moai paepae

statue

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Last updated

June 30, 2026

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The moai paepae are small, wooden statues from Easter Island. These figures are believed to represent ancestors, with the moai paepae specifically being the female representation. They were sometimes used in fertility rites and harvest celebrations, where offerings were placed around them. During non-festival times, they were kept in homes, possibly for decorative or private ritualistic purposes. The moai paepae have a flat, relief-like quality, with shallow demarcations for breasts, torso, limbs, and genitals. Their long faces and large eyes give them a haunting expression.1

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moai figure
…types, moai kavakava (male) and moai paepae (female). They were sometimes used for fertility rites but were more often used for harvest celebrations, during which the first picking of fruits was heaped around them as offerings. During the time between these public festivals, the statues were wrapped in bark cloth…
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…types, moai kavakava (male) and moai paepae (female). They were sometimes used for fertility rites but were more often used for harvest celebrations, during which the first picking of fruits was heaped around them as offerings. During the time between these public festivals, the statues were wrapped in bark cloth…
Read More