Rating:
10/10 by 1 users
TakaPu: A Gannet in the South Seas (1970)
TakaPu, a computer-animated gannet, travels around the Pacific islands and tells about his incredible adventures and exciting encounters with the islanders and diverse cultures of the Pacific. TakaPu is the Maori name for gannet. He is cheeky and precocious, like all young gannets, and, of course, outrageously clumsy. He is driven by his never ending appetite for man made fishfingers and will beg, steal and borrow to get them. The series is aimed at pre-school and primary school kids. In a lightly educational, but nevertheless entertaining and funny way it helps to promote a better understanding of Pacific cultures amongst children of all descents.
Writing:
- Ulli Weissbach
Release Date:
Thu, Jan 01, 1970
Country: NZ
Language: En
Runtime:
Country: NZ
Language: En
Runtime:
Season 0:
The first episode shows life on gannets rock. TakaPu is born as a natural adventurer: his egg drops out of the nest and crashes at the bottom of the rock. Without the support of his parents he has to learn to fly and hunt for fish on his own. Which leads to his first encounter with man made fish fingers and he is determined to persue this delicacy to the end of the world.
TakaPu checks out a sheep farm in New Zealand and learns from the dogs how to hypnotize sheep. His curiosity gets him in serious trouble, when he enters the shearers shed and exits as a naked bird. But he uses his new skills as a hypnotizer to get new clothes and fishfingers of course.
TakaPu visits the adventure capital Queenstown and gets in the way of all kind of fast moving objects: sky divers, bungy jumpers, jetboaties and river rafters. He offers a bet to all adventurers that he is faster than every vehicle they use. Of course he outsmarts most of them and wins. His award: fishfingers of course.
TakaPu lands in the Cook Islands and gets involved in the annual Hula dance competition. He learns how the school kids make their costumes out of thin bark, coconut fibre and pearl shells. Then he performs his dance on stage and wins - with a little help from a mosquito.
TakaPu visits a small island village and meets a sad little girl which is banned from fishing in the lagoon with the elders. He tries to help her and when sharks attack the fishing party, he unknowingly manages to chase them away. As a reward he gets his fishfingers and a kiss from the girl.
TakaPu visits a village in the highlands of the island Viti Levu. He learns how Fijians build a raft from bamboo sticks and transport their crops down the river to the market. TakaPu takes the helm but falls asleep and his raft crashes onto a rock in the river. All passengers and freight go overboard and TakaPu has to find a way to compensate for their loss.
TakaPu visits a Samoan village and learns how the Matais (chiefs) rule the village by distributing work duties and keeping everything tidy. After TakaPu’s arrival untidiness takes over, making the Matais very angry. In the end TakaPu strikes a deal with the Matais, bringing tidyness back to the village - in return for fish fingers.
TakaPu visits a Samoan village by the sea and learns how a young Samoan boy gets his first tattoo. He accidentally injures the tattooer and puts him out of business, thereby causing the loss of income for the whole village. But soon he learns to do his own tattoos and creates a new TakaPu design, which becomes popular all over the islands.
TakaPu gets enchanted by Rarotonga’s Flower Power. He learns how to make beautiful flower garlands and how Cook Islanders speak with flowers. During the annual flower festival he falls in love with the Flower Queen and steels fish fingers at the market. His burglary is revealed by the airport’s x-ray machine, but he manages to take off without being caught.
TakaPu meets a turtle in Tahiti and rescues it from being illegally sold by fishermen. He takes the turtle to Leo, a Tahitian with a turtle sanctuary on the island of Taha’a. Yachties from all over the world anchor at Leo’s place, adopt turtles from him and take them back to the ocean. TakaPu’s turtle friend is also released and our hero is rewarded with fish fingers and a holiday in Tahiti.
