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FOCUS-JUNE201239TheStoryBehindtheStatuesIfyoucloseyoureyesandpicturethemostremoteplaceonearthyouwillnodoubtenvisionthesmallChileanlandmassofRapaNuiknowntomostofusasEasterIsland.Ameresixhoursof3yingfromChilex19scapitalofSantiagoputsyousmackinthemiddleoftheSouthPaci2c.EasterIslandisinfact4000kmfromthecoastofChileandthesamedistancefromtheshoresofTahiti.Onecannotgetfartherfromcivilizationandstillexperiencehotelselectricityandautomobilesalbeitonlyafewwiththebestyearsbehindthem.Themostwellknownandprobablytheonlyidentifyingsym-boloftheislandarethefamousstatuesorMoai.Theirinterest-inghistorycontrarytopopularopiniondoesnotlieinmagicalmyth.Totrulyexperiencethesplendouroftheislandonemust2rstrealizethehistory.LikeallislandsintheSouthPaci2cEasterIslandwassettledbyPolynesiansaround400AD.IndugoutcanoesPolynesianseafarersaccidentallystumbledontotheisland.Aswithanycultureritualssoondevelopedandinanefforttoimmortalizetheirleadersmenbegancuttinghugestoneimagesinthelikenessofthechiefsoftheirtribes.Theislandisvolcanicandfromtheslopesofthegreatcraterthefamousstatueswerecarved.IttookateamofthirtymennearlytwoyearstoshapeoneMoai.Theritualwascommissionedbythechiefofeachtribedur-ingtheirreign.Atthesametimeasecondteamofmendugaholeatthebaseofthecrater.Whenthecarvingwascompletethebackofthestatuewaschippedlooseallowingittoslidedownthemountainsideintothehole.Itstoodthereuprightuntilthedeathofthevillagechiefwhichinsomecaseswasmanyyearslater.Someofthestatuesvisibletodayremainlodgedinthegroundastheritualceasedpriortothedeathofthechiefs.ThefuneralritualincludedthetaskoftakingthestatueandhaulingittotheAhuaburialplatformmadefromlavastonesmeasuringanywherefrom30to100metreslongandatleast10metreshigh.Treeswerecutdraggedtothebaseofthecraterandplacedinarow.TheMoaiwerethenexcavatedandallowedtogentlyfallontothebedoflogs.Fromtheretheywerecarefullyrolledtotheburialplatform.Itmaysoundsimplebutthestatueswereupto11metersinheight34feetandweighedasmuchas100tonnes.Insomecasesthetravel-lingdistancecouldbeasgreatas10kilome-tres.EventuallythestatuesarrivedattheAhu.Stoneswereplacedunderneathandthelogsmostlyruinedbythistimewerecastaway.MorestoneswereaddeduntiltheMoairestedthesameheightastheAhuhorizontally.Theheadwasraisedafewcentimetresusingthebrutestrengthofthetribesmenandstoneswereplacedunderit.Thiscontinueduntilatlastinsomecasesseveralyearsthestatuestoodupright.UsingmorelogsitwasthenrolledontotheAhutostandinits2nalrestingplace.Someplatformsheldasmanyas2fteenMoaiwithallbutonefacingin-wardtowatchoverthetribe.Onewasalwaysplacedfacingtheseareadytowarnofapproachingdangers.Astheyearsprogressedthepopu-lationgrewtoitsmaximumof4000.Theisland3ourishedbutonedayitwasrealizedthatallthetreeshadvan-ishedandthelandwasbarren.Usedforlogstomanoeuvrethestatuestheoncedenselycoveredislandwasnownothingmorethanendless2eldsThex18Moaix19aremonolithichumanx1bgurescarvedfromrockwhichhavebecomepartofthelandscapeontheEasterIsland.Pleaseturntopage40