Be they standing or toppled, the Moai give us a hint of past events on Rapa Nui. Much of that past was lost due to war, plague, or burning of written records by missionaries. Oral traditions combined with modern archaeology allow us to glimpse into the mysteries of Rapa Nui and to speculate about the root causes of such destruction. TQ 2010 memory book image 10 of 11
Anakena has two Ahus, one with a single Moai and other shown here with six. Oral traditions state that Anakena was the landing place where Hotu Matu'a, the Polynesian chief first settled on Rapa Nui. Anakena served as one of the locations of the 1994 Kevin Reynolds film, Rapa Nui. TQ 2010 memory book image 6 of 11
Taha'a in the late afternoon from the Paul Gaugiun
