The Cowlitz Indian Tribe and culture is featured in the new Netflix animated children's show "Spirit Rangers," premiering Monday on Indigenous Peoples' Day.
The animated preschool series, created by Santa Ynez Chumash Tribal member Karissa Valencia, has an all-native writers room that includes contributing producer and Cowlitz Indian Tribal member, Joey Clift, according to a press release.
"As a Cowlitz tribal member and a television writer, being able to combine those parts of myself with my work on 'Spirit Rangers' isn't just a career highlight, it's a life highlight," Clift said in an email.
The series is the first kids' show in the United States created by a Native American woman, according to the press release. Valencia and other showrunners consulted with tribal leaders from all tribes whose stories inspired the series, the release stated.
"It’s an incredible honor to bring elements of Cowlitz Culture to Netflix and to do so in collaboration with such an incredible team,” Clift said in a statement. “Representation matters so much — especially for our Native youth — and I can't wait for the world to meet our 'Spirit Ranger' kids."
The show explores the adventure and beauty of nature through the eyes of Kodi, Summer and Eddy Skycedar, Chumash and Cowlitz siblings, who help protect the land and spirits of the national park that they call home in California.
Netflix greenlit the show in early 2020, and Valencia reached out to Clift as she put together the all-Native American writer's room for the show, he said in an email.
"It felt like a good fit and the exact kind of project I'd always wanted to work on," he said.
Clift said the writers talked at length about the tribal makeup of the show's central family and before deciding on a Chumash mom and Cowlitz dad, reflecting Valencia's and Clift's backgrounds.
In August 2020, Clift sought the blessing of the Cowlitz Tribal Council and Cowlitz Cultural Resources Board and worked with them over the last two years to accurately and respectfully include Cowlitz characters, stories inspired by the tribe's legends and the Cowlitz language, he said.
“We’re incredibly proud to see the Cowlitz Indian Tribe depicted on the Netflix platform, and commend the 'Spirit Rangers' team for their inclusive and culturally appropriate approach to producing the show,” said Patty Kinswa-Gaiser, general council chairwoman of the Cowlitz Indian Tribe. “'Spirit Rangers' will allow Cowlitz and other Native children to see themselves reflected on screen as the curious, resilient, and strong individuals that we know they are.”
