6. Easter Island - Where Giants Walked

[@adenaden-farah3708]

This one struck me as the most tragic one. Not only were the poor people hit with everything the outside world was capable off but afterwards history painted them as having fallen victim to their own stupidity.

[@namelastname2449]

Tragic is the word I was looking for

[@DietwaldClaus]

One of the saddest events in history. Thank you for giving the amazing civilization of Rapa Nui its due.

[@saimbhat6243]

jesus!!! You people take internet stuff way too seriously. Things on internet don't do s*it. It is not real. Few million views on youtube doesn't change anything, it is a drop in an ocean.

[@AucklandSC]

Outstanding but very tragic slice of history. Being a maori I love the Polynesian story and this is some of the best content available. Please tell us more about these austronesian adventurers.

[@FallofCivilizations]

I will do! Footage coming soon for this episode.

[@persebra]

I was not going to watch this episode because I thought I knew what happened to Easter Island.. I had no idea there were better theories on what happened. Thank you for this work. It's wonderful!

[@robertopettyo]

That makes me wonder how much more false history we believe to be the reality.

[@bustermot]

Knowledge evolves. Gotta stay informed,

[@trumpetmano]

You are one seriously talented story teller. You dig deeper and present every side possible. For Rapa Nui, I have always believed the European story of it's demise. I first visited there in 1982. I have been back 6 times since then.

[@FallofCivilizations]

Thank you Paul, very kind!

[@B727X]

How do you get there?

[@Spindlegrind]

@@FallofCivilizationsI’m enjoying all of your videos, but this one in particular shines like a bright star of information in a dark sky of ignorance. I only have 1 very small criticism, and that is that the lovely native song at the end was spoken over. The content was sublime. Many thanks.

[@ChrisSmith-ro1ev]

I love Dan Carling HH but this is on another level. Besides being informative and entertaining it gives me a heartache. Incredible work Mr.Paul Cooper!

[@leighness1988]

This is the saddest things I’ve heard on this podcast yet. Brilliantly done. Pardon me while I got picket outside the British museum

[@lindalee7322]

This is the very BEST documentary about the people, their lives, culture, navigation, and history. This has been a joy to listen to from beginning to end. Thank you so much for sharing your research with us. I've listened to many of your uploads. God bless you.

[@TheNyatzAnger]

Brilliantly done again Paul! I've learnt so much throughout all the different episodes you've done. I know I once suggested you do an episode on Alexander The Great, but I now realise the purpose of this podcast is much more valuable in illuminating the intricate details of cultures that otherwise don't get the same attention as the Eurasian cultures. Highly appreciate the painstaking work that goes into preparing these podcasts.

[@FallofCivilizations]

Thanks Simba, I really appreciate your kind words! I may well do Alexander at some point, and I'd like to do Babylon at some point too - meaning he'll likely get a cameo in that episode too. Thanks for the suggestion!

[@somethinginteresting2202]

This retelling bought me to tears several times. I’m pleased and grateful the history and reputation of the Easter Islanders is corrected here and thank you for giving us the opportunity to contribute to their community now.

[@alexiaingham2146]

Absolutely adore these podcasts... this one in particular saddened my heart at the end

[@lottiemellor8435]

I actually can’t thank you enough for this content. I need documentaries on to fall asleep to, but the adverts always wake me up, and for you to make these is just incredible. You have yourself a loyal subscriber!

[@Istehomo]

A brilliant piece of historical research - extremely well detailed.

[@FallofCivilizations]

Thank you, glad you enjoyed!

[@tonymessinajr]

in line with Carl Sagan, David Attenborough, Steven Hawking, only that pleasant and informative voice, no visual distractions to fog the mind, just pure history it appears... pure history... pleasant....

[@austinhertell5634]

Pause

[@michaellynch8021]

Wow. This podcast nearly brought me to tears with this truly tragic story. This must be the most complete example of humanity’s tendency to destroy its own heritage. It always shocks me just how barbarous these “civilized” explorers can be.

