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Casaya, originally known informally as the Older Women, is a tribe from Survivor: Panama. Their tribe color is purple.

Though originally comprised by middle-aged women, Casaya is often associated to its post-switch iteration which consisted of several and conflicting strong personalities. Despite the tribe's general dysfunction and lack of unity, Casaya later found successes in the game, winning most of the latter tribal challenges and overwhelming the rival La Mina tribe after the merge.

Members[]

Cirie Fields
35, Walterboro, SC
Nurse
S12 cirie t
Melinda Hyder
32, Sevierville, TN
Singer/entertainer
S12 melinda t
Ruth Marie Milliman
48, Greenville, SC
Property developer
S12 ruthmarie t
Tina Scheer
44, Hayward, WI
Lumberjill
S12 tina t

 Aras Baskauskas
    
S12 aras t
 Bobby Mason
    
S12 bobby t
 Bruce Kanegai
    *
S12 bruce t
 Cirie Fields
    
S12 cirie t
 Courtney Marit
    
S12 courtney t
S12 danielle t
 Melinda Hyder
    
S12 melinda t
 Shane Powers
    
S12 shane t

Tribe History[]

The Older Women[]

In spite having a tribe full of the older women, Casaya's representative in the Reward Challenge, Ruth Marie Milliman, landed her team in third place. In return, they received flint and with the stipulation that they would not have to have anyone stay on the dreaded Exile Island. Upon their arrival at camp, Casaya quickly prospered under the leadership of Tina Scheer, an expert outdoorswoman; creating a decent shelter and bonfire. Realizing Cirie Fields's lack of outdoor experience, Tina immediately perceived her as a weak link.

Losing the Day 3 Immunity Challenge, Tina lobbied to Melinda Hyder and Ruth Marie to vote Cirie out, but Cirie later made a rebuttal that Tina was a bigger threat in the long run. While Cirie was convincing Melinda and Ruth Marie to oust Tina instead, Tina, who was secretly grieving following the death of her son Charlie, saw a large fish washed up on shore and presented it to her tribe, which seemingly cemented her place in the tribe. However, at Tribal Council, Tina questioned her tribemates' work ethic, prompting Melinda and Ruth Marie to side with Cirie, voting out their strongest member Tina out.

The New Casaya[]

On Day 4, the four tribes divided by age and gender were mixed up into two new ones. Viveros and Bayoneta were disbanded, spreading the fifteen remaining castaways into the new Casaya and La Mina tribes. In a schoolyard-style selection, the new Casaya was composed of two former Viveros (Aras Baskauskas and Bobby Mason), two former Bayoneta (Courtney Marit and Danielle DiLorenzo), a lone former La Mina (Shane Powers), and two of the three remaining "Older Women" (Cirie and Melinda). The 15th player, Bruce Kanegai, was sent to Exile Island and would be staying there up until the next Tribal Council to join the losing tribe to replace its lost member. In their first Reward Challenge, the new Casaya had put up a good fight, but lost to the new La Mina.

Back at Casaya beach, the remaining "Older Women", Melinda and Cirie, immediately became on the outs as the new members formed an alliance. Following the loss at the Day 6 Immunity Challenge, the apparent leader of the majority alliance, Shane, deliberately declared either Cirie or Melinda would be voted out, and whoever remained would go next. However, Shane was also having a hard time getting accustomed to the harsh island life and getting over his nicotine withdrawal. Shane contemplated quitting, but Aras convinced him to stay. The alliance held strong, and Melinda was voted out 5-2. Bruce, who was observing the Tribal Council, joined Casaya and went back to camp with them.

The next day, Casaya lost yet again at the Reward Challenge, with La Mina sending Bruce back to Exile Island, believing that his absence would demoralize the tribe further. Back at camp, the majority alliance's strong personalities finally clashed, with Shane having petty fights with Danielle and Courtney. Cirie, who had predicted the majority's dissent, used this as an opportunity to infiltrate them down the line. At the Immunity Challenge on Day 8, Casaya managed to set their differences aside and eventually won their first Immunity Challenge, sending La Mina to their first Tribal Council. This win, however, did not help unify the tribe as Casaya's dysfunction worsened thereafter; with Shane throwing random temper tantrums, and Bruce getting preoccupied with building a rock garden than doing chores. Despite the tribe's increasingly feckless state, the tribe somehow chalked up a four-challenge winning streak, decimating the La Mina tribe to five. Their anomalous winning streak ended at the Day 14 Immunity Challenge, sending them back to Tribal Council. While fed up with Shane's antics, Danielle, Courtney, and Cirie were just as turned off by Bobby and Bruce's squandering of their reward items for themselves, prompting them to blindside Bobby in a 3-2-1-1 vote.

Casaya then won a crucial Reward/Immunity Challenge on Day 15, winning them a trip to a local village, food, temporary contact with society, and most importantly, a 6-4 numbers advantage come the merge. Shane used this as an opportunity to make amends with Danielle, seemingly giving closure to Casaya's dysfunction. Casaya chose Sally Schumann, the only woman left on La Mina, to be sent to Exile Island, forcing the men to turn on each other, thus losing one potential threat for individual immunity.

By Day 16, the remaining 6 Casaya members welcomed the remnants of the rival tribe at their camp for the merge.

