NNSL (DEC 23/96) - When producers Leetia Ineak and Annie Ningeok started work on the IBC children's show, Takuginai, 12 years ago, they had no idea it would become the hit it has.

"Our first year we were just training, we were learning all about television. We came up with the idea for the show and now it's going into it's 12th season," Ningeok said from the show's home base in Iqaluit.

Takuginai, which translates as "Look here," features the likes of "Johnny" the lemming and other locally made puppets and young hosts making up the Takuginai family.

Takuginai educates Inuit children in cultural values such as respect for elders, sharing and patience. It also teaches Inuktitut numbers and syllabics.

While it's geared to the five-to-seven age bracket, the half-hour program is enjoyed by people of all ages.

"Because it's aired on TVNC it's being seen all over the place, from Labrador to Alaska. We're getting lot's of exposure," Ningeok said.

The recent winner of a special recognition award by the Canadian Alliance for Children and Television, IBC producers have also just finished translating 13-episodes into English via a special grant from Shaw's Children's programming. "We've been getting really good feedback. Every week we get at least three fan letters, sometimes whole classes send us letters, it's really encouraging," said Ningeok.

"Mostly the mail comes from Broughton Island, Igloolik, and in the North, but sometimes we get mail from all over the place, too."

Arniniq says what she's proud of the most is that the program also serves as a vehicle to preserve Inuktitut.

"It's the first children's show ever done in our language. While our target is for young kids, we're getting people of all ages watching it. Our story lines are usually pretty traditional."

To catch the Takuginai in action tune in TVNC at 1:30 every Saturday for the Inuktitut version. English viewers can tune in every Monday at 1:30.