An audience with the King of Rapa Nui

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Rapa Nui - Te Pito o Te Henua (The navel of the world) - Isla del Pascua to the Chileans - Easter Island to you and me - the land of the bigheads (we thought that we might fit in well here...).

It's one of the most isolated places on earth, the closest neighbours being 1,900 km away on the Pitcairn Islands of Mutiny on the Bounty fame. Details are shaky but people probably first arrived here between 1,500 and 2,000 years ago. For over 1,000 years the early Polynesian settlers probably lived in total isolation from the outside world until their discovery by the Dutch Admiral Roggeveen on Easter Sunday 1722. During those centuries of isolation the islanders dramatically grew in numbers. The volcanic island provided a surlpus of food and a class of religious men developed the practice of building Moai, stone statues varying between 2 and 21 m in height. The Moai stood on Ahu, long altars made from rocks.

Our host in Hanga Roa (the main settlement on Rapa Nui) was the congenial Oscar, a laid back Polynesian who spends most of time on the beach. Every morning we'd ask what he was up to that day and he'd reply "free day today - going to the beach". Oscar told us a bit about the Moai and their meaning to the islanders. The people here were very tribal and each village had its own Moai and Ahu. When important village elders died they were buried in the Ahu and a Moai was erected, immortalising them in stone. Almost all the Moai (with one exception) face inland smiling down on the villages which were thereby protected by their illustrious ancestors. The only Moai to face the sea point west in the direction of the possibly mythical island of Hiva, from which the original settlers had come.

The tribal division of the islanders apparently fueled a period of violence and destruction. Armed conflict swept across Rapa Nui culminating in cannibalism and the toppling of Moai from their Ahu by rival clans. The desecration of the Moai was compounded by tsunami and earthquake damage until none were left standing. The islanders' fate was similarly catastrophic. The arrival of Europeans brought slave raids and disease, both of which decimated the population until only a few hundred remained. Most of the knowledge and culture of the islanders was lost. Rapa Nui, for better or worse, is now a Chilean colony and strategic naval base.

There have been numerous efforts to reinstate the Moai and many again gaze down benevolently from atop their Ahu. This was no mean feat given their size. Standing with the huge Moai looming over you leaves you in awe of those who first erected them over 1000 years ago. Visiting Ranu Raraku reinforces your sense of wonder. It is known as the nursery as it is the quarry from which the Moai were hewn. It contains around 320 Moai, some finished, others not yet released from their beds of stone. The effort required to hack out a Moai from the mountainside is all too apparent. However, about 1,000 Moai were made in total - the islanders made an ornately carved equivalent to Stonehenge over and over again.

There is a Moai at a depth of 24 m in the reef off Hanga Roa, though this turned out to be a concrete one made "for Japanese tourists" (don't worry Daphne - only Tom saw that one!). After the fall of the Moai a new religious cult spread across the island, that of Tangata Manu, the birdman. This religion realted to fertilisation and the advent of Spring as heralded by the arrival of migratory sea birds. Every year a rather bizarre competition took place in which the contestants crossed the open sea using small reed rafts and stayed on a small island for up to one month awaiting the arrival of the Sooty Tern. The first to return (scaling a cliff in the process) with an egg of the Sooty Tern became the sacred birdman for the next twelve months. The site of the competition (Orongo) is adorned with numerous rock petroglyphs depicting the birdman and associated dieties. It was only about 140 years ago that this practice died out.

Orongo occupies an amazing location on a promontary between a cliff and a large perfectly circular volcanic crater. It's little wonder that it was considered to be a sacred place with such a dramatic location. In fact, the whole of Rapa Nui is a magical and mysterious place. You can't help being drawn in by the tales of the ancient lost land. Indeed, you can witness it at first hand. Near the main road through the island is a source of immense magnetic strength. We stopped our hired jeep on a downward slope and (while in neutral) it was pulled back up the hill, accelerating all the time. Strange.

Strange too was our encounter with Akterama. He introduced himself as the Autoproclamation King of Rapa Nui. We took this to mean "self proclaimed" but Oscar confirmed that he is indeed descended from the ancient line of Kings of Rapa Nui. Oscar also added (rather diplomatically) that Akterama likes to talk a lot. This is undoubtedly true. He placed his briefcase next to us stating that it was a bomb. Unfazed by our supposed impending obliteration we invited him to have a beer. Akterama is about 55 years old with a ponytail, penetrating eyes and a long white beard. He had a white flower delicately tucked above his left ear. He talked agitatedly about freedom from Chilean rule and a unified Polynesia. It turned out that his bomb was a political one. His briefcase contained documents with which he hoped to prove the illigitimacy of Chilean rule. His efforts are not generally supported by his countrymen, who have understandable practical issues in mind. In any event, the majority of the islanders have at least some mixed blood and there are undeniable links to the Chilean mainland.

At first, Akterama came across as being madder than a box of frogs. This view was supported by our Irish friend Bryan, who had seen him at the harbour when a big Tuna had just been brought in. When the fish was gutted Akterama ate its raw liver, spitting some into the sea for a local turtle (Akterama explained that this was so that the Turtle would know him).

Although Akterama's intensity and somewhat bizarre manner could tend to overpower his political views were understandable (whether he is right or wrong, and we're not qualified to comment on that). He's not just a policital activist - he is also an artist, tattooist and guitarist. He tatooed his left arm himself and claims that its meaning could only be explained using movie special effects. The tattoo on his left hand depicts the power of the sun's rays and barbs which he said flew from his hand. We were incorrect in suggesting that this was in some way like Spideman! We will certainly not forget our first encounter with royalty. You never know, maybe Lizzie will let us buy her a beer someday.

Rapa Nui is a fascinating place, particularly for its rich and somewhat bizarre history. It is also a beautiful and remote place where life is slightly different. For example, islanders commonly ride horses around town and it's not uncommon to see a line of horses tethered outside a nightclub! However, Rapa Nui is just the start of our travels through Polynesia. We're off to the Cook Islands tonight, though in true classy fashion we'll be sleeping the night in the airport in Tahiti en route. Well, it's not the toughest assignment in the world...

Iorana

T&S

p.s. cheers to Bryan, Noola and Sìla for the craic!
p.p.s thanks to Osso for sorting out anything we needed including boozy evenings!

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