanui culture is still being popularly misunderstood and trivialized, regardless of the detailed scientific research conducted on the Island."
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Papers by Zuzanna Jakubowska-Vorbrich
The paper analyses the accounts of medical doctors (and an anthropologist) who happened to visit Easter Island between the years 1786 and 1853. They were, above all, naval surgeons; one of them – Verdugo Binimelis – was also the first medical doctor who resided on the island. Some of them left their memories in form of travelogues, others wrote more formal reports. The topics addressed are the physical appearance and character of the indigenous people, as well as specific medical issues: diseases observed, sanitary problems, the question of leprosy, the condition of the local hospital, the epidemics of measles and a viral infection known as kokongo, etc. One of the most interesting accounts was written by Chauvet who – without having visited the island – undertook the analysis of typical Rapanui wooden figures moai kava kava from the medical perspective. The paper also comments on the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.
Due to occidental interventions, epidemic diseases and slave raids (18–19 c.) the population of Easter Island (Rapa Nui) almost went extinct, and their beliefs and
traditions are largely lost now. However, thanks to the reports of first explorers and early ethnologists, there is enough written material left for us so that we could try to reconstruct and interpret the old legends and cult to some extent (especially comparing them to their equivalents in other Polynesian cultures). The legends and myths of Easter Island that survived – although the history of their present form is not very long – present a thoroughly Polynesian mentality and are full of symbolical and magical motifs. We know, moreover, that a certain group of ‘priests’ or ‘shamans’ played a significant role in the Rapanui society, as well as supernatural beings in which the indigenous people have believed and, in general, still do. In the present paper I will try to present a sketch of the Rapanui magical thinking.
Un informe recién descubierto, escrito por los Forster a la luz de otros trabajos de su autoría: reflexiones comparativas y navegacionales
La originalidad del presente artículo reside en la comparación del recién descubierto manuscrito titulado Mémoire Sur Waïhou, ou L’Isle de Pâques, escrito en francés por Johann Reinhold Forster y George Forster, con obras suyas bien conocidas: A Voyage, Resolution
Journals y Observations. Mémoire –conservado en la Biblioteca Jaguelónica en Cracovia (Polonia) –constituye el núcleo de nuestro trabajo; se discuten su forma y contenido, su mensaje y objetivos, así como las diferencias respecto a otras obras Forsterianas. Sobre todo, se
descubren motivos de carácter novedoso, ausentes en otros textos de los Forster, pero incluidos en el manuscrito. Estos elementos arrojan una nueva luz sobre las investigaciones acerca de Isla de Pascua. Además, ponemos especial énfasis en cuestiones de geografía y navegación,
hasta ahora poco estudiados en el contexto de Isla de Pascua. Otro asunto no menos importante que tematizamos, es nuestro intento de establecer la verdadera autoría del documento.
Summary
The originality of the present paper lies in a comparative study between a recently discovered Mémoire Sur Waïhou, ou L’Isle de Pâques, originally written in French by Johann Reinhold Forster and George Forster, and their famous works: A Voyage, Resolution Journals and Observations. Mémoire, kept in the Jagiellonian Library in Cracow, is the core of the comparative work we are seeking to conduct. The document’s form and content are discussed, as well as its message, aims, and the differences with other Forsterian works – especially new remarks and commentaries, absent in the known publications by the Forsters. These motifs shed new light on the research on Easter Island. Moreover, a special emphasis is put on such questions as geography and navigation, seldom studied in the context of Rapa Nui. Another important issue
is determination of the true author of Mémoire
In 1870 a Chilean warship visited Easter Island (Rapa Nui); it was a training expedition for young cadets, but the aim was also to prepare a scientific report about the island, its inhabitants and environment. This important report by Ignacio Luis Gana, underestimated by Easter Island experts, is rich in detail; it contains a wide range of information about hydrology, climate, fauna and flora, local history and current social situation of the island. It is also inspiring from an anthropological and political point of view. Firstly, the author’s frame of mind presents an obsolete worldview characteristic of early discoverers, yet combined with a certain, rather modern clear-headedness. Secondly, the document evidences an obvious interest on the part of Chile in Easter Island as a territory with promising potential, although the Chilean authorities claimed the opposite and annexed Rapa Nui only after a long debate, in 1888. The document is accompanied by a short report by the ship’s surgeon Guillermo Bate, on the physiological and medical aspects of the local community’s life, containing controversial commentaries about their alleged anthropophagous habits.
