distances between the islands are also frequentlymisconceived.Easter Island, source of the oldest remnants of civilization is thefurthest removed fromAsia as all the islands, suggesting a migration from South America, whichis only 2,000miles from Easter Island, while the nearest island is 2,000 miles west, andit is 8,000 milesto mainland Asia (Kon-Tiki 127). Nonetheless this tiny, drydesolate island is the home ofthe oldest statues and pyramids in the Pacific islands. The famousred-haired statuesdiscovered on the island are found elsewhere, but only on the islandsclosest to theAmericas. In addition, the details and skill levels shown in theconstruction of thesestatues decreases as distance from America increases (Kon-Tiki 133-136). This all pointstowards a westward spread of culture, rather than the traditional eastwarddiffusionsuggested by most anthropologists. Once again, legend offers evidence for the westwardmigration theory, this timeinvolving Easter Island. The first Europeans to visit the island, wereastonished to see"mysterious white men on shore,... with long flowing beards"(Kon-Tiki 138). This race,characterized by their light skin, red hair, and artificially-lengthenedear lobes, are said tohave first come to Polynesia around 400 AD The Polynesians contend thatthis race,known as the "big-ears," led by the sun-god Kon-Tiki, came from the east,and built thestatues that bear an incredible likeness to them. They continued west,scattering fromHawaii to New Zealand, and intermingled with and dominated the scatteredtribes thatlived on the islands (Kon-Tiki 139). The statues on Easter Islandare the oldest, and mostsimilar to the statues found around Lake Titicaca. Decorating the statueson Easter Islandare tufts of red hair, long ears, and a belt carved around the stomach.These belts are alsoon every statue in the ruins around Lake Titicaca, and are the emblem ofthe sun-god(Kon-Tiki 140). These remarkable simila...
