The first European to land here was Dutch explorer Jacob Roggeveen, who stumbled across the island on Easter Sunday in 1722. He promptly named the strange new land “Paasch-Eyland,” which translates to “Easter Island.”
The next European power to stamp a name on the island was Spain, which took possession of “Isla de San Carlos” in 1770 on behalf of its king, Charles III. Fortunately, the Spanish never seriously pursued their claim, sparing residents the delights of colonization and the Inquisition.
Annexed by Chile
The island changed hands again in 1888, when Chile signed an annexation treaty with the locals. With Spanish now installed as an official language, the island became known as “Isla de Pascua” — “Easter Island” in Spanish.
The islanders themselves call their home “Rapa Nui,” which in their native Polynesian tongue means “Big Rapa” ... Rapa being the name of another South Pacific island. Although this name has gained general acceptance on the island, it’s not considered 100% authentic, either.
The original name of the island is thought to have been “Te pito o te henua,” which roughly translates to “the navel of the land” or the “ends of the land” but as with most theories about Easter Island, even this is disputed.
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