November 25, 2024
I have wanted to visit Easter Island since I read about the giant moai in an issue of National Geographic when I was in 5th grade; today I am finally going there.
Easter Island is one of mankind’s greatest enigmas, the collection of giant moai statues scattered across Rapa Nui (Easter Island) have intrigued archeologists since their discovery. Easter Island in locate in the southeastern Pacific Ocean it, so named by a Dutch sailor who landed on the island on Easter Sunday, 1722. Today, the island—also known as Rapa Nui—is home to around 5,000 people, including 3,000 Rapa Nuians, the Polynesian people whose ancestorse were responsible for carving the moai—giant stone sculptures that grace the island’s tropical landscape. These immense sculptures—and the isolated culture that created them—have earned Rapa Nui a place in the imaginations of people the world over, as well as its designation as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
After flying to the island and getting settled we set out to see Moai!! Our first stop was Ahu a Kiva. This is a particular sacred place on the because the moai are looking out towards the Pacific Ocean all others face inland. 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 Moais 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 on the island.
Although we had dark storm clouds and misty rain the sight of these Moai was everything that I had envisioned and extremely spiritual.
Our second stop of the day was at Puna Pau. This site was the sole source of the red scoria that the prehistoric Rapanui used to carve the pukao (topknots) that they put on the heads of some of their iconic moai statues.
On the way back to the hotel there was a spectacular sunset a perfect way to end the day.
My first day of learning about the Moai and seeing them has exceeded all my little girl dreams!!!!
I am so blessed to be living the “Best Life Ever”
Fun following this adventure