This question interests many. This place is exotic and shrouded in a whole heap of legends and beliefs. However, getting there will be very difficult.
Where is Easter Island: coordinates
A small piece of land, annexed by Chile at the beginning of the twentieth century, is located 3,600 km from the South American continent. The nearest island group is 2075 km to the east. It is not difficult to guess that of all the inhabited places on Earth, Easter Island is one of the most remote. The area of this unique monument of Rapani culture is 163.6 km2. It is the small size and very distant location from the mainland that determine the questions about where the Easter Islands are located. By the way, this combination is absolutely incorrect, since there is only one island in that region, and counting small patches of rocky shallows as islands is hardly correct. It is all the more surprising that such a thing, lost far in the waters, sheltered in its small lands the amazing nation of Rapa Nui, which supposedly erected amazing stone sculptures.
Historical reference
Of course, it’s not enough to know where Easter Island is. Its history is no less interesting than its location.
The island arose as is standard for numerous archipelagos and atolls of the largest ocean on the planet: thanks to a volcanic eruption. Constant eruptions and violent winds have made the shores difficult to access for ships to moor: there are only two places where you can set foot on the coast from a liner without first crashing on the rocks.
The first colonists reached this lost piece of land 1,300 years ago. They noticed large palm groves, which were immediately used to build houses and boats. Later, the small civilization had a hard time: the constant attacks of Peruvian pirates decreased every year. In addition, Catholic preachers destroyed the artifacts of the people from Easter Island, which caused irreparable damage to the unique culture of Rapa Nui. Currently, the remains of ancient structures are under the protection of UNESCO.
Moai stone statues
How the Rapa Nui created the famous stone sculptures is still not known. They are blocks that weigh up to 14 tons and can reach 4 meters in height. It is curious that idols can be found everywhere: in places where Easter Island meets the ocean, or in the depths, near mountains and volcanoes. In other words, the Moai cult was of great importance for the population of the era of the construction of stone idols. Presumably, they were built to mark the death of a fellow tribesman: the larger the statue, the more honor the deceased received. However, the question arises: “How did the stone blocks move from one point on the island to another?”
It will most likely be impossible to find the answer to this. However, the unfinished prototypes of future statues found suggest that the idols were first hollowed out of rock, and then transported on logs or cables from one part of the island to another.
How to get there?
It would seem that knowing where Easter Island is, reaching its shores would not be a problem. Unfortunately, it is not. You can try your luck and board one of the liners that set sail from the shores of Australia or South America, heading to conquer the vastness of Oceania, especially since the first inhabitants reached the island on dilapidated boats. However, the most adequate option is to fly by plane.
But not everything is so simple with a flying unit: you can fly to the coveted place only from Chile and Tahiti. For residents of Russia, even Australia is very far away, but this is only a transit point on the way. In total, the flight to the shores of the famous island will take several days, and will also eat up a fair amount of finances. It is also worth remembering that there is only one city on the island, so visiting the UNESCO monuments is the only joy available to tourists.
When to visit?
Despite the remoteness of the place where Easter Island is located, it is a fairly popular tourist region, which has its own periods of influx and decline in the activity of visitors. Considering the fact that this piece of land is located near the equator, it is impossible to encounter snowdrifts here at any time of the year. However, the high season begins in the summer: from January to March. This is followed by a decrease in tourist flow, although temperature conditions are still not very severe: about 17 degrees in the coldest months. Thus, if you want to enjoy the beauty of Easter Island without the noisy crowds, it is better to come between April and November.
Easter Island is a unique place. Here you can admire the volcano, visible even from space, and unique stone sculptures. In addition, the island's population can tell travelers a lot, as local legends have been passed down from generation to generation. So now we know where the Easter Islands are, and what they, or rather he, are.
Easter Island(Spanish: Isla de Pascua) is an island of volcanic origin, belonging to, lying in the South Pacific Ocean, between Chile and the island of Tahiti (French: Tahiti). Together with the small uninhabited o. Sala y Gomez (Spanish: Isla Sala y Gómez) forms the commune and province of Isla de Pascua (Spanish: Provincia de Isla de Pascua) within the region (Spanish: Region de Valparaíso). Local name given to the island by Polynesian whalers: Rapa Nui(Rapa Nui).
The only city of Hanga Roa (Spanish: Hanga Roa) is the capital of the island.
About 6 thousand people live on the island, about 40% of them are Polynesians or Rapanui, indigenous people, the rest are mainly Chileans. The Rapanui people speak the Rapa Nui language, and believers profess Catholicism. The island's area of about 165 km² is home to 70 extinct volcanoes. They have not erupted even once in the 1,300 years since its colonization. The island has the shape of a right triangle with sides of 24.18 and 16 km, at the corners of which rise the cones of extinct volcanoes: Rano Kao (Rano Kao; 324 m), Pua-Katiki (Puakatike; 377 m) and Terevaka ( Rap Terevaka; 539 m - the highest point of the island). Between them lies a hilly plain formed by volcanic tuffs and basalts. Lava tubes and flows have created many underwater caves and a bizarre, steep coastline.
There are no rivers on Rapa Nui; the main sources of fresh water here are lakes that arose in the craters of volcanoes.
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The climate is subtropical, with average monthly temperatures from +18°C to +23°C. Mostly herbs grow here, as well as a few eucalyptus and banana plants.
