the next day we return to Ahu Tahai with much better weather
the heavely weathered Ahu Tahai moai
Ahu Vai Uri, the 6th moai could not be restored
the three Ahui Tahai platforms with Hanga Roa in the background
the Hanga Kio'e moai dates from the 16th century
the Moai of Peace at Hanga Vare Vare has traveled the world
Ahu Tahai sits on the rocky westcoast, just north of Hanga Roa, the island's capital. Pundits think Tahai saw one
of the earliest settlements of Polynesian families that sailed their large doublehulled canoes all the way from islands thousands
of kms west of Easter Island.
William Mulloy was the driving force behind the restoration of several sites, including
Tahai. His ashes are buried here.
Tahai features a hen house (hare moa), the ruins of a boathouse (hare paenga),
a boat ramp and 3 ceremonial platforms.
Ahu Vai Uri has five damaged moais, Ahu Tahai feateres a severely eroded statue.
Ahu Ko Te Riku is a fully restored moai, including eyes and a pukao, a red hat.
Walking a km to the north brings
you to
Hanga Kio’e (Mouse Bay), a site rarely visited by tourists. There are remains of boathouses, a hen house and a tall moai.
In Hanga
Roa, past the cemetery, is the
Hanga Vare Vare area with the Moai of Peace. Created in 1992, this statue has traveled the world but
returned in time for the 2010
total solar eclipse.
from our hotel we have a view of the Hanga Kio'e moai
Hanga Kio'e with the moai and the hen house
the hare moa hen house
Ahu Ko Te Riku has its eyes back and proudly wears the pukao on his head