MM's: Hiva Oa

Another view of Mt. Temetiu

(Apologies for the layout; programming difficulties!)

Like many other passage-makers, 

we made landfall at this anchorage (Atuona). 

Second Wind is the 3rd boat from the right, Mt. Temetiu is on the left

At one time Atuona was home to painter Paul Gauguin

 and composer Jacques Brel, both of whom

 are buried in the cemetery above the bay.

We didn't see many homes like this, 

but the elevated floor, wooden flaps as window covers,

 and wood construction made this one particularly attractive

Gauguin museum in Atuona

The Me'ae Iiopona archeological site has the largest tikis in the Marquesas and is beautifully preserved. The tikis represent figures of a female (the largest), male, child, and a priestess who died in childbirth; stone heads with no bodies represent the victims who were sacrificed here

The road to the site was one lane, unpaved, and often just a sheer drop to the sea far below. I was glad to get back to the jungle! 

Wild horses wander the Marquesas

The Ta'aoa  site is also well preserved. 

There are no tikis here, but plenty of terraces and tohuas--

rectangular ceremonial plazas for festivities