Pisco to Easter Island - Our Second Full Day at Sea

This is our second day (of four) days at sea on our trek to Easter Island.  We are loving the lectures about Easter Island and want to capture the information we learned this morning:

• The 5,000 year human migration from Taiwan to the South Pacific ended with Easter Island.

• 700 – 800 AD     Polynesians arrived on Easter Island

• 800 – 1000 AD   Settlement occurred  (population increased, plants established, animals)

• 1000                   Platforms of Moai were carved

• 1650                   Moai carving stopped

• 1722                   First Outsiders arrived (Dutch)

• 1723 -1774         Collapse of Easter Island

It is believed that the Moais were carved (and were similar to the smaller Polynesian Tikis) because the people were so isolated, they wanted to capture the spirits of their ancestors to “watch over” and protect them.  They were carved to represent a person of importance when they died. The statues all face inward with their backs to the ocean.  Most of the people lived around the perimeter of the island near the ocean and their food source. 

The Moai are up to 69 feet tall and up to 150 tons.  We can usually only see part (1/3) of each statue because the rest are buried due to a landslide.  They were carved in the quarry in the interior of the island, moved to the coast, had eyes made from coral, pupils made from obsidian, and had top knots carved from a different quarry that had more iron and a red color.  The top knots are not hats which many people believe, they are top knots similar to the hair style that was worn.  It was believed that the spirit of the person represented by the Moai was brought back to life when the coral white eyes were added.

Over a thousand years passed before any outsider came to Easter Island.  Over time, the Rapanui people formed different tribes and began to become competitive as their natural resources became scarce. The palm trees that were in such large abundance were cut down for homes and fires and (to be discussed later) for moving the Moai statues.  As tribes fought over resources, they toppled their competitor’s statues face down so the spirits could no longer protect  their ancestors. 

There are a few theories about how these Maori were moved:

• “Mana” is a Polynesian term  that means supernatural, prestige, prosperity.

•  When islanders were asked how the Moai were moved, the answer that was received was “the  moai walked”.

• The first theory is that they were stood vertical, had ropes around the statue with men on each side and rocked (like you would a refrigerator) down the “highway” (a road so to speak where the rocks were cleared).  This could have been what the islanders meant when they said they “walked”, or they truly believed they had “Mana” and walked.

• A few issues arise out of this theory.  The bases were flat so they could be placed on a platform.  If the status were rocked 20 miles from the quarry and their bases would have become rounded and unable to stand.

• The area on either side of the highway was littered with volcanic rock and it would have been impossible for men on either side to control the statue.

• What ropes and men could be strong enough to control a 150 ton statue?

The second theory is that the status were rolled.  They were stood vertical and rolled on logs.  This theory could explain some of the deforestation of Easter Island.

And of course some people believe the Moai were moved by extraterrestrials!

The Captain of the ship gave us a 50/50 chance of being able to go ashore on Easter Island.  We are going forward assuming we can and enjoying learning about this magical island.


Today was a great day at sea.  The blue Pacific Ocean is a great sight.
We were able to find a secluded corner, work on the blog, read and enjoy the trip.  It is amazing how quiet and peaceful things are on the ship.
Tonight we met for a cocktail at Martini's Bar before dinner and had a joyful evening at the Grand Dining Room.