'Survivor 13: Cook Islands' - A Look at the Tribes - Part 3

Yes, the time is almost here! On Thursday, 8 PM ET/PT in most viewing areas, it's the premiere of the new Survivor season. I'm slowly getting to talking about all 20 castaways and, since they decided to break the tribes down by race or ethnicity... or even culture, as some say... it makes it easier for me to split the introductions, as well. Twenty is many too many to introduce in a single blog entry. And, I fear, too many for me to ever remember!

I made some initial series thoughts and introduced the Asian-American tribe members here --> Looking at the Tribes: Part One. Then I introduced the Caucasian-American tribe here --> Looking at the Tribes: Part Two. When I've written the last of the tribes, I'll make sure to link them all together in each entry so the information is easily connected.

In this entry, I'll be exploring the African-American tribe.


Nathan, though listed as from Los Angeles, was born in Staten Island (NYC borough) and attended school in San Diego. Interesting... he started studying violin at the age of 8. He's into hip-hop and aspires to be a professional musician. Currently, he's a shoe salesman with a national retailer as well as working for a NYC-based urban clothing line.

He likes basketball, sushi and Chinese food and resides in Playa del Rey, CA. I can't help but note that this aspiring musician shares a birthday with Mick Jagger. (I only remember because it was my own mother's birthday.) Hmmm... two of the three things he loves are foods. No mention of any sports background, per se.

I hope he's entertaining, but I don't know about his chances as the sole Survivor.

Now, here's a castaway with show-business ties... and even a previous Survivor tie-in! Rebecca has been a professional make-up artist for 15 years and is most recognized for her work on The View. Yep! She's still employed by them and does the make-up for previous Survivor castaway, Elisabeth Hasselbeck.

Y'know, reading her bio, she so sounds like someone I'd honestly really like as a person. She collects music and works to rescue stray cats. She enjoys dancing and tennis and loves her family. She's single with two cats, Blinky and Pooky.

What are her chances on the show? I don't know. She sounds like too nice a person to be in what can be a cut-throat environment.

Sekou is yet another Californian born and raised in New York. He's currently a jazz musician and recording artist, but has always been creative. At the age of seven, one of his paintings was displayed at the NY Museum of Art. He also started dancing young and was one of the original breakdancers coming out of the Bronx. He's recorded with and played with too many artists for me to list here, but they run the gamut from Michael Jackson to Paul Anka to Ice Cube and beyond. He has also performed on musical scores for many movies.

While it's obvious that Sekou really thrives with creativity, he's no athletic slouch. He enjoys basketball, raquetball and lifting weights. He has three children, one step-daughter, a fiancee and is a grandfather of two. Whoops... you can change his age to 46. As I post this, his birthday was yesterday.

How will he do? While age sometimes is a detractor, I have to think of folks like Tom Westman. If Sekou is indeed in as good shape as he seems to be, he looks like a very strong competitor.


What? Another Stephannie? Well, this one has Flavor! (I couldn't resist.) We could very well have, albeit with a different spelling, another tough woman Steph on our hands here. She's an Army veteran who served in the Desert Storm. She already has her business degree, but is studying nursing. She likes volleyball, dancing, singing and jogging. She really enjoys gospel music, in particular.

She's married to her high school sweetheart and they have two children and one dog.

I think we have another strong competitor here. A lot will depend on her personality, I'm sure. But I want to see how this Stephannie plays the game, don't you?


Rounding out the tribe is Sundra, another Californian born and raised in NYC (Queens, this time). She's an actress currently paying the bills as a cocktail waitress. (Now, this is more of the background we're used to on reality shows!) She likes dancing, traveling, kung fu and capoeira (huh?). She enjoys snuggling with her young son and watching movies. Her sports are running and boxing. She seems to be single, lives with her son and her beta fish, appropriately named Beta.

I don't know.

She's pretty. She's an aspiring actress. Can she be a strong competitor?

Well, she might out-do Nathan, but I think that on her own team, she could be the possibly the weakest candidate for the win. Maybe she'll surprise me... who knows?