Rapa Nui - Ahu Tongariki, Anakena and Te Pito Kura
Salamander
Fri 30 Jul 2010 01:04
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What an incredible site - 15 restored moai on
Easter Island's largest ceremonial platform. A 1960 earthquake caused a tsumani
which devasted this site, the Japanese as a thanks for the loan of a moai
funded the rebuild. Nobody knows how the original islanders put the statues in
place (5 different theories) but the rebuild was using a crane.
  The Anakena site is one of only two sandy beaches
and the religious headquarters of the royal miru tribe. The moai here show
traditional tattoos on the backs and the platform consists of stones and the
heads of disused maoi, along with many petroglyphs. A beautiful
site.
  Te Pito Kura has the navel of the world stone -
shown below with Murray and our french guide Morgane. This magnetic stone
is really hot to touch
and according to legend possesses heavy doses
of mana (the spiritual power bestowed by the gods).
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