Puka Puka (informally known as "Puka" and alternately spelled Pukapuka) is a tribe from Survivor: Cook Islands. Their tribe color is green.
In keeping with the season's racially divided format, the tribe was comprised entirely of Asian-Americans of varying ethnicity. On Day 7, they ceased to exist along with fellow tribe Manihiki. All of the remaining castaways were shuffled into the new Aitutaki and Rarotonga.
Members[]
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Tribe History[]
Interestingly, Puka 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 subplot 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 by vigorously massaging Jenny's and Brad Virata's foreheads when they came down with headaches. Unfortunately, they were also branded with red marks on their foreheads for the next several days.
Puka Puka was a physical powerhouse and emerged in first place the first two Immunity Challenges. As a result, the tribe earned a fire-starting kit, along with both a set of fishing gear and a tarp (the latter of which was also a reward to Rarotonga in what was decided to be a tie victory).
On Day 7, the members of Puka Puka were, in a Schoolyard Pick, shuffled into the Aitutaki and Rarotonga tribes. Becky, Cao Boi, and Yul were sent to Aitutaki, while Brad and Jenny went to Rarotonga. Only Becky Lee and Yul Kwon, who formed one of the most important alliances while at Puka Puka, would make the merge, but those two would also make it to the Final Tribal Council, facing the jury together.
| Episode | Challenge | Challenge Type | Sit-Out | Result | Exiled | Eliminated (Vote) |
Finish |
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| 1 | Lock, Load and Light | Reward/Immunity | None | 1st | None | Tribe Immune | |
| 2 | Tow the Line | Reward/Immunity | Jenny | 1st1 | Yul | Tribe Immune | |
| Tribe Dissolved, Day 7 | |||||||
| Notes: ^1 Tied with Rarotonga in first place.
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Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- Puka Puka is one of five green tribes to produce the winner of the game. Others include:
- As a starting tribe:
- Ogakor (Tina Wesson in The Australian Outback).
- Viveros (Aras Baskauskas in Panama).
- As part of the tribe expansion:
- Tavua (Sarah Lacina in Game Changers).
- Yanuya (Wendell Holland in Ghost Island).
- As a starting tribe:
- Despite the season being divided by race, the ethnicities of the Puka Puka tribe were distinct and varied: Cao Boi Bui is Vietnamese, Brad Virata and Jenny Guzon-Bae are of Filipino descent, and Becky Lee and Yul Kwon are of Korean descent.
References[]