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Northwest of the island.
Within the volcanoes of Easter Island, the Terevaka, or also known as Maʻunga Terevaka, is one of the most important.
The top of this lava mountain is the highest point in all of Rapa Nui and is a must for everyone who wants to get a panoramic view of the entire island.
Pea is one of the best places in Rapa Nui to practice surfing. Visitors who want to try to keep their balance in this corner of the South Pacific can take some surfing lessons.
The only Moai(s) facing the ocean at Ahu Akivi:
Contrary to popular belief, the moai(s) of Easter Island don’t stare out to sea, but rather look inland. While there’s many different conspiracy theories about this, the truth is that they were built to look back at the villages they represented.
The only exception to this is Ahu Akivi, which does stare out at the ocean. This is because the village was built on the edge of the sea, and with no room to place the ahu (platform) in their standard place, the villagers placed it behind.
It’s a gorgeous spot as well, and as it is completely unique it’s well worth visiting.
The restoration that boosted Rapa Nui:
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My Tips:
- Catch the moai as part of a trip on the northwest side of the island, as it is a bit out of the way.
- Find a tree to chain the bike to climb the Terekava Volcano. They rent the bike without a lock and chain. They didn't have it/them, thankfully I took it from Brazil.
An accurate astronomical observatory.
Like other platforms on the island, including the lone moai of the Ahu Huri a Urenga, the Ahu Akivi was built following a precise astronomical orientation. In this way they controlled the change of seasons and the most appropriate times for agricultural tasks.
In Akivi the axis of the platform was oriented from north to south, getting the faces of the moai look exactly at the point where the sun sets during the equinox of the austral spring (September 21st) and their backs face the sun of the dawn during the autumn equinox (March 21st).
Ahu Akivi and the stars:
The Ahu Akivi has a special connection to the stars. Its construction was carried out following a unique orientation that allows it to connect with the stars and thus obtain data from different times of the year.
Its orientation (from north to south) allowed the natives to know the changes of seasons and based on these data, to have clarity of the most suitable moments for the harvests.
How did they identify the stations?
During the spring equinox (on September 21), the face of the moai points directly towards the place where the sun sets. If the sun hid where the Ahu Akivi giants looked, the natives knew that spring was beginning.
Now, for the fall equinox (on March 21), the sun changes position and begins to hide just behind the moais. When this happened, the natives knew that there was a new change of season.
As a last piece of information I tell you that the best time to go to see this area is during the afternoon, when the sun is setting. If you follow my advice, you will have a beautiful and unique panoramic view of the sun saying goodbye to the day, just in front of the 7 moai statues and illuminating the stone giants with its last rays.
The sun's rays start to come out.
The sun rises right in the middle of the platform on the 21st of June (solstice). The longest day of the year.
Of course, knowing when the seasons are changing was extremely important for farmers, which is why at least another 15 platforms on the island are infallible inventions of solar power.
The statues on the island invariably faced the village as a protective mana, but in the case of the Ahu Akivi statues they face towards the sea. There is a legend narrated for this positioning of the seven statues. It is conjectured that the Rapanui people did it to propitiate the sea to help the navigators. However, according to an oral tradition, Hotu Matu’s priest had a dream in which the King's soul flew across the ocean when the Rapa Nui island was seen by him.
He then sent scouts navigating across the sea to locate the island and to find people to settle there. Seven of these scouts stayed back on the island waiting for the king to arrive. These seven are represented by the seven stone statues erected in their honour.
After a short journey in the gloom, a zone of clarity is reached, caused by a large skylight on the roof.
The sun and rain that enter through the hole have made another mass of vegetation grow.
In this place I saw a umu pae, an old oven formed by rectangular stones.
Hanga Roa in the background (south).
Explore the Rocky Coastline:
The coastline of Rapa Nui is jagged, volcanic and exceptionally beautiful. Huge waves batter the rocks, giving the entire place a rugged atmosphere.
While the beaches at Anakena and Ovahe are perfect for chilling on the sand and going for a dip, the rest of the spots would be better suited for big-wave surfers and spear fishing. Or for what we do – photography!
While the moais are obviously the star attraction on Rapa Nui, made sure I at spend a bit of time admiring just how beautiful this coastline is.
My Tip – This is where having your own car is perfect, but even if you don’t rent a vehicle still make a point to get down to a different spot for sunset on the coast at least once.
I rode a mountain bike and that was great.
All the moai statues were carved in volcanic tuff from the quarries of the Rano Raraku volcano, located one kilometer northwest. Despite their relative closeness, it is still not explained how they were able to transport to Tongariki these huge giants that have an average weight of 40 tons.
The moai measure between 5.6 and 8.7 meters, being the highest and heaviest (86 tons) the fifth on the right. If at the height of the moai, we add the 4 meters of the back wall and the almost 2 meters of the pukao or headdresses that adorned the head, the complete monument reaches a maximum height of 14 meters.
Formerly all the moai of the ahu carried a pukao on their head, but during the restoration only one could be placed on the second moai on the right. The others, due to the passage of time and the tsunami, were too eroded. On the right side of the platform I saw seven of these huge cylinders carved in red scoria extracted from the Puna Pau volcano.