Resumen
En 1870 un navío chileno visitó Isla de Pascua (Rapa Nui); fue un viaje de instrucción para cadetes jóvenes, pero su objetivo era también preparar un informe científico acerca de la isla, sus habitantes y medio ambiente. Ese documento importante, escrito por Ignacio Luis Gana, subestimado por estudiosos de la problemática rapanui, es muy detallado; contiene un amplio abanico de datos acerca de la hidrología, clima, fauna y flora, historia local, así como situación social actual de la isla. También vale la pena analizarlo desde la perspectiva antropológica y política. En primer lugar la mentalidad del autor expresa una ideología anticuada, típica para los primeros descubridores europeos del Nuevo Mundo, pero con ciertos elementos modernos y juicios lúcidos. Segundo, del documento se desprende el obvio interés de Chile por Isla de Pascua como territorio dotado de un potencial prometedor, aunque las autoridades chilenas lo negaban en aquel momento y anexionaron la isla tan solo tras un largo debate, no antes del 1888. El documento está acompañado por un corto informe del cirujano primero Guillermo Bate, acerca de aspectos fisiológicos y médicos de la vida de la comunidad local. Este informe contiene unos comentarios controvertidos sobre las supuestas costumbres antropófagas de los habitantes.
En el presente artículo deseo ocuparme de un episodio que tenía lugar durante la visita del Capitán James Cook en Isla de Pascua (1774) y fue descrito, entre otros, por los Forster, naturalistas de su tripulación (precisamente, eran supernumerarios). Se trata del primer encuentro entre un indígena rapanui y los exploradores, que se produjo a bordo de “Resolution”. A mi parecer, la explicación de los hechos, presentada por George Forster, constituye un ejemplo de malendentido o interpretación errónea de lo ocurrido. Que yo sepa, hasta el presente momento este error no ha sido descubierto por los expertos en el tema de la exploración temprana de Isla de Pascua.
Summary
In this present paper I would like to expound and explain an event that took place during the visit of Captain James Cook to Easter Island (1774), and was described, among others, by the Forsters – the naturalists belonging to his crew (strictly speaking, they were supernumeraries). It was the scene of the first encounter between an indigenous Rapanui and the explorers aboard the “Resolution”. To my mind, the presentation of the episode, offered by George Forster, constitutes an example of misunderstanding or misinterpretation of what really had happened. To the best of my knowledge, this mistake has not previously been discovered by researchers specializing in the early exploration of Easter Island.
Palabras clave: Isla de Pascua, Rapa Nui, Chile, anexión, 1888
Tytuł: JAK EKS-KOLONIA ZDOBYŁA KOLONIĘ: PRZYŁĄCZENIE WYSPY WIELKANOCNEJ Do CHILE W 1888 R.
Streszczenie: Chociaż niejeden naród mógł rościć sobie prawa do Wyspy Wielkanocnej, to Chile stało się jej właścicielem. Artykuł [na[isany w 2010 r., opublikowany w 2017] opisuje historię aneksji, poczynając od epoki rajdów peruwiańskich łowców niewolników; następnie
relacjonowane są czasy misjonarzy i handlowców, ceremonia objęcia wyspy w posiadanie przez Chilijczyków w roku 1888, eksploatacja komercyjna Rapa Nui oraz działania chilijskiej floty. Tekst zawiera cytaty z istotnych dokumentów; opisuje także kwestie kontrowersyjne i niejasne, jak np. nieścisłości w traktacie aneksyjnym.
Słowa kluczowe: Wyspa Wielkanocna, Rapa Nui, Chile, aneksja, 1888
Title: HOW A FORMER COLONY GAINED A COLONY: ANNEXATION OF THE EASTER ISLAND TO CHILE IN 1888
Summary: Although various nations could claim the right to Easter Island, it was Chile that eventually became the owner of Rapa Nui. The article [written in 2010, published in 2017] recounts the story behind the annexation of the island from the period of Peruvian slave raids on. It also presents the times of missionaries and merchants, the ceremony of the annexation to Chile in 1888, the commercial exploitation of the island and the actions undertaken by the Chilean fleet. The paper draws on and quotes crucial historical documents and raises controversial und unclear questions such as the inconsistencies in the Annexation Treaty.
