The Dutch who discovered the island in 1722 named it Easter Island because they discovered it on Easter Day.  It is part of Chile and in Spanish it is Isla de Pascua which means Easter Island.  The highlight is the statues of Easter Island, the moai (mow-eye) of Rapa Nui. In the 1860s, most of the Rapa Nui Islanders died of disease or were enslaved.  The survivors were converted to Christianity.