Along with the Tristan da Cunha archipelago, Rapa Nui is considered the most remote inhabited island in the world: the distance to the mainland Chilean coast is almost 3514 km, and to the nearest inhabited place, the Pitcairn Islands (owned by Great Britain) - 2075 km .
Rapa Nui is mainly famous for its stone giants, which, according to the beliefs of the local population, contain the mystical power of the ancestors of Hotu Mato-a, the first king of the island.
Easter Island is undoubtedly the most mysterious island on the globe. With its wonders and inexplicable mysteries, it magnetically attracts the attention of historians, geologists and cultural experts.
Story
In 1722, a squadron of 3 ships under the command of the Dutch traveler, Admiral Jacob Roggeveen (Dutch. Jacob Roggeveen; 1659-1729), heading from South America in search of the riches of the Unknown Southern Land (lat.Terra Australis Incognita), on Sunday April 7, the day of Christian Easter, discovered a small island in the South Pacific Ocean. At the council assembled by the admiral, the ship captains signed a resolution proclaiming the opening of a new island. Surprised travelers discovered that on Easter Island (as the sailors immediately dubbed it) three different races coexist peacefully: red-skins, blacks and white people. Local residents greeted the travelers differently: some waved their hands in a friendly manner, while others threw stones at the uninvited guests.
Polynesians, the inhabitants of Oceania, call the island "Rapa Nui" (rapa Nui - Big Rapa), however, the islanders themselves call their homeland "Te-Pito-o-te-Henua" (rap.Te-Pito-o -te-henua, which means " the center of the world»).
Formed by a series of large volcanic eruptions, the secluded island has been home to colonies of seabirds for millions of years. And its steep, steep banks marked the navigation route for the ships of Polynesian sailors.
Legends say that about 1,200 years ago, King Hotu Mato-a descended on the sandy beach of Anakena and set about colonizing the island. Then, for many centuries, a mysterious society existed on this island lost in the ocean. For unknown reasons, the islanders were carving giant statues known as "moai". These idols are today considered one of the most inexplicable ancient artifacts on Earth. The islanders built villages from houses of unusual, elliptical shape. Presumably, the newly arrived settlers adapted their boats for temporary housing by turning them upside down. Then they began to build houses in a similar way; most of the hundreds of such buildings were destroyed by missionaries.
By the time the island was discovered, its population was 3-4 thousand people. The first settlers found lush vegetation on the island. Giant palm trees grew here in abundance (up to 25 m in height), which were cut down for the construction of houses and boats. People brought various plants here, which took root well in the soil enriched with volcanic ash. By 1500, the population of the island was already 7 - 9 thousand people.
As the population grew, separate clans formed, concentrated in different parts of Easter Island, connected by the common construction of statues and the cult that arose around them.
In 1862, Peruvian slave traders took away most of the inhabitants of the island and destroyed their original culture. In 1888, Rapa Nui was annexed to Chile. Today, the islanders are engaged in fishing, farming - growing sugar cane, taro, sweet potatoes, bananas, and also work on cattle farms and make souvenirs for tourists.
Sights and mysteries of Rapa Nui
Despite its small size, Easter Island has many attractions, both natural and man-made. In 1995, Rapa Nui National Park (Spanish: el Parque Nacional de Rapa Nui National) was included in the UNESCO World Heritage Register.
The entire territory of the island is an archaeological reserve, a single amazing open-air museum.
Easter Island has 2 sandy beaches: located in the northern part of the island, Anakena Beach (Spanish: Playa Anakena), one of the few beaches where swimming is officially allowed, an excellent place for surfers. The second beautiful deserted beach, located along the southern coast of the island, is a real pearl called Ovahe (Spanish: Playa Ovahe). Ovahe is surrounded by picturesque cliffs and is much larger than Anaken.
The main attraction of the island and an unsolved mystery that has haunted the minds of scientists for centuries, of course, are the Moai sculptures. Almost everywhere along the southern part of the island there are huge ancient statues.
It is not known why the islanders began to create gigantic sculptures en masse. Their incomprehensible obsession subsequently led to a catastrophic depletion of forest resources. The forest needed to transport the giant moai was mercilessly cut down. The first monolithic sculptures, as tall as a person, were made from basalt. Then the islanders began to make huge statues (more than 10 m high, weighing up to 20 tons) from soft volcanic tuff (compressed volcanic ash), an ideal material for sculpting. Located slightly in the depths of the island, the Rano Raraku crater (Spanish: Rano Raraku; a small extinct volcano up to 150 m high) is the site of the carving of famous giants. Hundreds of islanders worked on their creation from morning to evening. Today you can see all the stages of painstaking work here, and unfinished figures are scattered here. Probably, the making of statues by skilled sculptors took place in compliance with numerous ceremonies and rituals. If a defect occurred during the making of a statue, which was considered a sign of the devil, the carvers abandoned the work and began another.
When the statue was carved and the lintel connecting it to the crater rock was cut off, the figure rolled down the slope. At the base of the crater, the statues were installed in a vertical position, and here their final modifications were carried out. How were the massive moai then transported to various places on the island? The statues weighed up to 82 tons with a height of up to 10 m. Sometimes they were moved and installed at distances of over 20 km!
As Easter legends say, the moai... walked to their places on their own. Some researchers believed that they were moved by dragging. Later they came to the conclusion that the figures moved in a vertical position. What it all really looked like remains another unsolved mystery of the Easter Island civilization.