Key words: Easter Island, Rapa Nui, Chile, annexation, 1888
Palabras clave: Isla de Pascua, Pierre Loti, relaciones de viaje, traducción, tergiversación de documentos.
Abstract: Pierre Loti and Easter Island. Diaries, translations, visions. Julien Viaud, A.K.A. Pierre Loti, visited Easter Island in 1872 as a naval cadet. During the voyage he kept a logbook, which he decided to rewrite and polish up after many years. There exist translations of his diary into Spanish and into English. However, each of these translations is based on a different version of the original text. Moreover, the investigation shows that the foreign language renditions differ as far as the content found in the original documents is concerned. This situation contributes to the distortion of the image of Easter Island: a place that always undergoes an excessive mythologisation, and whose history and culture
are frequently misinterpreted. The aim of the present paper is to analyse the above-mentioned texts in order to demonstrate examples of the said misrepresentation of the original diaries by Pierre Loti. The definitive aim is to encourage future researchers to be especially cautious with documents of dubious credibility.
Keywords: Easter Island, Pierre Loti, travel reports, translation, distortion of documents.
In the paper I present a popular version of the history of Easter Island, according to which the local society destroyed their environment and culture, due to imprudent management of resources. Then, drawing on 18th century travel reports, and on scientifi c publications, I present the true condition of Easter Island agriculture at that time. Finally I demonstrate that the Easter Islanders knew how to cope creatively
with deteriorating environmental conditions, to drive away the spectre of
famine, and to secure a further development of their culture, then interrupted by negative consequences of contacts with the Western civilisation.
[de la Introducción al tomo por S. Bernabéu Albert, C. Mena García y E. J. Luque Azcona, p. 18-19]
Although various nations could claim the right to Easter Island, it
was Chile that finally became the owner of Rapa Nui. The article narrates the history of the annexation, starting from the period of Peruvian slave raids. What follows is a report on missionaries and merchants times, the moment of the cession of sovereignty by the Rapanui in 1888, a commercial exploitation of the island and actions of the Chilean fleet. Important documents are quoted and controversial, doubtful questions are mentioned, such as inconsistencies in the Annexation Treaty.
The paper analyses the accounts of medical doctors (and an anthropologist) who happened to visit Easter Island between the years 1786 and 1853. They were, above all, naval surgeons; one of them – Verdugo Binimelis – was also the first medical doctor who resided on the island. Some of them left their memories in form of travelogues, others wrote more formal reports. The topics addressed are the physical appearance and character of the indigenous people, as well as specific medical issues: diseases observed, sanitary problems, the question of leprosy, the condition of the local hospital, the epidemics of measles and a viral infection known as kokongo, etc. One of the most interesting accounts was written by Chauvet who – without having visited the island – undertook the analysis of typical Rapanui wooden figures moai kava kava from the medical perspective. The paper also comments on the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.
Due to occidental interventions, epidemic diseases and slave raids (18–19 c.) the population of Easter Island (Rapa Nui) almost went extinct, and their beliefs and
traditions are largely lost now. However, thanks to the reports of first explorers and early ethnologists, there is enough written material left for us so that we could try to reconstruct and interpret the old legends and cult to some extent (especially comparing them to their equivalents in other Polynesian cultures). The legends and myths of Easter Island that survived – although the history of their present form is not very long – present a thoroughly Polynesian mentality and are full of symbolical and magical motifs. We know, moreover, that a certain group of ‘priests’ or ‘shamans’ played a significant role in the Rapanui society, as well as supernatural beings in which the indigenous people have believed and, in general, still do. In the present paper I will try to present a sketch of the Rapanui magical thinking.
Un informe recién descubierto, escrito por los Forster a la luz de otros trabajos de su autoría: reflexiones comparativas y navegacionales
La originalidad del presente artículo reside en la comparación del recién descubierto manuscrito titulado Mémoire Sur Waïhou, ou L’Isle de Pâques, escrito en francés por Johann Reinhold Forster y George Forster, con obras suyas bien conocidas: A Voyage, Resolution
Journals y Observations. Mémoire –conservado en la Biblioteca Jaguelónica en Cracovia (Polonia) –constituye el núcleo de nuestro trabajo; se discuten su forma y contenido, su mensaje y objetivos, así como las diferencias respecto a otras obras Forsterianas. Sobre todo, se
descubren motivos de carácter novedoso, ausentes en otros textos de los Forster, pero incluidos en el manuscrito. Estos elementos arrojan una nueva luz sobre las investigaciones acerca de Isla de Pascua. Además, ponemos especial énfasis en cuestiones de geografía y navegación,
hasta ahora poco estudiados en el contexto de Isla de Pascua. Otro asunto no menos importante que tematizamos, es nuestro intento de establecer la verdadera autoría del documento.
