In the early 1960's in Las Vegas there was a restaurant and bar attached to and part of, the Stardust Hotel, called the Aku Aku. It was considered a fabulous watering hole and fine eatery, and was frequented by most of the entertainers that played up and down the Strip during those days. Considered by many to rank as one of the best of the best places to meet and eat in Las Vegas, it was on a par with Don the Beachcomber's at the Sahara, altho the ambiance was much more South Pacific.

Guarding the entrance to this Aku Aku stood three large statues, purportedly originals brought here from Easter Island. They had been cut and reassembled for the sake of shipping.

As time moved on, and Las Vegas remodeled, the Aku Aku also went under the mighty pen of the architects. As the rubble and dust was cleared, one of the original statues was moved to a new resting site, to stand guard again over the lake, ducks and geese, at Sunset Park. What happened to the other two? That is another story, but not long after the Stardust's remodel, the Tropicana also remodeled. South Pacific no less, and in front of their property, two large Aku Aku statues, albeit not the orignals, but stuccoed ugly brown, out of proportion copies.