INTRODUCTION

1. The 'spark which ignited me', and made me decide to use 10 of my remaining years in a serious effort to try to decipher the rongorongo texts, came when I 'happened' to read Professor Barthel's Grundlagen zur Entzifferung der Osterinselschrift.

In retrospect I can see that it was not a matter of chance but the natural consequence of the 'red thread' which I had been following since early age, the age at which I learned to read and discovered the mysteries of simple arithmetics. Other signs than the alphanumerical ones later came to interest me. But I have no talent for language, and trying to learn the Japanese characters taught me it was out of my range (in Hottaheiti).

It was not chance, it was time which was due. I had reached an age when I soon was going to retire from work and I knew I had to find some major challenge to keep me 'alive and kicking'. To climb Mount Everest was out of the question. It had already been done, and I was not physically fit enough. It seemed rather stupid anyhow, carrying garbage up into the beautiful mountains and to risk the lives of other people (who might have to go up and save me).

I had to search for something more meaningful, something which was in line with my interests and within my capacity. It became to read the rongorongo texts. No garbage and no risks for other people.