“I am leaving in order to have peace and quiet, to be rid of the influence of civilization.”
Gauguin's own explanation, written in a letter, for his final departure to the Pacific, seeking distance from European civilization.
— Paul Gauguin, French Polynesia
Source: Paul Gauguin, letter to Ambroise Vollard, 1900
More Proverbs from French Polynesia
The coral grows, the palm grows, but man departs.
Nature and the reef endure across generations while a single human life is fleeting — a call to humility before the permanence of land and sea.
Do not dive in with anger.
Entering the water — or any risk — while angry clouds judgment; calm the mind before you act.
The dead go to count the stars, and will return once they have counted them all.
A folk image of death as an unfinished journey rather than a final end, reflecting a Tahitian view of the spirit's lasting bond with the living world.
Every man is the builder of his own hut.
Each person is responsible for shaping their own life and future through their own effort.
If you aim your spear at two fish, both will escape.
Trying to chase two goals at once often means catching neither; focus brings success.
Goods given make a quicker return than goods held.
Generosity circulates and comes back to the giver, while hoarding brings nothing.