Rapa Nui

Getting to Easter Island became part of our wishes for the trip, and getting there is easiest from Santiago. It is a 5-hour flight, and there is one flight/day. An agent helped us setting everything up, with flights, accommodation on the island and all tours we could fit in. We decided to spend 3 nights on the island, and it turned out to be just right for us.

The tour guide, Tamaru, turned out to be a cultural expert and a very knowledgeable person. We were lucky that we had him taking us around for all the tours over 2 whole days and a very long Friday evening the day we arrived.

The first tour started at around 7.30 at night to watch the sunset. After that Tamaru took us to do an archeological lesson and watch the stars. This was a great experience, walking around in the dark with just a flashlight and get to hear about how his ancestors used rocks to mark on the ground where the corresponding stars were in the sky. The culture has some very smart ways of dealing with things, and everything we learned was amazing.

Already at the first stop we saw some moais. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moai

It is all very well to read about moais, and their place in history, but listening to a local telling the story is so much better. We saw the quarry where they were made, and learned about the theory how they were moved over huge distances by people power only. Each moai is made as a dedication to a person, and they all look a bit different. We also learned that when the people agreed that they were not sacred, a lot of them were pushed over and most of them got damaged in the process. They have been restored, but there are still several in pieces laying with their noses in the ground. And the reason why they are standing facing into the island rather than out at sea is that they are standing to protect the people on the island, and if you are going to be able to protect someone, you have to see them! So they are not meant to frighten a prospective invader. The great majority of them are male, but there are a few females too. Those women must have been very important and influential to have a moai dedicated to them.

During the tours we learned about how the population lived with hen houses, open stone constructions to cultivate food, stone buildings and houses made of thatches, a system of rotation for stone bed cultivation areas, and many other interesting areas. There is a lot of information on the internet, and not everything is completely clear yet and open to further research. It is a fascinating place to visit! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapa_Nui_people

There was an annual competition to see who would be king for the coming year, the tangata-manu. This role was sacred and of extreme status and importance. In addition to being appointed king for the year, he also won a virgin. The last competition was in 1867, and they were always held in Orongo.

We stayed in a cottage close to La Calle Principal, and it was handy for walking around when we had some time free. Hanga Roa is nowadays mainly used for activities involving tourists, and the locals joke that they leave the village to tourists and run away to other spots for a quieter life. We ate very well and enjoyed the views. It is clear that the main income source is tourism, and it is well organised and pleasant to be part of.