Tangata manu competition

Description of Tangata manu competition

Tangata Manu competition was originally a religious celebration and praise for the birdmen god Make Make. Later, with the emergence of new clans led by matato’a or warrior leaders, the ceremony took on a more political character, evolving into a system that allowed the warrior class to justify its rule.
Military leaders were chosen from among the winners of the annual competition, not for hereditary or warlike reasons. The competition consisted of obtaining a sacred egg and with an egg tied to the men’s forehead, the contestant had to swim to the sacred island Orongo. The man had to fight to keep the egg intact, to get rid of the waves crashing against the rocks, and not to fall during the ascent. Sometimes participants died during the test.

Style Variations

Bold – Light – Solid – Duotone
Each variation is included in the file package

Easter Island Rapa Nui main description

Easter Island Rapa Nui Symbols

Easter Island Rapa Nui is renowned for its massive stone statues, the moai, constructed on this tiny isolated island lying over 2000 miles from the coast of Chile. The moai constitute part of the short-term but magnificent cultural achievement of Easter Island, which lasted no more than 1400 years before being undermined by environmental degradation and endemic war- fare. Yet the moai were just one element of a remarkable artistic output. History, as much as art, made this island unique. But attempts to unravel that history have produced many interpretations and arguments. The missionary’s anecdotes, the archaeologist’s shovel, the anthropologist’s oral histories and boxes of bones have all revealed something of the island’s story. The motifs of Easter Island symbols are very diverse, ranging from simple cup marks to elaborate bas-relief carvings of subjects including anthropomorphs, ships and the birdman- an image which combines the body of a man with the head and beak of a frigate bird. This typology is a considerable achievement, and its presentation includes an analysis of the distribution of motifs across the island to show significant variability and patterning. It combines a very clear and precise descriptive prose with a splendid series of line drawings, although these pale in comparison with the magnificent color plates. The most important motif is the birdman. This figure pervades the rock art of Easter Island and is the theme for many variations such as a two headed birdman, a birdman with legs splayed and a birdman with human-like feet.