Hanau epe

Various theories have been put forward, most notably Thor Heyerdahl's claim that they were ancient migrants from Peru who were the original occupants of the island and the creators of its famous stone monuments.

Heyerdahl's theories have not received much support among modern scholars, many of whom doubt whether the events described in the story ever took place.

However, some earlier accounts place the Hanau epe as the original inhabitants,[2] and the Polynesians as later immigrants from Rapa Iti.

A study in 1961 dated a layer of ash from the ditch to 1676, apparently confirming the story of a fire there at around the time the battle is supposed to have taken place.

[3] However, in 1993 Jo Anne Van Tilburg, writing in the journal Archaeology stated, "Excavations by the University of Chile of the so-called Poike Ditch have failed to come up with the charcoal and bone to prove that such a legendary battle actually took place.

"[6] It has been suggested that the ditch was in fact used to hold a series of earth ovens, or cooking pits, to prepare food for workers in a nearby quarry.

Thor Heyerdahl popularised the view that they were a South American indigenous people, who were pale skinned with red hair.

[10] Steven R. Fischer states that the story describes conflicts that arose in the 17th century due to the division of the island into competing clans.

[7] Thomas Barthel, who studied the oral traditions of the island, argued, in contrast, that the Hanau epe were the subordinated group, settled at Poike away from the principal centre of power.

This is anachronistically combined with other Easter Island traditions, in particular the race for the sooty tern's egg in the Birdman Cult.