easter island

The trip to Easter island was a kind of last minute thing and not a feature of my original plans. It seemed a shame not to go while I was in Chile. But my initial research into flight prices found the cost excessive. But fortunately my friend managed to source a great price so it made sense to do it. Five hours from Santiago and the airplane desended on the tiny island of Rapa Nui ( its correct name) to land on a small runway. The name Rapa Nui means 'navel of the world'. Uncanny really when the Inca's referred to their capital city by the same strapline.

Not to get to involved in its history but the original settlers were of Polynesian origin. It is disputed exactly when but estimates range from 600 to 1200 AD. Quite a margin. From the 10th to the 17th century they set about honouring their ancestors by carving statues from volcanic rock faces and transporting these mightly heavy Moai's to the fringe of the Island. They would stare inland to their desendants and transmit spiritual power to them. Then due to the enormous resources, trees in particular, this enterprise involved , there was wholesale deforestation and a lack of the food. Then a civil war ensued and most of the Moai were toppled. The stone carving stopped.

In the 17th century a new cult sprang up 'the birdman'. The last of these annual events taking place in 1867. This could be called a competition where each of the seven tribes would nominate an individual to race down the side of the southern Volcanoe, jump into the sea, swim through shark infested waters to reach a small island where they would search for the season's first egg laid by a manutara (sooty tern). The first contestant back on the mainland with an intact egg would secure the title 'birdman of the year' and thus ensure his tribe received the power of distributing the Island scarce resources.

The first European to arirve was a Dutch bloke on Easter Sunday in 1722. Hence the name Easter Island. Slave traders, European diseases and critically scarce resources drove the population down to a mere 110 by 1877. It is believed the population may once have been as high as 15,000. The Chileans annexed the Island in 1888. Thankfully the population has recovered to 3,700. The vast majority living its in one town, Hanga Roa.

We began our exploration with a hike to the largest volcanoe. An amazing sight, 1km in diameter and conforming to how one imagines a volcanoe to be. Long dead, it holds in its mouth a large colorful lake. Then we sought out the site used for the birdman festival. Quite impressive too. They were pretty talented with stone building and stone carvings representing their god, Make Make and other representations of birdman.

Then it rained solidly for one day. Nothing to do but lounge around bored.

To cover more ground we hired a 4x4 which was fun and it allowed us to see many of the Moai in one day. Many have been re-rected to their original platforms. But many too are broken and weather worn. But they make an incredible vista. Particularly the ones represnting mobility as they are crowned with an huge block of redstone and some inlaid with white eyes. Perhaps the most fastinating area in the Quarry where one can easily spot Moai in verious stages of completion. Some just abandoned and peppered along the volcanoe side. I was particularly impressed to see some platforms that in many ways are identical to the Inca system of construction. Yet these cultures never met or had never known of each other.

We also got to see a show of some native dancing. No coconut bras but straw skirts were in full free flowing operation. Quite a sight but then a little contrived, I thought. But it is a show for the tourists and that's their audience. I popped along to one of their nightclubs which was quite entertaining. Particularly as I spent the time with a Japanese women who took her teddy bear to the disco! I offered him cigarettes and booze. She thought this highly amusing. The mind boggles!

Although we stayed seven nights, three days would have been ample. It is a very interesting place and at times quite inspiring. But I would be lying if I did not complain about how costly it is. Yes, I undertsand that things have to be transported a long way to get to the island. Surely the fish dishes should be reasonable and do they not grow vegtables or fruit? Frankly some of prices are ridiculous. There is very much a cartel in operation on the island I would say. That said I do not at all allow this to interfer with my happiness that I got to see all those 'heads' and absorb some of the history of this isolated and remarkable civilisation.