Rapa Nui [8], Chile

It was another early morning start today to experience sunrise at Ahu Tongariki. Just as we were about the leave the hostel, Martha informed me that I had just missed seeing the setting full moon over the horizon. What a missed opportunity. Immediately my I thought of the prospect of watching this spectacle unfold at Tahai Complex. It would have been a magical experience. This morning Opheli joined us. Back on the road dodging pot holes and occasionally tourist on motorbikes in the early hours of the day. Today, I looked up towards the bluish sky, it promised to be a clear day. Well at least for now. The dawn sky was blue and the ground still dark when I arrived at the site. It was colder than the day before  and the air was still. There were a few people gathered around. I waited near the stone petroglyphs surrounded with tall grasses. The fifteen giant stone sculptures looked miniaturised against the canvas of the blue sky. It was an amazing sight. I fumbled with my camera trying to capture this moment before sunrise. I did not have a tripod and the light levels were certainly low to operate manually. I set my camera on an icy cold stone, probably remnants of a ruined statue. Twilight swiftly turned the sky into a fiery inferno. Giant plumes of black clouds gathered above this inferno. There were streaks of red, scarlet, burgundy, crimson, ruby, orange and  yellow. It soon evolved into a scorching molten lava that moved aggressively but poised. I called it organised chaos.  It looked as if the sun had collided into earth’s atmosphere.  The moais could not see this as they had their backs towards the horizon. The sea, appeared like a thin band of deep violet on the edge of earth.  It was a stunning sight to see the darkened upright stone sculptures  and the nearby Poike Peninsula  against this evolving chameleon-like backdrop. Little birds stopped to rest on the heads of the moais before venturing further. The colours progressively changed with the light of the day. As the bright orange sun peaked out of the horizon, the sky was dominated by hues of gold, yellow and orange which contrasted sharply with bands and splurges from a painter’s palette. The blackness in the sky was gradually displaced by a sea of blue. Splashes of white clouds set in as bails of cotton like dark clouds still lingered above. Dawn had set in.

There was something endearing about sunrise and the coming of a new day such as today. The warmth of the sun on my skin, the soft lighting, magnificent colours and contrast of the sky, the freshness of smell and peaceful silence certainly made me feel awakened. The feeling of being consciously  immersed in nature and spirituality. A masterful interplay between clouds and light.  The pretenders and silhouettes  disappeared. Featureless became defined and a new beginning was ushered in. I was surrounded by rock carvings and toppled ruins. The green blades of grasses were illuminated by the soft golden light to reveal its fresh emergence. The features of the motionless moai’s  emerged gradually. I could barely look into the sun which was now wedged between the tall standing stone statues.  I walked close to the moais.  Long shadows emerged on the dew wet ground and gradually elongated, all concaving towards their birth place, Rano Raraku. The hue changed several times from shades of brown to green in close succession. The great volcanic mountain acted like a screen reflecting the mood of the raising sun. Soon the sun rose high and clouds began to ease in. I walked round to the back of the ahu. A magnificent yellow glow warmed the backs of the moai. I too loved the warmth. I can now appreciate the meticulously stacked stones and the different tiers of the ahu. One half of Poike  Peninsula was basking in the golden light and several islets [motu] off the coast became visible. I noticed that only a few people had ventured this morning to witness this wonderful spectacle.  I was totally satisfied. Daybreak had set in.

I hurried back towards the base of Rano Raraku to witness the effect of the morning light on the surrounding. The manicured grass glowed with a tinge of yellowish-green and there was an aura about the partially exposed moais on the slopes against the backdrop of a black mountain. They glowed with their eye cavities clearly visible and emitted a peaceful appearance.  Their bodies were drapped with hues of brown and yellow instead of the natural gray exterior. They too seemed awakened, perhaps an end to their long anticipated question – their purpose of their creation!

I returned to Hanga Roa passing through small homes surrounded by planted vegetation of coconut palms, bananas, vegetables  and decorative plants. I wandered around town. It was laid back, traffic was low and restaurants waited patiently for lunch hour to set in. There were a few supermarket like outlets selling from foodstuff to home utensils. An impromptu market was set up from a parked vehicle  by the roadside. Passerbyers inspected the fresh produce and haggled over prices before scurrying off. I liked the pace of live here. The local people seemed to smile quite a bit, perhaps to foreign tourist. The friendly Polynesian nature was on exhibition. It was another sunny day with a cloudless blue sky. ln the late afternoon, we headed into the interior of the island to seek Ahu Akivi. The sun was tilting towards the western horizon and its golden rays shinned prominently onto the seven sea facing moais. It was a heart warming sight. I enjoyed the delight of viewing light on the faces of the moais. They exuded a sense of friendliness and welcome. This was the first, if not the only sea facing statues on the island. Why did these seven sculptures face the sea and were located in the interior of the island? All the others which were erected on the ahus were located along the coast and faced inland. What was their significance? I only pondered over these questions for a moment as I was engrossed in watching their faces brighten up with the late light. All these moais had at one time coral eyes embedded on them but no longer. Their deep eye sockets were locked towards the western horizon with relentless intent on the faces. I wondered what their questions were? However, the demeanour of these stone structures  was calm and friendly. They seemed to invite all towards them with exuberance and affability. Why did I experience the various moods of these silent giant monoliths on the island? Perhaps the light, the setting or was it just reflecting my outlook and desires. The surrounding area was an open land with pockets of trees and rolling hills. The rounded stones of the ahu stretched beyond the low stacked angular stones on which the giant stone creations stood. Strangely , the mood of the statues resonated and moulded  a positive mood in me. I was upbeat somehow had a feeling of lightness. As if a unseen burden had been lifted of my shoulders. Perhaps, these are the non-tangible powers emanated by these silent giants which had allured man since their creation.  

29.11.09

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