Latest news with #Samu
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Bride Masters Samoan Dance in Just 5 Days to Honor Husband's Family at Wedding: 'I Wanted to Make Them Proud' (Exclusive)
Just days before her wedding, Madi decided to learn a traditional Samoan dance to honor her husband Samu's heritage With only five days to prepare, she practiced between wedding events and even during a trip out of state — capturing the journey on TikTok Her surprise performance moved Samu's family to tears and went viral, becoming a powerful symbol of love, respect and cultural connectionWhen Madi decided to learn a traditional Samoan dance just five days before her wedding, she didn't expect the world to be watching. But a TikTok video capturing her journey — complete with hotel-room rehearsals and joyful nerves — quickly touched millions. 'I always knew deep down that I wanted to do it, even early on in our relationship,' Madi exclusively tells PEOPLE, remembering the moment the idea took hold. Inspired by videos she'd seen of brides embracing Samoan traditions, she felt a quiet pull to do the same for her future husband, Samu, and the family she was about to join. Their love story began years earlier at the University of Utah, where Madi played softball and Samu was on the football team. They met through a campus ministry group and bonded over faith, friendship and eventually, something more. 'Some of our friends started putting the bug in our ear about how we would be a cute couple,' Samu tells PEOPLE with a grin. That playful encouragement turned into a connection that grew steadily over time. Their first date, complete with matching knee injuries, still makes them laugh. 'He did not want to reschedule. He was very adamant about making sure it happened,' Madi recalls, remembering how they hobbled into an arcade together; she was on crutches, he was fresh out of surgery. Four years later, after countless FaceTime calls and long-distance stretches while Madi worked as a nurse, Samu proposed by a lake with the help of his family. 'I've waited my whole life for her,' he says. Wedding planning brought excitement and emotion, but also a surprise challenge Madi didn't see coming. 'The five days thing wasn't ideal,' she says, laughing. Originally, she tried to teach herself a dance from YouTube, unsure what would resonate. 'Then he said his cousin was going to choreograph a dance,' she explains. But when that choreography finally arrived, Madi was in Georgia for a funeral, practicing alone in her hotel room and sending videos back to Samu's sisters for feedback. 'There's no way I'm going to know if I'm doing this right,' she remembers thinking, unsure but determined. The pressure didn't let up as the wedding approached. 'The odds were really kind of stacked,' Samu says, noting that even his mom, who'd planned to help, had to leave town unexpectedly. Still, his sisters stepped in, squeezing in a last-minute rehearsal just two days before the ceremony. 'It was a family effort for sure,' Samu adds. 'Everybody pitched in.' By the time the moment arrived, Madi had barely caught her breath from the whirlwind of the week but she stepped onto the dance floor with everything she had. 'I felt all of the emotions,' she shares. 'The biggest thing I wanted to do was make them proud and also show them that I really value their culture.' For Samu, the moment landed like a dream. 'There's just this sense of awe,' he says. 'I always dreamed about my wife doing [the dance] … and to see her step in and accept it in that way was so powerful and beautiful to me at that moment.' He saw something deeper than choreography. 'In marriage, you're saying yes to this person, but not just to everything — also to the culture,' Samu explains. 'It was such a beautiful thing.' The experience also deepened his own connection to his Samoan roots. 'It definitely helped me, encouraged me to learn more, but also just rekindled this love that I have for where I come from,' he says. Madi, too, walked away transformed. 'Before, the way that I viewed his culture was, I thought it was cool,' she says. 'But now after learning it and seeing the love that his family has for the culture, I think it's made me appreciate it more.' 'Now I would describe it as beautiful,' she continues. 'I think doing the dance, seeing their reaction, it's made me not only love him more, but his family more.' There were bumps along the way — moments where the blending of two cultures felt overwhelming. 'At first we had a conversation where there were other aspects of the Samoan culture that were kind of creeping into the wedding and that weren't necessarily planned,' Samu shares. But the couple chose to approach it all with grace and patience, staying grounded in communication. 'We had to just talk through how we felt,' Madi says. That patience was tested again during the wedding itself, when Madi was pulled into a third unexpected dance by Samu's aunts. 'I was already overwhelmed 'cause I'd just finished the dance,' she remembers. 'But then a lot of his aunts were getting me ready. I was so confused.' Samu quickly stepped in to reassure her. 'He was understanding, he was like, 'Just do what you were doing in your dance,' ' Madi says. 'And then I think seeing him dance, it made me happy again.' Madi's family heritage wasn't left behind, either. 'In the Filipino culture, we also do a money dance,' she says. 'A lot of my uncles wore a traditional Filipino shirt as their formal attire. I feel like that was welcomed pretty well.' The TikTok, which began as a way to share her personal journey, soon turned into something much bigger. 'I think the most common thing that I saw was people being like, they were able to see when two people get married, they see true love in action when the spouse is willing to learn things of their culture,' Madi says. The comments from Samoan viewers in particular meant the world to her. 