In early seasons, “Survivor” cast members were allowed to bring one "luxury" item from home, whether that was backgammon (Tina from "Survivor Australia") or a ukulele (Sonja from season one).The luxury item could not be any type of survival item, such as a Swiss Army knife, tent, or matches.
In the show's second season, one luxury item — Colby's Texas flag — was used as a shelter, and was taken by Jeff Probst in exchange for food. And during "Survivor Africa," eventual winner Ethan Zohn showed kids in a village how to play hacky sack with his luxury item. In later seasons, starting around "Pearl Islands" (when the cast was stranded with just the clothes on their back), the luxury items disappeared.
