World Premiere
ᏃᏈᏏ ᏓᎦᏏ Noquisi Dagsi (Star Turtle)
STAR TURTLE
Web Series (Season)
11 minutes
Grandmother Turtle is upside down! ᏓᎦᏏ Dagsi Turtle and best friend ᏥᏍᏚ Jisdu Wabbit set out on a cosmic musical journey through time and space to rescue both Grandmother and the Cherokee language.
Cherokee
English
In response to the Cherokee Tribes’ declaration of emergency for the language, award-winning multimedia artist Chris Griffith (Cherokee Nation, OK) in association with Z Puppets Rosenschnoz Productions presents NOQUISI DAGSI (ᏃᏈᏏ ᏓᎦᏏ) STAR TURTLE.
With 21st century twists on traditional characters and catchy original songs in English and Cherokee, STAR TURTLE follows Turtle and Wabbit’s quest through time and space to help keep alive the Cherokee language.
Each episode of this web series introduces basic Cherokee language concepts, history and culture while imagining a vibrant Cherokee future.
“Episode 1: Now” begins as the diabolical Kolana sets her sights on young turtle, Noquisi Dagsi.
Using her telescopic powers, Kolana spies Dagsi in a pitiful state of despair at his Grandmother’s house.
After Dagsi fails to succeed on the ball field, at the swimming hole and in the kitchen, the young turtle proclaims to Grandmother Turtle that he is a “not-good-at-anything-nobody.”
Through a heartfelt song, Grandmother reassures Dagsi that he indeed is and always will be worthy of his name Star Turtle.
Flash to the future: Dagsi, grown up and at the steering wheel of a spaceship, is jolted out of the sweet childhood memory of his Grandmother’s song by his lifelong sidekick Jisdu Wabbit. While alarms signal that Grandmother is in danger and distress, Jisdu urgently asks Dagsi if it is time to launch into space. Gathering strength from the echoes of Grandma’s song, Dagsi gives the command to rocket forward to save her.
Combining live action with puppetry, the dynamic duo of Dagsi Turtle & Jisdu Wabbit take viewers on an exuberant musical ride into the Cherokee language. Through STAR TURTLE, audiences will see, hear and sing along with Cherokee words at a critical time in the survival of the language.
With 21st century twists on traditional characters and catchy original songs in English and Cherokee, STAR TURTLE follows Turtle and Wabbit’s quest through time and space to help keep alive the Cherokee language.
Each episode of this web series introduces basic Cherokee language concepts, history and culture while imagining a vibrant Cherokee future.
“Episode 1: Now” begins as the diabolical Kolana sets her sights on young turtle, Noquisi Dagsi.
Using her telescopic powers, Kolana spies Dagsi in a pitiful state of despair at his Grandmother’s house.
After Dagsi fails to succeed on the ball field, at the swimming hole and in the kitchen, the young turtle proclaims to Grandmother Turtle that he is a “not-good-at-anything-nobody.”
Through a heartfelt song, Grandmother reassures Dagsi that he indeed is and always will be worthy of his name Star Turtle.
Flash to the future: Dagsi, grown up and at the steering wheel of a spaceship, is jolted out of the sweet childhood memory of his Grandmother’s song by his lifelong sidekick Jisdu Wabbit. While alarms signal that Grandmother is in danger and distress, Jisdu urgently asks Dagsi if it is time to launch into space. Gathering strength from the echoes of Grandma’s song, Dagsi gives the command to rocket forward to save her.
Combining live action with puppetry, the dynamic duo of Dagsi Turtle & Jisdu Wabbit take viewers on an exuberant musical ride into the Cherokee language. Through STAR TURTLE, audiences will see, hear and sing along with Cherokee words at a critical time in the survival of the language.
ᏃᏈᏏ ᏓᎦᏏ NOQUISI DAGSI STAR TURTLE follows Dagsi Turtle and Jisdu Wabbit’s quest through time and space to find Dagsi’s missing Grandma and rescue her from the diabolical shapeshifting Kolana.
