HOW TO MAKE WALKING MOAI

What is Miro Manga Erua?

 

I got a book titled "AKU-AKU" "THE SECRET OF EASTER ISLAND "
by THOR HEYERDAHL English edition.
This book is very rare, so I had only Japanies edition befor.
In this book, Heyerdahl ask Mayor Don Pedoro about moving method of
moai.

AKU-AKU
THE SECRET OF EASTER ISLAND
THOR HEYERDAHL

p132-p133
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Don Pedoro, Mayor,"I said, "now perhaps you can tell me
how your ancestors moved the figures round about on the island."
"They went of themselves, they walked," the mayor replied glibly.
"Rubbish,"I said disappointed and slightly irritated.
"Take it easy! I believe that they walked, and we must
respect our forefathers who have said that they walked.
But the forefathers who told me that not seen it with their
own eyes, so who knows if their forefathers did not use a
miro manga erua?"
"What that?"
The mayor drew on the ground a Y-shaped figure with
crosspieces, and explained that it was a sledge made from
a forked tree trunk.
"At any rate they used those to drag the big blocks for the
wall," he added by way of a concession. "And they made thick
ropes from the tough bark of the hau-hau tree, as thick as the
hawsers you have on board. I can make you a specimen. I can
make a miro manga erua too."

 

Miro Manga Erua means 'Two wooden fingers' in Polynesian language.

 

Miro = wood (like rakau)
Manga = toes, fingers (in the tropics of Polynesia, it also means star fish)
Erua = Two (rua = two, e = how many there is)

 

 

Go back to Top Page