Orongo

A village of stone houses on the rim of Rano Kau crater, the sacred site of the Birdman cult. Birdman petroglyphs cover the cliff tops, which overlook three small islands offshore.

Orongo sits between the outer rim of the Rano Kau crater at the island's southwest corner and sea cliffs nearly 300 meters high. It was the ceremonial center of the Tangata manu (Birdman) cult, practiced from the 16th to the 19th century. After the era of moai building ended, the island's clans held competitions here each spring. Each clan sent warriors down the cliff to the sea. They swam across the shark-infested channel to Motu Nui, a small island about 1.5 km away, and waited for the sooty terns to lay the first egg of the season. Whoever first brought the intact egg back to Orongo had his chief's clan named the Birdman for the following year, a title that carried sacred status. The site preserves more than 50 low, oval stone houses built from flat basalt slabs, and you must crawl to enter them. The boulders on the cliff top are covered with petroglyphs of bird-headed human figures and of the creator god Make-Make. This is the richest concentration of rock art on the island. From the cliff edge you can look out at three small islands: Motu Nui, Motu Iti, and the cone-shaped Motu Kao Kao. A small visitor center at the entrance explains the Birdman traditions. Entry requires a national park ticket and a guide, and you may enter only once. From Hanga Roa it's about 15 minutes by car. You can also hike up (about 1.5 to 2 hours) and visit the Rano Kau crater along the way.

Orongo

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