Southeast external slope of the Rano Raraku volcano is the birthplace of the iconic moais.
The Rano Raraku is one of the most impressive sites in all of Easter Island. The famous moai were made in this volcano and the place is surrounded by these giant statues. I was amazed by the landscape adorned with colossal stone.
Broken moais were simply abandoned - the energy (mana) was considered to have disappeared if they fell and broke, requiring another moai to be carved in its place.
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Photography at Rano Raraku:
As Rano Raraku has statues facing all directions, there is no one best moment during the day for taking photos here. It all depends on the statues you want to take photos of.
Summer is better for taking good photos in Rano Raraku. In winter, many statues are completely covered in the volcano's shade due to the low position of the sun.
Time to climb the volcano! What alternatives are there? They are the same as when I arrived at the base, only except for the car. I could take a horseback ride (no) or did it on my own on foot (yep).
Whatever my option, the complete journey is about 4.5 kilometers (from the base of the volcano) and the journey takes approximately 4 hours (up and down). The road is quite entertaining. While it presents a small challenge, it is all very well indicated and everyone can achieve it.
The option of walking up on my own, following the instructions detailed below, since the route is safe and not too difficult.
When I reached the top I took a photo with the crown of the place: a mound of stones that proves that I passed the test.
In Hanga Piko's center there is the Ahu Riata, Tuki 12.
The site associated with a ceremonial complex constituted by the platforms Ahu Ataranga, to the north, and the Ahu Ana Hoto Huero, northwest from Ahu Riata.
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In the Rapa Nui language, Ahu means sacred stone platform, where the moai is placed.
A place to rest or for the fearful to wait for the brave to enter a hole in the earth.
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Ana Kakenga is, after Ana Kai Tangata, the most visited and attractive cave of Easter Island. It is about 4 kilometers north of Ahu Tahai following along the coastal path, and is usually the last cavern to be visited in the tourist circuit Te Ana or “the caves” that begins in Ahu Akivi.
A refuge cave in front of the sea:
Ana Kakenga is a volcanic tube, about 50 meters long, formed thousands of years ago when the still liquid lava continued to flow underground. This cavern, like that of Ana Te Pora, was used as Ana Kionga or refuge cave during the struggles that took place centuries ago between the different clans of the island.
In the only access available, camouflaged in the ground, I saw the slabs (paenga) that were used to reduce the width of the natural mouth of the cave. In this way a rather narrow passageway was constructed, which allowed a better defensive control to possible invaders.
A sad love story:
The name of Ana Kakenga could be related to a sad love story. According to legend, this cave was the last hiding place of a young couple who fled from the punishment for their forbidden love. So that they were not found, they covered the entrance from inside and there they remained until his death. It is not known whether they died of hunger or threw themselves into the sea from above, since their bodies were never found.
From the top of the crater one, you see crater two at 530 meters (1,738 ft) above sea level, the highest of Hapa Nui.
This bay is historically and important, since it is one of the few places with easy access to the ocean. Here are many ancient buildings abandoned by men from the tribes who lived here.
Maunga Roiho on the left and the west coast ahead.
Terevaka’s own name gives a clue about the activity that took place here. Although there are several interpretations, it seems that the literal meaning of Terevaka is “extract or throw canoes” and could refer to the time when the mountain would be covered with trees (a kind of palm), from which the wood was extracted.
Lonely tree on the undulating slopes of the Terevaka.
Descent to sea level on foot.
All these hills are volcanoes and the one at the bottom is a giant one. The crater is beautiful.
When I am at the foot of the volcano, I will take the dirt road on the right (west coast, north to south).
Visit the caves (Anas), the ahus and moais on this side.
After sunset yesterday, jeep 4x4, I used the same dirt road. It's the worst. I do not recommend. You have to drive really well on rough roads. Biking will be a delight.
Recreation of the paintings of Ana Kai Tangata | Watercolor of Melinka Pictures Hucke for the book Manu Iri.
The cave paintings of Ana Kai Tangata:
* That's the cave:
*That's the original rock painting on the cave wall:
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Along with your incredible walk inside the cave, I was also able to see the rock art practiced by the natives of Rapa Nui. Yes, as you read, the island has spectacular paintings of red, white and black that adorn your wonderful walk with history and culture.
The paintings that I saw there portray the Apizarrado Tern, a bird that flew over the island for a long time and is considered sacred by the natives to this day.
The rest of the figures are related to ships and frigates that according to the researchers could represent the Europeans who landed on the island (when the Europeans first arrived on the island, they were considered gods and messengers from beyond).
The Great megalithic wall on the back of the Ahu Te Peu.
This ahu (ceremonial platform) is the second most beautiful, it loses to ahu de Vinapu in Inca style.
I know your question!
You want to know what the Incas have to do with the Rapanuis.
Take a look at the 'ahu de Vinapu' (unique in style).
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This ancestral village is on top of a cliff.
There are two ahus, hare paenga (boathouses), manavai (circles of rocks for internal planting) and sole hare moa (chicken coop).
