{"id":12212,"date":"2019-12-19T00:03:03","date_gmt":"2019-12-19T00:03:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/moevarua.com\/ana-hue-neru-2\/"},"modified":"2026-07-18T15:27:11","modified_gmt":"2026-07-18T15:27:11","slug":"ana-hue-neru-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/moevarua.com\/en\/ana-hue-neru-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Ana Hue Neru: The Sacred Caves of Ritual Whitening"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Since the late 19th century, various expeditions have attempted to unravel the mysteries of Rapanui culture through archaeological investigations and oral traditions of the islanders. However, the knowledge gathered to date has not been very conclusive. This is especially true for the rituals known as “whitening” of selected young people in the famous ritual caves of Ana Hue Neru<\/strong> \u2014 a site that embodies the spiritual and social complexity of ancient Rapa Nui. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This article takes you through the geography, history, and significance of these caves, unraveling why they were so important in Rapanui society and how modern research continues to reveal their secrets. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Ritual Caves: Ana O Keke and Ana More Mata Puku <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ana O Keke: The Cave of the Virgins <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The most important of the Ana Hue Neru caves is called Ana O Keke<\/strong>, the “Cave of the Virgins.” This cavern housed young maidens who had been chosen to prepare for initiation rituals and other cultural events such as the Tangata Manu (Birdman). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stories tell that the Neru \u2014 the chosen young women \u2014 lived in leisure and let their nails grow to extreme lengths as a symbol of status. At the British Museum in London, there is an ancient wooden Rapanui sculpture of a hand showing this ancient custom. Older women or priests took care of these virgins and taught them songs, dances, string games of Kai-kai, and Patautau poetry, while also preparing them for sexual initiation and adult life<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ana More Mata Puku: The Cave of the Young Men <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A second cave, Ana More Mata Puku<\/strong>, was the place where \u2014 according to Father Sebastian Englert \u2014 young boys were secluded from age 7 to prepare them for adult life. According to Uka Tepano Kaituoe (2015), the boys were taught combat exercises and learned to read and write Rongo Rongo, the Rapanui writing system. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This cave is smaller than Ana O Keke: it measures 7.5 meters long, 3.5 meters wide, and at most 1.4 meters high. It also contains petroglyphs that Spanish speleologist Lloret i Prieto (1996) interprets as a representation of a three-masted ship. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Geographic Location: The Poike Cliffs <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Poike: The Oldest Peninsula <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Both caves are found on the northeastern cliffs of the Poike peninsula<\/strong>, geologically the oldest part of Easter Island. They are situated close to each other on a cliff that falls precipitously more than 100 meters (330 feet) into the ocean. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, Poike is a grassland that appears brown and dry with four small copses and severe erosion on the southern and eastern surfaces \u2014 very different from the period when the first settlers arrived. Soil samples and pollen analyses have led scientists to believe that there was once an exuberant forest of palm trees (Bork 2006), which has long since disappeared. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Structure and Features of Ana O Keke <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

On the upper edge of the cliff, on a steep slope covered with grass, is Ana O Keke \u2014 a volcanic tube more than 440 meters (1,440 feet) long (Gautier & Carlier, 1987). Its entrance is located only 20 meters (65 feet) below the edge of the cliff drop-off. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The cavern has several notable characteristics: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dimensions:<\/strong> The width varies from 1.8 to over 2 meters (6 to 6.5 feet), but the height is extremely variable. There are sections only 30 centimeters (12 inches) high and others reaching 1.8 meters (6 feet). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Access:<\/strong> The initial entrance is so low (70 centimeters\/28 inches) that visitors must crawl to enter, but just 2 meters (6.5 feet) along, the tunnel opens to 1.3 meters (4 feet) high and 2.3 meters (7.5 feet) wide. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Natural Light:<\/strong> The natural light that filters in illuminates a panel about 5 meters (16 feet) long and 1.2 meters (4 feet) high containing unique petroglyphs found nowhere else on the island. They are believed to relate to the initiation rituals held in the cave. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Water:<\/strong> Throughout the length of the cave there is constant water filtration, and in the interior sections there are lagoons of fresh water. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ritual Tools and Pigments <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Near Ana O Keke, there is a large eroded gully called Te Tiamo<\/strong>, where two important ritual pigments were found: <\/p>\n\n\n\n