[@Javiertorres-k10]

Complete savages

[@kesamek8537]

Psychopaths are a mutated fork of humans.

[@ML-rz2hb]

Well done. Well written. Some of the very best history on KZbin. Do more.

[@FallofCivilizations]

Thanks so much Mike, that's really kind! Plenty more on its way...

[@oldguysdoingstuff6216]

Agree!

[@jeremikossak9553]

Agree

[@charleseternal1751]

Agree!

[@Mando-pe3lp]

Alright paid bot

[@s.r.howell1297]

This episode in particular has been an education.

[@NewYorkPickers]

Wow! You presented the drama and history with a kindness and sympathy that made the Easter Island come alive and then die.

[@clivetimbrell]

I have recently found this channel and found the content intriguing but this episode had me close to tears listening to the litany of thoughtlessness and greed to which these people were subjected.

[@darkdefender6384]

You seriously are an amazing storyteller you wove this together so beautifully

[@corrincrellin]

By far the best podcast I've ever listened too... I built an entire bronze statue while listening to these, it was an amazing experience. I hope this podcast blows up and gets the recognition it deserves!

[@FallofCivilizations]

Thanks so much Fred, really glad you've enjoyed! I really appreciate the kind words.

[@corrincrellin]

@@FallofCivilizations True story brother: I was moving a 2x life-size bronze horse statue chained up on a gantry, walking it around myself while listening to this specific podcast... It was amazing. Of course, I finished the project binging the rest of the podcasts... Anxiously await what comes next!

[@nachtegaelw5389]

Thank you so much for your podcasts! These are so well written and recorded. Your descriptions of the landscape in this episode were especially vivid and haunting. Would you consider doing an episode on the Cahokia Mounds settlement? It was one of the largest urban centers in North America, but went into decline and was abandoned before European contact.

[@FallofCivilizations]

Thanks, I really appreciate it! That's a great idea - I would like to do Cahokia at some point. It's a really interesting and little-known story.

[@cacogenicist]

@@FallofCivilizations - Our knowledge of that civilization is a bit thin though, isn't it?

[@FallofCivilizations]

@@cacogenicist Yes, it would be a big challenge and probably too difficult for the show's current format.

[@keithconnell8460]

I've always felt that Easter Island and its story as one of the most mysterious, intriguing places on the entire planet. Thanks for the video.

[@FallofCivilizations]

My pleasure, thanks for watching!

[@cybersudip]

A long time fan of Dan I spent years looking for something of that quality and I must say you have outdone even hardcore history. This episode in particular not only had incredible production value but incredible writing. I was moved to tears by the end of it. Please please keep up the good work.

[@FallofCivilizations]

Thank you so much, I really appreciate the kind words! Really glad you enjoyed.

[@MerrickWells]

I have only recently discovered your work and have been captured by your story telling narration, but this episode slowly turned into a powerful and heart aching tale of destruction rather than collapse. I did wonder how "they cut the trees down" would work across one hour and forty three minutes and have felt humbled and educated. Thank you so much.

[@FallofCivilizations]

Thank you Merrick, I really appreciate it. All the best!

[@juliefaulkner5497]

So glad I found this channel, I love my history story time, fabulous content, thank you.

[@wolbertvandenbroek7679]

Thank you for this truly great podcast. It’s beautifully made and incredibly informative. The utter destruction of such an amazing culture is saddening, yet through channels such as this we may learn a better way of treating each other’s customs. I really do admire the podcasts you make, thank you for such great work.

[@anandanc4841]

Ever since I read about Easter island in my school days I wondered what happened to it. Thanks for the detailed account of what happened.

[@darkdefender6384]

Just started and the piano music is hauntingly beautiful! Superb job

[@wm9782]

Very touching and thorough. Thank you

[@NokturnalMTG]

Man this filled me with wonder amusement and eventually tears. Thank you for sharing

[@ruairimccolgan3140]

Informative..... Digestible..... Full of wonder and no need for images. Well done and thank you.

