Gauguin’s Hiva Oa :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers

Gauguins Hiva OaThe Tahitian island of Hiva Oa is the correct where artist Paul Gauguin chose to croak out the remaining years of his life. In The Moon and Sixpence, the narrator describes the place by saying, the beauty of the island is unveiled as diminishing distance shows you in distincter shape its lovely peaksfor Tahiti is smiling and friendly (Maugham 160). This is an excellent description of the island, and it is piddling wonder that Gauguin found solace here. Hiva Oa is on the southern coast of Tahiti and is the just about fertile and well known of the Marquisas group of islands, of which there be six. even up today, Hiva Oa retains much of the physical beauty that it did during Gauguins stay. Many of the roads are unpaved and the largest tikis in Polynesia are found right on the island. On the cliffs overlooking the village of Atuona is Cavalry Cemetery where Gauguin is buried, along with another famous man, Belgian singer Jacques Brel, who as well lived out his lif e in Hiva Oa. In the village is a museum dedicated to the artists life and works. yet to the east is Puamau Village, where many of Gauguins descendants still live, mostly in the native lifestyle. In The Moon and Sixpence the natives are described as being promiscuous, although the definition may have a different moment to Westerners than it does to the natives. One of the narrators friends describes the artists wife as a good girl and shes only seventeen. Shes neer been promiscuous like some of these girlsa captain or a first mate, yes (Maugham 185). This may have been the norm at the time, and one website describes the ism of natives today as parents allow young people to live an self-sufficient sexual life. Young people choose their partners themselves and they may sleep with anyone they respect to (Petya). Such an easygoing spot may be hard for many people to understand, but Gauguin seemingly fit in quite well. This superior general good nature is further seen in a genera l attitude of goodwill toward all people and overall generosity. The natives, especially in Gauguins time, were not so much concerned with money and material wealthiness as in living freely. Households at the timeand this can also be seen sometimes todayconsisted of a sleeping house and a cooking house, surrounded by an ua ma, or pit for storing fermented breadfruit could be found.