The Peopling of The Peopling of Polynesia Polynesia

&Warfare: the &Warfare: the Easter Island Case Easter Island Case

PolynesiaPolynesia: : 6500 km on a side6500 km on a side 16,250,000 km16,250,000 km

tropical (except E.I. & N.Z.)tropical (except E.I. & N.Z.) many 100s of islandsmany 100s of islands high & low islandshigh & low islands

sea:land ratio (70:1)sea:land ratio (70:1) easterly prevailing windseasterly prevailing winds west to east migrationwest to east migration(yams, taro, chicken, pigs)(yams, taro, chicken, pigs) language: mana, tapu, toa,language: mana, tapu, toa,

alialiI/ariki I/ariki

HawaiiHawaii

EasterEasterIslandIslandNewNew

ZealandZealand

Village and Chiefdom Village and Chiefdom societies societies .?.?

(1987) (1958) (1987) (1958) (1974) (1974) (1992)(1992)

(1984) (1984) (1989) (1994)(1989) (1994)

~1500 BC~1500 BC

~ AD 400~ AD 400

~ AD 300~ AD 300

~ AD 1000~ AD 1000

The peopling ofThe peopling ofPolynesia and Polynesia and

SubsistenceSubsistence Population growthPopulation growth WarWar

~200 BC~200 BC

MarquesasMarquesas

Agriculture Hunting/FishingAgriculture Hunting/Fishing

MarquesasMarquesas

Agriculture Hunting/Fishing

HawaiHawaiii

King KamehamehaKing Kamehameha

Rapa NuiRapa Nui==Big Rapa,Big Rapa, named afternamed afterisland of Rapa 3850 km (2400 mi)island of Rapa 3850 km (2400 mi)to the westto the west

Te Pito O Te HenuaTe Pito O Te Henua

2000 km2000 km

European European Discovery:Discovery:

Easter Sunday, Easter Sunday, 17221722

RaRa

Kon TikiKon Tiki

Thor HeyerdahlThor Heyerdahl

W.W.IIW.W.II

Crash go theCrash go theancestors ancestors

Easter Island WarfareEaster Island Warfare(from Bahn and Flenley):(from Bahn and Flenley):

We have a rough idea of when the islanders began to topple the sWe have a rough idea of when the islanders began to topple the statues:tatues:1. 1. 17701770: most : most moaimoai standing in 1770 (Gonzstanding in 1770 (Gonzlez expedition)lez expedition)

2. 2. 17741774 , many statues are now overturned and human skeletal , many statues are now overturned and human skeletal material was strewn about the figures (Capt. Cookmaterial was strewn about the figures (Capt. Cooks visit). s visit).

3. 3. 18041804, only 20 statues were standing (Russian ship)., only 20 statues were standing (Russian ship).

4. 4. 18161816: all statues were toppled (another Russian ship). : all statues were toppled (another Russian ship).

The toppling was no mean achievementThe toppling was no mean achievement ---- must have involved ropes, must have involved ropes, levers and a number of men. In many cases, statues were beheadelevers and a number of men. In many cases, statues were beheaded d by placing stones where the fragile by placing stones where the fragile attacks were made on the head attacks were made on the head and eyes, as well (probably where the and eyes, as well (probably where the manamana was) to extinguish power. was) to extinguish power.

A further symptom of violence:A further symptom of violence:increase in the number of obsidianincrease in the number of obsidianweapons weapons . first used in the 15. first used in the 15thth or 16or 16ththcenturies, but proliferated in the 18centuries, but proliferated in the 18thth and and 1919thth centuries (became the commonest artifact centuries (became the commonest artifact on the island).on the island).

The The Spanish visitors of 1770Spanish visitors of 1770 saw conspicuous saw conspicuous evidence of evidence of wounds on several nativeswounds on several natives, and , and violence was not restricted to men, since a violence was not restricted to men, since a study of skeletal material from the island study of skeletal material from the island revealed revealed traces of violent blows on female traces of violent blows on female skulls.skulls.

Oral traditions claim that a major battle took place Oral traditions claim that a major battle took place between two groups of islandersbetween two groups of islandersthe long ears andthe long ears andthe short earsthe short earsat Poike Ditch:at Poike Ditch:

3.53.5--km feature which almost isolates the peninsula km feature which almost isolates the peninsula a series of ditches each ~100 m long, 10a series of ditches each ~100 m long, 10--15 m wide, 15 m wide, 22--3 m deep, separated by 5 m intervals.3 m deep, separated by 5 m intervals.

