Aitutaki

Aitutaki (informally known as "Aitu") was a tribe on Survivor: Cook Islands.

"Aitu" (named for the island of Aitutaki) 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 Hispanic-Americans. However, the "Aitu" name is more commonly associated with the alliance of Yul Kwon, Becky Lee, Ozzy Lusth, and Sundra Oakley, who represented the tribe after the merge. Aitutaki's tribe color was red.

Original Members
The "Aitu" tribe initially consisted of:


 * J.P. Calderon
 * Cristina Coria
 * Billy Garcia
 * Ozzy Lusth
 * Cecilia Mansilla

Additional Members
On day seven, the following castaways joined "Aitu" as part of a schoolyard pick'em:


 * Cao Boi Bui
 * Yul Kwon
 * Becky Lee
 * Ozzy Lusth
 * Sundra Oakley
 * Jonathan Penner
 * Jessica Smith
 * Candice Woodcock

Tribe History
The "Aitu" tribe initially kept a low profile, with a middling finish in the first immunity challenge and an uneventful several days. Ozzy Lusth quickly took the role of the tribe's leader and provider, with J.P. Calderon becoming his second-in-command of sorts. Billy Garcia was quickly branded the tribe outcast, as his personality clashed with the others on his tribe. However, the group grew increasingly restless with Billy's antics, and Ozzy eventually suggested that the tribe throw the upcoming immunity challenge. Cristina Coria vehemently disagreed with this decision and made her opinion known on the subject. It was one of many issues on which Cristina and Ozzy disagreed. Eventually, however, the group resolved to intentionally lose the challenge. After "Aitu" came in last that day, Billy exchanged kind words with the "Raro" tribe's Candice Woodcock.

Before Tribal Council, Cristina attempted to sway Cecilia Mansilla to vote against the dominant Ozzy. At Tribal Council, however, it became apparent that their original choice was best when Billy professed to have fallen in love with Candice based on their brief exchange following the immunity challenge. Billy was voted out unanimously; as he pointed out in his final words, "it's kind of cool that the heavy metal guy is getting eliminated by some guy named Ozzy."

On day seven, a schoolyard pick'em resulted in the four tribes being mixed into two, "Aitu" and "Raro." Original "Aitu" members Cecilia and Ozzy remained at their camp while Cristina and J.P. became members of new "Raro"; Cecilia was quick to take on the role of hostess in welcoming the new members to the tribe. She also revealed to Candice the nature of Billy's infatuation with her, much to the amusement of her ally, Jonathan Penner.

The new "Aitu" tribe lost the next immunity challenge, resulting in Candice being sent to Exile Island (at the discretion of her former "Raro" allies, Adam Gentry and Parvati Shallow, who hoped to keep her safe from the vote at the next Tribal Council). At camp, Jonathan formed an alliance with "Puka" allies Yul Kwon and Becky Lee, and, by proxy, Candice. The group sought out a fifth member to join their alliance, but their two choices, Jessica "Flica" Smith and Cao Boi Bui, were both seen as flaky and unreliable. Cecilia and Ozzy, meanwhile, linked up with the tribe's lone "Hiki" member, Sundra Oakley, in hopes of swaying the uncertain Cao Boi and Jessica to vote along with them.

In spite of Cecilia, Ozzy and Sundra's votes for Becky at that evening's Tribal Council, it was Cecilia who was sent home, 5-3. "Aitu" would be safe from Tribal Council during the next two votes, allowing for positions to shift and settle. Ozzy quickly took on the role of the tribe's provider and a force to reckoned with during challenges, assuring his indisposability. Cao Boi became the tribe eccentric, and came under fire for an incident in which he unwittingly disturbed a nest of newborn boobies. Meanwhile, Sundra quietly slid into the position of the power alliance's fifth member, though her name was still occasionally put up for discussion when the subject of who to eliminate rolled around.

In episode 1306, Jeff Probst shocked the contestants by announcing a double Tribal Council. With his head on the chopping block, Cao Boi formed "Plan Voodoo," a strategy to flush out the holder of the hidden immunity idol and force them to play it. The plan was surprisingly well-thought-out: by orchestrating a tie between Candice and Jonathan, the two players Cao Boi considered most likely to hold the hidden idol, one would be forced to play it and the other would be eliminated. Cao Boi's plan had one fatal flaw: the holder of the idol was Yul, the confidante to whom Cao Boi had so lovingly described his plan. Wary of the nail salon owner's maneuvering, Yul convinced the others to vote Cao Boi out of the game. Only Jessica, Cao Boi's closest friend on the island, had gone along with Plan Voodoo.

For winning the previous reward challenge, "Aitu" also earned the right to rescue one member of the "Raro" tribe from that night's vote. They chose to save Nate Gonzalez, who returned with them to camp.

"Aitu" continued to dominate in challenges as they earned the next reward, but faltered come immunity. In attempts to save themselves, Jessica and Ozzy tried to orchestrate an alliance with Candice. At the same time, Yul debated eliminating Jonathan, whose stigma of untrustworthiness had followed him since the beginning of the game. He broached the subject with Becky and Candice, but in the end, the group voted out unallied Jessica, 6-1. On day nineteen, the "Aitu" tribe was shaken up as Jeff Probst introduced the prospect of a mutiny to the tribes. Probst gave the castaways five seconds to decide whether or not to switch tribes. Much to the shock and dismay of their former tribemates, both Candice and Jonathan opted to join the "Raro" tribe, leaving a stunned "Aitu" at four members -- Becky, Ozzy, Sundra, and Yul.

"Aitu" rallied and won the next reward challenge, sending Candice to Exile Island as punishment for her betrayal. This also gave them the chance to enjoy family mementos and photos, causing many -- especially Sundra -- to become emotional and bonding them as a tribe. "Aitu" would go onto win the next three consecutive challenges, earning a feast with the locals and two more immunities. The underdog "Aitu" foursome became popular with fans, particularly Yul and Ozzy, who were admired for their mental and physical prowess, respectively.

On day twenty-five, "Aitu" and "Raro" merged into the new Aitutonga tribe. The minority "Aitu" tribe dominated after the merge, eliminating the five "Raro" members at five consecutive Tribal Councils.

Trivia

 * At the schoolyard pick'em, the new "Aitu" tribe was comprised of the gender-based teams selected by Cecilia Mansilla and Jonathan Penner. Cecilia's team was chosen as follows:
 * Cecilia chose Jessica.
 * Jessica chose Sundra.
 * Sundra chose Becky.
 * Becky chose Candice.
 * Jonathan's team was chosen as follows:
 * Jonathan chose Yul.
 * Yul chose Ozzy.
 * Ozzy chose Cao Boi.
 * By episode 1306, four of the original five "Aitu" members had been voted out of the game. Only Ozzy Lusth remained.
 * The "Aitu" tribe's island was teeming with rats. When the tribes merged, the remaining "Aitu" members moved to the "Raro" beach to get away from them.