May 6th, 2015
I wake up encouraged by how easy I found Hitchhiking the day before when I headed to Anakena beach. I’ve got a new goal today though, crossing off the last major sight of the island, Rano Raraku where the vast majority of the legendary Moai (The big head statues) were crafted before somehow being transported around the island.
Now for todays quick history lesson. For many years scientists were baffled by what happened to the so clearly thriving civilization which built the Moais. One very popular theory was that the people became almost like a cult, so devoted to these statues that they spent all their time working on them, that they cut down every single tree of the island to aid in the moving of the statues. The islanders would have relied on wood to build their boats which they used to keep their people well fed and so this would have destroyed them.
Recently that theory has been cast into serious doubt as scientists are now theorizing the people did not need the trees to move the statues. Though I must say, looking at the massive things, I’ve no idea how they did it. Instead of this fanaticism scientists now believe it was mostly tribal warfare that devastated the original Rapa Nui population, combined with earthquakes and tsunamis, then followed by hundreds of years of mistreatment from outsiders (more on that coming to the blog soon) All of these trials left only a remnant of people who can trace their ancestry back far enough to be considered truly Rapa Nui.
At any rate, back to the present day. I set off earlier than usual, grabbing some bread and cheese as well as some homemade banana bread before heading back towards the airport road and walking along it to where it splits. Go right you’ll follow the coast of the island eventually leading to Anakena beach about 40 km later, go left and you cut through the centre of the island and get to the beach in just 18km. This time though I go right, as along this coastal road are countless cultural sights full of Moai and Ahu’s not to mention the incredible landscapes that seem to be hard to escape here on Easter Island.
I’m probably more surprised than you, but as I reach the bend in the road I decide I’m in a walking mood. The sun is out, the refreshing wind is blowing through my hair and so I keep my thumb by my side as several cars pass.
Walking towards the coast I find many more of the bright yellow flowers which coloured the walk up to Rano Kau two days ago. I pass another airfield not connected to the passenger airport and eventually take my last turn, heading left at a fork in the road following the signs towards my planned final destination.
A few more cars and trucks pass but I’m too busy singing along to my Ipod as I climb up the hill enjoying my first views of this side of the island, and the rough ocean to my right. I walk a few kilometres before coming to the first Moai site, by passing tons of small openings to caves and wishing I had a more reliable flashlight and more confidence to go in to the very small openings and discover a hidden aspect of Easter Island.
Eventually I leave the road behind and cut down to a small footpath right along the coast, crossing the rugged grasslands dotted with black volcanic rocks everywhere you look, the rough surge of the ocean breaking through my headphones and adding to the soundtrack of the scene. I walk like this for the next 45 minutes, heading out to outcropping rocks, impressive cliffs and even a couple of Moai.
Eventually though the footpath leads back to the road and I somehow manage to get a ride unintentionally as a local farmer named Jose pulls his truck over and invites me in. By this point I’ve walked about 12 km so I’m tired enough to take the ride.
I tell Jose how much I love his island and he just shakes his head, explaining that while the island is beautiful it’s far from perfect. He smiles at me with crooked and broken teeth and explains that there’s not enough women on the island for the men and so the Rapa Nui gene pool is growing even more diluted than before as men marry outsiders. I get the sneaking suspicion he might be more speaking bitterly about not yet having a wife himself but keep that to myself.
After just a kilometre or two he stops the beat up pick up truck and lets me out, explaining he has to go work in the fields to my left, but he wishes me luck and we part with a handshake and a smile and he sends me off back towards the coast and the first major Moai site on this walk.
One weathered statue stands separately back from the coast but as I pass it by and head down to the coast line I encounter perhaps the most moving sight of the island so far. It turns out, all along this section of coastline, the Moai have not been reassembled, instead left toppled as they were left by the local people hundreds of years ago. Strangely, though it lends to less impressive photographs, these toppled Moai feel still more powerful than there standing counterparts. An impressive feet.
I wander in this graveyard of fallen giants, wondering exactly why they were toppled, experts largely blame tribal warfare these days, and perhaps that is the cause of their fall but it’s fascinating to see monuments that once stood so tall now splayed out on the ground, their heads often broken off at the neck and their red Pukao (hats) rolled far away from where they lie. I feel like their empty eye sockets are following my path as I walk amongst them.
As I continue my walk I find many more of these toppled giants, several collections of them line the coastline here and each one is powerful in it’s own way.
I amble along the coast line another 15 km or so crossing the Rapa Nui checkpoint seen above and passing countless more toppled Moai and impressive waves crashing into shore. Eventually, my legs exhausted and sore, my left shoe very much falling apart, and blisters growing quickly, I make a stop at a point on the coast settling down to have some late lunch of banana bread and cheese sandwiches as I watch the amazing waves explode against the jagged black rocks. I don’t think I could ever get tired of that view.