CC--14 dates from Norwegian expedition14 dates from Norwegian expeditions excavation of s excavation of charcoal in the ditch: AD 1676 charcoal in the ditch: AD 1676 100, coincides with 100, coincides with Father Sebastian EnglertFather Sebastian Englerts genealogical calculation of s genealogical calculation of when the battle took place. (Ditches merely ovens for when the battle took place. (Ditches merely ovens for baking food?)baking food?)

PoikePoikeDitchDitch

An even more convincing clue to An even more convincing clue to warfare is the late adoption of the warfare is the late adoption of the custom of taking refuge in caves and custom of taking refuge in caves and on the offshore islets; many of the on the offshore islets; many of the island caves are hidden and fortified island caves are hidden and fortified with low rock walls.with low rock walls.

Food scarcity? The first European visitors reported Food scarcity? The first European visitors reported that sea birds, fowls and fish were scarce by 1722 and that sea birds, fowls and fish were scarce by 1722 and particularly by the 1770sparticularly by the 1770s. .

Excavations have revealed:Excavations have revealed:

1. dramatic decrease in the numbers of chicken bones 1. dramatic decrease in the numbers of chicken bones (compared with other foods) after AD 1650,(compared with other foods) after AD 1650,

2. an increase in human bone fragments and teeth in 2. an increase in human bone fragments and teeth in late prehistoric times. Cannibalism is very late prehistoric times. Cannibalism is very prominent in oral traditions.prominent in oral traditions.

3. that fishing decreased in importance, undoubtedly 3. that fishing decreased in importance, undoubtedly caused by the decrease in timber necessary for caused by the decrease in timber necessary for making canoes. (by 1770s, only the tiniest ofmaking canoes. (by 1770s, only the tiniest ofcanoes made, ~ 10 ft. long)canoes made, ~ 10 ft. long)

Orongo and the Orongo and the Birdman CultBirdman Cult

Bahn and FlenleyBahn and Flenleys model ofs model ofthe the crashcrash on Easter Islandon Easter Island AD 300 500 700 900 1100 1300 150AD 300 500 700 900 1100 1300 1500 1700 0 1700

The Club of RomeThe Club of Romes model s model for the earthfor the earths futures future

TheoreticalTheoreticalPerspective:Perspective:

SystemsSystems--HierarchicalHierarchical

ModelModel

Bahn and FlenleyBahn and Flenleys models model

culture

vs.vs.

and war???and war???

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)

(8)

How could a horrible How could a horrible disaster like this reduce a once disaster like this reduce a once civilized people to such civilized people to such groveling and barbaric groveling and barbaric standards? Research suggests standards? Research suggests that it didn't happen overnight. that it didn't happen overnight. It happened by thoughtlessly It happened by thoughtlessly destroying their environment destroying their environment one tree, bush, plant, animal, one tree, bush, plant, animal, bird, at a time bird, at a time ---- until it was too until it was too late to turn the tide. What can late to turn the tide. What can we learn from the Easter Island we learn from the Easter Island story: First, we are now facing story: First, we are now facing on a global scale what the on a global scale what the Easter Islanders faced on a tiny Easter Islanders faced on a tiny island (we are thoughtlessly island (we are thoughtlessly destroying ecodestroying eco--systems all over systems all over the planet with little awareness the planet with little awareness of what horrible chains of of what horrible chains of events such wanton destruction events such wanton destruction might unleash on us); second, might unleash on us); second, we have the advantage of we have the advantage of learning from mistakes made learning from mistakes made by cultures like the Easter by cultures like the Easter Island culture (and hopefully Island culture (and hopefully not repeating them); third, the not repeating them); third, the tendency to ascribe the tendency to ascribe the building of ancient, building of ancient, unexplained civilizations to unexplained civilizations to aliens or superaliens or super--advanced advanced ancient civilizations, is a ancient civilizations, is a tendency that is embarrasstendency that is embarrass--ingly common ingly common ---- and and increasingly suspect.increasingly suspect.

(Time Magazine)Discover Magazine,Discover Magazine,August 1995August 1995