Puka Puka
From Survivor Wiki
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Puka Puka (informally known as "Puka") was a tribe on Survivor: Cook Islands.
"Puka" (named for the island of Pukapuka) was one of four tribes of five castaways that started the game in episode 1301. In keeping with the season's racially-divided format, the tribe was comprised entirely of Asian-Americans of varying ethnicities. Puka Puka's tribe color was green.
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[edit] Members of "Puka"
[edit] Original Members
The "Puka" tribe initially consisted of:
[edit] Additional Members
- "Puka" did not have any additional members.
[edit] Tribe History
Interestingly, "Puka" seemed to be the tribe that was most concerned with how their race was viewed. When Cao Boi Bui made a joke about the lightness of their raft due to the small Asians on it, Jenny Guzon-Bae was quick to reprimand him. The schism between Cao Boi, who was quick to make ethnic jokes and stereotypes, and the rest of the tribe, who were conscious of their appearance on television, would become a running sub-plot during Puka Puka's brief time as a tribe.
Cao Boi was an outcast for other reasons, however: as a first-generation Vietnamese refugee, he had a different viewpoint than his other, younger tribemates. Cao Boi's old-world techniques helped the tribe when Jenny and Brad Virata came down with headaches, and the nail salon owner vigorously massaged their foreheads. Unfortunately, they were also branded with red marks on their foreheads for the next several days.
It was also at "Puka" that Becky Lee and Yul Kwon formed one of the most important alliances in the game: the pact they formed would last both until day thirty-nine, when they faced the jury.
"Puka" was a physical powerhouse, and emerged in first place in both of the first immunity challenges. As a result, the tribe earned both a set of fishing gear, and a tarp (the latter of which was also reward to "Raro" in what was decided to be a tie victory).
On day seven, the members of "Puka" were, in a schoolyard pick'em, absorbed into the "Aitu" and "Raro" tribes. Becky, Cao Boi, and Yul were sent to "Aitu" while Brad and Jenny went to "Raro."
[edit] Trivia
- "Puka" is one of four tribes to never lose an immunity challenge or even come second, along with Bayoneta, Koror, and Moto.
- Interestingly, "Puka" is one of several green tribes to produce the winner of the game. Others include Viveros (Aras Baskauskas) and Ogakor (Tina Wesson). The only green tribe to not produce the game's winner is Mogo Mogo.
- In spite of the concept of being divided by race, it was often pointed out that the ethnicities of the "Puka" tribe were distinct and varied: Jenny Guzon-Bae is Filipino, Brad Virata is Filipino-Hawaiian, Cao Boi Bui is Vietnamese, and Becky Lee and Yul Kwon are both Korean-American.
