Tipi Tales is a Canadian puppet show focused on teaching moral lessons and Indigenous culture. It first premiered on Treehouse TV in 2003, and went off the air in 2009.
The series stars four young cousins and their great-grandparents, who live in a wooden cabin. There is a tipi located outside the house, which the series is named for.
In addition to the family, there are also seven animals, who give the children advice. Each one represents a different virture; for instance, the Bear represents courage, the Buffalo represents respect, the Sabe represents honesty, and the Eagle represents love.
Tropes:
- An Aesop:
- In "Tree of Love", Elizabeth learns that she shouldn't be so controlling over her cousins.
- In "Runner Boy", Junior learns that he shouldn't make fun of Russell for tripping when he runs.
- In "Pow Wow", Junior learns that he should let Russell and Sam dance how they like for the pow wow, and respect them for it.
- In "Picking Berries", Sam learns that she shouldn't give up just because a job is hard. Later, when Sam returns with a basket of berries by herself, Elizabeth learns that she should be honest, as she had made an empty promise to help Sam, and later falsely took credit for picking berries to Great-Grandfather.
- Diegetic Soundtrack Usage: "Listen to the Land", one of the Sabe's songs, is set in tune to the Ending Theme.
- Do Not Call Me "Paul": Junior hates to be called Eugene.
- Every Episode Ending: Each episode ends with the children hearing Great-Grandfather begin to play his drum, to which they all gather around the tipi to dance, thus leading into the credits.
- Fear of Thunder: "Thunder" shows that Sam is afraid of thunder. The Bear helps her deal with this.
- Graceful Ladies Like Purple: Elizabeth, the most prim of the kids, wears a lavender dress.
- In-Series Nickname: Sam's full first name is Samantha, but she is rarely called by that.
- No Name Given: Great-Grandmother and Great-Grandfather's actual names are never specified.
- Sweet Baker: Great-Grandmother and Great-Grandfather both enjoy baking cookies and pies.
- Theme Tune Roll Call:'Lizbeth, and Junior, Russell and Sam, learning, growing...
- Title Theme Tune:Gather round the tipi, gather round the tipi...Tipi Tales!
- True Blue Femininity: Great-Grandmother wears a blue dress.
- Yellow/Purple Contrast: The rambunctious youngest child Sam wears a yellow shirt, while the refined eldest child Elizabeth wears a purple dress.
