Orongo

The village of Orongo is an archaeological site located south-east of Anga Roa, between a steep cliff and the edge of the volcano Rano Kau. It is the remains of a ceremonial village. You will find semi-buried houses, rock paintings, petroglyphs, but no Moaïs here. Indeed, the statue, yet one of the most famous of Rapa Nui, called Hoa Hakananai'a, is now on display at the British Museum in London. In 1884, it was removed from the site by an English crew. The place is therefore best known because it is here that the Bird Man ceremony takes place. It is an ancient rite, allowing the island's tribes to compete, and consists of descending the cliffs of Orongo, then swimming across the inlet to the islet of Motu Nui to fetch the first egg of a seabird, the Manatura. The chief of the winning tribe then became powerful and respected on the island for the whole year. Today the Tapati Rapa Nui festival takes up some of the old customs, by putting the different tribes in competition.