Perch of the Birdman

In a remote corner of a tiny island at the edge of the world, an extraordinary religious event used to take place: The Tangata Manu, or Birdman, of Easter Island. The goal was to collect the first sooty tern egg from the islet of Motu Nui (seen here, far left), swim back to the main island and then climb the sea cliff to the holy village of Orongo. If a contestant avoided death by sharks, drowning, falling off the steep cliff and arrived with the egg in tact, then his sponsor was crowned the Birdman for the year and enjoyed a life of sacred leisure.