'There were a few Samoans that commented and they're like, 'You did great. We appreciate you sharing our culture.' And it's really cool to see,' she says. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Samu, who doesn't use TikTok himself, was stunned by the wave of encouragement. 'It was just cool to see the positive side of social media, people rallying around this idea of two people coming together, loving one another and representing a culture and representing it well,' he tells PEOPLE. Through it all, the couple say their love only deepened. 'There was a lot of patience, kindness, graciousness, compassion toward one another in that time,' Samu says. 'To have her come in and basically embrace my family, my culture, us with open arms was so amazing.' The day was also grounded in their shared faith, with a communion ceremony and worship led by close friends. 'We attest our relationship and everything that we have to God,' Samu says. 'We wouldn't be here without Him.' As the views keep climbing and the comments pour in, Madi and Samu are still soaking in the impact of it all. 'We learned that it's okay to feel overwhelmed,' Madi says. 'But what matters is walking through it together, giving each other grace and embracing the beauty of both our backgrounds.' Read the original article on People
France 24
30-05-2025
- Sport
- France 24
Wallaby Samu relishing post-Top 14 reunion with 'awesome' Pollock
Experienced Samu and promising Pollock, 20, met in last Saturday's Champions Cup final in Cardiff as the French outfit lifted the trophy for the first time. The 33-year-old now turns his head to Saturday's Top 14 trip to Toulon before a move to the Waratahs and staking his claim in the Wallabies team to face the Lions, with the first of three Tests on June 22. "He's an awesome player," Samu told AFP. "He's really young and has a bright future ahead of him. "Out there he's a great competitor and you see that in this competition and in the Premiership. "A great player, I wish him all the best and hopefully see him in a couple of months," the 33-time international added. The victory in the Welsh capital, Bordeaux-Begles' maiden major trophy after being founded in 2006, was followed by delirious scenes back in France. 'Great feeling' Samu was in the middle of the celebrations having scored four tries in five Champions Cup appearances this term. More than 40,000 people welcomed Samu and his team-mates for a bus parade and ceremony in the south-western city, better known for its wine production. "It's a great feeling," Samu said. "That's been the plan for the club for the past couple of seasons and to come away with it is very satisfying," the former Crusaders back-rower added. After the festivities, which also included a day in a beach restaurant on the sun-drenched Atlantic coast, Bordeaux-Begles head to Toulon. They are likely to rest a host of front-line players recovering from the Champions Cup final, and its aftermath. Third-placed Toulon are five points behind the newly-crowned Champions Cup winners in the Top 14 table with two rounds of the regular season to go, with Samu's side potentially a point away from securing semi-final spot. "It's going to be tough game against Toulon this week," Melbourne-born Samu said. "They're only a couple of points behind us," he added. Elsewhere this weekend, 14-time French champions Stade Francais can take a big step towards safety if they beat play-off chasing Clermont. Perpignan travel to La Rochelle and Vannes welcome Pau with the Catalans and Bretons also in the relegation scrap. Fixtures (all times GMT) Saturday Sunday © 2025 AFP
The Advertiser
25-05-2025
- Sport
- The Advertiser
Wallaby Samu celebrates European Champions Cup glory
Wallabies backrower Pete Samu will return home as a European Champions Cup winner after helping Bordeaux-Begles to a 28-20 win over Northampton in the final at Cardiff's Principality Stadium. The 33-year-old Samu's taste of European title glory in Cardiff came as he nears the end of his second and last season with the French club he joined after the 2023 World Cup. After Bordeaux-Begles players and staff had trooped off the pitch having been crushed 59-3 by Toulouse in last year's Top 14 final, they vowed to return better and stronger this year and on Saturday, match-hardened, they finally got their reward. Revenge against Toulouse had come in the Cup semi-finals but it was not so much the sparkling backline attacking play they showed there that made the difference on Saturday as their forward power and defensive intensity that blunted a Northampton backline full of England internationals. Star France winger Damian Penaud did score two tries to take his season's tally in the competition to 14 - earning him the player of the year award. But Bordeaux's relentless driving mauls and straight running sucked the energy out of a Northampton side who drained the tanks in trying to keep them at bay. Conductor-in-chief was scrumhalf and captain Maxime Lucu, who also took over the goal-kicking duties after some wobbles by Matthieu Jalibert. His penalty broke the 20-20 halftime deadlock and Bordeaux sealed the deal - the fifth title in a row for France - with Cyril Cazeaux's try. Samu's success came against a Northampton team containing three Australians - flanker Josh Kemeny, winger James Ramm and bench forward Angus Scott-Young. Capped 33 times for the Wallabies, former Brumbies star Samu has signed to return to Australian rugby and play with the NSW Waratahs through to the 2027 home World Cup. "It feels good to have this first trophy, it wasn't easy," said Lucu after being named man of the match. "We