In 1868, the British tried to take one of the statues home. However, they abandoned this idea, limiting themselves to a small bust (2.5 m high). It was installed in the British Museum in London. Hundreds of natives and the entire crew of the ship took part in the process of transporting and loading the “baby”.
At the location of the statue, they were installed on ahu (rap. Ahu) - polished stone platforms of different sizes, slightly inclined towards the sea. Next came the final stage of creating iconic figures - installing eyes made of volcanic glass or coral. The heads of many stone idols were decorated with “hats” (rap. Pukao) made of reddish rock.
Moai pedestals are more than 3 m high, up to 150 m long, and the weight of their constituent stone slabs is up to 10 tons. Near the crater of the volcano, about 200 unfinished figures were found, among which there are giants more than 20 m in length.
Over time, the number of moai reached 1000, which made it possible to build an almost continuous line of monuments along the coast of Rapa Nui. The reason why the inhabitants of the tiny island spent time and energy on creating numerous giants remains a mystery today.
It is believed that the Easter Island sculptures were images of noble representatives of the clans. The statue's typical design - without legs, with an angular, grim face, prominent chin, tightly compressed lips and low forehead - remains one of Easter Island's greatest mysteries. All the statues (except for the seven moai located in the middle of the island) stand on the coast and “look” into the sky towards the island. Some experts consider them to be guardians of the dead, who protected the deceased from natural elements with their powerful backs. Mysterious giants silently lined up on the coast, turning their backs to the Pacific Ocean - like a powerful army guarding the peace of their possessions.
Despite the somewhat primitive nature of the moai, the statues are mesmerizing. The giants look especially impressive in the evening, in the rays of the setting sun, when only huge, blood-chilling silhouettes appear against the sky...
So, the Rapa Nui civilization reached its peak, then something terrible happened.
An ominous story about the merciless use of natural resources and the ruin of the island was revealed. The Europeans who first set foot on Easter Island were amazed at how people could survive in such a deserted place. This ceased to be a mystery when recent research showed that in ancient times the island was covered with dense forest and was an abundant tropical paradise.
Apparently, the island’s resources seemed inexhaustible, trees were cut down to build houses and canoes, and giant palm trees were cut down to transport moai.
The destruction of the forest has led to soil erosion and depletion. Poor harvests and lack of food led to armed conflicts between island clans, and the moai, symbols of power and success, were overthrown. The struggle became more severe over time; according to legend, the victors ate their enemies to gain strength. In the southwestern part of Rapa Nui there is a cave “Ana Kai Tangata”, the name of which is ambiguous: it can mean “cave where people eat”, or maybe “cave where people were eaten”. The Rapa Nui culture, formed over the past 300 years, collapsed.
Due to the lack of forest, the islanders found themselves even more cut off from the outside world than before. Even fishing turned out to be difficult for them. Easter Island was reduced to a devastated, desolate piece of land with depleted soils, with only about 750 inhabitants left alive. Under these conditions, the cult of the bird man arose here. Over time, it acquired the status of the dominant religion on the island, practiced until 1866-1867.
Due to the lack of material for building a canoe and the possibility of sailing away from the island, the Rapanui people watched with envy the birds soaring in the sky.
On the edge of the Rano-Kao crater, the ritual village of Orongo was founded, where the god of fertility MakeMake was worshiped and unique competitions were held between men of different clans.
In the spring, each clan selected the most physically prepared warriors, who had to descend from steep slopes to the sea infested with sharks, swim to one of the islands and bring from there an unharmed egg of a seabird, the dusky quack (lat. Onychoprion fuscatus). The warrior who managed to deliver the egg first was proclaimed the Bird Man (the earthly incarnation of the deity Makemake). He received awards and special privileges, and his tribe received the right to rule the island for a year, until the next competition.
Also unique to Orongo are the hundreds of petroglyphs that have survived centuries, carved into the solid basalt rock by the Bird Men. It is believed that the petroglyphs depict the winners of annual competitions. About 480 such petroglyphs have been found around Orongo.
The culture of the Rapanui people began to revive, perhaps the inhabitants of the island could once again reach their peak, but in December 1862, ships of Peruvian slave traders landed on the island and took away all the able-bodied inhabitants of the island. At that time, the economy was booming and needed labor. Due to poor nutrition, unbearable working conditions and disease, no more than a hundred islanders survived. And only thanks to the intervention of France, the surviving inhabitants of Rapa Nui were returned to the island. At the time of the island's annexation by Chile in 1888, about 200 indigenous people lived here.
Missionaries arriving on the island found a society in decline, and it did not take long for its inhabitants to convert to Christianity. Changes were immediately made to the clothing of the indigenous population, or rather, its complete absence. The inhabitants of the island were deprived of their ancestral lands, they lived in a small part of the island, while the arriving farmers used the rest of the land for agriculture.
Tattoos were banned, houses and ritual shrines were destroyed, and Rapa Nui works of art were destroyed. All wooden sculptures of the island, religious artifacts, and, most importantly, “” (rap. Rongo Rongo) - wooden tablets of the “talking tree”, covered with unique writing, were destroyed. Easter Island is the only island in Polynesia whose inhabitants developed their own writing system. Ancient legends, traditions, and religious chants were carved with shark teeth on tablets of dark toromiro wood, only a few of which have survived to this day. Kohau tablets with images of a winged bird-man, frogs, turtles, lizards, stars, crosses and spirals inscribed on them are another mystery of the strange island, which scientists have not been able to decipher for more than 130 years. Now there are only 25 left rongo-rongo, scattered throughout museums around the world.
