Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Paganism Strong @ Vancouver 2010


Mascots unveiled for Vancouver Olympic Games

Organizers with the 2010 Vancouver Olympic and Paralympic Games unveiled three mascots and an honorary sidekick on Tuesday.

The Olympic mascots were presented during a 35-minute live show at the Bell Centre for Performing Arts in Surrey, B.C.

They include:

  • Miga -- a snowboarding sea-bear inspired by the First Nations' legends of the Pacific Northwest. Miga is part Spirit Bear, which is the official provincial mammal of British Columbia, and part orca whale.

  • Quatchi -- a shy and gentle Sasquatch with a long brown beard and blue earmuffs meant to conjure the mystery and wonder associated with the Canada's wilderness.

  • Sumi -- an animal spirit who flies with the wings of the thunderbird.

  • Mukmuk - a Vancouver Island marmot sidekick considered an honorary member of the mascot team.

More than 800 excited schoolchildren from eight different elementary schools were on hand for the announcement.


The new mascots were designed by Meomi Design based in Vancouver.


The mascots will appear in advertisements for the Games, official publications and websites, and will provide souvenir-minded Olympic fans with stuffed toys and other trinkets to take home.


They will also serve to "bring humour and light-hearted fun to the Games experience and help provide a warm welcome to athletes and visitors from around the world," the Vancouver Olympic Games website said ahead of the announcement.


The identities of the new mascots were a highly guarded secret ahead of Tuesday's announcement. Speculation swirled as to what distinctly Canadian symbols would represent the Games -- a moose, maple leaf, hockey puck, beaver, etc.



edited by JNH



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