[@ianmcshea913]

Wow, what an enlightening story. Thank you so much for this beautiful piece of work. The song at the end made my eyes well up. I will absolutely make a donation to the music school.

[@FallofCivilizations]

Thank you! They really need it at the moment, since covid has destroyed the island's economy.

[@eriewas1984]

History channel with many historians smokes in the corner... Great video, amazing story. Thank you for this.

[@markszawlowski867]

Utterly tremendous documentary - heartfelt thanks and congratulations.

[@TheHewoks]

Production quality is so high end I'm placing this podcast up there along side hardcore history for my favorites history podcast to listen to.

[@FallofCivilizations]

Oh thank you. Dan is a hero of mine, so it's very kind of you to say.

[@kellybrady7863]

honestly you blew my mind, this is what research really is! seems to be missing in a lot of places anymore!

[@FallofCivilizations]

Thanks Kelly, I really appreciate it!

[@kellybrady7863]

@@FallofCivilizations I have listened to 5 of your podcasts in the last 5 days, thank you so much for what you are doing! I especially enjoyed the Greenland Vikings episode, did you know that Thomas Jefferson had a somewhat a similar conclusion as you do? In his "Notes on the State of Virginia" 1781 - 1785 he claims that in his time, the inuits of eastern Canada "must have been derived" from nords of Greenland because of their facial features and commonalities in language! Just thought you might enjoy that tid-bit if you had not come across it already!

[@FallofCivilizations]

@@kellybrady7863 interesting! Thanks for sharing, and for your kind words.

[@joachimhugovalentin]

Dear Paul, again, what a great part of history explained! I like your podcasts and videos very much and promote them as my currently most favorite ones! A completely new perspective - and extremely well presented. Will follow up on all of them, for sure … Best regards, Joachim Hofmann, from the city of Munich in Germany

[@michaeldowns7631]

Thank you very much! Fantastic job, you have the best documentaries in my opinion. I'm thankful and grateful to you.

[@Redhand1949]

This is the third of these I've listened to. You are REALLY good. Thank you. This one has me listening like it's a fascinating murder mystery. Bravo!

[@FallofCivilizations]

Thank you, I'm glad you like them!

[@jerryvanes5630]

One of the best things on youtube! Is there anywhere we can find the traditional songs that came by?

[@JohnPaul-uv3dz]

My new favorite podcast. I keep staying up way too late listening.

[@Nanaof_8]

Wonderful work. I found you in the algorithm suggested to me. So glad I did!

[@The_Tiffster]

💔This is so heart-wrenching.....

[@sturm3d]

oh man, I had loved Jared Diamonds book and up and until now had no idea how misleading it is. It makes me wonder how still in the nineties scientific debate was ignorant of the true dissappearance of those trees. Thanks for clarifying!

[@FallofCivilizations]

Thanks Christian, really glad you enjoyed the episode! Yes, Carl Lipo writes well about the problems with Diamond's analysis.

[@sturm3d]

​@@FallofCivilizations well, the scenario of unsustainable economy of an isolated future-blind tribe fitted all too well to the narative in his book. I remember him writing about a lecture titled with the question: "What did the last islander think when he cut the last tree?" As it turns out, the deforestation was not home made, instead it all happened because of imported sheep. So on the buttom line the collapse was again simply caused by european conquerors greed and arrogance and the necessities of mass production/ industrial life stock farming. This new explanation makes a whole lot more sense to me (as depressing as it is).

[@ewetoo]

That can be found here www.marklynas.org/2011/10/the-easter-island-ecocide-never-happened-response-to-jared-diamond/ .

[@shaunpatrick8345]

There's a comprehensive refutation of his masterwork here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/p6fEqYN-aMuni7M

[@NathanBalyeat]

The importance of Diamond's work isn't the conclusions that he came to, but the process by which he attempted to come to the conclusions. Just refuting him required a reexamination of things we thought that we knew. And there's still parts of his work that hold up well and have served as a springboard for further work by others.

