Case file · Sacred site
The Birdman of Orongo
At the ceremonial village of Orongo on the rim of Rano Kau, Rapa Nui clans held a yearly race to bring back the first sooty tern egg from the islet of Motu Nui; the winner's patron became the sacred Birdman, Tangata manu.
1866 CE · -27.19, -109.44 · status: account
The account
The cult, devoted to the creator god Makemake, replaced or followed the era of the moai. Contestants swam shark-filled waters to the islet and waited for the birds. The last competition is usually dated to 1866 or 1867, as missionaries converted the island. Hundreds of birdman petroglyphs cover the rocks of Orongo.
The sceptical view
A documented ritual; details come from accounts gathered from islanders after it had ended.