Viriamo
Tattooed woman from Easter Island
About Viriamo
Lived 1840 – 1941 (aged 100–101). Viriamo was a Chilean informant.
Victoria Veriamo a Huki a Parapara, also known as Viriamo was one of the last surviving indigenous women of Easter Island to have been tattooed using traditional practices, along with Ana Eva Hei. She was a cultural informant who shared her knowledge of indigenous Rapa Nui culture with European visitors, as well as with her son Juan Tepano, who in turn also functioned as a cultural informant.
Tattoos leftViriamo's face and body may have been tattooed by the catechist Tomanika Vaka Tuku One. Her face featured geometric stripes on her forehead and an adze-like design on her cheek, and her back was decorated with the ao motif, which symbolised a paddle. :35-6
The tattoos of the Rapa Nui people were a subject of research by European colonisers, and Viriamo's body art was recorded by several people. It is likely that she is the 'chefess' recorded by Julien Viaud in his writings. Her back tattoos match those sketched by J. Linton Palmer in 1853; though she would have been older than he depicted at the time, it is thought that his drawings were idealizations.
By 1930, Viriamo and Ana Eva Hei were the only two people on Rapa Nui to have traditional tattoos. As a cultural informant, she shared information about the island's indigenous culture, including the practice of tangata manu, with visitors. She also shared information about indigenous deities, such as Tare and Rapahango.
Personal life Viriamo was born close to the Rano Raraku quarry. She was married three times. Her second husband was Vaka Ariki, with whom she had five children.
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Important facts
People in Viriamo's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Viriamo's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Viriamo?
Tattooed woman from Easter Island
When was Viriamo born?
Viriamo was born in 1840 in Easter Island.
When did Viriamo die?
Viriamo died in 1941.
What was Viriamo's occupation?
Viriamo was an informant.
What nationality was Viriamo?
Viriamo was Chilean.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Viriamo. https://biography.guide/viriamo/
MLA: "Viriamo." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/viriamo/.
Chicago: "Viriamo." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/viriamo/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-23 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
Portrait: Wikimedia Commons · author & licence
Page generated 2026-09-27 05:05 UTC