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Continued from page 39 of shrubs and bushes. Reforestation had not been prac- ticed and in today’s world, one can’t help wonder how such neglect was possible. No trees — no boats — no fishing — no food. And the wars began. People grew sick and tribes blamed each other. Killing sprees grew rampant. As a sign of the highest disrespect, tribes would topple the Moai of their enemies. Eventually the population had diminished to 1,000 inhabitants and the people realized they had to stop fighting or face extinction. it was at that time, somewhere in the eighteenth century, the rare Sooty bird was discovered on a small, uninhab- ited island 300 metres off the coast. To further enchant the inhabitants, they discovered each bird would lay one egg on the same day each year. The “egg laying day” became sacred to the inhabitants and once a year each tribe sent swimmers out to gather and return as many eggs as pos- sible. Nature, in an effort to protect herself, had established a breeding ground for sharks in the waters surrounding the small island. Few men returned. The tribes concentrated on developing superior swim- ming skills and the elders decreed that each tribe could only send one swimmer on the ‘sacred day’ to retrieve the eggs. The first to return with an egg would be island chief for the following year. It was not long before tribes began to Murder swimmers of competing tribes. Soon small, round, stone huts were built in the side of the slope near the water's edge as a safe haven for the swimmers the night before their trek. Fights broke out, which led to uprisings SINCE 1917 v v Z ] J EMMERSON INSURANCE BROKERS LIMITED “Scugog’s locally owned and oj ited 3 General Insurance Broker” AUTOMOBILI With over 130 years of Broker experience, Emmerson Insurance Brokers Ltd. have been serving Scugog Township and surrounding areas with Competitive, Comprehensive and Personalized service since 1917. HOME 193 Queen Street Port Perry 905-985-7306 COMMERCIAL é 1-800-387-5642 AWWA Tanlan-e-xelallarvele-lale-mere) it) 40 FOCUS - JUNE 2012 05, JUNE 40 PAGES REVISED.indd 40 The shores of Easter Island are very rugged. and heavy guarding of the swimmers. The entrances to the huts were barricaded with stones and became So small that only one person could crawl through at one time, minimizing an assassin’s ability to strike. Life continued until 1722 (on Easter Sunday, no less) when the island was discovered by Dutch ex- plorer Jacob Roggeveen who gave it its current name. Along with European exploration came fatal disease inflicting the people of Rapa Nui. The population soon dwindled to 400. Spanish missionaries (with the help of a few hundred soldiers), in an attempt to bring Christianity, abolished the egg gathering rituals. Oddly enough, for reasons unknown, a small segment of the ritual remained and the practice of hiding and seeking eggs at Easter has become embedded into modern day customs. Of the 500+ Moai that were sculpted, only a hand- ful remained in tact. Of those that remained into the 19th century, most were demolished during the great Tsunami of 1964. Thankfully, governments of the world are gathering together in an effort to preserve the heritage and symbolism of the island. Japan alone has donated 8 million U.S. dollars for the restoration of one burial platform. Other countries have taken up the challenge as well and are now actively involved in the restoration. In fact, more than 100 countries are leading the charge to bring this beautiful island back to the spectacle it once was. Canada and the U.S. have yet to join the quest, but there are high hopes by many that they will do so. Atrip to Easter Island is not for everyone. With no natural beaches, ships have no place to dock. Goods. are carried on barges sent to meet supply ships. The winds are fierce and the island experiences only fifteen to twenty days of sunshine a year. | was fortu- nate, during the week of my stay, | encountered sun- shine every day. It is an awesome place and for the true adventurer, it is a destination not to be missed. 12-05-21 10:04 AM