In 1988, Rapa Nui presented scientists with another surprise. During excavations in a small swamp in the interior of the island, Australian scientists found the remains of a medieval knight in full equipment, sitting on a war horse. The knight and horse were well preserved in peat, which has preservative properties. Judging by his armor, the knight was a member of the German Catholic Livonian Order (1237-1562). The belt wallet contained gold Hungarian ducats minted in 1326; these coins were in circulation in Poland and Lithuania. Scientists could not explain how the rider ended up thousands of kilometers away on a remote Pacific island. More than 150 years remained from 1326 until the discovery of America (1492)! One involuntarily thinks about the existence of the phenomenon of teleportation. To this day, no more convincing arguments have been found to explain the appearance of the medieval crusader knight on Easter Island.
A little sad digression
The phenomenal Easter Island, which is a small piece of land (only 165 m²), was 3-4 times larger than before at the time of the construction of the mysterious giants. Some of it, like Atlantis, disappeared under water. In calm, sunny weather, areas of flooded land are visible through the water column. There is even such an incredible version: the mysterious Easter Island is a tiny surviving part of the ancestor of humanity, the mythical continent of Lemuria, which sank about 4 million years ago.
And the pearl island, located in Oceania far from civilization, prompts certain thoughts and conclusions. The history of Easter Island is a miniature copy of the history of our time. She is able to teach an object lesson to us, the inhabitants of planet Earth. We are all, in essence, residents of an island floating in an endless ocean.
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Easter Island is the most remote inhabited island in the world. The closest mainland landmass is Chile, 3,700 kilometers away. Administratively, the island is part of the Chilean region of Valparaiso - in 1888 Chile annexed this territory.
About 5,000 people live on the famous island, a little more than half of them are indigenous people. Area - 164 sq. km. The island has the shape of a regular triangle.
There are no hazardous industries here. The water around the island is clean and clear. But at the same time, the flora and fauna are not distinguished by the great diversity that is inherent in many island formations in the Pacific Ocean. And those who love only beach “bounty holidays” are better off not flying here. This is a place for romantics and the curious.
Who discovered Easter Island?
The island was once covered with lush forests. The first settlers appeared here around 300 AD. They were presumably from the islands of French Polynesia.
And the first European who saw the mysterious and now world-famous idols was the Dutchman Jacob Roggeveen. It was he who, on Easter Sunday 1772, discovered a distant land in the ocean. It is to him that the island owes its modern name. The local name is Rapa Nui. Soon James Cook also visited the islands.
Easter Island was rediscovered by the world and our contemporaries in the middle of the last century by the famous Norwegian traveler Thor Heyerdahl.
How to get to Easter Island
The flight from Santiago takes 5 hours. Flights are operated by the Chilean airline “LAN Airlines”, flight “Santiago - Tahiti” with a landing at Mataveri Airport on Easter Island. You can also get here from the capital of Peru, Lima. Flights are regular, unlike shipping services. There is only one pier for small ships on the island.
Tourists travel around the island itself in rented cars, bikes, taxis and on foot. The distances are small - by car you can get from one side of the island to the other in 30 minutes, and you can go around the whole island in one and a half to two hours.
Hanga Roa "capital" of Easter Island
In addition to the airport, in the administrative center of the island there are several 3 and 4 star hotels, shops, restaurants, a post office, schools and a church. Almost the entire population of the island lives here and is employed in the tourism industry. There are only two streets in the town, without numbering the houses - all the residents know each other. Prices on the island “bite”, which is not surprising - after all, almost everything has to be imported.
Attractions of Easter Island - Moai
The main attraction of this amazing corner of the earth is the stone statues scattered throughout the island - Moai, as they are called here. There are about a thousand idols on the island. The height of some reaches 20 meters. All but seven, whose gaze is turned to the ocean, are arranged so that they look into the island.
The statues were made from compressed volcanic ash in quarries inside the island. There are many guesses and versions about how the statues were transported around the island. Everyone who visited the idol “factory” itself is left with the feeling that work stopped just yesterday, and not many centuries ago.
- Ahu Rano Raraku (300 moai), ahu Tongariki (15 moai) and the ritual site, ahu Ature and ahu Naunau are the most interesting places for tourists to visit.
- Anakena Bay and Beach is the most beautiful and largest of the few island beaches.
The Tapati Rapa Nui (Tapati) festival is held on the island every year at the end of January. It is accompanied by chants, dances and traditional competitions of the local residents - the Rapanui people.
In Valparaiso itself, do not forget to take time to visit the city's maritime museums: the Lord Cochrane Museum and the Museum of Navigation and Maritime History.
Easter Island on the map of Valparaiso
Easter Island is the most remote inhabited island in the world. The closest mainland landmass is Chile, 3,700 kilometers away. Administratively, the island is part of the Chilean region of Valparaiso - in 1888 Chile annexed this territory.
About 5,000 people live on the famous island, a little more than half of them are indigenous people. Area..." />
For those people who want to take a break from everyday worries and forget about civilization for a while, there is nothing better than going to an island. But which one to choose, where the trace of civilization is least felt? Today it is quite difficult to find one, because almost all of them have long been familiar and inhabited. But if you want to touch the ancient secret, then there is nothing better than going to Easter Island. It would seem that this name is mentioned quite often, but where is Easter Island and how can you get there?
