|
Easter Island: Natural EcosystemWelcome to randomFAQ! Our Random Fact generator will add another random fact or frequently asked question from our massive database every day. Using the HTML code provided on the right side of each page, you can display a specific or random FAQ, or the latest fact of the day, on your website, blog, or MySpace profile. Just choose which fact to display, and any color to match your site. Please enjoy the unlimited use of this free service! |
Fact of the Day More Information Easter Island is the infamous island spotted with enormous stone heads (moai) both standing up and lying down. Named Easter Island after an explorer landed there one Easter Sunday. The statues are family symbols and protectors of the Rapa Nui people. Due to religious reasons and popular culture of the island at the time there was high demand among clans for moai. On such a small island the ratio of people to resources is crucial to survival. Once the population exceeded 10000, resources started to become scarce. Fierce competition broke out among moai construction. The competition escalated to a point where everybody was just carving statues. They lost control of everything and neglected survival. The Rapa Nui resorted to cannibalism when all hell broke loose. On a smaller, simple island directly off the coast of the main some people started the Bird Cult. The cult included an annual contest for tribesmen to downscale shear cliff, dive into the water, retrieve the first egg laid, and bring it back unharmed. He who completed this successfully won rule of Easter Island for his clan until the next year. Due to the order of the bird (the only domestic animal on the island) order was restored... for a while.
Slave traders landed and ransacked the Rapa Nui. Under 15 escaped and made it back home safely. Eventually they built their race up to about 100 after smallpox had taken its toll. The population has since risen.
 View All Facts View Images View Maps Blog
|
|
