Tiga Talk! teaches Cree

Children’s Show Soars Over the Language Barrier

By Sam LaskarisExperts often caution against exposing children to too much television. But they could be forgiven for making an exception in one case.

Tiga Talk!, the only preschool television series in Canada focused on aboriginal-language, is coming to town. For those who are too young to go to school yet, a popular educational series with an aboriginal focus is returning for another season. The fourth season of the series, which includes 11 half-hour episodes, will be shown nationally on the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN).

A version with Cree subtitles, to be shown on Friday mornings, began on September 7. And the English version, airing on Saturday mornings, first broadcast on September 8. The series targets children aged 3–5.

The show is about a stuffed toy, Tiga, a wolf cub. Tiga lives with two young children, Jason and Jodie, as well as their father and Kokum (grandmother).

When the adults leave the room, Tiga comes to life as a talking puppet. Tiga’s friends, Gertie the Gopher and Gavin the Goose, also join the conversations. Besides talking puppets, each episode features some music and the opportunity to learn some new aboriginal words.

Otoe-Missouria company hosts language day

American Web Loan to Host Otoe-Missouria Language and Culture Day Annual Employee EventAmerican Web Loan, a leading nationally-respected online tribal financial services company wholly owned by the Otoe-Missouria Tribe of Indians and its members, will host its third annual Otoe-Missouria Language and Culture Day on Friday September 28.

Inaugurated in 2010 with the founding of the company, the annual event is designed to share the language and culture of the Otoe-Missouria Tribe to American Web Loan's more than 100 non-Native American employees based in the company's headquarters located near Oklahoma City. A linguist specializing in the Otoe dialect and tribal officials lead the event, which introduces the employee attendees to the Otoe language and rich heritage.

In addition to providing the day-long series of seminars to its management and staff, the annual Otoe-Missouria Language and Culture Day event is also open to the community.

"We look forward to our third annual Otoe-Missouria Language and Culture Day, an event that helps to further unite our tribal and non-Native American management and staff as well as members of the community who join with us for what has become a day of celebration and friendship," said Jamie Schumann, General Manager of American Web Loan.