National Hickman

Our ‘little red man’ logo never fails to cause comment and we are often asked about his origins. Now we are a step closer to being able to explain more fully thanks to Dr Ian Conrich, who is Curator of the Easter Island, Myths and Popular Culture Exhibition, currently on show at the Captain Cook Birthplace Museum in Middlesbrough.

As many of you will know, our little man is based on an Easter Island moai – effigies which cannot be found anywhere else in the world and which are shrouded in myth and mystery. We were naturally delighted when Dr Conrich approached us to help to move some of the largest moai ever seen outside of the island, from London up to Middlesbrough where they will be on show for the summer.

National Hickman delivers Moai to the exhibition in Middlesbrough

You can’t fail to have noticed his staring white eyes (mata) which are made of white coral with black obsidian pupils – the eyes were always the last part of the statue to be added and once in place transformed the statue into an ‘aringa ora’ – a living face. Our moai is located at ahu Ko Te Riku, which is part of the Tahai ceremonial complex on the outskirts of Hanga Roa, the only town on Easter Island. Ian has helped us name him: TANGATA ITI MEA-MEA – which means Little Red Man (literally the man who is called Little Red). Interestingly tangata (man) and iti (little) are the same in the Maori language too.

The exhibition runs at the Captain Cook Birthplace Museum  until September 4th 2011.

Easter Island, Myths and Popular Culture Exhibition