Easter Island, denominated by her habitants Rapa Nui or Te pito o te henua, it's the remote island more habituate in the world. In her one of the complex cultures was developed but - comparable only with great megalíticas cultures (Egyptian, Inca, and Mayan) in extreme conditions of isolation . Myth and reality are confused in this territory that gave origin to an extraordinary culture that turns to Rapa Nui in a valuable archaeological treasure that it extends the borders of Chile. Eastern Island or Rapa Nui, the most oriental island of Polynesia and one of the most distant places of the planet, is localized in 27° 09' South Latitude, 109° 26 Western Longitude, about 3.800 km to the east of the South America coast, on the same latitude of the Chilean port of Caldera. At the northwest is localized the Pitcairn Island at a distance of about 2.200 km
Rapa Nui Nacional Park was declared World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1995. Eastern Island is considered the biggest museum in the open air. The islets in front of the cliff of the Rano Kau or Kari Kari volcanoes are protected as a Nature Sanctuary from 1976.
The landscape of the island wonders with its megalithic religious centers, politician dedicated to the spirits of the ancestors, who were designed as deities and were represented as megalithic statues or Moai. More than 900 Moai and 207 Ahu or altars decorate all the coastal edge and transubstantiate part of the interior terrains.
There are more than 70 parasite cones and secondary craters, among them outstands the Rano Raraku, which tuff was used to sculpt the Moai; and the small cone of volcanic scree of the Puna Pau, located on the northwest of Hanga Roa, from which interior were extracted the big cylinders of red scree (pukao) in prehistoric times, located over many of the big statues called Moai.
Around Rapa Nui is developed a narrow coastal platform that increases rapidly in depth and reaches the 200 meters of depth at a media of 1.000 meters from the coast. At some miles, this finishes and steeply the ocean reaches depths of almost 8.000 meters getting close to the coast of South America, at about 4.000 meters to the east and north and 3.000 and 3.600 meters to the southeast.
The characteristics of the marine bottom, the temperatures and streams impede the formation of coral reef, characteristic of other island of the tropical Polynesia. This has the marine erosion to be the main factor that has modeled the island from its emerging since more than three million years, giving rising to the big cliffs that characterize its rocky and unprotected coasts, without bays of natural shelter; only Anakena in the north coast has a large beach of white sand.
The floors of the island are thin and its volcanic origin determines that its main characteristic is its porosity, influencing significantly in the existence of superficial water draining. There are many areas of good agricultural floors, mainly in Hanga Roa and Matarevi at the west side.
Vaihu in the south coast, and Vaitea in the center of the island. Other areas of the island are covered by big flows of lava and rocky fields that correspond to the meteorization of oldest flows and the permanent action of the erosion. There are many caves and subterranean lava tubes, used in prehistoric times as permanent homes, ceremonial and funeral places or as refugees in times of intertribal wars .
The rainfall rate of the island allows maintaining vegetation covered of meadows full of grass, mainly introduced. The water for human and animal consumption is gotten from a big subterranean lens through deep shafts. The animals are supplied also in the lakes of some craters. There exists evidence that in the past the island had biggest vegetation with extent forests, mainly of palm trees and other species which are extinguished today as a consequence of the excessive human exploitation in prehistoric times. Most of the current species of trees and animals were introduced by the first sailors, missionaries and Chileans in the last two centuries use or intangible areas and its coasts are under the guidance of the Chilean Armada. This complex administrative superposition is not free of contradictions and territorial conflicts that have a particular incidence in its management and planning.
Tips Tour…
Places in Easter Island tan you can visit:
Rano Raraku: known as the Moai manufacture. In this place you can find about 400 statues in different moment of construction and transport, activity that seems to have been abandoned from one day to the next without existing until now a worthy explanation of this event.
Ahu Moai : Through the whole Island are about 300 platforms or altars called ahu, most of these have been destructed by the human, animals and natural elements. In this outstand places as Vaihu, Akahanga, Heki'i Raai, Te Peu and Vinapu, where you can observe statues, rests of human settlements (houses, caves, burners and hen runs), besides places of farming and ceremonial ones.
Tahai-Ko Te Riku complex : This archaeological place is located on the Hanga Roa town and is known as a complete restoration, where it is possible to observe stone houses, hen runs, ceremonial places, three platforms with Moai (Tahai, Vai Uri, Ko Te Riku), besides a pier constructed all by stones.
Ahu Huri A Urenga : Is a restoration located near Hanga Roa, it has a unique statue facing the sunrise, the winter solstice. This astronomical moment marks not only the beginning of the winter season ( tonga ), but also the different tapu (prohibitions) of fishing and other activities in the island.
Ahu Akivi : Archaeological complex restored in 1960 by the archaeologist William Mulloy. You can observe 7 statues looking at the sunset (sea). The tradition tells that these 7 Moai represent the first seven explorers that arrived to Rapa Nui, sent by the Hotu Matu'a king.
Ahu Ature Huki : Is located in the Anakena beach and is the first restoration made during the Norwegian expedition in 1956. It has a statue of anthropomorphic aspect and apparently older than the neighboring platforms.
Ahu Nau Nau : Restoration made by the Rapa Nui archaeologist Sergio Rapu at the end of the 70's. It is located in the Anakena beach.
You can observe 7 statues very good preserved, in which are details
impossible to see in other Moai, as tatoos, finishing and clothing. During the restoration a Moai eye was found and it is currently exhibited in the island museum.
Ovahe Beach: counts on surroundings on cogedor standing out its steep reddish sands and of red stone, in addition its marine bottom and fauna do the ideal place for the lovers of the diving and snorkeling, or also for nude.
Ceremonial Village of Orongo: Through the XVI century and as result of a combination of excessive exploitation of the environment and natural catastrophe, the Rapa Nui society goes into a deep environmental, cultural and social crisis. This culminates in the end of the megaliths and in the emerging of a new political and religious order, which center is moved to the Ceremonial Village of Orongo, emerging at the same time the worship to the creator God Make-Make. The warrior leaders, Matato'a, ascend to the power through the annual ceremony of the Bird-Man or Tangata Manu, being the village the scenario of this ceremony from 200 years. This competition is estimated to be bade until 1886-1887 when it disappeared due to the diverse
extern impacts. The last chosen warrior was Rukunga. The ceremony Tangata Manu is carried out in Orongo, a village located in the southwest edge of the Ranu Kau crater. From there you can see the islet Mou Nui, Motu Iti and Motu Kao where the Manutara arrived to nest each spring (Gaviotín Apizrrado, Stema fuscata or Gaviotín Pascuense, Stema lunata). The culminating moment of the competition was to get the first egg of that bird. The parties and celebrations began on July when the participants set up by the volcano, in Mataveri.
Information gotten from the Tourism Chamber of Eastern Island http://www.visitrapanui.cl/
Or more information: http://www.easterisland.net/
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