A mo‘ai kavakava is a small wooden figure of a style originated by the Rapa Nui culture of

Easter Island Easter Island ( rap, Rapa Nui; es, Isla de Pascua) is an island and special territory of Chile in the southeastern Pacific Ocean, at the southeasternmost point of the Polynesian Triangle in Oceania. The island is most famous for its nearl ...

. Each figure resembles a standing, slightly stooped, male human with an emaciated body. The name ''mo‘ai kavakava'' is formed from '' mo‘ai'' for the monumental monolithic human figures found on Easter Island and the word meaning ribs. Little is known about the cultural context of these figures although they are generally considered to be representations of starving ancestors or

demon A demon is a malevolent supernatural entity. Historically, belief in demons, or stories about demons, occurs in religion, occultism, literature, fiction, mythology, and folklore; as well as in media such as comics, video games, movies, ani ...

s. 19th century travelers reported that these figures were worn hanging around the necks of men who took part in the ritual dances during public ceremonies. German Expressionist

Max Ernst Max Ernst (2 April 1891 – 1 April 1976) was a German (naturalised American in 1948 and French in 1958) painter, sculptor, printmaker, graphic artist, and poet. A prolific artist, Ernst was a primary pioneer of the Dada movement and Surrealism ...

was inspired by these figures and their rituals. The figures can also be found in the collections of the French surrealist

André Breton André Robert Breton (; 19 February 1896 – 28 September 1966) was a French writer and poet, the co-founder, leader, and principal theorist of surrealism. His writings include the first ''Surrealist Manifesto'' (''Manifeste du surréalisme'') o ...

References

External links

Splendid Isolation: Art of Easter Island
an exhibition catalog from The Metropolitan Museum of Art (fully available online as PDF), which contains material on Moai kavakava
Images of Moai kavakava in the collection of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

{{sculpture-stub Easter Island Sculpture