Moai Moai everywhere

After a minor number two incident this morning (which will never be spoken of again!) my second full day on Easter Island (which is about half the size of the Isle of Wight- but I don’t think the tandem would make it round!!!)  proceeded in glorious sunshine and no sign of the torrential rain of yesterday….almost paradise.

The kneeling Moai similar to Polynesian ones

Easter Island is famous for its massive monoliths. Much like the terracotta army there are more of these statues (moai)  buried under the ground here at Easter Island and will remain so. Not quite on the scale of the terracotta army in numbers but in size phenomenal. There 400-500 statues still buried of various sizes 2,3,6 and 10 M in height possibly taller.

 

The largest Moai is 22 M high but is unfinished and is at the quarry where they were all made. In terms of weight they weigh anywhere between 6 and 100 plus tonnes so to move them was no mean feat

The Moai statues are believed to have first started in 1200 – I am sure google will tell you more accurately, with the last ones built in the 17^th century.

From what my guide (Ana) has said  I have managed to gleam the following though I believe there is still some uncertainty. They were built as a sign of status for the tribe, the bigger and more powerful the tribe the greater number of the statues and they were built to protect the homes- they overlooked what was known as boat houses, the houses that they lived in because they looked like upside down canoes. You can still see the rock foundations and the patios (can’t think of the proper word but you get my drift) they had out front. The foundations have circular holes in them into which wood was placed and then bent over to the other side of the house to make the framework. They then used dried leaves to make the walls and ceiling. Also cleverly they put the entrance downwind! However when one tribe overtook another or defeated it in warfare then their Moai were pushed over. I think that a lot probably fell over in earthquakes!

You can also see chicken coups everywhere- not like we would imagine, but effectively a built up circle of rocks – as when they first landed that was all there was to eat (which they brought with them) and fish from the ocean. So far today I have eaten chicken twice!! Though I have seen some cows, lots of dogs  and plenty of horses, which are apparently for riding.

The rocks they swam to find the eggs

The excavation photos are amazing and while some have been restored to their position they are also very exposed and weathering fairly easily. Sadly with each new country discovering the island at various different times the history of the island has been slightly lost and remains an incomplete tale due to people heading off with bits of the writings and Moai. Apparently there is a really good one in our National Museum….so need to come here really….it has been called the stolen friend!

The teeny tiny houses they stayed in before the Bridman competition

Today we also visitied Ranu Kau Volcano which has a crater lake and is really quite beautiful and properly made me stop in my tracks. It is also the location of the ‘Birdman’ culture or games where a member of each tribe would trundle down into the crater collect food and branches to create their version of a lilo or surfboard and then scale down the cliffs, swim 2KM to Motu Nui island wait for some birds to lay their eggs (5-7 days in a year) steal one and race back and then be crowned the ‘the Bridman’ for a year and get to live Rano Raruku (I think) the quarry where the Moai were made.  Only a 300 M cliff to scale as well so simples!

Not my best self take

In the preparation though they all stayed in some very spacious accommodation there with really big doors as you can see!!!

After my adventurous day – I wrote my postcards sat in in a deck chair and caught a bit of sun and then had dinner in town with a pisco sour drink- whoa….might try and make those when I get home!