Word To Use Today: moai.

I was intending to write about the Japanese word moai, which means to come together for a common purpose, but when I searched for information about the word I was reminded that there are other moai in the world:
  
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photo by Aurbina

These moai all come from Easter Island.


photo by Bjørn Christian Tørrissen The moai on the second right has his hair, or pukao, on. The mana, or strength and prestige of a chieftain, was believed to reside in his hair.

This sort of moai is a relic of a country that was once forested but is now bare of trees; of a people that is now extinct; and of a culture finally destroyed and nearly obliterated by the slave trade and missionaries.

So it's a good thing we have the other sort of moai, the Japanese sort, to cheer us up. These Japanese moai consist of groups of people which meet to support each other socially, financially, spiritually, and in good health and bad. They started in Okinawa, when groups of farmers got together to discuss how to plant their crops in such a way that the effects of bad harvests could be minimised. 

Nowadays, as well as resource-pooling, planning and problem-solving, moai act as a supportive extended family. They provide trustworthy and reliable help in everyday life, in crises, and in grief.

As a bonus, evidence shows that moai are the reason the people of Okinawa live much longer than most of the rest of us do.

One word, two such different meanings: and which moai is the more wonderful? 

I leave it to you to decide.

Word To Use Today: moai. The Japanese word means meeting for a common purpose. The Easter Island word comes from the Rapanui language of the island and means statue.