Tongariki Silhouettes on Flickr.
Our ancestors would gaze at the stars with purpose and humility. Many cultures would give them names and in them find gods and mythical beings. They would guide our ancestors across sands, seas and oceans, to the most remote places on Earth. Such is Easter Island.
To the Rapa Nui, the island was “te pito te henua” – the navel of the world. Isolated, they formed unique beliefs and worship. Out of condensed volcanic ash, they carved over 800 sentinels that they called the Mo’ai, and walked them to locations all around the island. These were the only borders they knew. They were alone, surrounded by thousands of kilometers of ocean. They may have thought the island to be the only remaining land on Earth.
Kneeling before the silhouettes of the Mo’ai and gazing at the stars above, it is hard not to wonder, what is our future? What are our borders? Are we alone?
