Youth step up for chance to take stage
New program aimed at youngsters intended to spark language skills
Shawn Giilck
Northern News Services
Published Thursday, October 2, 2014
INUVIK
A new program being produced by the Inuvialuit Communications Society (ICS) will focus on early language skills.
Leesha Setzer looks over the sample script for a new television program being produced by the Inuvialuit Communications Society during auditions Sept. 27. - Shawn Giilck/NNSL photo
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Tony Devlin, the executive director of the communications society, explained the new venture titled Iglaq has the goal of helping to provide a solid grounding in Inuvialuktun skills for children even before they begin taking instruction at the school level.
"Basically we're developing a program using different forms of traditional art to teach basic Inuvialuktun vocabulary to a primary audience of two- to six-year olds, but also (appealing) to those a bit older.
"It's a segment show hosted by two traditional Inuvialuit dolls who hang out at a gift shop. In each episode they find something Inuvialuit and discuss it. They're supposed to be kids trying to figure out what it is."
The live action scenes show how the items are made, Devlin said.
"We're taking traditional forms of art and we'll be doing one- to two-minute scenes on how to do it."
He said there "hasn't been any concerted effort to get the children at the youngest age" some good grounding in Inuvialuktun vocabulary and grammar.
"Kindergarten is really when they start, and even by that time it's more difficult to get into the vocabulary and basic sentence structure. So we said we need something for the youngest kids, the basics of 50 to 60 words."
He likened the concept to the famous Dora the Explorer and Diego programs on television.
The program will be broadcast on the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network, although a schedule hasn't been announced.
It has a budget of about $350,000 to produce.
It's the first show of its type geared to the youngest demographic, Devlin said. A previous television series with some similarities to the new show focused on an older age group.
"This is the first time ICS has delved into children's programming, per se."
Auditions for the program, which will feature live-action filming as well as some animation with two puppets who will host the show, began Sept. 27 at the ICS office.
About 31 people, children and adults, attended the auditions. Most of the work will be voice overs, but not exclusively.
"It's not a cartoon," Devlin stressed. "It's a great first step to grab back the language."
Leesha Setzer was one of the people eager for a chance to audition for the voice-over roles.
"I want to be famous," she declared, flipping her long hair back with a dramatic gesture, as her sister Darcie giggled. "I don't know why I do, I just do."
The sisters were encouraged to come to the auditions by Marjorie Baetz, a family friend. She had auditioned for one of the adult roles.
"I texted them and phoned them to make sure they were here," she said. "I auditioned because this is the first series for Inuvik and I wanted to be involved.
"And since it's dealing with traditional Inuvialuit culture, I think it would be good for them to learn the traditional ways."
Devlin said the casting decisions would be made over the next three weeks or so.
