The Survivors arrive by sailboat to the coastline of their new island home. A fleet of frightening locals in dugout canoes one of which contains host Jeff Probst greets them. Probst advises them that they are about to participate in a tribal rite of passage to grant them access to the land.
The Survivors enter canoes and, after Travis topples his while entering, they are taken to the shore where other locals rush at them with spears drawn, shouting threatening words in their native language. The only black Survivor, Rory, notes that no spears are pointed at him, perhaps, he believes, in deference to his skin color being like that of the locals. John P. wonders if they should defend themselves. Never fear, however, Probst is here to ensure their safety.
The locals dressed quickly separate the Survivors into a group of males and a group of females, as is their custom. Eliza is immediately jealous that they men get to be part of the action while the women are segregated. The locals offer a drink of Kava to the men. Drill sergeant Lea isn't sure if it's a drink or a finger bowl. Rory describes Kava as looking like mud and numbing to your lips and tongue. John P. thinks it's "pretty cool" that they men are getting all the action while Ami keeps waiting for their Kava which "never came around." Ami's not used to being put second behind men.
The evening ritual continues as a live pig is carried towards the men. The locals immediately pull out a hatchet and slaughter the pig in front of the men. Most of the women are shocked but not Dolly, the shepherdess from PA who understands why animals are raised. The chief then smears blood on the foreheads of the men.
As a final element of the initiation, a spiritual carved stone, which wards off evil spirits, is placed on the top of a greased pole. The men are offered the chance to retrieve the stone and take it with them. Travis doesn't believe in this type of magic, but wants the stone nevertheless so that the girls do not get it.
The chief chooses which man to first try to retrieve the stone, and luckily Travis of the toppled canoe, is not chosen. Rather Brady, the FBI agent is selected. Brady slithers up the pole and retrieves the stone on his first try. We'll see if the stone brings the men luck. In what is sure to be just the first of many memorable quotes, Travis notes that as soon as Brady retrieved the stone, "it started raining like pouring pee out of a boot on a flat rock." Obviously.
Already divided by the chief into groups of men and women, what choice does Probst have but to leave things that way? The men and women are instructed to walk in opposite directions along the beach to their new camps. The men receive the name Lopevi and are given red buffs. Chris is delighted since he feels he can outsmart eight men much easier than he can outsmart eight women. "Women stick together as thick as thieves, Men are just thieving, mischievous, untrusting human beings. Men I can manipulate." Ah, sounds like more famous last words to me.
The women are named Lopevi and given yellow buffs, Twila, a female highway repair worker, not to be confused with Chris, a male, highway construction worker, notes that she's been placed in a team with some young "prissy" girls who have no clue of what's in store for them. The men and women are instructed to walk in opposite directions in the dark through the pouring rain along the beach to their new camps where they will find a pot, a machete and a map to water. They will not have fire.
As the women of Yasur stumble along in the dark across slippery rocks, Scott, the oldest tribe member who has an artificial knee suggests hunkering down till daylight. Ami and Dolly agree. In a creatively filmed scene where a huge spider dangles in front of the camera, Leann, and equity research assistant, bemoans the tribe’s indecision and the dark. The tribe insists on pressing ahead.
