Acclaimed actor Michael Horse narrates new fantasy adventure series.
Michael Horse is a man who wears many hats. An acclaimed actor who has appeared in dozens of films and television series, including the classic Twin Peaks, Horse also is a master jeweler and painter, musician, former stuntman, and one-time rodeo rider. This year, he takes on yet another role: the narrator of COIN TRICK, a new, Native American-themed podcast series for tweens.
“When I heard it was for kids, I just said yes. I didn’t even know what it was about!” quips Horse, who has a soft spot for young people. Once he heard the storyline—which follows 12-year-old Cassidy and the flute-playing trickster Kokopelli on an epic quest based in Native American mythology—he was sold.
“[Native Americans] are natural storytellers,” says Horse, who claims Yaqui, Mesceloro Apache, and Zuni Indian roots. “That’s how we pass on our history, our traditions, our parables to teach people how to behave and relate to their surroundings.
“Growing up in both a tribal society and an urban society,” he continues, “I never saw my history and legends accurately portrayed on television or in the movies. It’s hard for younger ones, and especially Native kids, to find their way along the path with all these things that are going on right now. I figured if I could do anything to help, then I was onboard.”
Helping tweens navigate their way through the world is the main objective of Coin Trick, an action-packed series that promises an entertaining experience while serving a greater purpose, namely:
Building self-confidence in children by encouraging them to listen to their intuition
Developing interest in and respect for Native American culture
Providing a safe format to discuss sensitive topics such as bullying and racial issues
Horse—who does voiceover work on a number of popular animated films and series, including Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron, Rugrats, and Captain Planet and the Planeteers—says people watch such shows to be entertained, but “they’re getting a lesson at the same time. They just don’t realize it.” The lessons that Native legends share have even more relevance for today’s younger people, who are recognizing the connection between nature, climate change, and their own well-being.
The key, notes Horse, is using humor and trickster characters such as Kokopelli, both of which play an important part in Native ceremonies and stories. “I have traveled all around the world, and I’ve never been in a tribal society that didn’t have sacred clowns,” he says. “When you have the clowns in there, especially with younger people, they learn to not fear the lesson.”
###
Comments