Anyone remember Expedition One to Mata Nui?

[Observance]

Back in 2001 there was a contest to make a Bionicle-themed website, and the grand prize winner (authored by BZPower admin Binkmeister) was framed around a modern-day archaeological expedition to the isolated island of Mata Nui, off the coast of Chile. It's been a long time since I read it, but I do remember the whole island essentially being a barren desert with ruins scattered about (like the Kaukau-shaped waterfall in Ga-Koro, now dried up). There was also a plotline about the research team digging up shards of black rock that were really heavily implied to be Makuta's remains, after the Toa destroyed him.

 

It was really fun seeing this team of regular people trying to piece together the fragments of this ancient civilization, trying to understand its inhabitants (stories of villagers being able to combine into stronger forms being interpreted as symbolism for unified spirit, for example).

 

Unfortunately, the website itself seems to have been taken down a long time ago, and the Wayback Machine doesn't work for it. 

 

Does anybody else remember this?

[Sumiki]

Aw yeah. I remember seeing a version of the site way back - before it got taken down, obviously.
 
Binkmeister himself might have a copy.

[Underscore]

Sure do. In fact, here's the site itself...

 

Ah, I swear I had a link somewhere...

 

(Anyway, I did find the other winning site)

[Binkmeister]

I need to dig that out and put it on my site... as soon as I do, I'll put a link here. Glad you remembered my little project!

[Binkmeister]

And I found it, put it online:

 

http://kellyjmckiernan.com/matanui/

[Vraiment]

And I found it, put it online:

 

http://kellyjmckiernan.com/matanui/

Oh I remember that, back then I didn't know a lot of English but I remember the "burial sites" photographs and getting excited because Bionicles might be real. Realizing it was fake was kind of sad.

[flynn58]

And I found it, put it online:

 

http://kellyjmckiernan.com/matanui/

Wait, Bink, you're here? I thought you weren't allowed on BZP anymore because of US legal ?

[Lyichir]

 

And I found it, put it online:

 

http://kellyjmckiernan.com/matanui/

Wait, Bink, you're here? I thought you weren't allowed on BZP anymore because of US legal ######?

 

If I recall, I don't believe Kelly works for Lego anymore. But I could be misremembering.

[Gatanui]

 

 

And I found it, put it online:

 

http://kellyjmckiernan.com/matanui/

Wait, Bink, you're here? I thought you weren't allowed on BZP anymore because of US legal ######?

 

If I recall, I don't believe Kelly works for Lego anymore. But I could be misremembering.

 

I remember that, too. Anyway, it's pretty cool that you put the site back up. I'll have to read it one of these days.

 

-Gata

[fishers64]

According to yonder blog entry, Binkmeister no longer works for Lego. 

 

The website appears to be interesting and well designed - the premise is interesting.

[Nidhiki of the Shadows]

Thanks for sharing Binky. That website was so awesome. When I was a kid, I thought it was legit. Like dang, Bionicle was based off a real island. Holy moly this is awesome.

 

Obviously I know better now, but it's still an awesome site and concept. Well-deserving of that grand prize.

 

-NotS

[Wrinkledlion X]

Like others, I kinda believed this website was real as a kid. Thanks for firing up my first-grade imagination, Bink.

[Eyru]

aaaaahhh i love[d] this