An anomaly in stone
Among the nearly 900 famous moai statues of Rapa Nui (Easter Island), one stands out for its radical departure from the norm. Named Tukuturi, it is the only known moai depicted in a kneeling posture. Discovered by the Norwegian explorer Thor Heyerdahl's expedition in 1955-1956, the statue immediately presented a puzzle. Unlike the other statues with their elongated, stylized features and torsos, Tukuturi has a full body, a rounded head, and naturalistic facial features, including a small goatee.
The statue stands 3.7 meters (12.1 feet) tall and weighs an estimated 10 metric tons. It was found in the Rano Raraku quarry, the volcanic crater that was the "factory" for approximately 95% of the island's moai. While most moai were carved from the yellowish volcanic tuff of Rano Raraku, Tukuturi is made of red scoria, a different volcanic rock quarried at Puna Pau. This is the same material used for the pukao, the reddish top-knots placed on the heads of some of the most prominent moai. Tukuturi's posture, with its buttocks resting on its heels and hands on its thighs, is a position of reverence known throughout Polynesia.
Contested origins and purpose
The unique characteristics of Tukuturi have led to several competing hypotheses about its origin and meaning. One theory suggests it is a very late creation, possibly linked to the Tangata manu or "bird-man" cult, which succeeded the era of moai-building. This religious competition involved warriors climbing down the sea cliff of Rano Kau to retrieve the first sooty tern egg of the season. Tukuturi's reverent pose could represent a participant in this or a similar ritual.
Another interpretation posits that the statue represents a specific individual, possibly a revered singer or participant in a religious festival. The posture is known on the island as tuku turi and was adopted by chorus members during festivals called riu. This could explain the statue's more realistic and less deified appearance. The name itself is often translated as "Kneeling Moai" or "Squatting Moai". A third theory, proposed by Heyerdahl, linked its style to kneeling statues of the pre-Columbian Tiahuanaco culture in South America, though this idea has less support today. Its location at Rano Raraku, facing the quarry while all others face away, adds to its enduring mystery.