It seems we are drawn to remote places and Easter Island can certainly be called that. Located 3500 km off the coast of Chile, it is home to the world’s most remote airport and the mysterious moai statues. We spent a week here to wander about and learn as much as we could about these monolithic human figures.
They all fell down . . .
1838 was the last time an outside visitor documented seeing any of the statues standing. The islanders themselves are to blame for the destruction and there are two theories as to why.
When an important member of a tribe died, a statue was erected so their spiritual power, or mana, could protect their tribe and influence events long after their death.
Theory One: As the natural resources on and around the island were depleted there was inter-tribal warfare and the statues were knocked down by opposing tribes to ensure they no longer held any power. They were almost always thrown forward so their faces and eyes were no longer visible and every attempt was made to break them at the neck.
Theory Two: The islanders may have just lost faith in the power of the moai after seeing all their resources disappear year after year.
Restored but still deteriorating
Efforts have been made by many different countries to restore some platforms (ahu) to their original condition. The wind and sea continue to erode the statues and those that were left face down are in better condition because of it. Ahu Akivi was the first platform to be excavated and restored in 1960.
Ahu Tongariki
Perhaps the most famous, this platform was restored between 1992 and 1996 funded by the Japanese Government.
It is the largest with 15 standing moai and features the largest ceremonial structure in all of Polynesia.
In 1960, a tsunami hit the island with Tongariki receiving the brunt of it. This scattered the already fallen moai causing considerable damage.
The moai on it’s back fell during transport and was never erected.
The moai standing on its own is known as the ‘travelling moai’ having successfully left the island to tour Japan in 1982.
Anakena & Ahu Nau Nau
The main beach and, according to oral legend, the landing place of Hotu Matu’a, a Polynesian chief who founded the first settlement.
Ahu Tahai
Tahai is the only place you will find a moai restored with eyes. The original eyes were made of white coral with a pupil of red scoria stone. The museum houses the only authentic partial eye on the island and only a handful of others have ever been found.
Remnants of a distinctive boat-shaped house can also be found here. These houses were reserved for the higher ranking villagers.
Rano Raraku
This is the quarry where the moai were carved and home to almost 400 left unfinished. The mysterious Tukuturi also resides here. He is the only kneeling moai and made from red scoria instead of the tuff (volcanic ash) found here.
Puna Pau
This is the red scoria quarry where all of the pukao (topknots) were carved. There were only about one hundred topknots found, meaning they were a later addition to the statues.
Some believe they represented hats and others a hairstyle with long hair tied up in a bun.
Caves
There are many caves (anas) throughout the island that were used as temporary shelters or permanent residences.
They were also used as hiding places during the slave raids of 1862 when the Peruvians came and forcibly removed up to 1500 Rapa Nui people, many of whom were chiefs and wise men.
Rano Kau
This massive crater lake is over 1 km in diameter and the surface is covered with mats of freshwater reeds. Interestingly, these are the same reeds that are found in Lake Titicaca in Peru.
Orongo
A ceremonial site used for the Birdman competition in which tribal chiefs would select one of their men to race down the cliffs, swim to the islet (motu) offshore and wait for the Sooty tern to lay its egg. The one who returned to Orongo with the egg intact would be declared the winner and his chief would be crowned Birdman to rule for the next year.
