Hotu-iti explained

Hotu-iti (also, "Tongariki territory") is an area of southeastern Easter Island that takes its name from a local clan. Located in Rapa Nui National Park, the area includes Rano Raraku crater, the Ahu Tongariki site, and a small bay. In the 15th and 16th centuries, the Hotu-iti clan was one of two polities on Easter Island.

Geography

Hotu-iti contains Rano Raraku crater, which is the island's only source of a type of stone that was considered to be the best for carving statues; it was also a source of moss which was used for canoe caulking.^[1] Hotuiti Bay, a small cove, is protected by the cliffs of the Poike Peninsula.^{[2] [3]} According to local legend, the god Tangaroa was killed in the bay and was buried in the vicinity.^[4] The Rano Raraku cliffs and quarry stand above Hotu-iti. The landscape has been described as a "wondrous spiritual landscape of striking beauty".^{[5] [6]}

History

In the 15th and 16th centuries, the island was divided into two polities, described as either west (Tu'u)^[7] and east (Hotu-iti) confederacies, with Hotu-iti being the lower ranked; or northern (Tu'u Aro) and southern (Hotu-iti).^[8] In 1960, a tsunami, approximately above sea level, crossed of Hotu-iti, sweeping away ahu and moai (statues), and scattering them by 50-.^[9] Fifteen statues of Hotu-iti's Ahu Tongariki site were damaged;^[10] a team of Japanese archaeologists restored the site between 1992 and 1994.^[10]

Leadership

In Polynesian mythology, Hotu-iti was the youngest and favourite son of Hotu Matu'a, the legendary first settler of Easter Island.^{[10] [11]} One of the known chiefs of the Hotu-iti clan was Kainga, said to be a descendant of the sixth son of the first king who "proved himself a valiant warrior." He had a son who succeeded him named Huriavai.^[12] The Tupahotu, Koro-Orongo and Ure-o-Hei clans were considered part of the Hotu-iti clan.^[13]

Notes and References

1. Book: Diamond, Jared. Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail Or Succeed. 21 July 2012. 4 January 2011. Penguin. 978-0-14-311700-1. 94–.
2. Book: Theroux, Paul. The Happy Isles of Oceania: Paddling the Pacific. 21 July 2012. 8 December 2006. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 978-0-618-65898-5. 456–.
3. Book: Russell, Jan Jarboe. They Lived to Tell the Tale: True Stories of Modern Adventure from the Legendary Explorers Club. 21 July 2012. 1 November 2007. Globe Pequot. 978-1-59228-991-2. 295–.
4. Book: Englert, Sebastián. Island at the center of the world: new light on Easter Island. registration. 20 July 2012. 1970. Scribner. 169.
5. Book: Peregrine. Peter Neal. Ember. Melvin. Encyclopedia of Prehistory: East Asia and Oceania. 20 July 2012. 2001. Springer. 978-0-306-46257-3. 57.
6. Book: Tilburg, JoAnne Van. Among stone giants: the life of Katherine Routledge and her remarkable expedition to Easter Island. registration. 20 July 2012. 1 April 2003. Scribner. 978-0-7432-4480-0.
7. Book: The Enigmas of Easter Island. 21 July 2012. Oxford University Press. 978-0-19-164719-2. 212–.
8. Book: Gillespie. Rosemary G.. Clague. D. A.. Encyclopedia of Islands. 21 July 2012. 19 August 2009. University of California Press. 978-0-520-25649-1. 249–.
9. Book: Dudley. Walter C.. Lee. Min. Tsunami!. 21 July 2012. 1998. University of Hawaii Press. 978-0-8248-1969-9. 142–.
10. Book: Stanley, David. South Pacific Handbook. 20 July 2012. 1 January 2000. David Stanley. 978-1-56691-172-6. 296.
11. Book: Craig, Robert D.. Dictionary of Polynesian Mythology. 20 July 2012. 1 October 1989. Greenwood Publishing Group. 978-0-313-25890-9. 76.
12. Book: Thomson, William J.. Te Pito Te Henua, Or Easter Island. 20 July 2012. 2007. Forgotten Books. 978-1-60506-953-1. 138.
13. Book: Akadémia, Magyar Tudományos. Acta ethnographica. 20 July 2012. 1961. Magyar Tudományos Akadémia. 399.