The tribes of Easter Island are mostly unknown, as the giant Easter Island Head statues typically garner most of the attention.
Easter Island’s tribes have a colorful history to share with the world, however.
These tribesman love living life as freely as possible, and their passion for life can be seen in their love of sport. In this particular sport, called Haka Pei, Easter Island tribesmen take turns sledding down a large hill on custom-made banana tree sleds.
It’s being called ‘The Most Unique Proof of Bravery’ according to a five-minute documentary showing the tribesmen in their natural element.
YouTube commenters are loving it, as shown in the image above.
These Olympic style games typically take place on…You guessed it…The slopes of a volcano.
“Well, this is one of those sport events in the world which earns additions like, iconic, crazy and wildest,” wrote the creator of the video of the event shown below.
“Brave men sledding down a steep grassy slope of a volcano on two banana tree trunks lashed.”
It all starts with a New Zealand-style ‘Haka,’ an emotionally charged ceremony that can be seen in the video below. If you haven’t caught my drift yet, this is a pretty awesome video that is well worth watching.
The unique yet familiar sport looks like something out of an Olympic luge, only with less snow and a whole lot more open land, warmth, the ocean in the background, and rolling green hills.
At the end of his successful run, one villager decides to leap up as if he had just made the last out in the World Series.
An incredible display of raw human emotion and joy.
He was supported by his fellow tribe members as he completed his run, with everyone cheering in the background and a celebration of sorts unfolding at the end.
Members of the crowd rush to join him in celebration, as he embraces those who rush in to join him.
It’s an evocative and beautiful moment that showcases the best sports and community have to offer, and you can watch it all unfold in the video below.
What do you think of this sport? And is this something you would ever try?