Listen, we all come to Rapa Nui to see the giant stone moai.
Because they are the, um, biggest game in town.
But once you get here and the novelty of so many multi-ton scowlers begins to wear thin…
…you may start to notice that this island perched on the edge of the known world is rife with other intriguing faces.
Other mystical figures.
And all manner of works of somebody’s overactive imagination.
And after awhile you must appreciate that, all about you, carved in stone, wood or daubed in paint, are a supporting cast of lesser known but unforgettable island faces.
The aku aku are everywhere.
Some faces are mythical. Some natural. Some laughable. Some decidedly outlandish.
And if you miss them, you will miss something very important about this place.
Because these faces…
…these smiling faces…
…these scowling faces…
…these faces far removed from our time and place…
Every one of these faces tell a story.
Of a time when warriors ruled this island.
And fantastic creatures commanded the sky.
Or abounded in the waters.
A time when cultures clashed.
Often with catastrophic consequences.
These creatures. These faces. These myths rendered in wood and stone and paint.
By all means, come for the giant Moai. They are the big draw.
But if you aren’t paying attention.
If you fail to notice the faces and figures that are all around you.
You will miss something essential.
Something elemental.
About this speck of land perched on the very edge of the known world.
Smiling faces…
…scowling faces…
…mocking faces…
…sometime…
…have a story to tell you.
Best pay attention.
FreeGNV 