had some very tough moments, but we hung in there. "Honestly, it feels great - for the club, for the team, for the supporters. After defeat last year (in the Top 14 final) to come back this year, eliminate almost every team that had won this competition, and earn our first star, it's wonderful." Penaud also referenced the Top 14 final defeat as motivation. "After last year's setback we said to ourselves that we never wanted to go through that again because we had taken a lesson," he said. Saturday's victory meant that Bordeaux accounted for six former European champions in this season's run, with Northampton, winners in 2000, the last to fall. Wallabies backrower Pete Samu will return home as a European Champions Cup winner after helping Bordeaux-Begles to a 28-20 win over Northampton in the final at Cardiff's Principality Stadium. The 33-year-old Samu's taste of European title glory in Cardiff came as he nears the end of his second and last season with the French club he joined after the 2023 World Cup. After Bordeaux-Begles players and staff had trooped off the pitch having been crushed 59-3 by Toulouse in last year's Top 14 final, they vowed to return better and stronger this year and on Saturday, match-hardened, they finally got their reward. Revenge against Toulouse had come in the Cup semi-finals but it was not so much the sparkling backline attacking play they showed there that made the difference on Saturday as their forward power and defensive intensity that blunted a Northampton backline full of England internationals. Star France winger Damian Penaud did score two tries to take his season's tally in the competition to 14 - earning him the player of the year award. But Bordeaux's relentless driving mauls and straight running sucked the energy out of a Northampton side who drained the tanks in trying to keep them at bay. Conductor-in-chief was scrumhalf and captain Maxime Lucu, who also took over the goal-kicking duties after some wobbles by Matthieu Jalibert. His penalty broke the 20-20 halftime deadlock and Bordeaux sealed the deal - the fifth title in a row for France - with Cyril Cazeaux's try. Samu's success came against a Northampton team containing three Australians - flanker Josh Kemeny, winger James Ramm and bench forward Angus Scott-Young. Capped 33 times for the Wallabies, former Brumbies star Samu has signed to return to Australian rugby and play with the NSW Waratahs through to the 2027 home World Cup. "It feels good to have this first trophy, it wasn't easy," said Lucu after being named man of the match. "We had some very tough moments, but we hung in there. "Honestly, it feels great - for the club, for the team, for the supporters. After defeat last year (in the Top 14 final) to come back this year, eliminate almost every team that had won this competition, and earn our first star, it's wonderful." Penaud also referenced the Top 14 final defeat as motivation. "After last year's setback we said to ourselves that we never wanted to go through that again because we had taken a lesson," he said. Saturday's victory meant that Bordeaux accounted for six former European champions in this season's run, with Northampton, winners in 2000, the last to fall. Wallabies backrower Pete Samu will return home as a European Champions Cup winner after helping Bordeaux-Begles to a 28-20 win over Northampton in the final at Cardiff's Principality Stadium. The 33-year-old Samu's taste of European title glory in Cardiff came as he nears the end of his second and last season with the French club he joined after the 2023 World Cup. After Bordeaux-Begles players and staff had trooped off the pitch having been crushed 59-3 by Toulouse in last year's Top 14 final, they vowed to return better and stronger this year and on Saturday, match-hardened, they finally got their reward. Revenge against Toulouse had come in the Cup semi-finals but it was not so much the sparkling backline attacking play they showed there that made the difference on Saturday as their forward power and defensive intensity that blunted a Northampton backline full of England internationals. Star France winger Damian Penaud did score two tries to take his season's tally in the competition to 14 - earning him the player of the year award. But Bordeaux's relentless driving mauls and straight running sucked the energy out of a Northampton side who drained the tanks in trying to keep them at bay. Conductor-in-chief was scrumhalf and captain Maxime Lucu, who also took over the goal-kicking duties after some wobbles by Matthieu Jalibert. His penalty broke the 20-20 halftime deadlock and Bordeaux sealed the deal - the fifth title in a row for France - with Cyril Cazeaux's try. Samu's success came against a Northampton team containing three Australians - flanker Josh Kemeny, winger James Ramm and bench forward Angus Scott-Young. Capped 33 times for the Wallabies, former Brumbies star Samu has signed to return to Australian rugby and play with the NSW Waratahs through to the 2027 home World Cup. "It feels good to have this first trophy, it wasn't easy," said Lucu after being named man of the match. "We had some very tough moments, but we hung in there. "Honestly, it feels great - for the club, for the team, for the supporters. After defeat last year (in the Top 14 final) to come back this year, eliminate almost every team that had won this competition, and earn our first star, it's wonderful." Penaud also referenced the Top 14 final defeat as motivation. "After last year's setback we said to ourselves that we never wanted to go through that again because we had taken a lesson," he said. Saturday's victory meant that Bordeaux accounted for six former European champions in this season's run, with Northampton, winners in 2000, the last to fall.