The paths of the route are steep, there are quite a few stones and they can be slippery especially if it has recently rained. Despite the low elevation of the Terevaka, the climate at the summit can be very different from the base, so it is advisable to wear a windbreaker or a raincoat to protect against strong winds and occasional downpours.
Although the ascension to the Terevaka can be done at any time, it is best to do it in the early morning or at sunset to avoid the strong sun of the central hours, since there is no shadow to protect yourself.
The entrance to the cave has stairs carved in rock and that are on a cliff, so I recommend you to wear sports shoes that are adapted to the path.
Given the difficulty of the entrance, I do not recommend this tour for (very) elderly people or those with reduced mobility.
*The other window or the second window:
Ana Kakenga Cave - The cave of the two windows.
After Ana Kai Tangata, Ana Kakenga is the most visited cave on the entire island.
This impressive gift of nature.
Ana Kakenga, also known as the cave of the two windows, is a cave about 50 meters long and a hike that I could not miss. Perhaps the most special thing about this incredible cave is the view that I appreciated from its two openings. Once I entered and walked a few meters, I saw that the path divides into two corridors and both end in a window that is more than 30 meters high with an incredible landscape towards the sea.
The left path is winding and low, so I was forced to duck to get to the end. When I arrived at the destination, I found a very large hole that forms a cliff and that has an incredible view towards the blue waters of the Pacific Ocean.
The right path is similar: also somewhat low, a path with some curves and a surprising end in which a circular opening connected me with the sea and that I surely was appreciating for minutes.
Along with the incredible view, I had the possibility to see the waves hitting the area strongly, just below the viewpoint where I was. It truly was a unique and unrepeatable moment.
Wander through Ana Te Pahu Cave.
There are hundreds of caves all around Easter Island, but one of the most impressive is Ana Te Pahu.
The largest lava channel on the island, Ana Te Pahu has recently been discovered to stretch for 7km total around Rapa Nui.
Climbing down into the cave can be a bit precarious, but once inside you really enjoy this beautiful spot, covered with trees and shrubs inside the caverns.
My Tip – Wear sturdy shoes and bring a headlamp if you want to go deep inside.
The sun's rays start to come out.
The sun rises right in the middle of the platform on the 21st of June (solstice). The longest day of the year.
Of course, knowing when the seasons are changing was extremely important for farmers, which is why at least another 15 platforms on the island are infallible inventions of solar power.
The Ma′unga Terevaka is the largest, tallest (507.41 m / 1,664.73 ft) and youngest of three main extinct volcanoes that form Rapa Nui (Easter Island, a Chilean island in the Pacific Ocean). Several smaller volcanic cones and craters dot its slopes, including a crater hosting one of the island's three lakes, Rano Aroi.
While Terevaka forms the bulk of Easter Island, the island has two older volcanic peaks; Poike which forms the eastern headland and Rano Kau the southern. Terevaka last erupted in the Pleistocene and is less than 400,000 years old. Its lava field at Roiho has been dated at between 110,000 and 150,000 years old. Terevaka is an easy walk up on a trail that starts next to the moai at Ahu Akivi, by foot or horse. It is often very windy at the top.
Terevaka is the 12th most topographically isolated summit on Earth.
The Half-buried moai head at Ahu Te Peu.
A pity for humanity!
Change the gods, but keep the temples.
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Ahus and Moai were totally destroyed.
An unrestored platform.
Moais and pieces of pukaos.
There are two platforms, unlike the other ahus, here the platforms were also destroyed, in addition to bringing down the moais.
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This ancestral village is on top of a cliff.
There are two ahus, hare paenga (boat-houses), manavai (circles of rocks for internal planting) and hare moa (chicken coop).
Check out Ana Kakenga Cave:
I’ve visited a lot of caves in my time, including the largest cave in the world, so it takes a lot for me to get excited about a twisting cavern. But when on Rapa Nui, everything is exciting!
Rapa Nui is covered in dozens of underground chambers, and trying to find every one in itself could take weeks. If you’re into amateur spelunking, you’re in the right place.
What makes Ana Kakenga so unique though is that this cave actually has two openings that expose themselves at the side of a cliff, offering sensational views over the Pacific Ocean!
There are many places to visit in Rapa Nui but this cave is a must see!
This cave is not for the claustrophobic! I needed to climb down a narrow entrance to get in, then crawled through a small chamber to reach the openings. But trust me, it was worth it!
My Tip – Bring a head torch or a light, and try to be out there for sunset, as the cave faces west!
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Motu Tautara and Motu Ko Hepoko in the background.
Motu means islet in the Rapa Nui language.
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One of the windows.
Unmissable.
The Hare Moa was a Chicken house (Hare = House, Moa = Chicken or bird).
This long stone structure was a type of coop where chickens were kept at night so they wouldn’t escape and prevent enemy tribes from stealing or killing them. There was normally only a single small entrance just big enough for the chickens to get through. These holes were left open or closed by placing and removing a rock into the gap in the wall.
