How Art Almost Killed An Entire People

By Jeffrey the Barak

At times, we wander the galleries and see pieces of art that look as if they could hurt someone, or kill someone, but in a way this has actually happened.

I refer to a place commonly known as Easter Island. This is it’s modern name, given to the place by Christian explorers from Holland in 1722 when they happened to come across this land on their Easter Sunday.

For most of history, This place had no name, and no inhabitants, but at sometime between 400 and 600 C.E. a human civilisation, the Polynesians, found it, and it became known as Rapa Nui.

We know from the surviving Polynesian people here and across Oceana that for at least two thousand years, their relatively advanced society was capable of trans-oceanic explorations by canoe that no modern sailor in their right mind would dare attempt. By contrast, the people of the nations that would later become the world’s explorers, the Britons, the French, The Spanish, The Portuguese, The Dutch were by comparison, quite behind in terms of long-distance seafaring.

Even the Mediterranean traders of the day would have been amazed at the voyages back and forth that the ancient Polynesians embarked upon.

So art came to Rapa Nui with its first people. It is generally accepted that they came from either the Marquesas Islands or Mangareva, which like everywhere else, are very far indeed from Rapa Nui.

The oral history tells us they brought plants, food animals and tools and their mission was colonization. The climate on Rapa Nui was certainly not the tropical paradise they were used to so they had a lot of adaptation to do in order to survive and thrive.

Rapa Nui was covered in trees, palms and other types, and drinking water was naturally gathered in volcanic craters, despite the island’s absence of rivers or streams. The island also had obsidian, great for making cutting tools and weapons, and it had lot of special rock which we call lapilli tuff.

Some say the islanders employed slash and burn techniques to clear land for farming, and others say, they used up all the wood in order to make and transport the huge stone statues that Rapa Nui is now famous for.

With the forest cover gone, the rain and weather eroded the topsoil and famine ensued. But let’s take a step back and focus on the art.

The art of Rapa Nui is divided between two periods. The Moai period and the Birdman period. On other islands in Polynesia, there were statues, (Moai), atop shrines, (Ahu). which were representations of chiefs (living and dead) and the gods in which they believed.

Dead chiefs were sacred, and after their life passed, their representative Moa remained. Rapa Nui has around 900 such moai, either standing, toppled or partially completed, still in the quarry or partway to their final site. There are about 360 ahu. The moai did not look out to sea, as commonly assumed, but they faced away from the sea, towards the villages. Some completed and erected statues had white coral eyes and wore stone hats or top knots called pukao, carved from a rock that was more red (scoria).

There is much debate as to exactly how the heavy statues were moved, assembled, erected etc. They are so heavy, that engineering on a grand scale was definitely needed, but the methods used have passed from memory.

It seems clear that at some point, the statues were worshiped as gods, and were a means of control for the ruling society, called the “Long Ears”. Everyone else, lived as subjects of the ruling Long Ears. However they were not slaves, but simply lowly subjects of the rulers, who would eventually rebel aginst the Long Ears and topple the very statues that generations suffered to construct.

It is said that so much wood was expended on the statue making that the islanders could no longer build canoes, so they became unable to travel to and from other parts of Polynesia. However, it is possible that the forests were burned to clear land, without any understanding of the long term environmental consequences. Without canoes, there was little opportunity to fish offshore, and without the lush vegetation, farming was all that was left.

So in isolation, with the natural resources of the island being eroded, burned and used for making statues, the people sealed their fate. Numbering as high as seven thousand in it’s heyday, the society on Rapa Nui became unsustainable with the resources at hand, and they were unable to leave or go for help.

Eventually, out of this declining situation, a powerful warrior class emerged, called Matato’a. And a change of power and leadership ensued. This also heralded the second art movement. All of the statues were toppled, some face up, some face down, and a new, even sillier religion began to dominate.

This was the birdman cult, (Tangatamenu). Once a year on a small island off the coast of Rapa Nui, migrating birds laid eggs. It was a bountiful annual harvest. The young warriors would hold a swimming race across the rough, shark-infested straits between the main island and bird island. The first man back holding an intact egg became absolute ruler for exactly one year, until this was repeated.

In the time after the upright moai, the art consisted of carvings and drawings on rock, depicting a bird-man character. Again the sheer quantity of this art in the virtual absence of all other, shows us that life at the time was all about the birdman. And a new monotheism emerged, coincidentally featuring a single, creator god, not the Jewish-Christian-Moslem one, but one with the name Makemake.

If the Western sailing ships had never found Easter Island, the natives may or may not have survived to this day, but considering what the sailors did to them, it is amazing that any have survived. The so-called advanced civilizations from Europe murdered, enslaved, kidnapped and infected the people with diseases such as smallpox and syphilis, and those few who survived these horrors were later subjected to forced Christianization.

