The Vancouver games logo - your thoughts?

I'm not happy, it seems like every time something like this happens they pick a native looking symbol, like it's the ONLY culture in BC. Douglas Coupland said it best about living in Vancouver, "They try to tell you this is your culture, then you grow up and realize it isn't. It's someone else's culture."
I don't have a problem recognizing the native culture in BC, it's just that it's EVERY FUCKING TIME. Have they no imagination? It's Vancouver for christ's sake, their is a world of possibility there... but no here we go again with the same old shit.

Plus, didn't most native groups oppose the Olympics?

That was filmed in Vancouver. Maybe you can regard it from that angle!

I thought I liked it when I saw it on the cover of the newspaper today (maybe because it reminded me of the rock sculptures along the beach next to Stanley Park), but now I'm liking it less and less.

How about Roachy - Your BC Bud Pal?

although, when I first saw it, I wasn't sure. Here's a good article on it, what the colours mean, etc. I don't have a problem with the symbol being an Inuit symbol. It is called a Ilanaaq (el la nawk), the Inuit word for friend.

Vancouver 2010 organizing committee hopes Games logo speaks to all Canadians

VANCOUVER (CP) - It's a symbol with deep roots in the Inuit culture, a directional marker that signifies safety, hope and friendship.

Organizers of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games hope their choice of a stylized inukshuk as their Olympic logo speaks to all Canadians while welcoming the world.

The emblem called Ilanaaq (el la nawk), the Inuit word for friend, has been praised by many people since being unveiled during a live television broadcast from GM Place Saturday night but others have been left scratching their heads.

snip

It features five stone-like formations in green, two blues, red and yellow. Two pillars form legs, there's a body, an arm-like horizontal shape, then a head like an eagle. The form stands over the five Olympic rings.

more

http://www.canada.com/sports/story.html?id=7506bffe-1f34-4e4d-b34c-6df2ebdd539b

THE FIRST NATIONS SUMMIT ISN'T SITTING ON THE FENCE WHEN IT COMES TO THE NEW OLYMPIC LOGO.

THE SUMMIT SAYS THE EMBLEM "LACKS ANY FIRST NATIONS DESIGN OR WEST COAST FLAVOUR".

GRAND CHIEF EDWARD JOHN SAYS IT'S OFFENSIVE MORE CONSIDERATION WAS NOT GIVEN TO ENSURE THE LOGO HAS A WEST COAST FEEL.

Now noone is happy

What in the name of what the fuck does an Inukshuk have to do with BC. Iqaluit, yes, Cambridge Bay, yes, any Arctic/Inuit event, yes, but BC????

There is some of the loveliest native art with a BC flavour. What about a Haida influence, or Coast Salish or Kwakiutl? an INUKSHUK???



Orcas, eagles, cougar, Grizzly bear, totem poles, canoes carved from a single log, ravens, Thunderbird.

It's a stupid idea, and whoever thought that using a symbol from another culture in preference to local culture should be fired. Whoever thought using taxpayers dollars to fund this should lose their jobs.

But, really, I expect no more from Campbell and company. The Olympics is a scam.

An inukshuk has SFA to do with Vancouver, a West Coast native image would have been much better. I would have liked to see some of the other designs.

That was my first thought.

Aboriginal imagery is an obvious choice in these situations, to catch the foreign eye and imagination -- which is what the logo for this event is undoubtedly supposed to do.

The thing with the inukshuk, apart from its complete lack of relevance to Vancouver or even BC, is that it also isn't even readily identifiable, by that foreign eye, as specifically aboriginal, or Canadian.

I'd agree that a Haida image or some such ... maybe even designed by a Haida (or other aboriginal) artist ... would have been a far better choice: more familiar to non-Canadians, more location- and culture-specific to Vancouver.

They ain't hard to find ...
http://www.salishpride.com/

I personally don't think it should be native at all though, considering Natives make up a tiny part of the population of Vancouver. As well every time there is a logo needed it's somethig like this.

This is an amazing city and it's charm hasn't been remotley identified in this cop out out of a logo.

On first impression though, I don't love it. It doesn't scream Vancouver or even West Coast to me. I know what you mean about the endless First Nations imagery, but foreigners eat that stuff up. I'm sure it will push a ton of crap.

Logos are tough, you want them to be as simple as possible, but to convey a lot of messages. We have so much to work with. Water, mountains, trees, urban...

Oh, well.

Gloves off... just like it should be.

The logo could have been much worst...

http://www.rivercitysports.com/thumbs/sku/75766%2Ejpg