HITTING THE APPROACH from what could be described as a different angle, this cartoon short subject is as mysterious and even bizarre as any one reeler could be. Introducing us to this new character, young Black Native boy, Inki, the production team hits the ground running. Or rather we should say walking; as the pace is noticeably slower than a more typical LOONIE TUNES/MERRIE MELODIES bot of output.
THERE IS SORT of triangle of competition established between little Inki, an over-aged male Lion with dentures and this surreal minah bird. Whenever there is some fast-paced action sequence pitting the little man vs. the king of beasts, the slow and deliberately easy paced minah intervenes passively; his moving through each scene, keeping cadence to the 'tune' of Felix Mendelsohn's THE HEBRDIES (aka FGINGAL'S CAVE Overture).
THERE SEEMS TO have been some blacklisting of this cartoon because of the caricature of Inki as being stereotyped and not acceptable in this modern era of ours. This we believe is the bunk.
THE CHARACTER DESIGN of the little hunter is a fine example of the merging of some great character traits. True, this little native boy is inept with his hunting; but, that is an expected flaw in the young and inexperienced, regardless of whatever the ethnicity, race or national origin.
WE VIEW THE design and handling of the character as innocent fun; that has not even the most remote bit of bigotry in its inception. Inki is a dark skinned little cherub, with all the foibles of the young and inexperienced.
