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After nearly a year and a half in development, Netflix’s new native-themed animated show for kids, Spirit Rangers, will premiere on October 10.
The show is part of Netflix’s Representation Matters Collection, a collection of films and TV series that focus on storylines of people of color. The show follows three Aboriginal siblings (Cody, Summer and Eddie) who are secretive “spiritual rangers” protecting the national park they call home. The premise is influenced by the childhood experiences of showrunner Karissa Valencia, who explores her tribal territory with her sister.
“I quickly discovered that my writing voice was most at home when writing paranormal, fantasy or animation projects. It wasn’t until I moved to Los Angeles that I found my home and writing community in animation,” says Chumash Tribe member Va rencia in a interview Working with NNO early last year while she was dealing with the pandemic and putting the show together via Zoom.
Eighteen months later, Valencia is delighted to see the project come to fruition. This week, she spoke with Native News Online about the journey, her impact and the show’s upcoming release date.
This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
Nice to hear from you again, Karissa. For homegrown creatives, especially female content creators, we seem to be in a golden age of television. How does it feel to be in this position?
It feels incredible! Aboriginal women are my heroes. I’m grateful to be a part of this amazing transformation that’s happening behind and in front of the camera. As a kid who dreamed of working in TV and movies, I would often check the credits of my favorite movies and shows to research who was making them. I was dismayed when I realized there were almost no women on the team, let alone Indigenous women. I hope future little girls who dream of being a writer someday can find my name and know they can too. This is just the beginning. I can’t wait to see what the next generation brings to our TV screens.
I heard you have an update for the Netflix show “Spirit Rangers”. How many episodes will there be? When is the release date? Can the whole family enjoy it?
I’m very excited to announce that Spirit Rangers is coming to Netflix on October 10th, 2022. We’ll be releasing 10 22-minute episodes in nearly 200 countries. Since the premiere is on the same day as Aboriginal Day, it will be a big celebration. I can’t wait for you to meet our loving and adventurous Aboriginal family. We’ll follow the Skycedar kids on their adventures in the national park they call home, where they encounter spirits inspired by tribal stories from around the world. They will learn about nature, wildlife and their Chumash and Cowlitz culture.
What makes today even more special, we can finally share our cast! Everyone will fall in love with newcomers and series protagonists Wacinyeya, Isis and Talon. It was such a joy to have them bring this show to life and watch them soar. We are also very lucky to have the legendary Tantoo Cardinal and Wes Studi, who play a hilarious brother and sister duo. Aboriginal icon Kimberly Guerrero voices the park ranger mom. The versatile John Timothy voices the park’s chief scientist, Dad. Dub powerhouse Cree Summer is Lizard and DeeDee. We also have the amazing Devery Jacobs as Wind Eagle, Shaun Taylor-Corbett as Coyote, and Nyla Rose as Lawetlat’la, the volcanic spirit.
‘Spiritual Ranger’ still.Provided by Netflix, Inc.
Last time we spoke, you mentioned that the series highlights Chumash and Cowlitz culture by following the adventures of the Skycedar family. Is there a character you most identify with or like?
good question! The dynamic duo of Coyote and Lizard are especially important to me. Coyote is a classic con man character I’ve always admired, and Lizard is part of our creative story. We have a Samara story about lizards and coyotes who helped create the first humans (our hands are after the lizards!). So, seeing these two go on adventures with Spirit Rangers and look at their Samara land while being silly and fun at the same time, that’s how I imagine Coyote and Lizard would be out there right now.
How was your experience working at Netflix? Does the production team support or accept the sharing of native stories?
We’ve assembled “Homegrown Avengers” for this series, with homegrown talent in every production department. Netflix allows us to tell our stories and be creative like never before. It encourages our cast and crew to truly be themselves.
When our underscore composer Jordan Kamalu had the idea to have Samala Singers on the score, not only did Netflix give us their blessing, but the music team also organized an unforgettable recording session at East West Studios. In the same room where artists like Barbra Streisand recorded, I heard our Samala songs loud and proud. Now, with their voices heard on the show’s underline, it feels right at home. I’ve been very happy with Netflix’s support and never backed down from a challenge.
Will there be any merchandise included with the release? How does the family show support and represent the program?
Unfortunately, there is currently no product available. But we hope to have some soon! We’ll also keep an eye out for any fan art or any outfits for kids who love the collection, so feel free to tag us on #spiritrangers!
The “Spirit Rangers” trailer will be released next week and premieres on Netflix on October 10, 2022.
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