Samuel Raapoto

Samuel Raapoto (22 May 1921 – 15 June 1976) was a French Polynesian religious leader, who from 1963 until his death was first president of the Maohi Protestant Church. He was a founding member of the Tahitian Academy. He was the father of politician and academic Jean-Marius Raapoto, 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. 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. 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. In 2000, a high school of the Ma'ohi Protestant Church was named after him.