As a result of the missionary subjugation, at this point there was no more art for a long time. The island was culturally dead until relatively recently when inhabitants of Polynesian decent began to nurture their cultural heritage, which amazingly still has much in common with other far way parts of Polynesia. And so through dance, costume, cuisine and the tatoo, the art of the island survives, but this time it won’t kill them, it may save them, from us.

Scooterer Stories, Part Sixteen – Around the Sea of Galilee

“Round and around the Sea of Galilee we go”!

Good morning all. Don’t leave anything behind. We ain’t comin’ back to Kare Deshe.

Route decided… lets go.. early start..have packed breakfast..lets go watch sunrise from Syrian plateau ?? On the way I will let you walk for a few minutes on the newly made pavement, passed the pink Greek Church

and I’ll pick you up at Capernaum gate

Gamla will not be open so early but from a high view we watch the sunrise in the east.. and in the west we see the colors sunrays on the cliffs inside . Gamla, and if we are lucky we may see some eagles flying..

We will make a quick visit to a special friend at his home on a moshav..I’ll tell you a little about that.

Way back on one of my first trips staying at KD I heard about a “mountain-bike event”, and tried to get some info.. I didn’t manage to get any start-times, routes, finish line and places the bikes would be at. By chance the next morning, on my very early morning scoot, looking for sunrise I saw a small bright green cardboard sign on a pole with a sketch of a bicycle ..that sign slightly reopened my interest in the event.

I learned the event begins and ends at a venue ON one of many beaches on west side at Kinerret..so I followed the sign and soon found a man with a van with a trailer-full of mountain bikes that he rents on the beaches…he was not connected to any event, but did point me to where he thought the cyclists would be.

After some time n scootin’ around and asking several people I still could not get proper information, so I decided I will simply ride around and maybe by fluke I would get to see some of the bikes.

WHAT a weird coincidence ..as I scooted slowly, on the main road, I noticed on my right, several bikes heading down the track and close to me at the side of the road ..behind a fence, they were waiting permission to “cross the road”…

and I noticed a man had stopped the traffic to let the cyclists get to the other side. Not a busy road at that time, so I pulled up next to this fellow and asked him “is this the mountainbike event”? ..he looked at me on my scooter, and his reply was “I know you” !…

what ! you know me ? huh !

We spoke a while and he told me where the event ends with a ride on the water edge

to a beach..some kms. down the road..there was no problem, and I was allowed to follow the cycles, exept there were some big water pipes and concrete drains that I could not cross..easy for the cyclists

..they simply lifted their bike and walked across the pipe. My scooter couldnt get across these pipes so I began the ride back to the road (about 15 minutes) then back to find the end of the event ??..but there are several beaches, and at each beach there were some mountain-bike happenings with barbeques and picnics, and many people, and I could not find him.

A relative of Albert’s, (known to me) had told him casually some years earlier that “one day” Lou will relocate to Israel..and who knows..maybe we will meet.

Another mutual friend visited Albert once and I would say everyone forgot about ..until he stopped me to allow the cycles to cross the road. A couple of his teenage sons were riding bikes and Albert’s job was to see they cross the road safely.

Albert had also seen a picture of me on my scooter in an insert magazine (more than a year earlier).. that is in every Friday Jerusalem Post..and he kept the article which included my fone number.

Eventually we connected and I visited at his home on Givat Yoav..a lovely moshav dealing mainly in dairy, and also has entertainment for visitors

and his taking me around to every interesting spot on the moshav with full explanations.. and nearby places as well.

I have visited several times with scooter, and in rain season in rented car..and when Albert has reason to be in Netanya..we meet..and always talk about that incredible meeting.

So now we have to leave after our quickvisit and head on beautiful scenic road towards the Kinerret, where many places on the beach entice us. Some are simple beaches with trees and benches and tables where people will always be picnicking..and also luxury Kibbutz Hotels that draw visitors from everywhere in the world.

We will take a short walk along the waters edge a while at

and take a cold drink from the kiosk. We will also drink a coffee in luxury, at HA’ON Kibbuts and walk about in the gardens..maybe we will be able to see their ostrich farm.

Then make a quick visit to the date factory/shop at Kinerret kibbuts..to buy dates and honey and other delicacies..(you remember we visited the baptism site the other day?)..this factory shop is just up the road.)

We will take a ride into Tiberias and see some ancient sites at the waterfront and see the movie about “Galilee Experience”, and take a bite at one of the restaurants  in the center of Tiberias.

Then another quick visit, this time to Dona Gracia Hotel but only a quick walk-about coz you aleady know all about that place…(earlier chapter). We will drive past Mayouhas Youth Hostel where I have stayed a few times…no easy parking so we wont visit.

I”ll show you 3 hotel buildings that were abandoned

and other sites as well.. and stop a while at ADI viewpoint to take pics

We then head to Tiberias Illit (upper Tiberias) and find our way into to Switzerland Forest,

a beautiful drive with breathtaking views

and many lovely spots to sit around and picnic..

( no kiosks or stalls here).. and then at south end of this drive, we will find our hostel at Poriya…for a one night stay.

