Vancouver 2010 Logo

I've been meaning to write this entry for a while. For those of you outside of Canada that may not have had as much exposure to the logo for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games I wanted to provide some background. (NBC, of course, has their own logo which probably gives them more flexibility as the rules for using the official VANOC one are pretty strict. The picture below is from a t-shirt that I own as I am not supposed to use official VANOC images.)

Here in the words of Elena Rivera MacGregor, the head of the firm that designed the logo that won the competition, is the description of "Ilanaaq":

"As Canadians we are known around the world for our friendliness. It's a characteristic that may be related to the centuries-old tradition of dealing with a harsh, often unforgiving climate and landscape. We have always needed the help of others in order to live in this country, and, while there is definitely a core of rugged individualism, it's tempered by a sense of friendliness and communal spirit that represents the very best of Canadian values.


We are proud of our sense of community, which can be seen in the humanity and spirit of people such as Terry Fox and in the overwhelming response when a child goes missing or when Haitians need help.

The Inukshuk (pronounced ih-nook-suuk) mirrors this Canadian spirit of friendship and community. There are many kinds of Inuksuit (plural for Inukshuk), and they mean different things depending on how and where they are built. Traditionally, they were used by the Inuit in the north as directional markers. An Inukshuk in the shape of a person signifies safety, hope, and friendship. These stone sculptures were also important for navigation, as a point of reference, as a marker for hunting grounds or to denote a food cache. They are visible in snowy conditions, can endure extreme weather and, ultimately, can help people survive.


The skill of building an Inukshuk was passed down from one generation to the next, with each Inukshuk having a specific purpose and meaning. Initially they were used mainly for navigation, e.g., to point the way to a good fishing spot or the closest village where a traveller might find shelter, but they later evolved to have symbolic spiritual uses, marking places of decision-making, worship, and celebration.


Inuksuit have been transformed into a symbol of hope and friendship that transcends borders to reach people all over the world. Inuksuit have become a universal symbol of friendship, and this is why we named our entry "Ilanaaq" (pronounced ee-la-nak) -- friend in Inuktitut -- and it became the basis for the 2010 Winter Olympics logo.


The Inukshuk conveys our basic human warmth and friendliness as Canadians and provides a fantastic symbol for the Friendship Games, not only for the visitors who will be arriving, but also to remind us of the values that make Canada a truly great place to live."