Shows
Lost Cultures: Living LegaciesEncore: The Rapa Nui: The Actual Name of Easter Island and its PeopleYou’ve likely heard of “Easter Island” and the giant stone statues that famously reside there, confounding people who can’t understand how people could have made and moved them so long in the past. But did you know that the island and the people that live here are actually called Rapa Nui? Or that the artistry and engineering of those statues are a key reason that the people there were able to survive on such a remote island with limited resources? Filmmaker and member of the Rapa Nui community Sergio Mata’u Rapu and Professor Carl Lipo share the histor...
2025-06-1150 min
Riveo Impact LabGlobal Impact, Local Stories: Sergio Rapu on the Art of DocumentaryJoin us for the inaugural episode of Riveo Impact Lab, a podcast where we delve into the intersection of small businesses, sustainability, diversity, and ethical decision-making in today's ever-changing world. In this episode, we sit down with Sergio Rapu, a filmmaker and the creative force behind Mara Films. Sergio's work, including the award-winning documentary "Eating Up Easter," has been featured on prominent platforms such as the History Channel, Discovery, National Geographic, and PBS. Throughout our conversation, we'll explore Sergio's journey into filmmaking, the profound impact of his work, and the crucial role of storytelling in foster...
2025-02-1036 minLost Cultures: Living LegaciesThe Rapa Nui: The Actual Name of Easter Island and its PeopleYou’ve likely heard of “Easter Island” and the giant stone statues that famously reside there, confounding people who can’t understand how people could have made and moved them so long in the past. But did you know that the island and the people that live here are actually called Rapa Nui? Or that the artistry and engineering of those statues are a key reason that the people there were able to survive on such a remote island with limited resources? Filmmaker and member of the Rapa Nui community Sergio Mata’u Rapu and Professor Carl Lipo share the histor...
2023-06-0750 min
Off the Charts: Examining the Health Equity EmergencyThe Stories and Creators of "That Got Weird"That Got Weird, a digital series from Twin Cities PBS, confronts the uncomfortable with real stories of racism experienced by Indigenous, Black, Asian and other people of color in Minnesota. Along with a promise of anonymity, each subject interviewed has a hand in designing their own character and giving it a pseudonym.Myc Daz, the show’s character designer and co-animator, and Sergio Mata’u Rapu, director, co-animator and TPT digital series producer, share how the show got its start, the production process and why their guests’ stories are important.Hosts: Kari Haley, MD, and Steven...
2022-06-0642 min
Outside/InThe So-Called Mystery of Rapa Nui (AKA Easter Island)Three hundred years ago on Easter Sunday, 1722, European explorers landed on a South Pacific island that they called “Easter Island.” And they were shocked to see nearly one-thousand giant statues of stoic faces, called “moai”, placed all over the island.Who moved them? And how did they do it?The most popular theory was that this remote civilization destroyed itself – cutting down all the trees to make contraptions for moving statues.But according to the Indigenous people of Rapa Nui, their ancestors didn’t need to cut down any trees to transport the statues. In...
2022-04-1451 min
Outside/InThe So-called Mystery of Rapa Nui (Easter Island)Who moved the giant monolithic statues of Rapa Nui, a remote island in the South Pacific? And how did they do it? These questions have been at the center of much speculation and debate since Europeans first arrived there on Easter Sunday, 1722, and called it “Easter Island”. The most popular theory was that this remote civilization destroyed itself -- cutting down all the trees to make contraptions for moving statues.
But according to the indigenous people of Rapa Nui, their ancestors didn’t need to cut down any trees to transport the statues. In fact, their oral histor...
2021-10-2154 minOutside/InThe So-called Mystery of Rapa Nui (Easter Island)Who moved the giant monolithic statues of Rapa Nui, a remote island in the South Pacific? And how did they do it? These questions have been at the center of much speculation and debate since Europeans first arrived there on Easter Sunday, 1722, and called it “Easter Island”. The most popular theory was that this remote civilization destroyed itself -- cutting down all the trees to make contraptions for moving statues.But according to the indigenous people of Rapa Nui, their ancestors didn’t need to cut down any trees to transport the statues. In fact, their oral histor...
2021-10-2154 min
Far Flung with Saleem ReshamwalaPost-Pandemic Paradise in Rapa NuiWhat happens to a tourist paradise when no one shows up to visit? Rapa Nui, known to many as Easter Island, typically welcomes more than 120,000 visitors each year—which is a lot for a place with only 10,000 residents. After COVID-19 shuts down flights to this remote island, citizens reimagine what their lives, their livelihood, and their home can be without tourism — and dream of what a post-pandemic paradise economy might look like.Want to talk more about this episode? Chat with host Saleem Reshamwala on Twitter at @kidethnic.To learn more, check out guest Sergio Rapu...
2020-10-1442 min
Glocal News in Social ArtistrySergio & Elena RapuSergio and his sister were born on Easter Island (Rapa Nui). Their father, Sergio Rapu, is an archeologist, business man, and civic activist. Traveling from their home in Minneapolis with plans to make the documentary, Sergio and Elena spent about six years filming and editing to weave the Rapa Nui stories of history, survival, and dreams to reality. Eating Up Easter has been shown around the world and inspired many discussions about similar issues communities face in every country. Schedule your own viewing and local discussions. Learn more about the Music School and agricultural projects of Enrique and Mahini.
2020-06-1757 min
Food Freedom RadioPlastics – June 8, 2019The makers of Hibar, a shampoo and conditioner bar that does not use plastic join Laura to talk about how individuals respond to the crisis of plastic. Also native Rapanui filmmaker Sergio Mata’u Rapu, who films Eating Up Easter, explores the dilemma his people are facing – talks about plastics from a global perspective
2019-06-0852 min