South by South America Tour – Chile Part 14
Tuesday, September 3, 2019
Hanga Roa, Rapa Nui, Chile
A phallic tiki in Hanga Roa, Rapa Nui, Chile.
Another phallic tiki in Hanga Roa, Rapa Nui, Chile.
A Moai at Ahu Ko Te Riku in Hanga Roa, Rapa Nui, Chile.
A Moai in front of the Museo Rapa Nui in Hanga Roa, Rapa Nui, Chile.
A rare female Rapa Nui statue at the Museo Rapa Nui in Hanga Roa, Rapa Nui, Chile.
After breakfast today, I returned my rental bike and set out on a little walk. My first encounter was with a couple of tiki statues down by the water that, in addition to being made of wood themselves, were brandishing some serious wood! Walking north and passing by Ahu Tahai once again, I made my way up to MAPSE, or the Museo Rapa Nui. Nestled inside a small building, the museum houses a collection of original carvings, sculptures, statues, stone age tools and other artifacts.
A large stone head at the Museo Rapa Nui in Hanga Roa, Rapa Nui, Chile.
A partial Moai statue at the Museo Rapa Nui in Hanga Roa, Rapa Nui, Chile.
A mural on a house in Hanga Roa, Rapa Nui, Chile.
A nice bamboo fence in Hanga Roa, Rapa Nui, Chile.
A mural at a cafe in Hanga Roa, Rapa Nui, Chile.
Also presented are graphical displays including photos and text that explain the complex thousand year history and way of life of the Rapa Nui people (and the island itself) from 1000 AD to the present day. A second small building contains temporary exhibitions, while a third houses a library and the rest of the museum’s collection. The Museo Rapa Nui is definitely a must-see for anyone who visits the island—preferably on their first day and not their last like me!
Words and photos ©2019 Arcane Candy.
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