Papeari

Pape'ari is a village on the south coast of Tahiti. It is located in Tahiti-nui district,^[2] around 32 miles from Papeete.^[3]

Pape'ari
Associated commune of Teva I Uta
Location within Tahiti
Location of Pape'ari
Coordinates: 17°45′S 149°21′W
Country	France
Overseas collectivity	French Polynesia
Commune	Teva I Uta
Population  (2022)[1]	5,446
Time zone	UTC−10:00

History

Papeari is attested in some accounts as Tahiti's oldest village.^[4]

Some 19th-century sources attest that Papeari was formerly known as Vaiari (or Wyere), a name attributed to an indigenous group.^[5] It houses a harbor with anchorage.^[6]

Tourist sites in and near modern Papeari include the former home of the British novelist Robert Keable, who lived there from 1922 until his death in 1927, and a museum dedicated to the French painter Paul Gauguin, also a former resident of the area (from 1891-3).^[4]

Notable People

• Ralph Taaviri (1954-2023) - trade unionist and environmental activist