The Tapati (a festival and competition) is one of the most significant cultural commemorations of Polynesia. Each year (for two weeks) the entire island community revives centuries of culture and tradition by dividing into two teams in order to compete to elect a queen. During the two-week festival the competing teams will participate in a variety of traditional events and the team that wins will have their girl elected as Queen of Easter Island.
The main and night events were held at a beautifully built stage in the capital, the only town on the island.
The events consist of traditional cooking (see photo above, as I enjoy some of the traditional cooking), moai carving, fishing, dancing, singing, horse racing (see photo below), and traditional sport events. It was an unexpected surprise while touring around the island to stop in and watch the events.
Above: The singing competition. Each side sings traditional songs but can not mess up the words or repeat a song that was already sung. This will go on until one makes a mistake. Last year it lasted all night.
Another famous event that Easter Island is known for was the Birdman Event, which was an earlier version of the Tapati. Back in the day, after hundreds of years of being stranded on the island (because they destroyed all the wood needed to build boats) with no outside visitors the islanders started to think that they were the only ones in the world and that this island was the only place on the world. But what kept them from fully believing that were the birds. Because each year they would see the birds fly away then about the same time next year would see the birds fly back to the island and intuitively they knew that the birds went somewhere and as a way to celebrate the return of the birds and the island’s only contact with the outside world they would hold a festival.
As part of the Birdman Festival each group would pick their best swimmer and this swimmer had to climb down the mountain, swim through the ocean to a smaller island, find an egg laid by a returning bird, then with the egg, and swim back to the main island. The group whose swimmer brought back the first egg would become the chief group for the year.
Adventure Life is always an excellent choice when planning complicated, extreme, or exotic vacations or expeditions. They provide friendly professional services and advice and are enthusiastic and encouraging in helping us to prepare and thoroughly enjoy our trip. They handle all the details which greatly reduces the stress of planning a difficult trip. I'm very impressed with Adventure Life and definitely recommend them to friends and family.
Scott Trochim
2 days ago
The response from Adventure Life to my first inquiry was prompt and promising. I worked with Jamie Broeckel, Trip Planner, via text, email, and phone calls- always extremely responsive and thorough with information and explaining the process to arrange a private tour for me to Malaysia Borneo. Within about week, the booking was complete and I made decisions because of Jamie's great customer service , friendly manner, and overall competence on behalf of the company's travel expertise. Now I have an itinerary, additional Trip Planner Assistants, several links for vital information for traveling to Maylasia, etc. Still many details for Sept. trip, but now the heavy lifting is done and I can enjoy the rest of the anticipation and research!! Thanks Jamie- you are amazing!!!!
Susan Campo
4 days ago
The trip was not only memorable for the amount of animals we saw but also for the people and accommodations at the two camps where we stayed. Our first guide, BK, was a wealth of information about the animals, landscape and down to the plants and what they were used for. Everyday out was a learning experience with him. All the people at the camps were gracious and the food was excellent.
Our second camp in the Okavanga was just as good as the first as far as the staff, accommodations, food and animals. After our experience at the first camp we amazed that the high quality remained the same. Our guide, G, made sure we were able to enjoy every experience including a rush through the bush to witness a cheetah and an ensuing hunt that he heard over his radio.
In both camps there were enough guides out that if they saw something the other guides were informed which helped in seeing as much as possible. It was also nice that the concessions were large enough that we did not have vehicles following each other throughout the day.
Normally there is always something in a trip of this length that we think could be improved upon but this is the rare case where we cannot think of anything. From the time we left the States to when we returned it was one of the most hassle free vacations we took.
Perhaps emphasizing the use of the laundry facilities at the camps would be useful because of the luggage restrictions would be the only thing I can think of as an improvement to future clients.
Kenneth Dropek
5 days ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.