General information about the island
If you want to go to this island, then you need to know at least a little about it. You can immediately say that it is not without reason that this island is considered one of the mysterious places on the planet. For more than one century it has been shrouded in a veil of various conjectures and legends. And although historians, geographers and anthropologists say that all the mysteries of the island are open, the aura of mystery and riddles does not disappear from this at all. One of the questions that researchers are asking is how small the population of this island is.
In fact, people live here, but not many. Therefore, those tourists who love peace and quiet will find complete peace here.
Here, except for the capital itself, there is no noise of civilization, the hum of cars and heavy equipment. Everyone who comes here for the first time immediately feels at one with nature. If you are interested in the question of where Easter Island is located on the world map, then we can say that this small piece of land is located in the Pacific Ocean, 3600 km from South America.
The map can be enlarged by clicking on it with the cursor.
It was annexed by Chile already at the beginning of the 20th century and is often called the “Navel of the Earth”. This is one of the islands that belongs to the Polynesian archipelago. Its territory is very small, only 165.5 km2, and it arose as a result of volcanic activity. If you fly over it in a helicopter, you can immediately see a large crater from the volcano and smaller ones. The island can be called almost deserted, because very few people live here - according to some estimates, only 3,000, and according to others, a little more - 4,000 people.
All travelers note that when they get to this island, they seem to be transported at least two thousand years ago, because the life of the people here is quite primitive; They are engaged only in fishing and sheep breeding. There is nothing here that would remind you of agriculture or the cultivation of cereals. If we take into account the administrative division, the island is a small province and its center is Hanga Roa. Only here you can feel the hand of civilization, and very strongly at that.
Every tourist who takes a hotel room in Hanga Roa notes very high prices. Moreover, this applies even to very small rooms - although they are in great demand among travelers, they are also expensive. You can’t even dream about it here, because all the goods are also very expensive. And this is not surprising, because everything is brought directly from Chile, and this is a very long distance. Apparently, this is one of the reasons why people do not want to settle on this island.
Appearance of the name of the island
This island has different names, the Polynesians have one name, but the Europeans call it “Easter”. The appearance of such an interesting name was thanks to a Dutch researcher. This happened back in 1722, when the Dutchman Jacob Roggeveen arrived here on a Spanish ship. This event coincided with the date when Christian Easter was celebrated - the day of the bright Resurrection of Christ. The Spaniards could not ignore such a coincidence, so with their light hand this name of the island was fixed on geographical maps.
In Spanish it sounds like Ispa de Pascua, which is why the island began to be called Easter. But the Polynesians themselves call it Rapa Nui. It is not known which name is more correct, so we will stick to the one that exists on the maps. And to be more objective, it is worth indicating other names of this island. For example, it is also called this way: Te-Pito-te-henua, which has a rather interesting translation - “navel of the earth.” In the old names, the locals gave the island another name - Mata-Kiterage, which means "eyes looking up."
There are two languages here, and locals can speak both Spanish and Rapa Nui. If you have to buy any goods, there are two currencies in use here: the American dollar and the Chilean peso. In order to get to the island, you can use two types of transport: although there is not quite a sense of civilization here, there is an airport on Rapa Nui, and there are flights here directly from Chile. But you can also get there by sea using a cruise ship. The second route is even more preferable, since you can enjoy a sea cruise among the Polynesian islands.
Historical reference
Of course, knowing where Easter Island is is one thing, but getting more information about its origins is something else entirely. Researchers say that the region appears to have previously experienced very active volcanic activity, which gave rise to the island. Even after its occurrence, there were several eruptions. Thus, numerous archipelagos and atolls arose, not only in the Pacific Ocean, but also in other places.
Due to the fact that volcanic eruptions constantly occurred here and the winds were raging, this led to the fact that the shores of the island became almost inaccessible and ships could not land on the shore. If you look at the island from above, you can see only two places where the ship could enter. And then - for this you need to know the seabed, since everything around is dotted with rocks sticking out of the water. Therefore, it is not surprising that for too long, even the Spaniards and Portuguese, who opened the route to America, left this island aside.
The first colonists began settling this island quite late and began cutting down palm trees to build their huts and boats. But the settlers here had to endure many hardships, including attacks by Peruvian pirates. These clashes eventually led to the fact that the indigenous population on the island became very small. The Catholic missionaries who came here along with the Spanish conquerors also caused a lot of trouble. Seeing so many stone “idols” here, they began not only to teach the local residents the word of God, but also had a hand in destroying the local culture.
Therefore, it is now very difficult for modern researchers to restore the entire chronology of events before the Spaniards arrived here. It is very difficult to understand the customs that were here, what the locals believed in, what language they had, and much more. It is worth saying that now all the stone structures that remain on the island are under the protection of UNESCO.
Sights of Easter Island
Rapa Nui is a geographical feature, so exploring the landscape is the primary task of every tourist who comes here. This will be especially interesting for Europeans, because there is a big difference between the landscape of the European continent and the Polynesian one. First of all, there is extraordinary nature and amazing vegetation here. Among all the attractions, it is worth paying attention to the remains of volcanic activity - the craters. There is more than one of them, but the two largest ones stand out - Rano Kau and Rano Raraku.
