Raven Tales (2004)

Raven Tales is series of 26, half-hour, CGI (Computer-Generated Imaging) animated television programs, targeted at school-age children and their families to introduce native Aboriginal folklore in a humorous and entertaining way. They tell the stories of the adventures of Raven, the most powerful deity of Aboriginal mythology. Each episode focuses on a new Raven Tale (or one that is introduced by Raven) that has been adapted from the folklore of many Aboriginal nations. The pilot episode, How Raven Stole the Sun, was adapted from a popular Haida myth, but has elements of Salish and Kwakiutl, while others episodes have been adapted from Cree, Salish, Nisgaa, Comanche, Navaho and other Native American stories. The Raven Tales, like the Simpsons, finds a lot of its humor based on the interactions of its re-occurring ensemble cast. The three principal characters, Raven, Eagle and Frog, anchor the show and provide familiar faces and humorous antics that bookend each episode. Other characters include Old Man and his Daughter (from the pilot episode), Sea Wolf, Kolus and a small tribe of aboriginal men and women who are introduced as the tales progress.