A new children's puppet show produced in Saskatoon, Canada, is designed to teach the Nakoda language and share Indigenous culture [1, 2].
The production arrives as a critical effort to save an endangered language. By targeting children through an engaging medium, the creators aim to ensure that Nakoda linguistic traditions are passed to a new generation before they disappear.
Presenter Mick Favel and a Saskatoon-based production crew are leading the project [1, 2]. The series focuses on blending educational language lessons with cultural storytelling to make the learning process accessible for young viewers [1, 2].
The production crew said, "Nothing like this has ever been done to preserve the language" [2]. The show is intended to serve as a primary tool for cultural revitalization by bringing the sounds and stories of the Nakoda people into a modern media format.
According to reports, the series is scheduled to air in 2024 [2]. The project represents a shift toward using entertainment and digital media to combat the loss of Indigenous languages across North America.
Favel's involvement with the project was highlighted during a presentation of the Indigenous Circle [1]. The initiative emphasizes the importance of visibility for Indigenous cultures in children's programming to foster both internal community pride, and external understanding.
“Nothing like this has ever been done to preserve the language.”
This initiative reflects a growing global trend of using 'edutainment' to reverse language extinction. By transitioning an endangered language from oral tradition to a structured media format, the production creates a permanent archive of the Nakoda language while lowering the barrier to entry for young learners who may not have fluent speakers in their immediate households.