And you may wonder how they got the eggs out. Well, they didn’t. The eggs were left there to produce more of the birds.
Ahu Akivi is a particular sacred place in Rapa Nui (or Easter Island) in the Valparaíso Region of Chile, looking out towards the Pacific Ocean. The site has seven moai, all of equal shape and size, and is also known as a celestial observatory that was set up around the 16th century. The site is located inland, rather than along the coast. Moai statues were considered by the early people of Rapa Nui as their ancestors or Tupuna that were believed to be the reincarnation of important kings or leaders of their clans. The Moai were erected to protect and bring prosperity to their clan and village.
A particular feature of the seven identical moai statues is that they exactly face sunset during the Spring Equinox and have their backs to the sunrise during the Autumn Equinox. Such an astronomically precise feature is seen only at this location and the Ahu Huri a Ureŋa on the island.
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I was here yesterday afternoon to see the beautiful sunset.
The trail to Terevaka volcano starts on the right side of the ahu.
Left the bike here.
An accurate astronomical observatory.
Like other platforms on the island, including the lone moai of the Ahu Huri a Urenga, the Ahu Akivi was built following a precise astronomical orientation. In this way they controlled the change of seasons and the most appropriate times for agricultural tasks.
In Akivi the axis of the platform was oriented from north to south, getting the faces of the moai look exactly at the point where the sun sets during the equinox of the austral spring (September 21st) and their backs face the sun of the dawn during the autumn equinox (March 21st).
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The best time to visit and take pictures is at sunset, which is when the setting sun illuminates the seven statues and highlights their features.
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The legend of the seven explorers:
In the recent literature on Akivi, the seven statues of the platform are related with the seven young people who were sent to explore the island before its first colonization by King Hotu Matu’a.
A legend says that Hau Maka, the priest of Hotu Matu’a had a dream in which his soul flew across the ocean when he sighted the island. Next, he sent seven explorers sailing through the sea to locate the island, study its conditions and the best area to disembark.
Although the idea that the legend was remembered in stone is attractive, it seems that it can not be true. The moai statues belong to a quite late sculptural period, after the year 1440 AD and historians consider the hypothesis that the first settlers arrived on the island towards the fifth century, so they rule out a possible relationship between both facts.
The restoration that boosted Rapa Nui:
Ahu Akivi was the first ahu to be restored after a small group of islanders, at the request of Thor Heyerdahl, erected the statue of the Ahu Ature Huki on the beach of Anakena in 1956. As a member of that Norwegian expedition was the American anthropologist William Mulloy, who from then on would devote a large part of his life to studying the mysteries of Easter Island.
The reconstruction work in Ahu Akivi began in March 1960 and continued until October of that year. William Mulloy and his Chilean colleague Gonzalo Figueroa worked with an archeologic team of 25 Rapanui people in various phases of excavation and reconstruction. This was the first serious archaeological excavation and the first complete restoration of a ceremonial site in Rapa Nui.
The works were done with hardly any material means, they only used wooden poles, stones and a pair of oxen. But with perseverance, ingenuity and effort they achieved their goal. To raise and place the first moai, they used a stone ramp and two large wooden levers. This operation took a month. However, after perfecting the technique and with the experience gained, it took less than a week to raise the seventh statue.
When the work was finished, Father Sebastian Englert himself gave the blessing at a very emotional opening ceremony. After 150 years the islanders could observe again several moai standing on an ahu.
The restoration of Ahu Akivi is considered a turning point in Rapa Nui. From that moment, other works of restoration of more platforms began. The Ahu Akivi was followed by the ahu of Hanga Kio’e, Tahai, Anakena and Tongariki. The ancient platforms regained their former glory and the small and remote Easter Island attracted the attention of other researchers and travelers. And what is more important, it unleashed a true cultural renaissance, an economic development and a renewed sense of pride in being Rapanui.
History of the Ana Kakenga cave:
Like all the caves on the island, this one also has a volcanic origin. The dry lava created the volcanic rocks and then the passage of the lava through these same rocks formed the openings that we know today as the windows to the sea.
The natives used this cave as a refuge during the internal struggles between the tribes. At the entrance I still saw cave ceramics that were used to narrow the entrance and thus make it impossible for enemies to enter.
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The name of the cave:
It has not yet been 100% deciphered, but it is said that the name Ana Kakenga is related to a young couple who, due to inter-tribal wars, had been prohibited from forming a relationship.
These young people, looking for a hiding place to be able to love each other, found the cave and remained together there until death took them both. Their families found the bodies months later and after the sadness they decided to reconcile and put aside their differences.
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The name of the islets are Tautara & Ko Hepoko.
Motu in Rapanui = islet in English.
The summit of the volcano at 530 meters high.
It is the local custom to place a stone to increase the height or for the physical achievement of having reached the top.
I put my stone on the top of the cairn.
The highest point on the island.
It is a volcano with several craters.
Having a 360º view of the island is really cool.
The view of the West Coast.
4 hours, 9 km (round trip).
The trail starts at Ahu Akivi, where I left the bike.
Starting point of the north coast.