West Australian
24-05-2025
- Sport
- West Australian
Wallaby Samu celebrates European Champions Cup glory
Wallabies backrower Pete Samu will return home as a European Champions Cup winner after helping Bordeaux-Begles to a 28-20 win over Northampton in the final at Cardiff's Principality Stadium. The 33-year-old Samu's taste of European title glory in Cardiff came as he nears the end of his second and last season with the French club he joined after the 2023 World Cup. After Bordeaux-Begles players and staff had trooped off the pitch having been crushed 59-3 by Toulouse in last year's Top 14 final, they vowed to return better and stronger this year and on Saturday, match-hardened, they finally got their reward. Revenge against Toulouse had come in the Cup semi-finals but it was not so much the sparkling backline attacking play they showed there that made the difference on Saturday as their forward power and defensive intensity that blunted a Northampton backline full of England internationals. Star France winger Damian Penaud did score two tries to take his season's tally in the competition to 14 - earning him the player of the year award. But Bordeaux's relentless driving mauls and straight running sucked the energy out of a Northampton side who drained the tanks in trying to keep them at bay. Conductor-in-chief was scrumhalf and captain Maxime Lucu, who also took over the goal-kicking duties after some wobbles by Matthieu Jalibert. His penalty broke the 20-20 halftime deadlock and Bordeaux sealed the deal - the fifth title in a row for France - with Cyril Cazeaux's try. Samu's success came against a Northampton team containing three Australians - flanker Josh Kemeny, winger James Ramm and bench forward Angus Scott-Young. Capped 33 times for the Wallabies, former Brumbies star Samu has signed to return to Australian rugby and play with the NSW Waratahs through to the 2027 home World Cup. "It feels good to have this first trophy, it wasn't easy," said Lucu after being named man of the match. "We had some very tough moments, but we hung in there. "Honestly, it feels great - for the club, for the team, for the supporters. After defeat last year (in the Top 14 final) to come back this year, eliminate almost every team that had won this competition, and earn our first star, it's wonderful." Penaud also referenced the Top 14 final defeat as motivation. "After last year's setback we said to ourselves that we never wanted to go through that again because we had taken a lesson," he said. Saturday's victory meant that Bordeaux accounted for six former European champions in this season's run, with Northampton, winners in 2000, the last to fall.
Perth Now
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Perth Now
Wallaby Samu celebrates European Champions Cup glory
Wallabies backrower Pete Samu will return home as a European Champions Cup winner after helping Bordeaux-Begles to a 28-20 win over Northampton in the final at Cardiff's Principality Stadium. The 33-year-old Samu's taste of European title glory in Cardiff came as he nears the end of his second and last season with the French club he joined after the 2023 World Cup. After Bordeaux-Begles players and staff had trooped off the pitch having been crushed 59-3 by Toulouse in last year's Top 14 final, they vowed to return better and stronger this year and on Saturday, match-hardened, they finally got their reward. Revenge against Toulouse had come in the Cup semi-finals but it was not so much the sparkling backline attacking play they showed there that made the difference on Saturday as their forward power and defensive intensity that blunted a Northampton backline full of England internationals. Star France winger Damian Penaud did score two tries to take his season's tally in the competition to 14 - earning him the player of the year award. But Bordeaux's relentless driving mauls and straight running sucked the energy out of a Northampton side who drained the tanks in trying to keep them at bay. Conductor-in-chief was scrumhalf and captain Maxime Lucu, who also took over the goal-kicking duties after some wobbles by Matthieu Jalibert. His penalty broke the 20-20 halftime deadlock and Bordeaux sealed the deal - the fifth title in a row for France - with Cyril Cazeaux's try. Samu's success came against a Northampton team containing three Australians - flanker Josh Kemeny, winger James Ramm and bench forward Angus Scott-Young. Capped 33 times for the Wallabies, former Brumbies star Samu has signed to return to Australian rugby and play with the NSW Waratahs through to the 2027 home World Cup. "It feels good to have this first trophy, it wasn't easy," said Lucu after being named man of the match. "We had some very tough moments, but we hung in there. "Honestly, it feels great - for the club, for the team, for the supporters. After defeat last year (in the Top 14 final) to come back this year, eliminate almost every team that had won this competition, and earn our first star, it's wonderful." Penaud also referenced the Top 14 final defeat as motivation. "After last year's setback we said to ourselves that we never wanted to go through that again because we had taken a lesson," he said. Saturday's victory meant that Bordeaux accounted for six former European champions in this season's run, with Northampton, winners in 2000, the last to fall.