Such a trip to the craters will be memorable, because if you climb up to the very top of the crater and look down, you may even feel dizzy from seeing how deep the bottom of the crater is. It will be possible to go around the first of them, but as for the other, it will be problematic to do this, since it is very swampy.
Rano Kau is located not far from a village, which, apparently, was formerly of a ceremonial nature. It is called Orongo and certain rituals were performed here dedicated to a local deity called Make-Make, as well as another creature - a bird-man who can fly. What these deities actually meant and how to understand all this is one of the mysteries of Easter Island. Here you can only guess about something and make your own assumptions.
As for the second volcano, called Rano Raraku, it can be called even more mysterious and at the same time majestic. And all this thanks to the numerous stone idols, of which there are many here. These carved idols are now known throughout the world, as their images and photographs have repeatedly appeared both on the Internet and in various geographical reference books. They can undoubtedly be considered the most important attraction of the island. The largest volcano can be seen even from space.
But they are not only found near this volcano; if you visit the ritual site called Ahu Tongariki, then similar idols can be seen here. Why are there 15 of them here and what do they symbolize? Researchers offer different versions. According to one assumption, they are guards of the Tongariki clan, and therefore guard this site.
Almost 50 years ago there was a flood here and almost all of these idols were damaged by the water elements, and some were completely destroyed. But a Japanese company called Tadano took up the task of restoring them. This happened at the very beginning of the 90s and the Japanese worked here for two years. Thanks to their efforts, all the idols were restored, so today every tourist can enjoy them.
Similar religious idols, which locals call moai, are found in other places on the island. All these statues were made from volcanic lava, and then the ancient settlers transported them closer to the shore and placed them in one row. As local residents say, this was done in order to protect the island from evil spirits that came from the water, which is why they were placed along the coastline.
All this suggests that the Polynesians, having no connections with the outside world, still understood that there was a spiritual world that could be either kind or hostile to humans. That's why they tried to protect themselves from everything bad in such a primitive way. The obsession with which the locals began to make these monuments led to very bad consequences, because in order to transport the idols to the coastline, a lot of wood was required. As a result, the palm trees were cut down and the forests disappeared on the island.
And if you visit another ceremonial site called Te Pito Te Whenua, here you can be amazed by another attraction - a whole series of round stones, among which there is one large egg-shaped stone, which in translation from Polynesian means “navel of the earth.” If you go to the Vinathu complex, here you can see a large wall made of stone blocks. What it means and why it was built - one can only guess about it.
When is the best time to visit Easter Island?
Although this island is quite far from all tourist routes and from the continent, travelers often come here. And what is quite remarkable is that there are periods when many tourists come here, but there are also those months when there is a decline in visits. If we take into account that this piece of land is located closer to the equator, then we can directly say that it is not because of frost and snow that fewer tourists come here in some months.
The greatest influx occurs in the summer (according to the local calendar this is summer here), from January to March, and after that the tourist flow decreases significantly.
And although the temperature conditions may still allow you to enjoy the beauty of the island, since the air temperature here is +17 degrees Celsius even in the coldest time, there are fewer people wanting to come here. Therefore, if you want to quietly explore Easter Island, then it is best to go here from April to.
How to get to the island?
Even knowing where Easter Island is, getting here may not be so easy. One of the most convenient options is to get to Australia or South America and travel here on an ocean liner. And this will be an unforgettable journey - sailing across Oceania will not leave anyone indifferent. But there is a second option - by air. But it turns out that it’s not so easy to get here by air. And the whole problem is that planes fly here from only two countries - from Tahiti and Chile. Therefore, first you need to get to these countries.
As for Russians, even a country like Australia is very distant for them. And if you take into account the fact that Australia is just a transit point, then you can roughly imagine how long it will take to get to the island. But it turns out that Russians also go on such a journey just to see these famous stone statues with their own eyes. As facts show, no obstacles will stop a Russian person if he sets himself some goal.
In order to get from Russia directly to the island, it will ultimately take several days. This takes into account how long you will have to wait at airports for a suitable plane. Therefore, if you want to see this piece of land, lost in the Pacific Ocean, then you need to plan your trip in advance: see what flights are available to Australia or how to get to Chile, book plane tickets. This way you can save at least a little time.
Easter Island
EASTER ISLAND, RAPA NUI
Island in the South Pacific Ocean, territory of Chile. Area 163.6 square kilometers. Along with the archipelago, Tristan da Cunha is the most remote inhabited island in the world. The distance to the continental coast of Chile is 3,703 km, to Pitcairn Island, the nearest populated area, 1,819 km. The island was discovered by Dutch explorer Jacob Roggeveen on Easter Sunday 1722. The capital of the island and its only city is Hanga Roa. In total, 4,888 people live on the island.
Easter Island is largely famous for its moai, or stone statues made from compressed volcanic ash, which, according to locals, contain the supernatural power of the ancestors of the first king of Easter Island, Hotu Matu'a. In 1888, Easter Island was annexed by Chile. In 1995, Rapa Nui National Park became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Easter Island has many names:
Hititeairagi, or Hiti-ai-rangi;
Tekaowhangoaru;
Mata-ki-te-Ragi(translated from Rapanui as “eyes looking at the sky”);
Te-Pito-o-te-henua(translated as “navel of the earth”);
Rapa Nui("Great Rapa"), a name mainly used by whalers;
San Carlos Island(so named by Gonzalez Don Felipe in honor of the King of Spain);
Teapi(as James Cook called the island);
Vaihu, or Waihou, (this name was also used by James Cook, and later by Forster Johann Georg Adam and La Perouse Jean Francois de Galot);
Easter Island(so named by the Dutch navigator Jacob Roggeveen because he discovered it on Easter Day 1722).
