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Chile and Easter Island

The manutara played an important role in the "birdman" ritual whichever champion could retrieve the first manutara egg from Motu Nui islet would become that year's tangata manu. His clan would receive prime access to resources, especially seabird eggs.

The purpose of the birdman contest was to obtain the first egg of the season from the Manutara bird. Contestants descended the sheer cliffs of Orongo and swam to Moto Nui where they awaited the coming of the birds. They were carrying provisions in a bundle of reeds called a pora under one arm and awaited the arrival of the terns, hoping to return with the first egg, The race was very dangerous and many were killed by sharks, by drowning, or by falling from cliff faces. They were then declared Birdman for that year and important status position.

The furthest island is Motu Nui, where the birdman would swim to find the first Manutara egg of the season. The smaller island is Motu lti and the pointed island is Motu Kau Kau.

Cave rocks that were homes years ago

Small entrances into the cave homes were to keep out invaders.

Cave homes overlooking the 3 islands for the birdman races.

You literally had to get on your stomachs to crawl into these caves

Looking from the opposite side of the volcano Rano Kau

Carvings of a face into the stone

Airport in the foreground. Hanga Rua in the distance. Notice there is no harbor or piers to bring supplies ashore. Everything has to be barged in from ships off shore.

Ahu Vinapu is an archaeological site on Rapa Nui in Eastern Polynesia. The ceremonial center of Vinapu includes one of the larger ahu on Rapa Nui. The ahu exhibits extraordinary stonemasonry consisting of large, carefully fitted slabs of basalt

Like those constructions, the wall at Vinapu is perfectly fitted together with irregularly-shaped stones, and has rounded edges, and small triangular stones filling in gaps. One would describe the construction in the Andes the same way; polygonal blocks that were smoothed and rounded, perfectly cut and fitted together, with small keystones placed in the wall to help make it earthquake proof. It is the most sophisticated construction technique in the world, essentially unduplicated today. It is often said that the construction at Vinapu is identical to that of Tiwanaku, although Tiwanaku lacks the pillowed walls, which are mainly found around Cuzco. However, pillowed or rounded walls can be found at the ruins of Sillustani and Cutimbo, both on mesas—flat topped mountains—near Lake Titicaca, which are usually said to be of Tiwanaku origin.

Fallen Moai heads

Easter Island shoreline. Very little to no sand on beaches. Only rock shore cliffs.

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