The Context and Structure of Ahu Kihikihi Rau Mea

Abstract

Scholars of the prehistoric cultural process on Easter Island know that Easter Island's ahu (ceremonial centers) show that, through time, a sudden major change took place in the architecture of its religious structures. This implies rather strongly that either a societal revolution or a religious revolution took place, or perhaps both. Revolutions in religion are not uncommon in the world, but often are themselves a result of chaos caused by other outside factors. If debate can be resisted over that, in Polynesia, Hawai'i had a revolution in its religion post-contact, but pre-missionary era.