Most often, Easter Island is called Rapa Nui, although it is not of Rapa Nui, but of Polynesian origin. The island received this name thanks to Tahitian navigators, who used it to distinguish between Easter Island and Rapa Island, which lies 650 km south of Tahiti. The very name "Rapa Nui" has caused a lot of controversy among linguists about the correct spelling of this word. Among English-speaking specialists, the word "Rapa Nui" (2 words) is used to name the island, and the word "Rapanui" (1 word) is used when talking about the people or local culture.
The island has the shape of a right triangle, the hypotenuse of which is the southeastern shore. The sides of this “triangle” have lengths of 16, 18 and 24 kilometers. In the corners of the island rise extinct volcanoes: Rano Kao (324 m) near the Mataveri settlement; Pua Katiki (377 m) and Terevaka (539 m - the highest point of the island).
The highest crater of the Terevaka volcano is called Rano Aroi (about 200 m). Actually, “Rano-Aroi” is the name of the lake that fills the extinct crater.
Another Terevaka crater - Rano Raraku (160 m) is also a lake with a large supply of fresh water, surrounded by reed thickets. The diameter of this crater is about 650 m.
The diameter of the Rano Kao crater is about 1,500 m, the depth is 800 m. The volcano has a symmetrical shape and is surrounded by hilly terrain. The southern slope breaks into the ocean.
On the inner slopes of volcanoes, vegetation is more abundant. This is due to more fertile soil, the absence of strong winds and the “greenhouse effect”.
Easter Island is of volcanic origin. The soil was formed as a result of erosion of the slopes of volcanoes. The most fertile soil is located in the north of the island, where locals grow sweet potatoes and yams. The most common rocks on the island are basalt, obsidian, rhyolite and trachyte. The steep cliffs at La Perouse Bay (locally called Hanga Hoonu) are made of red lava.
The island is surrounded by small islands: at the southeastern tip - Motu Nui (the largest island, on which in the distant past military leaders of the Rapa Nui inhabitants were elected), Motu Iti, Motu Kao Kao (this island has a magnetic anomaly), at the western end - Motu Tautira and at the eastern end - Motu Marotiri.
The climate of Easter Island is warm and subtropical. The average annual temperature is 21.8 degrees Celsius, the coldest month is August (19.2 degrees Celsius), the warmest is January (24.6 degrees Celsius). The island lies near the southern border of the zone of southeast winds that blow in summer. In winter, northwestern winds predominate, but there are also southwestern and southeastern winds. Despite its proximity to the tropics, the climate on the island is relatively moderate. Heat is rare. This is due to the proximity of the cold Humboldt Current and the lack of any land between the island and Antarctica. Winds from Antarctica in July-August often reduce daytime air temperatures to 20 degrees Celsius.
The main source of fresh water on the island is lakes formed in the craters of local volcanoes. There are no rivers on Rapa Nui, and rainwater easily percolates through the soil, forming groundwater that flows towards the ocean. Since there is not much water on the island, local residents in the past built wells and small reservoirs everywhere.
The flora of the island is very poor: experts count no more than 30 species of plants growing on Rapa Nui. Most of them were brought from other islands of Oceania, America and Europe. Many plants that were previously widespread on Rapa Nui have been exterminated. Between the 9th and 17th centuries there was active cutting down of trees, which led to the disappearance of forests on the island (probably before that, palm trees of the species Paschalococos disperta grew on it). Another reason was rats eating tree seeds. Due to irrational human economic activities and other factors, the resulting accelerated soil erosion caused enormous damage to agriculture, as a result of which the population of Rapa Nui decreased significantly.
One of the extinct plants is Sophora toromiro, whose local name is "toromiro". This plant on the island in the past played an important role in the culture of the Rapanui people: “talking tablets” with local pictograms were made from it.
The trunk of the toromiro, with a diameter of a human thigh and thinner, was often used in the construction of houses; spears were also made from it. In the 19th-20th centuries, this tree was exterminated (one of the reasons was that the young shoots were destroyed by sheep brought to the island).
Another plant on the island is the mulberry tree, whose local name is mahute. In the past, this plant also played a significant role in the life of the islanders: white clothes called “tapa” were made from the bast of the mulberry tree. After the arrival of the first Europeans on the island - whalers and missionaries - the importance of mahute in the life of the Rapanui people decreased.
The roots of the "ti" plant, or Dracaena terminalis, were used to make sugar. This plant was also used to make dark blue and green powder, which was then applied to the body as tattoos.
Makoi (Thespesia populnea) was used for carving.
One of the island's surviving plants, which grows on the slopes of the Rano Kao and Rano Raraku craters, is Scirpus californicus, used in the construction of houses.
In recent decades, small growths of eucalyptus have begun to appear on the island. In the 18th-19th centuries, grapes, bananas, melons and sugar cane were brought to the island.
Before the arrival of Europeans on the island, the fauna of Easter Island was mainly represented by marine animals: seals, turtles, crabs. Until the 19th century, chickens were bred on the island. Species of the local fauna that previously inhabited Rapa Nui have become extinct. For example, the rat species Rattus exulans, which was used as food by local residents in the past. Instead, rats of the species Rattus norvegicus and Rattus rattus were brought to the island by European ships, which became carriers of various diseases previously unknown to the Rapanui people.