In addition to its great historical importance, Ahu Te Peu symbolizes the gateway to the island’s untamed northern coast, a solitary area, which remains almost untouched since it is hardly visited by tourists.
The tour runs along the lower slopes of the Terevaka volcano ( flic.kr/p/tse8TP ), passes through Hanga Oteo to the north and ends at Anakena beach ( flic.kr/p/tbxxgD ) after more than 6 long hours of hiking.
Many remains of ahu, moai, caves and petroglyphs can be seen, but since there is practically no road and the signaling of these landmarks is null, it is possible that many of them are overlooked. So it is advisable to carry out this interesting adventure accompanied by a guide.
My first moai seen on the island.
My first contact with a Moia was in the Chilean mainland city of La Serena in 2014.
The Ahu Riata is located on the outskirts of Hanga Roa and can be easily combined with a hike to Orongo. The Ahu Riata has been restored and is located next to the small Hanga Piko Harbor. On the Ahu Riata is a single moai. A little further up on the meadow in front of the Ahu, there is another Moai laying on its back in the grass.
The Ahu is despite its location close to the city, much less visited than Tahai, which is located at the other end of the city. This gives you the opportunity to take your photos without anyone disturbing you. Even at night, this Moai is looking great. A little light from all around was enough to make the Moai appear bright in the long time exposure, while it was still dark enough so that you can see the stars behind.
Can you find the "Two-window Caves" from the edge of the cliff-side on the left of them?
See the next picture, please.
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One of the windows.
It is the most interesting cave on the island.
These two large natural windows located 30 meters high and created by the exit of the lava flow towards the sea, are those that give the nickname to the cave.
The large window on the right has dimensions of two by two meters and its capricious silhouette frames a fantastic view of the nearby islets, called motu Tautara and motu Ko Hepoko.
To the left window, of elliptical form, is arrived after a meandering road that forces to bend down again. The view from here is just magnificent, with the intense blue of the Pacific Ocean trimmed by the volcanic rock.
The incredible feeling of the waves crashing just below, must not make us forget the danger of falling into the void. From both windows, backlit beautiful photographs are achieved, capturing with permission of the clouds, magical moments during the sunset.
Unmissable.
Ahu Tongariki is one of the most stunning locations, situated on the east coast between the Ranu Raraku volcano and the Pacific Ocean.
Ahu Tongariki is the largest ahu on Easter Island (Rapa Nui). Its moais were toppled during the island's civil wars, and in the twentieth century the ahu was swept inland by a tsunami. It has since been restored and has fifteen moai, including one that weighs eighty-six tonnes, the heaviest ever erected on the island. Ahu Tongariki is one kilometer from Rano Raraku and Poike in the Hotu-iti area of Rapa Nui National Park. All the moai here face sunset during the summer solstice.
On the left, the Poike volcano was the first piece of land that emerged from the sea and, together with subsequent volcanic eruptions, formed the present territory of Easter Island. Its somewhat remote and isolated location and its difficult access make Poike a little-visited place.
I went up there by myself.
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Despite driving 30 minutes in the dark to reach Tongariki.
It's really worth it!
Listening to the waves crashing on the rocks on the coast as you wait for the sun to rise in the east behind the 15 moais on the ahu (ceremonial platform) Tongariki is the best way to start your day on the island.
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The sun's rays start to come out.
The sun rises right in the middle of the platform on the 21st of June (solstice). The longest day of the year.
Of course, knowing when the seasons are changing was extremely important for farmers, which is why at least another 15 platforms on the island are infallible inventions of solar power.
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Ahu are stone platforms. Varying greatly in layout, many were reworked during or after the huri mo'ai or statue-toppling era; many became ossuaries, one was dynamited open, and Ahu Tongariki was swept inland by a tsunami.
Ahu Tongariki, one kilometre (5⁄8 mile) from Rano Raraku, had the most and tallest moai, 15 in total.
The devastating tsunami of 1960:
Because of drawings, stories and photographs that are kept, it is known that until 1960 the state of conservation of the ahu was relatively good; even though the statues layed with their faces facing the ground and one of the lateral wings had been destroyed by having used the stones as a fence building material for the cattle.
But the night of May 22nd to 23rd of 1960 everything changed. On that fateful date one of the largest recorded earthquakes in history, with an intensity of 9.5 on the Richter scale, took place. It destroyed most of the central and southern regions of Chile causing numerous victims, since its epicenter was located in the Chilean city of Valdivia located 3,700 km east of the island.
But the disaster was even greater because the earthquake produced a wave that moved across the Pacific to reach the coasts of Oceania and Asia, causing special destruction on the islands of Polynesia. Almost 6 hours after the earthquake, the tsunami reaches Easter Island on its eastern side, hitting Tongariki directly.
Thanks to the fact that the town center of Hanga Roa is located on the west side, there was no need to mourn victims or serious damage, despite the sea level rose considerably. The tsunami skirted the island and resumed its course to Polynesia, where 15 hours after the earthquake, a wave of 10 meters high hit Hilo in Hawaii, killing dozens of people and destroying the city completely. The devastation continued until arriving at the coasts of Japan and New Zealand.
