We’ve seen some bloke on the Beeb hanging around with Tribes and getting up to all kinds of mischief… but what if the roles were reversed? Well, it seems that Channel 4 have thought just that and arranged for five men from the South Pacific island of Tanna to swap their normal life in favour of Britain in Meet The Natives (Channel 4, Thursday, 9pm).
If you manage to stop yourself from thinking that a fair bit of exploitation is going on (ie, let’s dress up ‘laugh at the villagers in the name of anthropology’) you might just have a bit of fun with this show. What will stun them all the most? Our stupid fashions? Playstations? Cars? Tesco Extras? Chewing gum? Funnily enough, it’s none of those things, rather, it’s the way we keep pigs.
Apart from their bafflement at our pig rearing skills and wastefulness, the series looks at the tribe and their quest to take Prince Philip home with them (yes really) who they look upon as some kind of God. I’ll let you insert your own joke about racism here. These kinds of programmes, if occasionally lacking in taste (well, it’s just like Crocodile Dundee isn’t it? Show ‘em a bidet and snigger) provide some cracking moments of TV. When one asks “Don’t you get bored of ironing?” you can’t really fault their logic. Set the recorder for this one as it’s comedy night on BBC2… [Mof Gimmers]
totally awsome amazing fascinating informative different class tv this program blew me away the tribe re affermed the values i hold dear beign a black man in a white vessel cant wait for the next series and you simply must make it avalable on dvd well done channel 4 i salute you
one love and peace
totally awsome amazing fascinating informative different class tv this program blew me away the tribe re affermed the values i hold dear beign a black man in a white vessel cant wait for the next series and you simply must make it avalable on dvd well done channel 4 i salute you
one love and peace
well made that wasssssss classs well done
very entertaining. i like the way think
Extremeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee…!
Extremeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee…!
I have just watched the first episode where the ‘Tanna 5′ spend a week in Norfolk.
I expected to be repelled and appalled by what I anticipated would be a complete mockery of these five delightful men from Tanna.
Instead, I was touched not only by their very sharp observations of US, but the great kindness shown to them by their Norfolk hosts and the local people. Despite the obvious awkwardness of the culture clash, there was a genuine warmth and mutual affection which no amount of clever camera angles could have faked up.
I think channel 4 have made a decent ‘replica’ of the past attempts of trying to show how lucky alot people are in this country. We see alot of people in this country greeding of its government and various other parties. It’s good to see that the Tannu natives take it all in there stride. They are true to what they believe, killing (animals) for existance, loyalty and respect. If all human beings were like this then there would be no conflict. I think that alot of people should watch the programs and see how lucky they really are, many people have lost touch to there true traditions and have/will collaspse along there lifecycle. The tannu 5 are very friendly and fun-loving, good luck to them for the future.
What an amazing, brilliantly executed, unique piece of TV gold!!
Well done channel 4! You deserve an award for it!
I loved the tannu 5 they are class. Good luck to them
I am an African American female from the US. I happened to be in London on business and happened to watch, Meet the Natives. I found the program very interesting and awing. I look forward to seeing future programs. How can I get this series in the US. It shows how Western civilization people put importance on things which really aren’t important. I loved the show. Will definitely purchase it if it comes out on DVD.
Meet The Natives is one very good concept of a reality tv program. I thought at first that it will be a mere mockery of an innocent tribe but it turned out to be some kind of an eye opener. Me and my husband looked forward to our Thursday night telly-viewing to see the second of the series and will be waiting for the third one.I hope all the others who’ve watched the program have learned the values the Tanna men (and their families) have about materialism when they came here ‘to meet the natives’! Well done Channel 4!
Meet The Natives is one very good concept of a reality tv program. I thought at first that it will be a mere mockery of an innocent tribe but it turned out to be some kind of an eye opener. Me and my husband looked forward to our Thursday night telly-viewing to see the second of the series and will be waiting for the third one.I hope all the others who’ve watched the program have learned the values the Tanna men (and their families) have about materialism when they came here ‘to meet the natives’! Well done Channel 4!
I have enjoyed watching the series and can’t wait for the next one.Tanna men seem to be innocent and well behaved.They blow me away with their confidence and eargerness to learn English culture.’May I ask you a question?’, I like when they say this before asking a question. Amazing men and can’t wait for Thursday night for another series. Thumbs up Channel 4!
I have enjoyed watching the series and can’t wait for the next one.Tanna men seem to be innocent and well behaved.They blow me away with their confidence and eargerness to learn English culture.’May I ask you a question?’, I like when they say this before asking a question. Amazing men and can’t wait for Thursday night for another series. Thumbs up Channel 4!
I have enjoyed watching the series and can’t wait for the next one.Tanna men seem to be innocent and well behaved.They blow me away with their confidence and eargerness to learn English culture.’May I ask you a question?’, I like when they say this before asking a question. Amazing men and can’t wait for Thursday night for another series. Thumbs up Channel 4!
please release on dvd, its the best programme i have seen in years, i have so many questions, but i am happy for them to have no answer
thankyou
I too enjoyed the series, the Tannau men were very charming with a very real and sensible message.
I very much enjoyed that they were not ridiculed or made to feel uncomfortable. the producers seem to have been very decent towards them and i am so grateful for that. I hope noe the Tannau are back at home they may have wonderful memories of their great adventure and know that I for one have paused for serious thought at their words of wisdom.
respect to the makers of this series
i loved this series im only 12 and what really shocked me where when the Tannau men said that the couldnt understand why people where homeless, they live in a world of caring helping each other, we shud take things from them love, peace harmony x
I would happily pack my bags and go to live in Tanna
I would happily pack my bags and go to live in Tanna
What a fascinating programme. Those guys were philosophically awesome! It blew me away. Well done C4! The music throughout the programme was so perfect and complemented the entire fabric of the production….Brilliant! I’d love to know the name of the themes used. Can anyone help????
What a fascinating programme. Those guys were philosophically awesome! It blew me away. Well done C4! The music throughout the programme was so perfect and complemented the entire fabric of the production….Brilliant! I’d love to know the name of the themes used. Can anyone help????
Was this real, fely a bit like Borat to me, been unrealistic
When does this show return to channel four?
Does anyone know if we can get the serie in DVD??