With catchy original songs in English and Cherokee, puppetry and live action, the dynamic duo of Dagsi Turtle & Jisdu Wabbit take viewers on an exuberant musical ride into Cherokee past, present and future.
Sing along as Turtle and Wabbit race to follow and carry forward Grandma’s wisdom.
Episodes
1: Now- The diabolical Kolana spies on young turtle Noquisi Dagsi as his Grandma reassures him that he always will be worthy of his name, Star Turtle. Flash to the future: grown up Dagsi commands a spaceship to rocket forward to save Grandma from Kolana’s clutches.
2: Tsalagi- On the Turtleship, Dagsi’s sidekick, Jisdu Wabbit, traces the clues of Grandma’s disappearance. Dagsi realizes that a key to finding Grandma is Tsalagi, the Cherokee language.
3: Treaty- Kolana shapeshifts to pose as Grandma and trick Dagsi and Jisdu into landing on a candy planet. With the help of Indigenous beings of the planet, Dagsi and Jisdu gain new understanding of treaties. Kolana steals their ship.
4: Ayokah- Dagsi and Jisdu cling on to the ship as Kolana goes back in time to 1821 to interrupt Cherokee history. They witness 9-year old Ayokah and her father Sequoyah presenting his newly created system of written language. As the council approves Sequoyah’s syllabary, Kolana steals the scroll printed with all the sounds of the Cherokee language. Dagsi and Jisdu join Ayokah and Sequoyah to thwart Kolana. The cosmos crack open, sweeping Kolana, Dagsi and Jisdu into the future.
5: Gadugi- Carried by the cosmic whirl, Dagsi and Jisdu find Gadugi, a land of cooperation. They reunite with Grandma, who shows them the Treaty of All Grandmas. The joyful celebration bursts Kolana with an explosion that sends Dagsi and Jisdu back in time. Dagsi and Jisdu vow to make Gadugi come true.
With catchy original songs in English and Cherokee, puppetry and live action, the dynamic duo of Dagsi Turtle & Jisdu Wabbit take viewers on an exuberant musical ride into Cherokee past, present and future.
Sing along as Turtle and Wabbit race to follow and carry forward Grandma’s wisdom.
Episodes
1: Now- The diabolical Kolana spies on young turtle Noquisi Dagsi as his Grandma reassures him that he always will be worthy of his name, Star Turtle. Flash to the future: grown up Dagsi commands a spaceship to rocket forward to save Grandma from Kolana’s clutches.
2: Tsalagi- On the Turtleship, Dagsi’s sidekick, Jisdu Wabbit, traces the clues of Grandma’s disappearance. Dagsi realizes that a key to finding Grandma is Tsalagi, the Cherokee language.
3: Treaty- Kolana shapeshifts to pose as Grandma and trick Dagsi and Jisdu into landing on a candy planet. With the help of Indigenous beings of the planet, Dagsi and Jisdu gain new understanding of treaties. Kolana steals their ship.
4: Ayokah- Dagsi and Jisdu cling on to the ship as Kolana goes back in time to 1821 to interrupt Cherokee history. They witness 9-year old Ayokah and her father Sequoyah presenting his newly created system of written language. As the council approves Sequoyah’s syllabary, Kolana steals the scroll printed with all the sounds of the Cherokee language. Dagsi and Jisdu join Ayokah and Sequoyah to thwart Kolana. The cosmos crack open, sweeping Kolana, Dagsi and Jisdu into the future.
5: Gadugi- Carried by the cosmic whirl, Dagsi and Jisdu find Gadugi, a land of cooperation. They reunite with Grandma, who shows them the Treaty of All Grandmas. The joyful celebration bursts Kolana with an explosion that sends Dagsi and Jisdu back in time. Dagsi and Jisdu vow to make Gadugi come true.
