Wapos Bay
By Ashley Moulton,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Gentle show teaches life lessons on a Cree reservation.
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Wapos Bay
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What's the Story?
WAPOS BAY follows the everyday life of Raven (Raven Brass), her brother Talon (Eric Jackson), and their cousin T-Bear (Taylor Cook). The kids are members of the Cree First Nation and live on a remote reservation in Saskatchewan, Canada. Each episode focuses on the kids learning a life lesson around things like teamwork, respect, and overcoming fears. Woven throughout the storyline are aspects of the community's culture such as food, fun, family, and traditions.
Is It Any Good?
This show is a fantastic way to learn about modern Indigenous life in a Cree community. Wapos Bay shows diverse characters doing ordinary things and living with contemporary technology, which may expand non-Indigenous kids' ideas of native peoples. It's really fun to see elements of Cree culture (like a moose-calling competition at the Winter Festival), rural living (the competing hockey team had to fly to their town because it's so remote), and the cold-weather environment (people get around with snowmobiles). The stop-motion animation has a beautiful setting complete with snow and northern lights, and a lovely fiddle-centric score.
That said, the show's gentle pace might be a bit slow for some kids. There is a slight mismatch between some of the more adventurous aspects of the show and the moral lessons that might be better suited for younger kids.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about ways in which life in Wapos Bay is similar to and different from where they live. How do people get around? What do they eat? What do kids do for fun? What's the weather like?
The characters in Wapos Bay are from the Cree First Nation in Canada. What are some parts of traditional Cree culture you notice in the show?
Did it surprise you to see Indigenous characters using modern technology like cell phones and video games? If so, why do you think that is?
TV Details
- Premiere date: May 15, 2005
- Cast: Raven Brass , Lorne Cardinal , Taylor Cook , Eric Jackson , Andrea Menard , Gordon Tootoosis , DeRic Starlight , Trevor Cameron
- Networks: Amazon Prime Video , Kanopy
- Genre: Kids' Animation
- TV rating: TV-G
- Last updated: August 19, 2020
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