Summary
The originality of the present paper lies in a comparative study between a recently discovered Mémoire Sur Waïhou, ou L’Isle de Pâques, originally written in French by Johann Reinhold Forster and George Forster, and their famous works: A Voyage, Resolution Journals and Observations. Mémoire, kept in the Jagiellonian Library in Cracow, is the core of the comparative work we are seeking to conduct. The document’s form and content are discussed, as well as its message, aims, and the differences with other Forsterian works – especially new remarks and commentaries, absent in the known publications by the Forsters. These motifs shed new light on the research on Easter Island. Moreover, a special emphasis is put on such questions as geography and navigation, seldom studied in the context of Rapa Nui. Another important issue
is determination of the true author of Mémoire
In 1870 a Chilean warship visited Easter Island (Rapa Nui); it was a training expedition for young cadets, but the aim was also to prepare a scientific report about the island, its inhabitants and environment. This important report by Ignacio Luis Gana, underestimated by Easter Island experts, is rich in detail; it contains a wide range of information about hydrology, climate, fauna and flora, local history and current social situation of the island. It is also inspiring from an anthropological and political point of view. Firstly, the author’s frame of mind presents an obsolete worldview characteristic of early discoverers, yet combined with a certain, rather modern clear-headedness. Secondly, the document evidences an obvious interest on the part of Chile in Easter Island as a territory with promising potential, although the Chilean authorities claimed the opposite and annexed Rapa Nui only after a long debate, in 1888. The document is accompanied by a short report by the ship’s surgeon Guillermo Bate, on the physiological and medical aspects of the local community’s life, containing controversial commentaries about their alleged anthropophagous habits.
Resumen
En 1870 un navío chileno visitó Isla de Pascua (Rapa Nui); fue un viaje de instrucción para cadetes jóvenes, pero su objetivo era también preparar un informe científico acerca de la isla, sus habitantes y medio ambiente. Ese documento importante, escrito por Ignacio Luis Gana, subestimado por estudiosos de la problemática rapanui, es muy detallado; contiene un amplio abanico de datos acerca de la hidrología, clima, fauna y flora, historia local, así como situación social actual de la isla. También vale la pena analizarlo desde la perspectiva antropológica y política. En primer lugar la mentalidad del autor expresa una ideología anticuada, típica para los primeros descubridores europeos del Nuevo Mundo, pero con ciertos elementos modernos y juicios lúcidos. Segundo, del documento se desprende el obvio interés de Chile por Isla de Pascua como territorio dotado de un potencial prometedor, aunque las autoridades chilenas lo negaban en aquel momento y anexionaron la isla tan solo tras un largo debate, no antes del 1888. El documento está acompañado por un corto informe del cirujano primero Guillermo Bate, acerca de aspectos fisiológicos y médicos de la vida de la comunidad local. Este informe contiene unos comentarios controvertidos sobre las supuestas costumbres antropófagas de los habitantes.
En el presente artículo deseo ocuparme de un episodio que tenía lugar durante la visita del Capitán James Cook en Isla de Pascua (1774) y fue descrito, entre otros, por los Forster, naturalistas de su tripulación (precisamente, eran supernumerarios). Se trata del primer encuentro entre un indígena rapanui y los exploradores, que se produjo a bordo de “Resolution”. A mi parecer, la explicación de los hechos, presentada por George Forster, constituye un ejemplo de malendentido o interpretación errónea de lo ocurrido. Que yo sepa, hasta el presente momento este error no ha sido descubierto por los expertos en el tema de la exploración temprana de Isla de Pascua.
Summary
In this present paper I would like to expound and explain an event that took place during the visit of Captain James Cook to Easter Island (1774), and was described, among others, by the Forsters – the naturalists belonging to his crew (strictly speaking, they were supernumeraries). It was the scene of the first encounter between an indigenous Rapanui and the explorers aboard the “Resolution”. To my mind, the presentation of the episode, offered by George Forster, constitutes an example of misunderstanding or misinterpretation of what really had happened. To the best of my knowledge, this mistake has not previously been discovered by researchers specializing in the early exploration of Easter Island.
