Land of mystique powers

Land of mystique powers
by Kelly Cullen (2001/06/08)

Nearest City: Not Specified

Detailed Location: Chile-Easter Island

Photo/Video:"Kelly and Moai head, Easter Island"

EASTER ISLAND....A land of mystique powers.....(6-08-01)

What a privilege it was to visit the lonely tiny (117 sq km) triangular rock of Easter Island. I was met at the airport by the Archaeologist who I was suppose to do a dig with. Unfortunately, she had a family emergency and was flying on the next flight. She set me up to stay with Lucia, a gregarious owner of the Mahina Taka Taka (Full Moon). Lucia and her family are Rapa Nui and own a small residential near the archaeological site of Tahia.

I decided to take an all day tour, it was the most interesting and informative tour that I have ever taken. I learned about the legends, history and clan warfare of the Rapa Nui´s. It was such an opportunity to pause and ponder the largest and most awesome collection of prehistoric monuments in the Pacific. Each Moai (stone statue) looked different even though they were cut from the same quarry, some were small or had topknots on them. The reddish cylindrical topknots were first thought to be hats or crowns, but now there is a consensus that they reflected a male hairstyle. There was even one Moai of a kneeling man with a goatee beard. Theory has it that the statues were walked to their platforms by dozen of men using ropes to lean the upright figures from side to side, others think there was a sledge use, while still others think it was magic; that is what I think.

Standing on a slope I could see the harshness of the islands edge surrounded by foamy waves breaking on the jagged shoreline. The huge rock boulders that had fallen into the icy violet-blue waters reminded me of how remote and barren this tiny island was. The island has also hundreds of horses which were used to get to more distant places. It was potentially hazardous for inexperienced riders thus I declined the offer to ride these majestic creatures.

Here are some facts of this windswept island: It has the longest airport runway in the Pacific, thanks to NASA, as it was built for an emergency landing strip for a space shuttle; There are 2 dive shops on the island; There are 887 Moai statues on last count, though there are probably more covered by the soil and has yet to be unearthed; The Moais have their backs to the Ocean and face the village that they protect; Easter Island has been a Chilean territory since 1888; No other populated island on earth is as isolated; The current population is 2800, but at one time it was as large as 20,000 and as low as 110. · The widest point of the island is only 12 km and has 3 major volcanoes; The container ship only comes 2 times a year and only 2 flights per week.

Everyone should make a pilgrimage to Easter Island at least once in your life. However if you can´t apparently there is a corny film, made in 1994 by Kevin Costner named Rapa Nui. Again, I have fabulous pictures but you will have to wait for a while before I can send them. I am currently in Santiago, Chile. I am heading for the Southern tip and extremely cold land of Tierra del Fuego. I will write in a few weeks.

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Land of mystique powers by Kelly Cullen (2001/06/08)
	Nearest City: Not Specified
Detailed Location: Chile-Easter Island
Photo/Video:"Kelly and Moai head, Easter Island"
EASTER ISLAND....A land of mystique powers.....(6-08-01) What a privilege it was to visit the lonely tiny (117 sq km) triangular rock of Easter Island. I was met at the airport by the Archaeologist who I was suppose to do a dig with. Unfortunately, she had a family emergency and was flying on the next flight. She set me up to stay with Lucia, a gregarious owner of the Mahina Taka Taka (Full Moon). Lucia and her family are Rapa Nui and own a small residential near the archaeological site of Tahia. I decided to take an all day tour, it was the most interesting and informative tour that I have ever taken. I learned about the legends, history and clan warfare of the Rapa Nui´s. It was such an opportunity to pause and ponder the largest and most awesome collection of prehistoric monuments in the Pacific. Each Moai (stone statue) looked different even though they were cut from the same quarry, some were small or had topknots on them. The reddish cylindrical topknots were first thought to be hats or crowns, but now there is a consensus that they reflected a male hairstyle. There was even one Moai of a kneeling man with a goatee beard. Theory has it that the statues were walked to their platforms by dozen of men using ropes to lean the upright figures from side to side, others think there was a sledge use, while still others think it was magic; that is what I think. Standing on a slope I could see the harshness of the islands edge surrounded by foamy waves breaking on the jagged shoreline. The huge rock boulders that had fallen into the icy violet-blue waters reminded me of how remote and barren this tiny island was. The island has also hundreds of horses which were used to get to more distant places. It was potentially hazardous for inexperienced riders thus I declined the offer to ride these majestic creatures. Here are some facts of this windswept island: It has the longest airport runway in the Pacific, thanks to NASA, as it was built for an emergency landing strip for a space shuttle; There are 2 dive shops on the island; There are 887 Moai statues on last count, though there are probably more covered by the soil and has yet to be unearthed; The Moais have their backs to the Ocean and face the village that they protect; Easter Island has been a Chilean territory since 1888; No other populated island on earth is as isolated; The current population is 2800, but at one time it was as large as 20,000 and as low as 110. · The widest point of the island is only 12 km and has 3 major volcanoes; The container ship only comes 2 times a year and only 2 flights per week. Everyone should make a pilgrimage to Easter Island at least once in your life. However if you can´t apparently there is a corny film, made in 1994 by Kevin Costner named Rapa Nui. Again, I have fabulous pictures but you will have to wait for a while before I can send them. I am currently in Santiago, Chile. I am heading for the Southern tip and extremely cold land of Tierra del Fuego. I will write in a few weeks.