Near the top, we parked in the allocated area and wandered over to purchase our tickets to enter this archaeological site. It was 5000 pesos each. From here we followed a trail that took us to the ancient village of Orongo. Here there was significant restored stone remains of this ancient citadel. We wandered around reading the guidebook and various inscriptions.
In a gathering rain squall, we made our way to the lookout over the Islet of Motu Nui which was the site of the Birdman competition. It was here the contestants scaled down the steep cliffs prior to their swim to the furthest of the three islands. The closest island is a pinnacle that rises almost vertically out of the sea. We could see the swirling currents and waves dashing upon its rocks. Could anyone survive a swim in such turbulent waters, we wondered. The furthest island, some one mile or so from the shore, was flatter. This was where the Sooty Tern, migrant birds, made their nests. But with the seas crashing into it, it still looked a formidable place with only a few places that appeared to have possible access from the water. It was here that the contestants would climb up to the nests and collecting an egg, make their way back to the shore from for the swim back to the slopes of Rano Kau. If they weren’t already exhausted from the swim they had a steep steep climb carrying the egg to the assembled crowd at the ceremonial place in the village of Orongo. The first of the contestants to hand over an intact egg to their sponsors was declared the winner. It must have been a herculean task, perhaps the equivalent to having run a triathlon, but the glory that it brought to the winner was immense. The sponsor was crowned the Tangata-Manu - the Birdman of the Island for a year. The Birdman mythically is half bird, half man. We just stood there, staring out to sea at the ragged rocks and the sleep slope below, wondering with admiration, just why all this had occurred.
The clouds were by now gathering and I wanted to take some photographs of the carvings or petro glyphs on the rocks near the Orongo village. These depict scenes of the contestants thanking Meke Meke for his spiritual support for their quest. Just when I’d taken my first photograph, it was almost as though that the Gods above has disapproved, and we were suddenly hit by a mini-cyclone of howling wind and rain. There was nowhere to shelter and the now driving rain beat us back along the path to seek the shelter of our car. Here we tried to dry out, while waiting for the rain to end. This was the time that I tried to start the car and again the Gods seem to intercede. So we sat in the car for half an hour and waited for the storm to blow itself over. It left as suddenly as it had come. With one last effort, the engine started and we were able to wind our way back to town following the winding road with gutters overflowing with rainwater.