Challenge History[]

Episode Challenge Challenge Type Sit-Out Result Exiled Eliminated
(Vote)
Finish
1 Skull Crush Reward Cirie,
Melinda, Tina
3rd None Tina
(3-1)
1st Voted Out
Day 3
4x4 Immunity None Lost
Tribes Switched, Day 4
2 A Reptile Dysfunction Reward None Lost Bruce1 Melinda
(5-2)
2nd Voted Out
Day 6
Anchor Management Immunity None Lost
3 Cross Fire Reward None Lost Bruce Tribe Immune
Battle Dig Immunity None Won
4 Puzzle Paranoia Reward Cirie Won None Tribe Immune
Sea Level, Tree Level Immunity Bobby Won
5 For Cod's Sake Reward Courtney, Danielle Won None Bobby
(3-2-1-1)
5th Voted Out
Day 14
Buried at Sea Immunity Bruce, Cirie Lost
6 In-Cog-Neato Reward/Immunity Courtney Won None Tribe Immune
Tribes Merged, Day 16
Notes:
^1 Due to the odd number of players at the time of the tribe switch, Bruce, the person not drafted onto a tribe, was sent to Exile Island and rejoined the game as a member of Casaya, replacing Melinda and evening the tribes at 7-7.

Voting History[]

Original
Tribes
Switched Tribes
Episode 1 2 3 4 5 6 8
Voted Out S12 tina t
Tina
S12 melinda t
Melinda
Tribe
Immune
Tribe
Immune
S12 bobby t
Bobby
Tribe
Immune
Tribes
Merged
Vote 3-1 5-2 3-2-1-1
Aras On Viveros Melinda Bruce
Danielle On Bayoneta Melinda Bobby
Cirie Tina Shane Bobby
Shane On La Mina Melinda Aras
Courtney On Bayoneta Melinda Bobby
Bruce On La Mina Exiled1 Courtney
Bobby On Viveros Melinda Bruce
Ruth Marie Tina On La Mina
Melinda Tina Shane
Tina Cirie
Notes:
^1 Due to the odd number of players at the time of the tribe switch, Bruce, the odd person out, was sent to Exile Island and rejoined the game as a member of Casaya, replacing Melinda and evening the tribes at 7-7.

Gallery[]

Trivia[]

  • Bobby Mason sardonically called the original Casaya the "Golden Girls".
  • In a rather interesting coincidence, each of the four starting tribes produced a representative in the final four. Cirie Fields became the representative of Casaya.
  • The second season of the Israeli version's merged tribe was also named Casaya.
  • None of the original four Casaya members were ever sent to Exile Island.
  • Out of the original Casaya tribe, Cirie is the only one to make the merge.
  • After the Schoolyard Pick, Casaya had two representatives from each original tribe. Aras and Bobby from Viveros, Courtney and Danielle from Bayoneta, Cirie and Melinda from original Casaya, and Shane from original La Mina. Shane was the only representative of original La Mina, but he was joined by Bruce after Melinda's elimination.
  • Despite Melinda being on an "older" tribe and Bobby on a "younger" tribe, both were 32 years old at the time of filming.
    • However, Melinda was three months older than Bobby.
  • Casaya is one of only two original tribes to enter the merge with more members (6) than it started the game with (4), the other being Tandang in Philippines.
  • Casaya became the fastest tribe to lose half of its original members, after Melinda Hyder became the second of the four of them to be eliminated on Day 6.
    • Casaya is also the fastest tribe to be dwindled to its final member, achieving this distinction with thirteen players remaining.

References[]

Survivor (U.S.) Tribes
Borneo The Australian Outback Africa Marquesas
Pagong Tagi Kucha Ogakor Boran Samburu Maraamu Rotu
Rattana Barramundi Moto Maji Soliantu
Thailand The Amazon Pearl Islands All-Stars
Chuay Gahn Sook Jai Jaburu Tambaqui Drake Morgan The Outcasts Chapera Mogo Mogo Saboga
Chuay Jai Jacaré Balboa Chaboga Mogo
Vanuatu Palau Guatemala Panama
Lopevi Yasur Koror Ulong Nakúm Yaxhá Bayoneta Casaya La Mina Viveros
Alinta Xhakúm Gitanos
Cook Islands Fiji China Micronesia
Aitutaki Manihiki Puka Puka Rarotonga Moto Ravu Fei Long Zhan Hu Airai Malakal
Aitutonga Bula Bula Hae Da Fung Dabu
Gabon Tocantins Samoa Heroes vs. Villains
Fang Kota Jalapao Timbira Foa Foa Galu Heroes Villains
Nobag Forza Aiga Yin Yang
Nicaragua Redemption Island South Pacific One World
Espada La Flor Ometepe Zapatera Savaii Upolu Manono Salani
Libertad Murlonio Te Tuna Tikiano
Philippines Caramoan Blood vs. Water Cagayan
Kalabaw Matsing Tandang Bikal Gota Galang Tadhana Aparri Luzon Solana
Dangrayne Enil Edam Kasama Solarrion
San Juan del Sur Worlds Apart Cambodia Kaôh Rōng
Coyopa Hunahpu Escameca Masaya Nagarote Bayon Ta Keo Angkor Chan Loh Gondol To Tang
Huyopa Merica Orkun Dara
Millennials vs. Gen X Game Changers Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers Ghost Island
Takali Vanua Ikabula Mana Nuku Tavua Levu Soko Yawa Malolo Naviti Yanuya
Vinaka Maku Maku Solewa Lavita
David vs. Goliath Edge of Extinction Island of the Idols Winners at War
Jabeni Vuku Tiva Kama Manu Lesu Lairo Vokai Dakal Sele Yara
Kalokalo Vata Lumuwaku Koru
Survivor 41 Survivor 42 Survivor 43 Survivor 44
Luvu Ua Yase Ika Taku Vati Baka Coco Vesi Ratu Soka Tika
Viakana Kula Kula Gaia Va Va
Survivor 45 Survivor 46
Belo Lulu Reba Nami Siga Yanu
Dakuwaqa
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