[@davidbrown5628]

Very well narrated, soothing voice, almost like a story teller

[@Geordiicus]

Absolutely brilliant mate, loads of info. And the title, inspired; where giants walked. At first I thought it was gonna have something to do with an outlandish idea of actual giants living there first. 🤣

[@FallofCivilizations]

There seems to be a lot of that going around!

[@GRA.L1981]

absolutely love this channel, thank you very much, we homeschool our children and these uploads are second to none, comprehensive history lessons, i am nearly 40 and still learning every single day, thanks again

[@tocodelray]

Another excellent podcast. I found this one to be exceptionally sad. I had always heard the theory that "silly islanders went mad and chopped down all their trees, destroying their civilization". But to think that they were destroyed by disease and slavery, AND THEN their history was rewritten in a way that put the blame on the Islanders themselves... it's like a sick joke. I listened to this podcast and later that day I was reading about the Apollo moon missions and for no reason I started to cry. We are capable of so much. We could do anything. We could build any kind of civilization. Or we could destroy ourselves. Keep up the great work. We need to learn from our history.

[@FallofCivilizations]

Thank you, that's really kind of you. Yes, I find that a really sad aspect of the story too.

[@helenl3193]

Especially when we, the 'advanced', 'civilised' capitalistic societies actually continue to trash the entire planet and causing a global ecological crisis. So depressing how the lessons from this, and so much of our global history and scientific endeavours still aren't yet the basis for political reform/governance. 😢

[@elleryeggen9678]

This knowledge haunts my thoughts. It is unconscionable what has again and again happened to the people of Easter Island. Shame on Peru. How dare this is allowed to happen on this day and age.

[@mj.l]

this is the history of colonialism over and over again. destruction, dehumanisation, desecration. the same now, as it always was.

[@BarefootSamuraiX]

Then why did they stop building way before?

[@pendulunium2408]

Can you upload the song starting around 12:00 somewhere? Sounds nice.

[@scotfinley1686]

Your labors help these peoples live on. Thank you.

[@JasonAllenUK]

I really enjoyed this. Superb work. Thanking you.

[@maxw179]

Spectacular! Most interesting, informative history podcast I've ever stumbled upon. Thank You!

[@FallofCivilizations]

My pleasure, thanks for the kind words!

[@thomashonjr]

Thank you, I'm convinced. I thought I knew about Easter Island, having read "Collapse," but it turns out the truth is closer to Diamond's "Guns, Germs & Steel." This is an important corrective to mistaken history.

[@FallofCivilizations]

Thanks Thomas, glad you thought so!

[@HikerBikerMoter]

Agree.. turns out their fate was the same as the natived of the Americas and natives of Australia . Not some spectacular intercivil war destroying them before the Europeans came :(

[@BIZARBIES]

Just discovered your channel... what a joy! Its insane to me that channels such as yours get a fraction of the views it should. Thanks for what you do. New subscriber here, and so happy to binge on your content!

[@FallofCivilizations]

Thanks, that's really kind of you! I'm glad you're enjoying and hope you enjoy the rest too.

[@BIZARBIES]

@@FallofCivilizations I absolutely love the Greenland Viking episode. I've watched other videos about it, but yours was amazing!

[@petrairene]

Thank you for that great lecture. Very informative and heartbreaking story.

[@alejo_m9447]

I'm just starting to listen all your podcasts and I know by the concept of the podcast itself I can always expect a sad ending but this one hit pretty hard 😔 thank you for bringing this to light and thank you for an amazing Podcast series I am totally hooked.

[@lc285]

This is haunting to watch. April 20, 2020

[@BoggWeasel]

Captivating even without video

[@hudsonfrank1121]

Been enjoying your shows. I enjoy learning about history from the native side of stories. Not from the winners and written "officialized" text book versions by academia.

[@kaisahfx1246]

Kia Ora!,Amazing how close linguistically the Rapanui language is to the Maori language of New Zealand,so much more so than ohter Polynesian like Tongan or Samoan, I could recognise so much even in the songs you played in the background! hawaiki nui,hawaiki roa,hawaiki pamamao! thanks you

[@FallofCivilizations]

Kia Ora! Yes, when Captain Cook arrived on Rapa Nui, a Polynesian man who accompanied him could communicate quite effectively with the people who lived there. But interesting it sounds closer to Maori!

