Easter Island (Isla de Pascua)
The primary object of this epic trip was to visit Easter Island and that goal has been achieved. To say that we had a fantastic visit to this island, would be a gross understatement, and my words will not come anywhere close to adequately describing our feelings of joy, spirituality and wonderment.
This small island is so very, very, small and could even be described as minute, when one considers its location in the middle of the mighty Pacific Ocean. Easter Island is only 22km long and 11km wide, for the most part composed of volcanic rock, is the most remote inhabited island on the planet, is home to around 5,750 people and 900 stone statues.
The statues, or moai, are each around 4m high, weigh close to 12.5 tonnes and are considered to have been carved around 690 AD.
Amazing, amazing, amazing! Over 1,000 years old, and carved, transported and erected, in a time so far prior to modern mechanization, with only the resources which already existed on the island and the manual labour of the small population.
The perimeter of Easter Island is bounded by rocky headlands, and cliffs which are hundreds of meters tall; all of which are continuously pounded by the full might of the ocean. The small port of Hanga Roa was created by cutting a very narrow channel in the lava rock, given a sharp left turn at the end of the channel and opening into a small boat basin. All of which makes for a very tricky transfer of passengers from ship to shore, via tender craft.
On reaching shore our first moai was sighted. I am sure that many have seen these enormous
monoliths in documentary TV programmes or photographs in reference books, but believe me, those
images do not do justice to the real thing. We both experienced such intense emotional joy to be so close to one of these enormous statues.
To achieve the absolute best experience possible for our visit, we joined a small group of fellow
travellers and recruited a local guide. The young lady guide was so very enthusiastic about her
heritage and culture, educated as an anthropologist and a pleasure to listen to. She guided our group to several historical sites and shared so much information about her ancestors and the meaning of the numerous moai.
Our first visit was AHU AKIVI where 7 moai stand in a line on a stone pedestal, and of all of the
statues on the island, these are the only ones which face the ocean - all others have their backs to the water. Our guide explained that these moai represent the 7 young explorers who went to sea to find
new land to settle on - they were the first group of people to arrive on the island and are oriented to look from where they came - Pitcairn Island - 2,000km to the west. The original Polynesian migrants
were known as Rapa Nui and subsequently this became the name of Easter Island, in the oral history
stories.
Our second stop was to see a single moai, AHU HURI a URENGA, which has its back oriented to the sea and is also looking directly towards the seven moai at Ahu Kavi, several kilometres distant. The line of sight was exactly along the length of the line of monuments and directly in line with a bright star, which appears in the sky during the fall equinox. This moai is unique and is the only one which has four hands. Our guide said that there is no explanation for this, other than, it was possibly a mistake. Much of ancient history has been gathered from oral historians and there is no knowledge of this four handed statue.
Next we visited a more recent historical site, ORONGO VILLAGE, which dates back between 500 and 600 years, and is located on the edge of the extinct RANO KAU volcano crater. The 300m deep crater is the major source of fresh water on the island.
The Orongo Village is a row of 52 houses, made from layered stone and located between the seaward rim of the volcano crater and the cliff edge above the ocean. Our guide explained these houses were not daily dwellings, but were used only for shelter during extreme weather.
So much information, a lot of walking, hot sun, blustery winds, uneven surfaces, occasional steep inclines and intense listening, combined for a physically tiring and emotionally draining day of learning, but left us with the memory of a never to be forgotten experience.
We will both sleep very well tonight.
This small island is so very, very, small and could even be described as minute, when one considers its location in the middle of the mighty Pacific Ocean. Easter Island is only 22km long and 11km wide, for the most part composed of volcanic rock, is the most remote inhabited island on the planet, is home to around 5,750 people and 900 stone statues.
The statues, or moai, are each around 4m high, weigh close to 12.5 tonnes and are considered to have been carved around 690 AD.
Amazing, amazing, amazing! Over 1,000 years old, and carved, transported and erected, in a time so far prior to modern mechanization, with only the resources which already existed on the island and the manual labour of the small population.
The perimeter of Easter Island is bounded by rocky headlands, and cliffs which are hundreds of meters tall; all of which are continuously pounded by the full might of the ocean. The small port of Hanga Roa was created by cutting a very narrow channel in the lava rock, given a sharp left turn at the end of the channel and opening into a small boat basin. All of which makes for a very tricky transfer of passengers from ship to shore, via tender craft.
On reaching shore our first moai was sighted. I am sure that many have seen these enormous
monoliths in documentary TV programmes or photographs in reference books, but believe me, those
images do not do justice to the real thing. We both experienced such intense emotional joy to be so close to one of these enormous statues.
travellers and recruited a local guide. The young lady guide was so very enthusiastic about her
heritage and culture, educated as an anthropologist and a pleasure to listen to. She guided our group to several historical sites and shared so much information about her ancestors and the meaning of the numerous moai.
Our first visit was AHU AKIVI where 7 moai stand in a line on a stone pedestal, and of all of the
statues on the island, these are the only ones which face the ocean - all others have their backs to the water. Our guide explained that these moai represent the 7 young explorers who went to sea to find
new land to settle on - they were the first group of people to arrive on the island and are oriented to look from where they came - Pitcairn Island - 2,000km to the west. The original Polynesian migrants
were known as Rapa Nui and subsequently this became the name of Easter Island, in the oral history
stories.
Next we visited a more recent historical site, ORONGO VILLAGE, which dates back between 500 and 600 years, and is located on the edge of the extinct RANO KAU volcano crater. The 300m deep crater is the major source of fresh water on the island.
Looking over the cliff edge from near the edge of the volcano crater.
The Orongo Village is a row of 52 houses, made from layered stone and located between the seaward rim of the volcano crater and the cliff edge above the ocean. Our guide explained these houses were not daily dwellings, but were used only for shelter during extreme weather.
House entrance - a tight squeeze and crawl to get inside.
A four room house and perhaps one of the very first condominiums.
This opening is at the end of the house and would have been covered with branches and thatch for ventilation.
So much information, a lot of walking, hot sun, blustery winds, uneven surfaces, occasional steep inclines and intense listening, combined for a physically tiring and emotionally draining day of learning, but left us with the memory of a never to be forgotten experience.
We will both sleep very well tonight.
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