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Part 7, the Bird-man, or Tangata Manu
Aug. 19th, 2005 11:51 amThe bird-man cult or Tangata Manu
The ecological demands of the moai were great. In order to keep producing and transporting larger and larger monuments, trees and shrubs had to be made into tools. A huge work force needed to be fed. The shrubs used to make rope also held the soil together to help make the huge palm forests possible. The great palm trees were harvested to make sea-going canoes, and probably the moai-moving apparatuses. After the trees used to make sea-going canoes were gone, the Rapanui had no way to take to the ocean to fish for tuna and dolphin. The damage to the soil made crops-production more difficult. All the birds that lived on the island were gone, as well as the larger shore animals.
The monarchic rule of the moai culture collapsed. A bloody period of conflicts over territory and resources followed, but eventually the culture stabilized. The people developed new ways of surviving, and of governing themselves. Instead of rule by the king (who came from one clan) being passed through his descendents, rule was dictated by the ritual of the bird-man or "Tangata manu."
( Yet more, plus pictures. )
( Read more... )
The ecological demands of the moai were great. In order to keep producing and transporting larger and larger monuments, trees and shrubs had to be made into tools. A huge work force needed to be fed. The shrubs used to make rope also held the soil together to help make the huge palm forests possible. The great palm trees were harvested to make sea-going canoes, and probably the moai-moving apparatuses. After the trees used to make sea-going canoes were gone, the Rapanui had no way to take to the ocean to fish for tuna and dolphin. The damage to the soil made crops-production more difficult. All the birds that lived on the island were gone, as well as the larger shore animals.
The monarchic rule of the moai culture collapsed. A bloody period of conflicts over territory and resources followed, but eventually the culture stabilized. The people developed new ways of surviving, and of governing themselves. Instead of rule by the king (who came from one clan) being passed through his descendents, rule was dictated by the ritual of the bird-man or "Tangata manu."
( Yet more, plus pictures. )
( Read more... )
