Orongo

NileGuide Expert Says:

Come here on a guided tour for some lessons about the birdman cult, and to have a guide point out some of the more impressive petroglyphs.

Address:

Hanga Roa, Chile

NileGuide Expert tip:

Bring lots of water and sunscreen to take advantage of a day around this crater. Step carefully and enjoy some of the best views on the island.

Description:

Orongo is a ceremonial village close to the vast volcanic crater at Rano Rau, a walk from the town of Hanga Roa. It was mostly reconstructed in 1974, after having been abandoned starting in about the 1860s, when the Rapa Nui (Easter Islanders) population had dropped steeply. Before then it was an important center for the Birdman cult, and where the first sooty tern egg would be brought from Motu Nui as part of an annual ceremony.

The area is rich in petroglyphs, many of them depicting the tangata manu (birdmen), and is built into the fragile slope of a mountain. Extreme care must be taken here to not contribute to further erosion. This area has an entry fee which is paid to CONAF (Chilean parks service), and which is combined with entry to Rano Rau, as part of entry to the national park.

The famous basaltic moai from this location, Hoa Hakananai'a, currently sits in the British museum.


Map:


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