Wapanatahk Media announces development deal with The Amazing Race Canada winners, Anthony Johnson and Dr. James Makokis
Series featuring the fan-favourite, Two-Spirit Indigenous couple is being pitched to broadcasters
VANCOUVER, BC (June 17, 2021) – Wapanatahk Media, founded and led by Indigenous producers Tania Koenig-Gauchier and Shirley Mclean, in partnership with Great Pacific Media, is excited to announce a development deal with Anthony Johnson and Dr. James Makokis, Season 7 winners of The Amazing Race Canada.
The couple made television history as the first Two-Spirit Indigenous couple to win the highly popular CTV Series. After receiving a cash prize of $250,000, Johnson and Makokis invested their winnings into their dream property, Nizhoni Acres. A new series featuring the couple and Nizhoni Acres is now in development, as they welcome some lucky Canadians into their home and take them on transformational journeys.
“We are thrilled to be working with Wapanatahk and Great Pacific on this project. Nizhoni is a Navajo word that roughly translates to ‘beauty’ in English but really refers to the idea of harmonic balance in one’s life. And that’s the vibe we are creating on our little acreage,” explains Johnson, who is originally from Arizona. “We both know what it’s like to need a reboot, so the idea of welcoming Canadians who need a nudge to create positive change in their lives is right up our alley.”
“Our home is much more than just a place to live. It’s a launchpad that serves as a community space, ceremonial grounds, teaching facility and so much more,” adds Dr. Makokis, who is from the Saddle Lake Cree Nation. “We have been honoured to host many organizations and individuals at our home, all with the hope of building a better world and helping others. Our life’s mission is centred on sharing the power of Indigenous cultural teachings to bring balance into our lives. In our beliefs, all families of the world would unite on Turtle Island to find peace, friendship, and harmony – this series will help remind people of that, in hopes of realizing this original vision.”
Wapanatahk Media and Great Pacific Media are already in discussion with multiple broadcasters about the series.
“Anthony and James are extraordinary people. They are thriving as a couple while confronting stereotypes, and wherever they go, people love them. They represent an inspiring Indigenous success story that we do not often see in the media, and Wapanatahk is delighted to develop a series based on their journey to launch Nizhoni Acres,” says Wapanatahk Media co-owner and producer Shirley Mclean.
“We want to see our people as we know them – not as victims, but as the beautiful, fun-loving, family-oriented people that we interact with every single day. Anthony and James embody that, and we can’t wait to see how audiences respond to what we’ve got in store for them,” adds Wapanatahk’s co-owner and producer Tania Koenig-Gauchier.
In addition to developing and pitching this new series with Johnson and Makokis, Wapanatahk Media is currently in principal photography on their first series this month, Dr. Savannah: Wild Rose Vet. That series has already been sold and will air on APTN and Cottage Life in 2022.
ABOUT WAPANATAHK MEDIA
Wapanatahk Media, in partnership with Great Pacific Media, develops and produces top-quality unscripted, scripted, digital and animated content for broadcasters and streaming platforms, with a focus on telling original and authentic Indigenous stories and providing training and hiring opportunities for BIPOC employees in the television industry. Wapanatahk Media is co-owned and headed by Indigenous producers Tania Koenig-Gauchier and Shirley Mclean, in partnership with Great Pacific Media.
Media Relations Contact:
Julia Smith, Finch Media
E-mail: julia@finchmedia.net