After forcing myself up I wander through another set of two huge Ahu’s lined with toppled Moai’s these ones with paths that lead you closer and closer to these fallen giant littered all around the volcanic earth around us, the ocean still crashing in. It looks as if some of the Pukao may have been claimed by the ocean hundreds of years ago after the statues were toppled backwards near the cliffs.
I make myself keep moving, wondering how much further I’ve got to go and head back to the road, deciding that at about 30 km I’ve walked far enough. Sadly the road is not a popular one and I’m hardly going to turn back without getting to the Moai quarry so I walk maybe another 5 km, passing a trail which I later find out leads to my final destination and is believed to have been the path used to transport the Moai’s, before the fifth car to pass me stops. Again it’s the first one driven by locals.
I run up and meet a friendly couple, a very dirty looking but smiling farmer of the Rapa Nui people is driving the car, but his wife and small daughter look immensely european. They both speak some english so we practice that as I climb into the rusted and full of wholes truck bed hanging on for dear life as they drive off along the mostly well paved road. They share cookies and water with me and tell me all about the island, eventually turning left and driving me all the way up to the entrance of Rano Raraku site even though they themselves were not going there at all. Yeah the Rapa Nui people are amazing.
Waving goodbye to all of them and saying goodbye to their wide eyed toddler in Spanish, who just keeps staring at me with her impossibly wide eyes, I head off towards Rano Raraku, another site where usually they check your national park entry ticket but because of the conflict between the Rapa Nui people and the Chilean government, admission is free.
I head up and immediately confronted with a choice. Going left leads to the volcano crater, and thinking about how amazing Rano Kau was I’m tempted, but I go right towards the main quarry sight and dozens if not hundreds of partially finished Moai, some still largely buried in the ground or being carved straight out of the cliff.
I wander through these unfinished giants and feel a fresh wave of awe washing over me. They seem to go on forever, both above and below me, some finished ones lying on the ground below the hillside, on their way to their Ahu’s on the coast, but never quite getting there as it seems the Quarry was abandoned rather suddenly by people once so dedicated to the building of these statues. Along with the Moai all being toppled intentionally, it’s a pretty interesting historical mystery.
Still in awe, I climb up along the small side paths up to still more Moai being carved straight out of the cliff. There’s so many of these amazing statues all around me that I can’t help but laugh as I bound up the steps. Up near the top I encounter El Gigante, the biggest moai ever constructed, so big in fact that it couldn’t be moved from the quarry even though experts say it is finished. At roughly 72 feet tall and weight about 180 tons (two 737 aircrafts) it’s no surprise they couldn’t figure out how to move it, especially when Paro, the largest erected moai was only 33 feet tall and 75 tons. Practically puny really. El gigante is still attached to the mountain and if you’re not willing to break the rules and leave the path good pictures are hard to come by. Here’s the best I could do.
Having marvelled at El Gigante long enough I turn and hurry back down the steps marvelling at the countless faces surrounding me. Birds and wild horses also abound in this amazing place that feels almost like a graveyard.
As I reach the end of the first half of the loop I get a view of the 15 Moai of Tongariki lined up alongside the Ocean. It’s impressive enough to make me add it to the plan for the day, which sets me to walking much quicker since it’s already about four o clock and I’m hoping to hitchhike back.
I hurry back through the quarry of giant statues and decide I’ve got just enough time to make it up to at least catch a glimpse of the inside of this ancient volcanic crater.
I crest the rise a few minutes later to find a stunningly beautiful lake, full of wild horses and, ahead of me in the distance still more Moai.
Though I’m running out of time to hitchhike back to town I can’t help myself and head out along the trail which leads halfway around the crater and alongside the Moai along with a friendly guy from Santiago who grabs a picture or two for me.
I can’t linger as long as I’d like as I don’t know how well hitchhiking will go and I don’t fancy the idea of walking 35 k back to town alone in the dark. Still, as I reach the parking area and buy an expensive but refreshingly cold Fanta (1.500 CLP) I decide I can’t skip the additional 20 minute walk to get to those fifteen Moai standing in a row alongside the Ocean.
My resolve is tested when I’m walking back towards the main road and a truck full of local workers stops to offer me a ride back to town, but I know I might not make it back to this part of the island in my final two days, so I say thanks but no thanks and keep walking towards Tongariki.
It’s worth it, as twenty minutes later I’m standing in front of the biggest collection of standing Moai on the island, imposing cliffs rising up against the ocean just left of them, and the quarry I’ve just come from in the distance behind me. It’s an amazing place and holds a special energy like many of the ceremonial places around Easter Island.
My Chilean friend from the crater arrives on his scooter and together we wander around this majestic site, snapping a few pictures for each other and discussing the special energy of the island itself.
Eventually I realize it’s past 5 and hurry back to the road, looking back longingly at both of today’s highlights before a small truck stops a few minutes later and makes room for me in the back seat, bringing me all the way back to the centre of town. A dream come true for my tired legs. I have more empanadas for dinner, taking a few sunset photos from the restaurant and then head back to the campground, watching the stars and then falling asleep glad to be on this magical island. Just two more days left. I’ll be sad to leave.
