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Kalabaw is a tribe from Survivor: Philippines.

Kalabaw became one of the two dominating tribes in Philippines while witnessing the fall of the other tribe, Matsing. However, after Matsing was absorbed, the tribe began to crumble by losing the remaining Immunity Challenges. Eventually, the three men and former Matsing member Denise Stapley entered the merge. Their tribe color is red.

Members[]

Carter Williams
24, Shawnee, KS
Track coach
S25 carter t
Dana Lambert
32, Winston-Salem, NC
Cosmetologist
S25 dana t
Jeff Kent
44, Austin, TX
Retired MLB player
S25 jeff t
Katie Hanson
22, Newark, DE
Former Miss Delaware
S25 katie t
Sarah Dawson
28, Silver Spring, MD
Insurance saleswoman
S25 dawson t

 Carter Williams
    
S25 carter t
 Dana Lambert
    
S25 dana t
 Denise Stapley
    
S25 denise t
 Jeff Kent
    
S25 jeff t
 Jonathan Penner
    
S25 jonathan t
 Katie Hanson
    
S25 katie t
 Sarah Dawson
    
S25 dawson t

Tribe History[]

Original[]

Kalabaw's beginnings was considerably promising despite reservations at the prospect of having returning player Jonathan Penner on their tribe, notably Jeff Kent, who immediately plotted against him. This forced Jonathan into becoming less confrontational and more social than he was in his past seasons. Kent however, being a prominent figure himself having played in Major League Baseball player was also struggling to keep his legacy from haunting him, as tribemate Sarah Dawson knew who he was, while weathering a torn MCL which he incurred during the Day 1 marooning. The five new castaways quickly made an agreement to eliminate Jonathan first. Any plotting however was put on hold after Kalabaw won the Day 3 Reward/Immunity Challenge.  On Day 4, Jonathan used the heavy rains as the perfect excuse to look for the Hidden Immunity Idol. While the rest of the tribe huddled in a nearby cave, Jonathan returned to camp under the premise of him looking for his eyeglasses. After almost getting caught by Dana and Dawson who also returned to camp to collect the flint to keep it dry, Jonathan found the idol, which happened to be on the lid of their rice bin. At the Day 6 Reward/Immunity Challenge, Kalabaw finished second, sparing them from the vote. Jonathan's discovery of the Hidden Immunity Idol proved pivotal as the men, Jeff and Carter Williams, cautiously accepted Jonathan's invitation for an alliance after using the idol as leverage, while the women, Dawson, Dana Lambert and Katie Hanson stuck with each other. This gender-driven change in Kalabaw's tribe dynamics was ultimately inconsequential, as they won two more Immunity Challenges, surviving the first ten days of the game complete with six members.

Matsing Dissolves[]

On Day 11, the two tribes would learn that they would be acquiring one of the two remaining members from the unfortunate Matsing tribe. A luck of a draw assigned Denise Stapley to Kalabaw, while Malcolm Freberg was sent to Tandang. A Reward Challenge immediately followed, and Kalabaw suffered its first loss.

Denise's arrival initially appeared to tip the scales in favor of the women, but it did not matter when Dana fell ill and decided to pull herself out of the game to seek immediate medical treatment. Kalabaw later suffered another blow by losing the Day 13 Immunity Challenge, giving them a 7-5 numbers disadvantage. Facing Tribal Council for the first time, both Dawson and Katie were blamed for the loss, but the two campaigned to keep the original Kalabaws strong and vote out Denise. Meanwhile, Jeff convinced Denise to join the alliance of men, citing her physical strength as invaluable to the tribe. At Tribal Council, Dawson was deemed as the weaker of the two, and with Katie's vote, she was unanimously voted out, 5-1, but not before giving Jeff a kiss and a hug on her way out.

On Day 14, the tribes were required to physically engage each other in a Reward Challenge. The first round fought to a gridlock with nobody unable to move. The returning players, Jonathan and Tandang's Michael Skupin took it upon themselves and brokered a deal that if Tandang forfeit the challenge, they would receive Kalabaw's remaining rice reserves. The rest of Kalabaw were quick to agree with the deal after Jonathan promised to catch more fish to compensate for the lost rice, while the rest of Tandang were furious at Michael for brashly making a decision without their input. After much deliberation, Tandang surrendered, winning Kalabaw the challenge by default. The deal quickly proved to be a huge failure for both tribes, as Kalabaw started to experience serious hunger as Jonathan failed to catch fish like he promised, while Tandang was miffed they received less rice than expected.

