Boxing: Proud Samoan puts his nation on map

LAS VEGAS - David Tua is promoting Samoa to the world like no individual has done before.

David Vaeafe, a representative of the Samoan Visitors' Bureau, is in Las Vegas this week to capitalise on the international interest generated by Tua in the small Pacific Island nation.

"From our point of view this has put our nation on the map. What David is doing is as big as when Manu Samoa played at the second rugby World Cup," Vaeafe said.

"It's mileage which in dollar terms is worth millions to us."

Vaeafe said he had been dealing with copious queries from the US travel and media industries. He hoped to put Samoa in a good light at a reception where an informative video about Samoa would be shown.

"Basically, we want to show where David has come from.

"It shows another side to David. Hopefully, we can explain a lot of the quirks and Samoan things he does and where he learned them from. A lot of people here don't even know where Samoa is. They think we're in the Caribbean or something."

Vaeafe said Tua could not be a better role model.

"He's proud of his culture and believes in God. Those are the main principles that kids are brought up with at home.

"He says he's 100 per cent Samoan, but he's also representing New Zealand. And, of course, a lot of Samoan people can relate to that."

Vaeafe, based in Auckland, could sense a huge groundswell of support for Tua from the Samoan community there. Tua has spoken all week about the honour of representing his people.

He said he nearly broke down in tears early in the week when talking about the impact he was having on the country.

"I'm a citizen of New Zealand and I'm a proud New Zealander. I live there and it gave me the opportunities to reach where I am and to make it in the United States," Tua said.

"But I'm 100 per cent Samoan, I mustn't forget where I came from as far as heritage is concerned.

"To know I have the support of the people back home humbles me as a person."

- NZPA

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