Birdman Village Culture

The last stop on Easter Island: visit the most important historical and cultural site on the island, the Birdman Village Culture "Orongo." The village was built around 1200 AD, at an altitude of about 310 meters, facing the vast Pacific Ocean, with a wide and magnificent view. You can also see the Rano Kau Crater (Figure 3) from a distance. It is the largest crater lake on the island, with a diameter of about 1.6 kilometers and a depth of 11 meters. Birdman is a respectful term for warriors, and it also represents the worship of birds. Historically, an important competition was held on the island every year, and the chiefs of the tribes on the island would select powerful warriors. These warriors needed to swim from the cliff to the small island opposite to retrieve a bird's egg. The first warrior to swim back would be honored as the "Birdman," and the chief of his tribe would become the island's owner (Figure 2). The buildings in the village are stone houses made of basalt slabs.