Samuel Raapoto (22 May 1921 - 15 June 1976) was a

French Polynesia )Territorial motto: ( en, "Great Tahiti of the Golden Haze") , anthem = , song_type = Regional anthem , song = " Ia Ora 'O Tahiti Nui" , image_map = French Polynesia on the globe (French Polynesia centered).svg , map_alt = Location of Frenc ...

n religious leader, who from 1963 until his death was first president of the

Maohi Protestant Church The Maohi Protestant Church or Māòhi Protestant Church is a Reformed church in French Polynesia. It is a member of the World Communion of Reformed Churches. The first missionaries arrived in 1797. After 1815 the majority of the population i ...

. He was a founding member of the

Tahitian Academy The Tahitian Academy (ty: ''Te Fare Vānaʻa'' / fr: ''Académie tahitienne'') is a cultural institution in French Polynesia with the purpose of preserving and promoting the Tahitian language. The Academy standardizes vocabulary, grammar, and spell ...

. He was the father of politician and academic

Jean-Marius Raapoto Jean-Marius Raapoto (born 1 January 1943) is a French Polynesian educator, academic, politician, and former Cabinet Minister. He has been a major advocate for the Tahitian language, and served as Minister of Education in various governments betw ...

, linguist Turo Raapoto, and journalist Etienne Raapoto. Raapoto was born in Tevaitoa, on the island of Raiatea, in a Protestant family. After training at the pastoral school in Tahiti, he became pastor of the parish of Mahaena, then of the island of Makatea, while being employed at the ''Compagnie des Phosphates de l'Océanie''. He then studied theology in Strasbourg before returning to French Polynesia. In 1963, he became the first president of the Evangelical Church of French Polynesia, and remained so until his death on 15 June 1976, giving his function at the head of this Protestant church a recognized prestige. He worked in particular to unify the liturgy of this church. Finally, he took care to forge relations with international Protestant organizations. He was also a founding member of the

, ''Fare Vāna'a'', and temporarily provided it with space at the headquarters of his Church in its early years. He died of a heart attack on 15 June 1976.

Tributes

A stamp bearing his likeness was issued in 1988. In 2000, a high school of the Ma'ohi Protestant Church was named after him.

References

1921 births 1976 deaths People from Raiatea French Polynesian Protestants French Polynesian religious leaders Members of the Tahitian Academy {{FrenchPolynesia-bio-stub