Please feel free to email me louisdrinkingt@013.net

Renaming MyPop to POSSS, and recalling Banias

By Louis the Scooterer

Oh well.. I love being a quitter (like when I quit smoking !) but I hate being a “loser” as I am NOW with smokers all around.. and them winning, and by choice I need to leave a place.

Today.. this beautiful beginning-of-summer-morning..first cup of coffee at the square where the smokers were in the millions..even though there was a pleasant breeze.. I left when it became unbearable. I then scooted to coffee at Mypop which I now call POSSS (place of smelly stinking smokers)..as the other millions of smokers come there.

I get the impression that the owners / partners supply free cigarettes ? coz the place has become very popular, and remains a beautiful place. but, when many people are there, they have lost ME.. (who cares..no one gives a damn?)

Anyway this morn I even saw the owners smoking inside the restaurant !!.. thats bad news (for me), and my decision is to reduce my visits at mypop and go ONLY when they open in the morning, and when I can be the first one there.

Surely I will miss seeing the bikini beauties, and other people that I previously exchanged chats with.. but as I watched 3 newcomers sit at the next table 1 meter from me..all 3 began smoking.. then 2 others arrived and sat at another table 3 meters from me and both began smoking.. (and I refuse to take pics of smokers, any more.).. that means that the 5 newcomers were all smoking.. that means 100% newcomers were smoking ?? and while I breathed-in and swollowed their stinky smelly smells..I wondered at which place will I be happy.

I thought about my visit to such a place ..BANIAS.. and I relate here about that visit to that most beautiful place…

There are 2 main roads to the only Ski Site in Israel way up north, on top of Mount Hermon. The more popular route, takes you past the foot of Mt. Hermon where the source of Hermon Stream flows, at a mysterious place called BANIAS. I had visited Banias several times by scooter and in a rented car, and because I knew I couldn’t walk much, I usually stood at the entrance gate to this awesome place, received brochures and maps with walking routes.. and stared in wonderment what was directly in front of me.

The gigantic arched entrances into the mountain caves, waterfalls, running water, ancient workings and remnants of buildings, and knowing that much walking is required. But my old knee wouldnt allow..so I sat on the saddle or in the rentcar for a few minutes, took a picture or two, and then moved along to elsewhere. Well..this is my story about a proper visit, a couple of years later, after receiving a TKR (Total Knee Replacement). Now at this time, I am able to walk some distances, painfree (perhaps with some stiffness), and started doing what I hadn’t done for so many years.

I climbed up steps and walked on broken rocks and on beautiful grass lawns and next to the flowing waters in many areas in this incredible place, walking along the fast flowing very narrow streams and up and down rock steps and on muddy sand over little bridges through narrow tunnels. This was a new experience for a more than 70 year old scooterer..this trip was on my scooter. One of the excellent sites on internet is http://www.jafi.org.il/education/noar/sites/banias.htm. It was marvellous seeing many groups of children visiting this place, as well as many tour buses arriving with tourists from all around the world. There are also places with many tables and benches under trees for picnicking, or taking a rest.

There are several different routes to follow, and I chose what looked like the “easiest and shortest” (purple route). (Not to kid myself)..this was a long and most interesting winding route which comes upon a longtime-disused hydro-electric plant, and cellars and ancient flour mills and other buildings that need time to explore, and I walked crossed a Roman Bridge… and need to know where to make the left-turn at the correct spot…(to follow the purple arrows). I even came across a tiny kiosk run by an old Druze man, and I jumped back in time at least 100 years seeing this spot..and “chatting” with this “picturesque chap”.. and eating what he makes..a thin bread filled with goat cheese, with a cool drink, or his special blend of tea.

The streams flow non stop, and in wonderment I stand at many spots and take my hat off to those who designed these places for hikers and children and even older ones like me. I passed through underground tunnels to archaeological diggings, found plaques with English translations about what stands at a particular spot…and always found a place to sit in the shade.

Later I met with tourists from USA and another group from Nigeria. Many groups of Christians travel in buses with their church leaders and guides..and my take on that is, unfortunately the time they spent at this magic place, is far too short to really explore. I casually joined one of these groups and listened to a well informed guide telling about some of the spots where they stop..take pics..listen to a quick story..and move along.

After taking a coffee at the kiosk, and being very satisfied with my (new knee) achievement..and pleasantly tired..I chatted with tourists and staff, and listened to their stories. I then scooted along a couple of kms..down the road.. to the BANIAS FALLS.. and stood at the viewsite, and with my binoculars I could see many hikers of all ages, climbing up the pathways to eventually arrive at the Roman Bridge (where I was earlier).

I learned that at the spot where I was standing, there are 100 steps to the bottom to see the falls… and my decision was “those 100 steps down and up again” ??.will be for another time…and I waved goodbye to the couple who began the climb down.

Did I mention not to forget camera and wear comfortable walking shoes.. SO..dear reader spend a few minutes (google to Banias) and start planning your visit. Feel free to email me louisdrinkingt@013.net