[@martywarner1779]

@@FallofCivilizations Tupaia was that man... A Tahitian Navigator.

[@HistoryTime]

This is really great stuff!

[@pauliusiv6169]

it's an honor to see you here, love your documentaries just as much these ones :D (especially love the one on the sea peoples and the bronze age collapse) (a collab between you and the fall of civ would be awesome an awesome thing)

[@HyperSonicX]

The tale of Rapa Nui is a heartwrenching one, it's a miracle any aspect of their original culture remains at all after such a disastrous treatment by us mainlanders. Thank you for covering this.

[@peterdickinson4599]

Excellent, thought-provoking content. Thank you.

[@FallofCivilizations]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed.

[@flowersstorms8863]

Fantastic! I've been looking forward to a new ep!

[@FallofCivilizations]

Really hope you enjoy!

[@jillsorbera7247]

I was tryna fall asleep to this but it is too interesting!!! lol

[@FallofCivilizations]

Haha sorry about that!

[@simonekitson]

Oh CRUMBS!!! Thanks for devastating my weekend... albeit in the most eye-opening and informative way :-) Won't be able to look at an image of a Moai without bursting into tears for the forseeable future. Kudos, Sir for your most brilliant piece of work to date amongst a set of podcasts that are awesome in the truest sense of the word. Just sad that binge-listening to all of them means waiting however long awesomeness takes for the next one! Now know exactly where any future windfalls that come my way will be passed on, 50/50 between Patreon and Toki, of course :-D Keep up the great work, off to listen to the Romans etc. again.

[@FallofCivilizations]

Thanks so much Simone, I really appreciate the kind words! So glad you've been enjoying. And a new episode should be coming this week!

[@simonekitson]

@@FallofCivilizations Not at all.. not often that a podcast makes me cry! Excited for the next installment :-)

[@simonekitson]

Found this today... interesting www.heritagedaily.com/2020/02/easter-island-society-did-not-collapse-prior-to-european-contact-new-research-shows/125663

[@dustin628]

This was so interesting and well done! I'll be honest this just auto played I wouldn't have clicked it myself but I'm so glad it did!

[@mkuc6951]

Uff that was heavy. Despite deforestation by the rats, diseases by the Dutch, English and Spanish, plundering by degenrate whalers, enslavement as well as deaths in transit... They still manage to sing a beautiful song at the end essentially about commemorating their ancestors.

[@onetwothree4148]

Truly remarkable how well humans can ignore reality and comfort ourselves in ideals that never exist

[@jaymuzquiz2942]

Dam good narrator! The resonance of his tone lifts one to lands far away and long ago.

[@yakaronielyak8299]

thank you kindly for the perspective

[@johncloo9093]

A very good podcast.

[@weezalicious]

They should just show these in history class and throw the books away. You are a rock star.

[@santawarrior9]

2nd time listening to this episode. Cried both times. Amazing Work

[@tw8464]

Excellent work on this podcast

[@deborahromilly2766]

Fascinating, thank you.

[@FallofCivilizations]

Thank you too!

[@emilvasilev3083]

Such a sad story. Wonderful work. Thank you.

[@EcclesiastesLiker-py5ts]

Atmospheric and educational, thank you.

[@famprima]

Please add the URL to the Toki School.of Music in your description. I love this podcast but it leaves me so terribly sad.

[@FallofCivilizations]

Good idea! It's www.tokirapanui.org/en

[@ThaiEgho]

1:11:00 Well for instance in India, China, and southeast Asia the first Europeans to visit these places would have seen that there (still) was an advanced civilization present, as such it would make sense that the cultures which were present were indeed the originators of all that was there. However in the case of civilizations which have ''fallen'' it might not always be obvious that the current inhabitants of such a place were indeed the builders of the constructions which were still present at the time of such a visit. It is exactly the fall of these civilizations which makes the assumption that they were once so much ''more'' and are now so much ''less'' apparently incredulous, which, to a degree, is certainly understandable. Great channel, I'm truly loving these podcasts.

