A new look at the environment with "The Amagagu"

The Amagagu is a group of larger-than-life, walking, talking, singing, dancing costumed animals. Amagagu means "talented one", and this is exactly what they are. The Amagagu use their individual characters to educate and entertain their young audience about environmental issues within the popular programme, Fundani Nathi on School TV.

The Amagagu is aimed at Foundation Phase learners (Grade R to 3) and supports Curriculum 2005. In each of the 40 mini-episodes, which have been recorded in a variety of languages (English as well as Tshitsonga, Isixhosa, Setswana and Swati), these wonderful huggable characters tackle environmental and moral issues - like water; pollution; farming; animals; friendship and many more. Each character approaches the solution differently - and there's always a song to help you remember the lesson. Each episode has a special song written for it.

Meet The Amagagu

FUNDI - (Rhino)
Is big and wise and sensible. But because she's got this "shnozz" no one thinks she's kissable. She is the clever one in the group and is the "teacher" for the group.

BOOM-BOOM - (Elephant)
Is big and strong and gullible. Boom-Boom is a gentle giant who is serious about health and physical fitness and does all the hard work in the group.

MUDE - (Giraffe)
Because she is tall, she sees trouble on the double. She is clumsy, always bumping into things and tripping, and giggling afterwards, but she is the group's watchtower.

LULU - (Bear)
Is cuddly, soft and huggable and a mother figure. All the kids love her to bits and Lulu loves to look after all her friends. She is a keen botanist and loves to cook good healthy food.

ZEBZ - (Zebra)
Loves to run and have his fun, that's because he's a "racemal". Because he likes things fast, he loves the Internet, computers and technology and is always on the go. Zebz runs errands for the group.

MKATAKATA - (Wolf)
Mkatakata is there to make things interesting. He is the naughty one - quite nasty really. He is always playing tricks on others and getting into trouble all the time. Through his bad behaviour the group learns what not to do.

The Amagagu are here to make a valuable contribution to environmental education among our young children across South Africa - so switch your children onto Fundani Nathi and see The Amagagu in action. In Primary Schools across South Africa, educators can use The Amagagu with their free School TV Resource Books to implement classroom activities from the series. In time, the Amagagu may even become known in other corners of the world. Says Michael Tellinger of Red Cherry Television, the creators of the show, "The time has come to create South African characters and develop them into export product."

The shows have been scheduled for the first 6 months of 2002 and 2003. It will also receive 70 screenings on Tube TV from August 2002. Visit www.amagagu.co.za for fun Amagagu stuff for the little ones like cartoons, colouring in pages, puzzles, wallpaper, screensavers and lots more.