The Easter Island Bird Man Cult

We walked from Hanga Roa, the island's only town, to Orongo at the extreme South of the  island. It was a long haul in hot and  humid conditions up a steeply ascending scrubby path with little shade.  Rather like the ocean where every seventh wave is a big one, I began to perspire and with every seventh step a huge bead of perspiration fell from my forehead. Just as we felt about to expire, and without warning, we were standing on the lip of an enormous volcanic crater. This was Rano Kan, one of three volcanos that gave birth to the island.  The chain extends under the sea but has been dormant for millions of years. Heyerdahl described it as a "giant witches cauldron" and it was easy to see why as it was filled with black water and floating green islands of totora reeds.

The ruined village of Orongo is perched atop the 400 metre high cliffs with the sea crashing far below on one side, and the 200 metre drop to the crater of the volcano on the other.  The village is restored and your National Park entry ticket (that can be purchased on arrival at the airport for $50 US - a 15% discount) permits one entry to the site during the 5 days of its validity. There are 54 oval buildings here dating from the 16th century, with their sides cut in to the slope, and entry to each is through a small tunnel. 

On the cliffs, but unfortunately inaccessible,  there are 150 "Bird Man" carvings showing a man's body with a bird's head, often holding an egg in one hand. The only migrating bird to visit the island was the sooty tern and the basis of the cult was to find the first egg laid each Spring. The village was ceremonial, inhabited for only a few weeks each year, solely to celebrate this occasion. Tribesmen would compete to swim across the dangerous waters to the small islets, swim back with the first egg, and claim the title of "Bird Man" for the following year. The honour was a dubious one however, as the reward for the elevated standing achieved,  was to spend the next 12 months in seclusion.

Anakena Beach

We returned to Hanga Roa for a lunchtime drink and a well earned rest, and then took a taxi to the beach at Anakena.  It was blissful to enjoy a swim, then lie on the beach and listen to the sea.