Earlier in the day, we'd visited the incomparable Rano Raraku and several other amazing sites. From the quarry, it was just a three minute hop to Ahu Tongariki, Easter Island's largest ceremonial platform with 15 restored moai and likely the most recognizable image on the island. On the way, we spotted a lovely shrine that had both Christian and local religious elements.
Getting our first glimpse of Ahu Tongariki had to have been the island's most breathtaking sight. Our research had shown it was best seen, because of the light, at sunrise or early to mid afternoon. Since most people recommended a visit at both times if at all possible, we were already planning to return in two days at daybreak.
This ahu represented the pinnacle of the Rapa Nui stone carving period with 15 colossal moai standing side by side on the longest ahu ever built anywhere in Polynesia, with a length of over 650'! Legend has it that these living deities, worshiped by ancient tribes and powered by the magical spiritual essence of mana, walked from the quarry of their conception to their current elevated platforms, the ultimate resting place from which to protect and guide.
On entering the site there was a moai just inside to greet visitors. Japan has always had a particular interest in Easter Island, and the island receives a steady stream of visitors from Japan. In 1982, this moai was loaded onto a Chilean Navy ship and sent to Japan, where it was featured in fairs in Tokyo and elsewhere. It became known as the 'traveling moai' when it returned and is viewed as the protector of the 15 left behind!
All the national park signs we saw by the sites combined the letters 'n' and 'g' to form a new letter!
The moai were toppled during the tribal wars and a tidal wave in 1960 forced the moai, many weighing up to 80 tons, to be swept several hundred feet inland. They were eventually restored and set back in their original positions on an ahu, facing inland to stand with their backs to the sea to greet the summer solstice just as they were hundreds of years ago. The Japanese government helped fund the restoration.
Before we reached the monumental ahu, there were topknots that were destroyed in 1960 and couldn't be put back, sort of like Humpty Dumpty!
All 15 of these moai were distinct in size, shape and characteristics, just like the people they represented. Only one of these moai was adorned with the pukao, the topknot seen on some moai.
Some of the moai were whitened with a layer of sea salt and had holes in their long earlobes that might have once been filled with chunks of obsidian.
The 'baseball mound' to the far left of the moai was where we'd read comments months in advance we should stand to take the 'best' photos of all the moai! You can decide whether it was the opportune place.
Walking around the back of the platform gave us a better idea of the scale of both the platform and the moai on top.
The fragments of older moai behind the stone wall were examples of much earlier moai that were reused once but not in the restoration following the tidal wave. The rectangular chamber behind the platform was found to contain enormous quantities of human ash when it was excavated - remains from this village over a period of several centuries.
I just loved this photo of Steven posing as a moai!
This would have to suffice as our last shot of the mesmerizing site of Tongariki until we returned a couple of days later.
As we headed north from Tongariki, we spotted small stone towers called Pipi Horeko, which were piles of solid stone thought to represent either boundary markers between tribal territories, or tapu markers, defining particular areas of the island that were off limits due to fishing rights or a death.
We had seen horses all over the island so I was curious to learn they were first introduced on Easter Island by the Catholic missionaries at the end of the 19th century. Since then, their numbers have increased unchecked and their current population is about 3,000, the same as the number of cows on the island. All the horses belonged to someone and were branded as opposed to wild.
However, since there is nowhere for them to escape, they are left to simply roam the island. Only very few have been broken in for riding and rented out to visitors. Their meat is only very occasionally eaten, making it hard for some people to justify having so many of them on the island.
While current numbers seemed able to support themselves, the real threat from so many horses, aside from the occasional road accident, is the effect of the island's archaeology as their hooves do much more damage than human feet do. If we saw horses grazing on top of the ahu, we were encouraged to move them. That sounded way easier said than done!
Janina: I wonder if you and Pat saw these lovely flowers blooming everywhere when you visited Easter Island?
Papa Vaka was a prehistoric ceremonial site where an interesting series of stone panels had petroglyphs or rock carvings that reflected the ancient Rapa Nui's deep concerns about the sea and control of its resources. We were able to see, with the help of signs, a number of highly symbolic figures associated with the sea, such as fishhooks, canoes and various marine creatures. This was the island's largest petroglyph and measured more than 36' long. It depicted a tuna with a small shark on the lower right.
Even though we were there at the recommended time to obtain the best view, the light conditions still made it challenging. Viewing platforms helped somewhat, though.
This enormous panel contained images of canoes, turtles and hooks. The main figure was the 36' plus long vaka or canoe that had two hulls!
The Papa Mangai area had the largest concentration of mangai or fishhook figures on the island. Fish hooks were used mainly to catch the valued kahi or tuna.
One of the most extraordinary petroglyphs was either of an octopus or a crab or possibly some sort of mythological sea creature. It was amazing how dynamic and graceful it was despite being carved using only simple stone tools.
Te Pito Kura had just one statue called Paro which was the biggest moai ever moved and successfully erected on an ahu. It was almost 33' tall and weighed around 80 tons. Just the pukao itself weighed approximately 12 tons! According to tradition, the building of the moai was ordered by a widow in memory of her late husband. Paro was also one of the last statues knocked down from its ahu sometime after 1838.
A French explorer, Abel Dupetit-Thouars, was the last outside visitor to mention seeing any standing moai in 1838.
Near the platform, encircled by a stone wall, was a large, round stone surrounded by four smaller stones. Some legends say that the island's first king, Hotu Matu'a, brought this stone with him from Hiva, the mythical island in Polynesia from where the first colonizers came. The stone is thought to therefore possess heavy doses of mana - the spiritual power bestowed by the gods.
Anakena was our last stop of the day. I think when you see the photos, you'll agree that we'd saved the best for last based on sheer physical beauty. This place felt like Eden should be in our imagination. If we had an extra day, this was definitely where we'd spend it.
Anakena was known as the birthplace or cradle of Rapa Nui's culture because, according to the island's oral history, it was the place where the founding king, Matu'a, first set foot on the island. Archaeological studies have confirmed the extensive occupation of this site from about 1200 AD.
The lone statue standing at Ahu Ature on Anakena Beach was the result of the experiment that put the first moai upright since they were toppled.
The South Pacific beach was as idyllic as you could imagine but we could have done without the view of what looked like a destroyer smack dab in front!
That evening we attended a performance of the Kari Kari dance troupe, one of three traditional dance groups on the island. The performance featured traditionally, i.e. barely clad, body-painted men and women who told stories through dance. It was billed as a cultural ballet but it involved way more gyrations that any ballet I've ever seen!
The men appeared to be the stars of the hour-long, very fast paced show based on the hoots and hollers from the audience! I remember thinking the costume changes didn't take long because their 'costumes' were pretty skimpy!
The performers danced the sau sau, the island's famous courtship dance. Little was left to the imagination as you can see from the photos!
I was just glad we weren't sitting in the front row as we would have needed to have our dollar bills ready when this fellow danced!
The highlight for many audience members was when the dancers encouraged willing visitors up on the stage to dance with the Rapa Nui performers. The lighthearted show was the perfect way to let our hair down after seeing moai all day long!
Next post: Attending Mass said in Rapa Nui, the Banana Cave and more.
Posted on Earth Day, April 22nd, 2018, from Littleton, Colorado.
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