Kari Kari, the oldest cultural ballet company in Rapa Nui, will celebrate 30 years of artistic work with a commemorative tour across mainland Chile, including a stop in Chillán. The company will bring the music, dance and ancestral traditions of the Rapa Nui people to the Ñuble Region.
The tour will take place from November 19 to December 4, with performances scheduled in Santiago, Valparaíso, Viña del Mar, Antofagasta, Chillán and Concepción.
Operating under the Ao Tupuna Foundation, Kari Kari was founded by Lynn Rapu Tuki, Cultural Ambassador of Rapa Nui. Since its establishment, the company has worked to recover, preserve and pass on the language, dances, melodies and ancestral traditions of Rapa Nui culture.
Today, the group consists of 35 artists, including musicians, singers, dancers and performers who showcase different expressions of their cultural heritage.
Their performances feature traditions such as kai kai, the traditional string-figure art; takona, traditional body painting; and clothing made from mahute, a plant-based fabric, as well as banana fibers, feathers and other natural materials. They also incorporate kie'a, colored earth used for tattoos and body painting.
Preserving Traditions Through New Generations
Kari Kari's artistic training program also operates through the Ma'Ara Nui Academy, directed by Lynn Rapu Tuki. Its name means "Great Paradise" in Spanish, and it welcomes children of Rapa Nui descent from the age of 10.
Through a four-year training program, students learn various ancestral artistic expressions and traditional knowledge, helping keep the island's cultural heritage alive for future generations.
Three Decades of Sharing Rapa Nui Culture Around the World
Throughout its 30-year history, the Kari Kari Cultural Ballet has brought Rapa Nui's artistic expressions to international stages, performing in countries and territories including Russia, France, South Korea, Argentina, Western Samoa, Japan, Portugal, Hawaii, Italy and Spain, among others.
The upcoming tour across mainland Chile will bring this cultural heritage closer to communities throughout the country. In the Ñuble Region, Chillán will be one of the destinations on this anniversary tour, celebrating three decades of artistic work and promoting Rapa Nui identity and traditions.