An apocalyptic landscape:
The first witnesses of the destruction of Tongariki arrived a few days after the tsunami due to the lack of transportation on the island at that time. Several estimates indicated that the gigantic wave that reached the bay of Hanga Nui exceeded 10 meters in height and entered more than 500 meters inland reaching the land near the base of the Rano Raraku volcano.
The tsunami hit the back wall frontally, destroying completely the main platform to the foundations and extending the remains over a large area. The force of the sea pushed some of the statues more than 100 meters inland. Some of them fractured and beat, and others rolled and remained face up showing their face for the first time after several centuries.
When the water receded, it had completely destroyed most of the monument that now presented a Dantesque scene. The whole area was covered with boulders from the coast, stones from the ahu and remains of statues, mixed with human bones and skulls from the tombs that had been under the platform, remains of dead sheep and large amounts of dried seaweed and rotten marine animals.
Before this dramatic event, the Tongariki area represented a first-rate archaeological site from which valuable information could have been extracted on the historical evolution of the island culture. Unfortunately, the tsunami caused most of the remains to be lost forever.
As a historical note, it is worth mentioning that a few months after this serious incident, in October 1960, the seven moai of Ahu Akivi got back on their feet. These were the first statues of the island that were risen after being prostrate for several centuries. A fact that revolutionized the recent history of Rapa Nui and with which began a stage of study, care and restoration of historical sites.
Mata Ki Te Rangi in Rapanui language means Eyes that look into the sky in English.
Ahu Akivi, the seven explorers.
The Ahu Akivi is an archaeological site with singular characteristics, due to its unique location, its studied astronomical orientation and the restoration work carried out in it, which was a milestone in the recent history of Easter Island.
The most important inner platform:
Ahu Akivi is located on the southwest flank of the Maunga Terevaka volcano, the highest point on the island, 2.6 km inland from the central west coast, where Ana Kakenga, the cave of the two windows, is located. This location is already significant, since most of the ceremonial platforms are on the coastal edge of the island.
Of the few ahu built in the interior of the island (about thirty), Ahu Akivi is the most important and elaborate platform of all of them. According to excavations and studies carried out, it is thought that the first phase of construction of the ahu began towards the end of the 15th century. First, a rectangular platform was erected on a level surface, from which a 25-meter ramp to the central plaza started. On the back a crematorium used in the cremation ceremonies was located.
During the second phase that took place at the end of the 16th century, improvements and modifications were made, a second crematorium was incorporated and seven moai statues were erected on the central platform.
Ahu Akivi is located in a territory associated with the powerful Miru clan, one of the highest-ranking tribes. It is thought that the moai were placed about 150 years before the first contact with European visitors, suggesting that at that time, considered a late date, there still reigned the political stability and economic abundance necessary to carry out a construction of this caliber.
The statues that look at the sea:
The seven statues were transported from the quarry of the Rano Raraku volcano located 15 km away, through an irregular terrain and using an unknown method. These imposing figures represent the archetypal form of a moai and have almost the average height and weight (4.5 meters and 5 tons) of the statues found on the platforms.
The statues present a careful uniformity between them, something that does not occur in Tahai or Tongariki, which gives the monument a sense of harmony and balance.
It is said that the moai of Ahu Akivi are the only statues that look at the sea of the whole island, since the rest turns their back on the ocean. And although, if they are looked with perspective, this is true, the truth is that they are oriented like the rest of the platforms, that is, their faces look towards the esplanade that extends before them, where formerly there was a nearby village. Therefore, the images of Akivi were placed, like the others, to watch over and protect the inhabitants of the village through the influence of their mana or mystical power.
An accurate astronomical observatory:
Like other platforms on the island, including the lone moai of the Ahu Huri a Urenga, the Ahu Akivi was built following a precise astronomical orientation. In this way they controlled the change of seasons and the most appropriate times for agricultural tasks.
In Akivi the axis of the platform was oriented from north to south, getting the faces of the moai look exactly at the point where the sun sets during the equinox of the austral spring (September 21st) and their backs face the sun of the dawn during the autumn equinox (March 21st).
The legend of the seven explorers:
In the recent literature on Akivi, the seven statues of the platform are related with the seven young people who were sent to explore the island before its first colonization by King Hotu Matu’a.
A legend says that Hau Maka, the priest of Hotu Matu’a had a dream in which his soul flew across the ocean when he sighted the island. Next, he sent seven explorers sailing through the sea to locate the island, study its conditions and the best area to disembark.
Although the idea that the legend was remembered in stone is attractive, it seems that it can not be true. The moai statues belong to a quite late sculptural period, after the year 1440 AD and historians consider the hypothesis that the first settlers arrived on the island towards the fifth century, so they rule out a possible relationship between both facts.
The restoration that boosted Rapa Nui:
Ahu Akivi was the first ahu to be restored after a small group of islanders, at the request of Thor Heyerdahl, erected the statue of the Ahu Ature Huki on the beach of Anakena in 1956. As a member of that Norwegian expedition was the American anthropologist William Mulloy, who from then on would devote a large part of his life to studying the mysteries of Easter Island.
