This morning started out with lots of rain and lots of horses. It was that amazing tropical rain that you think is coming down heavily… until it comes down even harder. Our timing was perfect though because the torrential downpour let up just as we were pulling into our first site. The rain had the unexpected effect of drawing the island’s wild horses to the roadways to drink the water that was collecting there. Ata wasn’t lying when he said there were likely 10,000 horses on the island… they were everywhere. He said their numbers increase due to lack of predation, however they are kept in check by limited food resources, so it’s only the toughest horses that now make up the population. Though I teach my students about this type of scenario, I don’t often relate it to “domesticated” animals.
Wild horses on the way to Rana Raraku
I took the opportunity on this morning’s drive to ask Ata some questions about the tourism industry on the island. I was interested to learn that only 40% of the park entrance fees are actually directed back into the park, the other 60% goes into Chile’s general fund for other park areas of the country. This low amount is offset by two things; first, the great amount of pride the locals take in their island and secondly a forward thinking mayor. Apparently the locals take a lot of the oneness of upkeep and maintenance on themselves. In some ways, the whole island is like a reserve, so while in other areas upkeep inside a park border is done by staff, here it is done as part of their own property care. The office of the mayor receives funds from the Chilean government for operation, and it sounds like he is willing to match funds for proposals put forward by young professionals on the island.
In the last 10 years, there has also been an overhaul to the islands garbage procedures. Prior to that it was primarily dumped in a heap and burned. Today, there is an intensive recycling program in which every last possible recyclable piece is removed and compacted. Twice a year a 20 ton compacted pile is sent to the Chilean mainland and sold for processing into other goods.
Our first stop of the day was Ranu Raraku, the quarry from which all of the 1000’s of statues on the island were carved. At first I was disappointed to see a number of busses full of people pull up at the same time. We’ve been completely spoiled and are often the only people at many of the sites that we’re visiting. However, that changed when I found out that they are on a 34 day National Geographic world tour! Hmmm, maybe I need to start saving up for this one…
The quarry was fascinating as there were statues in all stages of the carving process, many abandoned midway when the society that was working on them collapsed. Ata described the process of carving the majority of the statues out of the mountainside from a standing position, using the removed fragments of rock to create a ramp on which to slide the near finished statue down to the base of the hill for final carving and then transport. It’s believed that the carving process primarily occurred during the rainy months (june/july) because the moisture softened the rock and made it more flexible, which had two results. It was easier to cut with their stone tools and the flexibility made it less likely to develop fractures during the carving process. Experiments show that it likely took a few years for the carving process to be complete which is particularly impressive considering the number of statues on this island!
In the last 10 years, there has also been an overhaul to the islands garbage procedures. Prior to that it was primarily dumped in a heap and burned. Today, there is an intensive recycling program in which every last possible recyclable piece is removed and compacted. Twice a year a 20 ton compacted pile is sent to the Chilean mainland and sold for processing into other goods.
Our first stop of the day was Ranu Raraku, the quarry from which all of the 1000’s of statues on the island were carved. At first I was disappointed to see a number of busses full of people pull up at the same time. We’ve been completely spoiled and are often the only people at many of the sites that we’re visiting. However, that changed when I found out that they are on a 34 day National Geographic world tour! Hmmm, maybe I need to start saving up for this one…
The quarry was fascinating as there were statues in all stages of the carving process, many abandoned midway when the society that was working on them collapsed. Ata described the process of carving the majority of the statues out of the mountainside from a standing position, using the removed fragments of rock to create a ramp on which to slide the near finished statue down to the base of the hill for final carving and then transport. It’s believed that the carving process primarily occurred during the rainy months (june/july) because the moisture softened the rock and made it more flexible, which had two results. It was easier to cut with their stone tools and the flexibility made it less likely to develop fractures during the carving process. Experiments show that it likely took a few years for the carving process to be complete which is particularly impressive considering the number of statues on this island!
Some of the heads in the quarry at Rana Raraku
As we passed one of the groups, Ata spoke to one of the guides leading the other Nat Geo group and it was at this point that we made the connection of who he was. Yesterday he mentioned he had archeologist parents, but he didn’t tell us WHICH ones… turns out that he is the son of Claudio Cristino and Patricia Vargas, who along with Edmundo Edwards make up the chief archeologists in the island’s history! No wonder is so knowledgeable! Imagine growing up in that household and the theories he must have heard! When we gave him a hard time for not telling us, he said that he wanted to be judged by his own merit, not that of his parents (totally understandable), but now that we know, we’ve been privilege to a couple of “inside stories” that I was able to film and will use in my Ecotourism class.
Our next stop was the site Tonariki. Many years ago, this place was devastated by a tsunami that had tossed, broken and buried many of the statues. In the 90’s, it was decided that this would be this would be the first site that would be completely restored and Claudio Cristino would be the one to head it up. This was a tipping point on the island, and it was the restoration of this particular site that renewed the Rapa Nui people’s pride in their culture. Interestingly enough, due to its proximity to the quarry, there is the belief that this particular altar may have been erected for the stoneworkers of the time and so it makes for an interesting cyclical comparison. We spent about 30 minutes (again some of the only people there) wandering around, mostly in silence, absorbing the enormity of this place.
Our next stop was the site Tonariki. Many years ago, this place was devastated by a tsunami that had tossed, broken and buried many of the statues. In the 90’s, it was decided that this would be this would be the first site that would be completely restored and Claudio Cristino would be the one to head it up. This was a tipping point on the island, and it was the restoration of this particular site that renewed the Rapa Nui people’s pride in their culture. Interestingly enough, due to its proximity to the quarry, there is the belief that this particular altar may have been erected for the stoneworkers of the time and so it makes for an interesting cyclical comparison. We spent about 30 minutes (again some of the only people there) wandering around, mostly in silence, absorbing the enormity of this place.
The 15 statues of Tonariki
Our final stop of the afternoon was pretty blew my mind. Take all of the history and culture of the monuments that we’ve been visiting, add palm trees, white sand and clear blue pacific waters and you have paradise! Yup, that was my afternoon. Swimming in the shadow of these historic statues in a location that had been reserved for the kings or the heads of the clans. I don’t quite know how I’m going to return to the real world!
Rapa Nui's one remaining sandy beach
Fortunately I wrote most of the above post this afternoon before we went to dinner. We’ve just come back from dinner with the one and only Patricia Vargas and I think my mind has officially been blown. To sit there at dinner with THE person who is responsible for the archeological discoveries on the island and listen to her theories and explanations of the whole process was so incredibly special. I’m not going to go into it here because I think I need to let the whole experience mellow in my brain a little bit before I write about it, but what I can say is that was probably one of the most memorable dinners I will ever eat! And tomorrow morning I get to do it all over, as it will be Patricia who takes us out and explains the birdman culture to us. Better go rest up so I’m fresh!
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