Palabras clave: Isla de Pascua, Rapa Nui, Chile, anexión, 1888
Tytuł: JAK EKS-KOLONIA ZDOBYŁA KOLONIĘ: PRZYŁĄCZENIE WYSPY WIELKANOCNEJ Do CHILE W 1888 R.
Streszczenie: Chociaż niejeden naród mógł rościć sobie prawa do Wyspy Wielkanocnej, to Chile stało się jej właścicielem. Artykuł [na[isany w 2010 r., opublikowany w 2017] opisuje historię aneksji, poczynając od epoki rajdów peruwiańskich łowców niewolników; następnie
relacjonowane są czasy misjonarzy i handlowców, ceremonia objęcia wyspy w posiadanie przez Chilijczyków w roku 1888, eksploatacja komercyjna Rapa Nui oraz działania chilijskiej floty. Tekst zawiera cytaty z istotnych dokumentów; opisuje także kwestie kontrowersyjne i niejasne, jak np. nieścisłości w traktacie aneksyjnym.
Słowa kluczowe: Wyspa Wielkanocna, Rapa Nui, Chile, aneksja, 1888
Title: HOW A FORMER COLONY GAINED A COLONY: ANNEXATION OF THE EASTER ISLAND TO CHILE IN 1888
Summary: Although various nations could claim the right to Easter Island, it was Chile that eventually became the owner of Rapa Nui. The article [written in 2010, published in 2017] recounts the story behind the annexation of the island from the period of Peruvian slave raids on. It also presents the times of missionaries and merchants, the ceremony of the annexation to Chile in 1888, the commercial exploitation of the island and the actions undertaken by the Chilean fleet. The paper draws on and quotes crucial historical documents and raises controversial und unclear questions such as the inconsistencies in the Annexation Treaty.
Key words: Easter Island, Rapa Nui, Chile, annexation, 1888
Palabras clave: Isla de Pascua, Pierre Loti, relaciones de viaje, traducción, tergiversación de documentos.
Abstract: Pierre Loti and Easter Island. Diaries, translations, visions. Julien Viaud, A.K.A. Pierre Loti, visited Easter Island in 1872 as a naval cadet. During the voyage he kept a logbook, which he decided to rewrite and polish up after many years. There exist translations of his diary into Spanish and into English. However, each of these translations is based on a different version of the original text. Moreover, the investigation shows that the foreign language renditions differ as far as the content found in the original documents is concerned. This situation contributes to the distortion of the image of Easter Island: a place that always undergoes an excessive mythologisation, and whose history and culture
are frequently misinterpreted. The aim of the present paper is to analyse the above-mentioned texts in order to demonstrate examples of the said misrepresentation of the original diaries by Pierre Loti. The definitive aim is to encourage future researchers to be especially cautious with documents of dubious credibility.
Keywords: Easter Island, Pierre Loti, travel reports, translation, distortion of documents.
In the paper I present a popular version of the history of Easter Island, according to which the local society destroyed their environment and culture, due to imprudent management of resources. Then, drawing on 18th century travel reports, and on scientifi c publications, I present the true condition of Easter Island agriculture at that time. Finally I demonstrate that the Easter Islanders knew how to cope creatively
with deteriorating environmental conditions, to drive away the spectre of
famine, and to secure a further development of their culture, then interrupted by negative consequences of contacts with the Western civilisation.
[de la Introducción al tomo por S. Bernabéu Albert, C. Mena García y E. J. Luque Azcona, p. 18-19]
Although various nations could claim the right to Easter Island, it
was Chile that finally became the owner of Rapa Nui. The article narrates the history of the annexation, starting from the period of Peruvian slave raids. What follows is a report on missionaries and merchants times, the moment of the cession of sovereignty by the Rapanui in 1888, a commercial exploitation of the island and actions of the Chilean fleet. Important documents are quoted and controversial, doubtful questions are mentioned, such as inconsistencies in the Annexation Treaty.
The author’s aims appear difficult to fulfil. Her research questions the long established dogma, that all possible works of any literary or scientific value by the Polish-Royal-Prussia born Forsters (supernumeraries on James Cook’s Second Circumnavigation, 1772–1775) have been both identified and closely read, and that nothing new of any primary value could possibly be found in the documentation of the Voyage.
The aim of Zuzanna Jakubowska’s research is also of a rather sensitive nature. The literary heritage of the Forsters is claimed by six nations or states, namely by Poland, Germany, England, Scotland, France, and, last but not least, by Lithuania.
The present work is especially important with reference to Poland and Lithuania. The Forsters were contemporaries of Cook and King George III of Great Britain and Ireland, and Catherine, Empress of Russia, as well as of King Stanislas Augustus Poniatowski of the Polish/Lithuanian Commonwealth. All the above had a profound effect on the lives of the Forsters.
As alluded above, the Forsters were born near the Free City of Gdańsk/Danzig in the territory of Royal Prussia. Royal Prussia was at the time part of the Crown of Poland, which itself constituted part of the abovementioned Polish/Lithuanian Commonwealth. The Forsters were partly forgotten in the countries which formed the monarchy. The work of Z. Jakubowska strives to bring them back to the pantheon of the old Commonwealth’s heritage.
from the Instroduction by K. K. Vorbrich
Rozbudowany tytuł niniejszej publikacji pasuje do tak nowatorskiej, wielowątkowej książki. Wskazuje na sedno badań, które autorka nie tylko klarownie przedstawiła, ale również poparła dowodami pierwszej klasy.
Cele, jakie przyświecają autorce, są niezmiernie trudne do realizacji, albowiem badania Zuzanny Jakubowskiej kwestionują powszechnie akceptowany dogmat, iż w przypadku Forsterów – pochodzących z Prus Królewskich, dodatkowych członków załogi Jamesa Cooka podczas jego drugiej wyprawy dookoła świata (1772–1775) – wszelkie możliwe pisma o jakiejkolwiek wartości literackiej i naukowej są znane i dokładnie przestudiowane, a zatem nie jest możliwe uzupełnienie dokumentacji z owej wyprawy o żaden nowy, cenny tekst.
Cele, jakie przyświecają badaniom autorki, są również dość delikatnej natury. Pretensje do spuścizny literackiej po Forsterach rości sobie bowiem sześć narodów i państw: Polska, Niemcy, Anglia, Szkocja, Francja, a wreszcie Litwa.
Niniejsza praca jest szczególnie ważna w odniesieniu do Polski i Litwy. Forsterowie żyli w czasach Cooka i Jerzego III, króla Wielkiej Brytanii i Irlandii, a także carycy Katarzyny oraz króla Stanisława Augusta Poniatowskiego – władcy Rzeczpospolitej Obojga Narodów. Monarchowie ci wywarli na podróżników przemożny wpływ.
Forsterowie urodzili się nieopodal Wolnego Miasta Gdańska, na terenie Prus Królewskich, należących do ówczesnej Korony Polskiej, która wchodziła w skład Unii Polsko-Litewskiej. Dawne kraje Unii po trosze o nich zapomniały. Praca Z. Jakubowskiej dąży do przywrócenia im należnego miejsca w panteonie dziedzictwa polsko-litewskiego.
ze wstępu (K. K. Vorbrich)
The second part contains excerpts of 20 travel narratives (logbooks, reports, memoirs) dedicated to Easter Island, translated into Polish from Dutch, German, English, Spanish and French. Original first editions and manuscripts were used for the purpose. With few and limited exceptions, up to the moment the materials have been unknown to the Polish reader.The texts came into existence as a result of four 18th century expeditions, commanded by Jacob Roggeveen (1722), Felipe González de Haedo (1770), James Cook (1774) and the Count of La Pérouse (1786), respectively. In the introduction to this section the journeys and the travellers are briefly described.
The third, fundamental part is a thorough analysis of the abovementioned narratives, conducted in the form of the confrontation between the vision of Easter Island as presented in the travel writings with the present knowledge we possess on the subject. The issues discussed range from the marine and land natural environment to the indigenous people of the Island, their spiritual, social and material culture, and the course of their encounters with the Europeans. The recurrent themes are the misinterpretations, manipulations and simplifications that can be found in the specialist and popular literature, as well as two well-known discussions, concerning the Easter Islanders’ origin and the theory of the collapse of its civilisation. Recent study results are presented, indicating that the ‘ecocide’ supposedly committed by the Easter Islandersin the past not necessarily must be true.
Apart from the statement that the ancient society of Easter Island was highly capable of a successful functioning in a demanding environment, the book closes with a conclusion that the Rapanui culture is still being popularly misunderstood and trivialized, regardless of the detailed scientific research conducted on the Island."
ATTACHED: review