Currently, the island is home to 25 species of seabirds and 6 species of land birds.
It is estimated that during the cultural heyday on Easter Island in the 16th and 17th centuries, the population of Rapa Nui ranged from 10 to 15 thousand people. Due to an environmental disaster that erupted as a result of the anthropogenic factor, as well as clashes between residents, the population had dropped to 2-3 thousand people by the time the first Europeans arrived. The number of 3,000 inhabitants was also indicated by James Cook when visiting the island. By 1877, as a result of the export of local residents to Peru for hard labor, epidemics, and extensive sheep farming, the population decreased further and amounted to 111 people. By 1888, the year Chile annexed the island, there were 178 people living on the island.
At the beginning of the 20th century, a significant part of the Rapa Nui population (mainly young Rapa Nui) moved to mainland Chile. It was not until the 1950s, when living standards improved, that there was some improvement in the island's demographics. By 1960, more than 1 thousand people already lived on Rapa Nui.
According to the 2002 census, 3,791 people lived on the island (for example, in 1988 - 1,938 people). At the same time, 200-300 Rapanui lived on the mainland of Chile, Tahiti and in the USA. The growth was largely due to the migration of some Chileans from the mainland to Easter Island. The ratio of the indigenous and migrant population has changed. If in 1982 the number of Rapanui people on the island was 70%, then in 2002 it was only 60%. The remaining 39% were Chileans, 1% were other peoples. The population density on the island is 23 people per square kilometer (compared to 230 in Germany and 8.4 in Russia).
In the mid-19th century, there were 6 permanent settlements on Rapa Nui: Anakena, Tongariki, Waihu, Vinapu, Mataveri and Hanga Roa. Currently, almost the entire population lives in Hanga Roa, the administrative center of Easter Island. Mataveri and Moeroa in the southwest are often regarded as one settlement.
The official language on the island is Spanish, as well as Rapa Nui. The inhabitants are predominantly Catholic.
Moai of Easter Island
Moai are stone statues on the coast of Easter Island in the form of a human head up to 20 meters high. Contrary to popular belief, they do not look towards the ocean, but into the interior of the island. Some moai have red stone caps. Moai were made in quarries in the center of the island.
How they were delivered to the coast is unknown. According to legend, they “walked” themselves. Recently, volunteer enthusiasts have found several ways to transport stone blocks. But what exactly the ancient inhabitants used (or some of their own) has not yet been determined. The Norwegian traveler Thor Heyerdahl in his book “Aku-Aku” gives a description of one of these methods, which was tested in action by local residents. According to the book, information about this method was obtained from one of the few remaining direct descendants of the Moai builders. Thus, one of the Moai, overturned from the pedestal, was put back by using logs slipped under the statue as levers, by swinging which it was possible to achieve small movements of the statue along the vertical axis. The movements were recorded by placing stones of various sizes under the top of the statue and alternating them. The actual transportation of the statues could be carried out using wooden sleds. A local resident presents this method as the most likely, but he himself believes that the statues still reached their places on their own.
Many unfinished idols are in the quarries. A detailed study of the island gives the impression of a sudden cessation of work on the statues.
Rano Raraku is one of the most interesting places for tourists. At the foot of this volcano there are about 300 moai, of varying heights and at different stages of completion. Not far from the bay is the ahu Tongariki, the largest ritual site with 15 statues of various sizes installed on it.
On the shore of Anakena Bay there is one of the most beautiful beaches of the island with crystal white coral sand. Swimming is allowed in the bay. Picnics are organized for tourists in palm groves. Also not far from Anakena Bay are the ahu Ature-Huki and the ahu Naunau. According to ancient Rapa Nui legend, it was in this bay that Hotu Matu'a, the first king of Rapa Nui, landed with the first settlers of the island.
Te Pito te whenua ("Navel of the Earth") is a ceremonial site on an island made of round stones. Quite a controversial place on Rapa Nui. Anthropologist Christian Walter claims that Te Pito te whenua was installed in the 1960s to attract gullible tourists to the island.
There is an observation deck on the Rano-Kao volcano. The Orongo ceremonial site is nearby.
Tourism is the main source of income for the population. The only regular air service to Easter Island is provided by the Chilean airline LAN Airlines, whose planes depart from Santiago to Tahiti, making an intermediate stop on Easter Island. Domestic flights are carried out according to the Santiago - Easter Island - Santiago route. Depending on which ticket you ordered, international or domestic, departure takes place from two different terminals of the Santiago airport. Flight schedules vary depending on the time of year. In December-March, flights operate several times a week. The rest of the year - once or twice a week. The flight lasts about 5 hours. Starting from November 2010, you can also get to Easter Island by direct flight from the capital of Peru - Lima. All planes land at the only airport on Easter Island - Mataveri. There is only one pier for small ships on Rapa Nui. There are no regular shipping connections with other parts of the planet.
There are several hotels on the island, including four- and three-star hotels. Prices in Rapa Nui are very high. This is due to the fact that most products are imported. The island's attractions can be reached by taxi, rental cars, bicycles, horses or on foot.
Since 1975, the Tapati festival has been held on the island every year in late January - early February, accompanied by dancing, singing and various traditional Rapanui competitions.