Live at Vai Te Mihi

The Pacific’s Rapa Nui – popularly known as Easter Island – is one of the most remote inhabited islands in the world. Located 4,000km from Tahiti and 3,700km off the coast of Chile, this small isle is of course best known for its monolithic stone moai sculptures, which represent deified ancestors. Chile annexed Rapa Nui in 1888 and still administrates it. Originally the leader of local band Manaroa, Jorge ‘Yoyo’ Villanueva Tuki is the island’s most celebrated musical ambassador, and has previously released several independent albums. Based in Australia for the past ten years, this new live release was actually recorded in 2015, when Tuki returned to Rapa Nui after four years away and played the local venue in the main town of Hanga Roa. Genuinely surprised that his recorded music had been so warmly embraced during his absence, the album has a homecoming reunion feel to it.

Singing in his unique Rapa Nui language – a Polynesian dialect similar to Māori and Tahitian – as well as English and Spanish, Tuki accompanies himself on guitar and ukulele, with backing from other island musos. Standout tracks include ‘Hoko Manu’, ‘Ko Ngaro A’ and ‘Ka Tau Te Ra’a’. Having also been featured on two recent albums from the Small Island Big Song project, Tuki’s international reputation deserves to expand even further.