# The Backyardigans: What the hell is Uniquia? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 12, 2006, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-backyardigans-what-the-hell-is-uniquia/376238 "2006-10-12T20:00:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-backyardigans-what-the-hell-is-uniquia/376238/1 "2006-10-12T20:00:35Z")
Pablo is a penguin, Tyrone is a moose, Tasha is a hippo and Austin is a kangaroo, but what the hell is Uniqua, does anyone know? It’s a cute show, my toddler loves it. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-backyardigans-what-the-hell-is-uniquia/376238/2 "2006-10-12T20:13:45Z")
Uniqua isn’t supposed to be anything… that’s why she’s "Unique"a. 😉 > [@](#): > > She wants her river back, She wants her river back. > Please don’t give her any flack… she wants her river back. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-backyardigans-what-the-hell-is-uniquia/376238/3 "2006-10-12T20:20:02Z")
Oops… I was going to mention that it was my favorite show when Sophie was little enough to watch the Backyardigans. I even started a thread about it here, but I think it got very little replies. Ahhh… [here it is](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=294879). ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-backyardigans-what-the-hell-is-uniquia/376238/4 "2006-10-12T20:58:17Z")
The music on The Backyardigans is several **wide** notches above that of the other kids’ shows out there for that age group. Seriously, compare those songs and performances to The Wiggles, The Doodlebops (_gag_), Dora The Explorer, or any of the other music-heavy kids’ shows. Oh, what was the OP? I have no idea what kind of animal she is. Wiki doesn’t either. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-backyardigans-what-the-hell-is-uniquia/376238/5 "2006-10-12T22:16:09Z")
I thought they were reworked standards or little-known (i.e., cheap to acquire the rights of) Broadway tunes. ---
**Author:** ![Airblairxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Airblairxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airblairxxx)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-backyardigans-what-the-hell-is-uniquia/376238/6 "2006-10-12T22:20:39Z")
I thought Uniqua was an ant. That’s what she looks like. Not that I’ve come across many singing, dancing, toddler-sized pink ants in my lifetime . . . but she does resemble the few that I have met. [QUOTE=OneCentStamp] The music on The Backyardigans is several **wide** notches above that of the other kids’ shows out there for that age group. Seriously, compare those songs and performances to The Wiggles, The Doodlebops (_gag_), Dora The Explorer, or any of the other music-heavy kids’ shows. [/QUOTE] I’d object to including the Wiggles in that list, but otherwise I’d fully agree. ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-backyardigans-what-the-hell-is-uniquia/376238/7 "2006-10-12T22:35:07Z")
According to [Nick Jr](http://nickjr.co.uk/shows/backyardigans/uniqua.aspx) , she’s a Uniquia! Huh. Wouldn’t that be like my having the first name Human? I like the music, it’s…_kicky_. Totally off topic but my 4-year-old has suddenly decided that it’s fun to talk like [Caillou](http://pbskids.org/caillou/grownups/sitemap.html). I try not to react, because I think she _wants_ us to react, but I f’ing \*\*_hate_ \*\*Caillou. ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2006, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-backyardigans-what-the-hell-is-uniquia/376238/8 "2006-10-12T23:54:23Z")
I can report that Mr.Poysyn and I had the “Werman Polka” in our heads for a loooong time. Or is it Worman? Catchy little tune though ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2006, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-backyardigans-what-the-hell-is-uniquia/376238/9 "2006-10-13T00:41:54Z")
[QUOTE=Airblairxxx] I thought Uniqua was an ant. That’s what she looks like. Not that I’ve come across many singing, dancing, toddler-sized pink ants in my lifetime . . . but she does resemble the few that I have met. [/QUOTE] I’ll take some of what you’re on, please. Poysyn: STOMP, STOMP, STOMP I’m a Yeti! Doin’ that Yeti stomp! That’s been stuck in my head about a week, now. Also, to those of you complaining about the Doodlebops and Caillou, let me formally apologize on behalf of all Canadians. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Long\_Road](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b5a626/32.png) [@The\_Long\_Road](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Long_Road)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2006, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-backyardigans-what-the-hell-is-uniquia/376238/10 "2006-10-13T04:10:48Z")
Wikipedia makes some weird comment about there being “much controversy” over what exactly she is. The wife and I laughed about that one. Great show with catchy tunes. I point out some of the things that make no sense in each show and my wife tells me to shut up, so we enjoy it and our toddler loves it. ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2006, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-backyardigans-what-the-hell-is-uniquia/376238/11 "2006-10-13T10:51:47Z")
YetiYetiYetiYeti! According to [Nick Jr UK](http://www.nickjr.co.uk/shows/backyardigans/uniqua.aspx), Uniquia is a…Uniquia. Kind of like if we all had the first name ‘Human’, I guess. **Ginger** , I accept said apology. ---
**Author:** ![Slacker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@Slacker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slacker)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2006, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-backyardigans-what-the-hell-is-uniquia/376238/12 "2006-10-13T13:03:49Z")
Yep, everything I’ve read indicates that she’s just Uniqua, or as my daughter would say, “Neeka!” I think she’s just supposed to be one of a kind. Of course, that makes me wonder what her parents look like. ---
**Author:** ![Subway\_Prophet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecb155/32.png) [@Subway\_Prophet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Subway_Prophet)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2006, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-backyardigans-what-the-hell-is-uniquia/376238/13 "2006-10-14T14:46:26Z")
I always thought she was an alien. Being a Canadian show, and given that Canada likes to pride itself on its ethnic diversity, I kinda assumed that Uniqua was some kind of subtle, play-on-words, tip of the hat to immigrants. ---
**Author:** ![Boggette](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/858c86/32.png) [@Boggette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boggette)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2006, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-backyardigans-what-the-hell-is-uniquia/376238/14 "2006-10-14T16:43:43Z")
Sonaova! I’d asked my daughters this same question the other day. They didn’t have an answer. Gosh, I’m so glad I know now. 😛 Shhh! Shh! Secret Agent! :eek: