Foundations of Change: Archaeology and Community on Rapa Nui (Easter Island), 1955–67

This article argues that archaeology between 1955 and 1967 became a central instrument for reconfiguring Rapa Nui during the mid-twentieth century. Drawing on reports, fieldwork accounts, and institutional correspondence, we show how archaeology was reframed not only as a scientific practice but also as a development strategy closely intertwined with state policies, tourism, and international cultural diplomacy. Restoration projects positioned archaeological heritage as the foundation of a tourism-based economy and a vehicle for identity reclamation, while at the same time disciplining participation by subordinating it to external agendas of nation-building and international prestige. Emerging from colonial constraints, this model relied heavily on Rapa Nui labour and knowledge, producing a distinctive yet ambivalent form of heritage-driven development in the Pacific.