On Day 16, Kalabaw lost yet another Immunity Challenge, further dwindling down their numbers to four. Katie, the only physically weak link remaining, lobbied to vote Jonathan out but failed, and was voted out, 4-1.

Kalabaw received a message on Day 17 which informed them of the upcoming merge. With the two tribes merged, the new tribe, Dangrayne, lived the rest of their days in the game at the old Matsing camp.

Challenge History[]

Episode Challenge Challenge Type Sit-Out Result Eliminated
(Vote)
Finish
1 Share the Wealth Reward/Immunity None 1st Tribe Immune
2 Manila Folders Reward/Immunity Dawson 2nd Tribe Immune
3 Deep In Thought Reward/Immunity Dawson, Katie 1st Tribe Immune
4 Swing Break Reward/Immunity Dana, Dawson,
Katie
2nd Tribe Immune
Matsing Absorbed, Day 12
5 Idol Hands Reward None Lost Dana
(no vote)
Quit
Day 12
Thrash, Splash & Bash Immunity None Lost Dawson
(5-1)
5th Voted Out
Day 13
6 Bog Roll Reward None Won1 Katie
(4-1)
6th Voted Out
Day 16
Philiping Out Immunity None Lost
Tribes Merged, Day 17
Notes:
^1 Tandang forfeited the challenge in exchange for Kalabaw's rice.

Voting History[]

Original Tribes Absorbed Tribes
Episode 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Voted Out Tribe
Immune
Tribe
Immune
Tribe
Immune
Tribe
Immune
S25 dana t
Dana
S25 dawson t
Dawson
S25 katie t
Katie
Tribes
Merged
Vote No vote1 5-1 4-1
Denise On Matsing Dawson Katie
Carter Dawson Katie
Jonathan Dawson Katie
Jeff Dawson Katie
Katie Dawson Jonathan
Dawson Denise
Dana Quit
Notes:
^1 Dana quit the game due to illness. No vote occurred for her removal.

Gallery[]

Trivia[]

  • Red is one of the three colors represented in the Philippine flag.
  • The national animal of the Philippines, the "kalabaw" ("carabao" in English; scientific name Bubalus bubalis carabanesis), is a subspecies of the water buffalo. Important in agriculture, they are employed by farmers to plow their fields or haul their products to marketplaces, similar to horse carriages.
  • Kalabaw is one of four tribes, alongside Koror, Tandang, and Soka, to have a member sit out of three consecutive challenges.
  • Kalabaw is the first tribe on a non-Battle of the Sexes season whose original members entered the merge with only one gender. All original female Kalabaw members were eliminated before the merge, leaving only men (and Denise Stapley, whose original tribe was Matsing) to represent the tribe.
  • Kalabaw has many similarities to Mogo Mogo in All-Stars:
    • Both tribes won all the Immunity Challenges when there were three tribes.
    • Both tribes had their lowest-placing member quit the game.
    • Both tribes had seven members after one tribe was absorbed.
    • Both tribes lost most of the challenges post-absorption.
    • Both tribes had three original members enter the merge, two middle-aged and one in their 20's.
    • Both tribes were the first tribe to have all of their original members eliminated, with their highest-ranking member being unanimously voted out and finishing in 6th.
  • Despite being the only tribe to not have an original member at the Final Tribal Council, the eventual Sole Survivor was a member of Kalabaw due to the absorption.
  • The only challenge Kalabaw won post-absorption was via forfeit; the other challenges they won were during the three-tribe phase.
  • Kalabaw is the second tribe in Survivor history, after Rarotonga, to have all the original tribe members of the same gender ended up on the jury as all of their original male members, Jonathan, Jeff, and Carter, all ended up on the jury. They would be followed by Soko, Sele and Belo.
  • They lived at the same beach that Bikal lived on during Caramoan. It is known as Tayak Beach.

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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