Vaitiare Bandera

Vaitiare Bandera, sometimes credited as Vaitiare Hirshon, is an actress. She has a daughter Tatiana Shanks with Michael Shanks. Vaitiaré is a Tahitian name meaning "Water Flower". In Tahitian, it's pronounced "Vay-t-awe-rey" with a trilled "r"; in English, it's "Vi-tee-awe-ray". She is of Tahitian, Cook Island, German, English, and French descent. Her mother is related to the Royal House of Makea Karika in the Cook Islands.

Vaitiare was born in Tahiti and raised throughout the United States since the age of eight. She currently lives in California with her two children and husband.

She originally auditioned for the role of Sha're in the 1994 film Stargate, but ultimately lost to Mili Avital. She was offered the role in the following television series Stargate SG-1 after auditioning again for the same part.