The reconstruction work in Ahu Akivi began in March 1960 and continued until October of that year. William Mulloy and his Chilean colleague Gonzalo Figueroa worked with an archeologic team of 25 Rapanui people in various phases of excavation and reconstruction. This was the first serious archaeological excavation and the first complete restoration of a ceremonial site in Rapa Nui.
The works were done with hardly any material means, they only used wooden poles, stones and a pair of oxen. But with perseverance, ingenuity and effort they achieved their goal. To raise and place the first moai, they used a stone ramp and two large wooden levers. This operation took a month. However, after perfecting the technique and with the experience gained, it took less than a week to raise the seventh statue.
When the work was finished, Father Sebastian Englert himself gave the blessing at a very emotional opening ceremony. After 150 years the islanders could observe again several moai standing on an ahu.
The restoration of Ahu Akivi is considered a turning point in Rapa Nui. From that moment, other works of restoration of more platforms began. The Ahu Akivi was followed by the ahu of Hanga Kio’e, Tahai, Anakena and Tongariki. The ancient platforms regained their former glory and the small and remote Easter Island attracted the attention of other researchers and travelers. And what is more important, it unleashed a true cultural renaissance, an economic development and a renewed sense of pride in being Rapanui.
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The best time to visit and take pictures is at sunset, which is when the setting sun illuminates the seven statues and highlights their features.
I went to Van Dusen Garden on Chinese New Year's Day and met with the totems hoping to get in touch with the mystical power and energy from this ancient art.
I can see people love this aboriginal art piece too.
Happy Chinese New Year to you!
Van Dusen Garden, Vancouver.
February 2016.
Hoping to encounter with the mystical power of the totem poles, I had a tighter composition and crop on the scene.
Wishing you a great weekend!
Van Dusen Garden, Vancouver.
Gitksan Totem Poles.
Watch the Sunrise at Ahu Tongariki:
Perhaps the most popular thing to do in Easter Island is to watch the sunrise over the 15 moai in at Ahu Tongariki. This particular location is so unique because it holds the best restored moais on the entire island.
Re-erected to their traditional positions after a huge tsunami knocked them down in 1960, the 15 moai stand tall with spectacular mountains and ocean views behind them.
While visiting Ahu Tongariki is beautiful at any time of day, being there for sunrise is especially captivating as the sun peaks up between the statues, throwing long shadows across the field.
My Tip – Stay as long as you can after the sun rises to capture some amazing shots once everyone has left.
kivi is a platform with seven Moai (statues) of around 4 meters (13 feet) in height. It was originally called Ahu Atio Runaru and is thought to have been constructed around 1460. It was restored in 1960 by the archaeologists William Mulloy (USA) and Gonzalo Figueroa (Chile). The odd thing about this Ahu (ceremonial platform) is that it is the only one in which the Moai look toward the ocean and perhaps some place within the Polynesian triangle. This would give credence to the oral tradition which claims that the statues represent the seven explorers who were sent by the King Hotu Matu´a to find the mythical land which his royal advisor Haumaka had seen in a dream.
Another theory is that the Moai are really overlooking an inland sector in line with the small Ahu Vai Teka on a north-south equinoxial axis, perpendicular to the azimuth of the rising and setting sun during both annual equinoxes, which seems to have been a consideration in the construction of certain platforms. During the excavations and reconstruction of the funerary site behind the Ahu, fragments of bone, seashells and fishing implements were found. On the base of one of the statues is a carved image of the creator god Make Make, similar to one found on Ahu Huri A Urenga, another platform with astronomical orientation which has been proposed to have been a solar observatory. It is strange that, although this platform is only 4 km (2.5 miles) from the Puna Pau quarry for Pukao (headdresses), none of the seven statues wears this ornament. One of the many mysteries of Rapa Nui.
The birds are clearly representations of the "manutara" (the sootie tern - Onychoprion fuscatus), the species in which all Bird-Man competition is focused.
That's the cave:
PS. I will explain the Bird-man cult better when I arrive at Orongo village which is at the top of the volcano in the sequence of photographs.
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The legend of the origin of birds on Easter Island has, like all myths, part of the truth. And it is precisely that Motu Nui, together with the nearby islets Motu Iti and Motu Kao Kao, is the place chosen to nest for most of the seabirds that visit the island.
The manutara, the protagonist of our history, also nested until a few years ago on the motu or islets. This bird has been identified with two kinds of tern and specifically with the sootie tern (Onychoprion fuscatus) who came to the island every spring to lay eggs.
The manutara measures about 40 cm, has the upper part of the head black and the neck and chest white. The upper part of the wings and the body is a dark gray color by which it receives its name.
The meaning of Manutara or Manu Tara is “luck bird” in the Rapanui language. A name probably associated with its arrival coinciding with the end of winter and the beginning of a season with a greater abundance of eggs and greater fishing catches. It is possible that these reasons later made him the center of the bird-man ritual.
