The Taste of Mystery on Rapa Nui

By Sandra Scott

There is a place of mystery so far from any mainland that it is often referred to as the “loneliest” place on earth. Lonely it is not but mysterious it is.

Rapa Nui, or Easter Island, is located in the Pacific Ocean 2,300 miles of the coast of Chile. Just 22 miles by six miles, it is the home of only three thousand residents. But it has nearly 1,000 monolithic statues call moai. Nearly all the moai are located by the sea. So it was only natural that we stayed at the Taha Tai Hotel, which means “by the sea.” Actually everything is “by the sea” on Rapa Nui. The hotel was only a short walk into quiet town of Hanga Roa.

After a day of gazing in awe at the statues, we ordered a cocktail at the hotel called a Taha Tai. Nearly everything has to be imported, but pineapple is grown on the island. Sipping the exotic blend of fresh pineapple juice, coconut milk, shaved coconut, sugar, ice and rum we pondered the mysteries of Rapa Nui. Why did the Rapa Nui expend so much time and energy creating the maoi, many of which are more than 20 feet tall. Some are topped with red stone “topknots,” which are thought to resemble the traditional hairstyle of the Rapa Nui. After all the work, why did they knock them over? And, why did they suddenly stop work? The hillside near the manufacturing site is dotted with the heads of the moai sprouting out of the ground. They are the completed ones that were waiting to be transported to altars around the island. Over the years, they have been buried up to their chest by earth eroded from the hillside.

Guess we will have to have another Taha Tai cocktail and ponder the mysteries of Rapa Nui a little longer. If we don’t come up with any answers, we will have to spend another day exploring more sites and in the evening we will have another smooth, relaxing Taha Tai, watch the sunset and ponder the mystery some more.

For information on Easter Island visit www.visit-chile.org or call (866) 937-2445.
Visit Taha Tai Hotel at www.hotel-tahatai.co.cl.

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