[@thetawaves48]

I hope you are able to create a visual video of this one. Thanks for your great work.

[@FallofCivilizations]

Thank you for listening! Yes, I will be working through all my episodes and adding video - although it is a time consuming process.

[@ike1413]

Oh my. Humanity took an L in this one. A tragedy on so many layers. Good podcast. This was not an ecological disaster caused by the natives, it's moreso the compounded effects of outside influence. So sad. I hope somewhere someone is working hard to preserve the culture of the Easter island inhabitants.

[@raymondjayjohnson693]

Thank you. Enjoyed it. Side note: not looking for a video podcast with a screenshot background. Bandwidth is still a valuable resource for some of us. Your post covers the entire range of bandwidth options. If you must release a video version of a verbal podcast keep it to the minimum bandwidth so autoselect has something to work with. Cheers.

[@lanokianakachiev6543]

Really great content. Only discovered you recently. I watched the latest uploads with the visual materials and was going to comment that this episode could have done with similar... but I now see you are going back and adding the visual materials which is impressive... thank you for keeping me educated in this rather bleak time... any civilisations brought to their knees by pandemics? Might be timely...

[@FallofCivilizations]

Thank you! Yes, I am going through them one by one, but it is a time consuming process! I'm really glad you've been enjoying. And yes, I may have to have a think about that one...

[@billybutcher8584]

Woooow it all makes so much sense now

[@alteredbeast7145]

Learned so much from this. Heartbreaking story. Thank you

[@LIE4ME]

Making quarantine bearable. This is good good good!

[@FallofCivilizations]

Thank you, glad to hear it!

[@judithmcdonald9001]

Polynesians were ancient climate refugees. As the glaciers began melting they were faced with sea level rise. Where once there was Sundaland, only the mountains tops remained with ocean in between. There must be a name for this action! It affected the coastline all around the Pacific in such places as Nazca and Ica, Peru, where plate tectonics and rising sea levels continue to dramatically change the coastline of a civilization traditionally subsisting on fish and chickens from Polynesia! We continue to speculate about Antarctica. Thank you for another well thought out and presented program. Thank you for mentioning sheep. Sheep destroy ecosystems. Almost every time you see a landscape devoid of brush and trees it is the result of sheep having been there. It has to do with the way they graze down to the crown. Look at Scotland and their efforts to restore the highlands. I could mention goats of the Mongols, but I won't 🤗

[@umvhu]

Thank you for your insight, so many things we are taught as 'history' really require better investigation.

[@TheLucanicLord]

How they navigated such enormous distances is amazing, but I'm fascinated _why._

[@AgnieszkaNishka]

Impressive and fascinating, and for once not blaming the natives for their demise.

[@FallofCivilizations]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed.

[@cactusvac]

Incredible mate! Well done!

[@FallofCivilizations]

Thanks, glad you enjoyed!

[@simonhosking7548]

brilliant analysis thank you - well done.

[@FallofCivilizations]

Thanks Simon, much appreciated!

[@otterruin]

Thank you eternally for these

[@grzegorzw424]

Truly amazing how such a small island could give birth to such a sofisticated civilization. I had no idea that they had their own writing! Such acomplishments with such a small population (like You have said, few thousends at height)

[@987654321mnbv]

Fantastic lecture!

[@paulblackburn1391]

Thank you for such a wonderful informative documentary, it’s sad that money sickness wins again, it never stops, greed will be our ultimate downfall

[@cooperrichard6]

What a great find, can't believe only 44000 subscribers.

[@ianburns6218]

Absolutely outstanding

[@adityasambhare]

What a wonderful channel! Many thanks for you efforts. I've been wondering when the islanders stopped carving the statues.

[@FallofCivilizations]

Thank you, I really appreciate it!