O I G A T A

Carved rocks at Orongo showing bird man holding an egg, Easter Island, 1959. Bishop Museum.

“…Owing to the strong wind, they built houses of stone for shelter at the village named Orongo, the Place-of-listening. There they listened for the coming of the birds and waited for the call of the successful servant who found the first egg. While waiting they amused themselves with singing and feasting and carved on the adjacent rock figures with birds’ heads and human bodies, the symbol of Makemake, god of fowls and sea-birds. In time, rules and ritual were developed about this annual competition which became the most important social event on the island. The successful servant leaped onto a rocky promontory and shouted across the water to his master, ‘Shave your head. The egg is yours…”

Michael Wolgensinger. Cartagena, 1951