Alexandra Edwards

Alexandra was born in Santiago, Chile, but spent several years in New York and Washington DC before returning to Rapa Nui in 1995.  A Latin-American Studies and Film major from Wesleyan University, she has since been carrying out archaeological fieldwork and ethnographic studies in both Latin America and Oceania. She has participated in four Explorers Club Flag expeditions and collaborated in documentaries filmed in places as diverse as Chile, Easter Island, Papua New Guinea, Raivavae, and the Society and Marquesas Islands.  Alexandra currently works for the Pacific Islands Research Institute in addition to carrying out independent ethnographic research regarding the native peoples of the Americas and the Pacific.  She has a special interest in ancient mythology and religion and the cultural syncretism present in Latin America and Oceania today.

She has been living and working on Rapa Nui (Easter Island) for over 20 years. She co-authored of the book ‘When the Universe Was an Island’ about the archaeology, history, and ethnography of Rapa Nui (www.universeisland.com). She is active researcher and collaborator at the recently inaugurated Rapanui Planetarium (www.rapanuiplanetarium.com).