Toki School of Music
Enlightened Generation is working in partnership with GlobalGiving to fund the efforts of Toki Rapa Nui. Proceeds from the Moai of Rapa Nui (Easter Island) collection are going toward this initiative.
Toki Rapa Nui is a nonprofit organization founded on the island of Rapa Nui. This incredible NGO is dedicated to preserving culture, community spirit, and environmental awareness. Their most well-known program is the Music and Arts School. The school is named after the stone tool, toki, which was used to carve the moai. They feel each person is a toki, a tool meant to improve our world and carve a better present and future.
The story of this school is truly unique. It is inspired by co-founder and world-renowned concert pianist, Mahani Teave Williams, who at the age of 9 had to leave the island to follow her dreams of becoming a professional musician. Growing up on Rapa Nui, Mahani fell in love with the piano, but there was nobody living permanently on the island who could teach her. There were some traveling musicians who came to the island for a short time, but ultimately, they had to leave. There was only one piano on the island, and it had fallen into disrepair.
Mahani and her family moved from Rapa Nui to the Chilean mainland so that she could study piano. As Mahani’s musical talent became more recognized, she traveled the world and studied in the United States and Germany. She has performed globally and amazed people around the world.
However, Mahani wanted to help the children living on the island of Rapa Nui to pursue their love of music without needing to leave the island.
In 2012, Mahani and her team, along with philanthropists, volunteers, and others, built one of the most incredible schools in the world. Caring for the environment and sustainability have always been a part of the Toki Rapa Nui mission. As a result, the school building is self-sustaining. Designed by architect Michael Reynolds, it is constructed from recycled materials like glass bottles, aluminum cans, and old tires. It features solar panels and a rainwater harvesting system.
The school’s vision is to be a center of reference that proposes questions and provides answers according to the needs and realities of the Rapanui people. At the same time, it aims to integrate ancestral wisdom with new knowledge, while working on sustainable development, heritage rescue, and support for the community.
Today, Toki Rapa Nui offers a range of courses empowering the community while preserving its cultural heritage.
For more information on Toki Rapa Nui visit their website: tokirapanui.org