Unfortunately, the manutara can no longer honor its name because the bird does not visit Rapa Nui anymore due to the changes suffered in recent years in the fragile ecosystem of the island. However, as if the legend wanted to continue, the tern continues to nest in Motu Motiro Hiva, the uninhabited islet of Sala y Gómez, located 415 km northeast of the island and which is currently a protected marine reserve. Perhaps, in the near future, a new Make Make embodied in a marine biologist will introduce the species back into Rapa Nui.
The cave paintings of Ana Kai Tangata:
*Recreation of the paintings of Ana Kai Tangata | Watercolor of Melinka Pictures Hucke for the book Manu Iri:
Along with your incredible walk inside the cave, I also was able to see the rock art practiced by the natives of Rapa Nui. Yes, as you read, the island has spectacular paintings of red, white and black that adorn your wonderful walk with history and culture.
The paintings that I saw there portray the Apizarrado Tern, a bird that flew over the island for a long time and is considered sacred by the natives to this day.
The rest of the figures are related to ships and frigates that according to the researchers could represent the Europeans who landed on the island (when the Europeans first arrived on the island, they were considered gods and messengers from beyond).
The cave crisis:
Although there is no clarity of the cultural origin of this cave or of what the surprising cave paintings that I saw there mean, there is clarity of something: the seepage of seawater has caused these drawings to disappear and are in danger.
Given the above, CONAF and the government of Chile have implemented an emergency plan to maintain and restore this historical treasure. More and more care is taken with those who visit this natural wonder and there are experts working on its conservation so as not to lose this record of the Rapanui culture.
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Manutara the sacred bird that still lives in the memory of Rapa Nui.
Legend of the origin of the manutara:
Father Sebastián Englert, a Capuchin priest of German origin who lived on Easter Island for more than 30 years, studied its traditions and compiled the myths and legends that their inhabitants told him. Among them is the story of how the birds came to Rapa Nui and says:
“Formerly, when the first settlers arrived in Rapa Nui, there were no birds on the island. At that time there lived a witch or spirit called Hitu in the bay of Hanga Nui, near Tongariki. Hitu had a skull that she kept as treasure in the cavity of a rock. One day, when the sea grew, a great wave dragged the skull and carried it to the coast. Hitu threw herself into the water to retrieve it, but she could not reach it. Although she swam and swam, the skull floated among the waves and moved away.
Thus Hitu continued swimming day and night after the skull. When she was about to give up due to exhaustion, she glimpsed on the horizon the rocks of Motu Motiro Hiva (Sala y Gómez islet). When the skull reached the edge of the islet it became the creator god Make Make. Hitu reached the islet shortly after and both were welcomed by the spirit Haua who lived there because he was destined to care for the numerous seabirds that inhabited the small island.
After a few days off, Make Make ordered Haua to bring him some pairs of birds to take them to Te Pito o Te Henua (which means navel of the world, one of the names by which Easter Island is known). When Make Make arrived on the island, he went to Hanga Nui and climbed the Poike hill where he left the birds free to reproduce, and later returned to his islet.
The following year, Make Make returned to Te Pito o Te Henua to see if the birds had multiplied, but discovered that the inhabitants had eaten all the eggs. Then, furious, he picked up the birds and took them to Vaihú, where he again released them to nest there. But the same thing happened in Vaihú, and the natives ate the eggs again. The following year, Make Make, desperate, took the birds to Vai Atare, a place located on the edge of the crater of the Rano Kau volcano. There finally, the villagers left a nest with only one egg, from which the first manutara bird of the island was born.
But Make Make, to better ensure the breeding of the birds, returned again next year and left the birds on the Motu Nui islet in front of the Rano Kau volcano. There the birds multiplied in large numbers due to the difficult access of the small islet.
Later, Make Make, allowed the islanders to be able to collect the eggs of the birds in a certain period of the year, punishing those who collected them in times not allowed. In order not to provoke the wrath of God, the Ariki (king) and the priests decided to declare the eggs as Tapu (or taboo, that is, forbidden) during the closed periods. This taboo allowed the protection and development of seabirds in Rapa Nui”.
The cult of the manutara:
The importance of birds in the Rapanui culture is manifested through the numerous allusions to birds found in prints, paintings, sculptures and legends throughout its history.
This great relevance makes sense on a remote and isolated island like Rapa Nui, in which there were no large mammals or reptiles, and in which birds were the only living beings close to humans, which also provided an interesting source of protein in shape of meat and eggs, at the same time as feathers and bones to make tools and decorative objects.
Seabirds also indicate the location of shoals of fish when they fly over the surface of the sea in search of food, which was extremely useful to a people who based much of their livelihood on fishing.
It is not strange, therefore, that a religious cult arose around birds. There was a belief that the birds had a mystical relationship with the gods, and especially the seabirds that united the earth, the sea and the sky. Each year they came from “the hereafter”, an unknown land carrying messages from ancestors and spirits.
However, it is unknown exactly how the cult of the manutara was born and the bird man competition. A cult that replaced the veneration of the Moai statues with a new belief whose main ritual was carried out in spring coinciding with the migration of seabirds to nest in Motu Nui.