Centralian kids show character Yamba the Honey Ant heads to US

In a coup for local production company Yangapi, the show, which found popularity on Alice Springs station Imparja, has been picked up for screening by an indigenous television network in the United States.

Entertainer Jacinta Price, who stars alongside Yamba in the show promoting healthy lifestyles, said the team was “very excited” about the opportunity.

“We contacted a number of indigenous television stations around the world and FNX (First Nations Experience Television Network) were the first to put their hands up, and said they would love to broadcast Yamba throughout the States,” Ms Price said.

“We’re just incredibly excited about it all. For the next five years Yamba will be broadcast throughout Los Angeles and the greater region, as well as Oklahoma and other areas.”

In November last year, Imparja shed a number of jobs from their Alice Springs office in a cost cutting blitz.

During this period, the broadcaster also relinquished the rights to Yamba, which opened the opportunity for Yangapi — founded by Ms Price and producer Julie McAllan — to take control of the program’s continued production.

While Imparja still holds the licence for the episodes created while with the station, Ms Price said there were still many benefits for their new film company.

”This could be a wonderful opportunity to visit the States and perform perhaps for some of the Native American Indian reserves.”

She believed the US had found an affinity with the lovable purple insect due to the similarities between indigenous cultures.

“In our episodes we involve elements of culture and language and those sorts of things and I think that’s what they’re interested in.”