What Do You Think of Ilanaaq, Vancouver 2010's New Winter Olympic Logo?

So. I may be dramatic, but this is unbelievably ridiculous. Reading through all the points and opinions about the logo have just made me more and more angry and frustrated at the blatant selling out of our west coast culture. We can't just sit back and bitch justifiably; we need to overturn this inane decision. WHAT DO WE DO TO CHANGE THE LOGO??

WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING! I am honestly embarrassed by the logo - not for what it stands for itself (it's a beautiful symbol) but for what it says about the minds of the organizers - individuals who's only concern seems to be the bottom line, who possess a nauseating, dated, quirky sense of style - circa Expo 86?

COME ON PEOPLE!! Let’s think progressive! Powerful! Images like rainforest, ravens, orcas, mist, totems, crashing waves, west coast storm watching, the people, the islands, the deserts, the valleys, the mountains. This is one of the most breathtaking places on earth (trust me I’ve traveled to many continents) let's showcase our wealth!

To me BC doesn't say 'cute' and 'safe'. British Columbia says MAGESTY, GRANDEUR, UNIQUENESS, MYSTERY, POWER, COLOUR, EXTREME, UNIFYING, OPTIMISTIC, FANTASTIC!

...let's work with that ;)

Cheers,
The wounded patriot

Absolutely pathetic is my take on the logo. In my opinion it's not the logo itself is so bad, it's mediocre. However, I predicted that somehow Canadian judges would likely pick a conservative reference of Canadian heritage, Inuit art or Indian art, both are fine, however the games are in Vancouver and the people there and across Canada rarely identify with Inuit art, even thought it's great art.

The judges specified that the potential logo should represent Vancouver from sea to sky and Canada's great outdoors. This was a good idea and they should have followed it. Instead they went with a boring, basic, an emblem that represents 1% of the Canadian population, when they should have gone with something bold that looks to the future when the games are.

I would like to see some of the logo submissions, although I realize the designers are under contract not to display them anywhere. Anyway, that's my 3 cents.

Je suis tres desapointe car encore un fois une decision a ete prise sans le consentement ou vote de la population en generale. le Jury inconnu du public a reussi a imposer quelquechose sans consulter. Quand allez vous comprendre que les Olympics appartienne au public pas a un groupe d'individu qui decide quoi faire et quand le faire. Je n"ai rien contre le dessin ou concepteur mais ca ne represente pas le Canada en general et encore moins un element sportif ou culturel.

merci

Jean Paul Bouchard,

I'm a resident of Nunavut and of Inuit heritage background. I was a little shocked of the Inukshuk Logo when I first seen it on the News a few weeks back. In the press release it was never once stated where the Inukshuk orignal comes nor did the Olympic committee state what the Inukshuk means. The only information that was given was that the logo was created by a woman of non-inuit background who resides in Vancouver (I beleive) and that the committee had a real hard time choosing the logo for the Olympics to represent Canada.

Anyhow, yes I too agree that a logo to represent the Native peoples in BC should have been highly considered. If the Olympics were being held in Nunavut (which I know would never happen in the next 100 years) and a completely different logo was used from a different part of our Country I'm sure we would be upset by it too.

My first impression of the Inukshuk was this is for a cartoon skit or something. We don't have smiling inukshuks and we don't have colorful rocks up here in the North, nor do we go around painting the Inukshuks. I only agree with one thing, is to have the Canadian Maple Leaf somewhere on the logo to represent our Country.

Its flattering to know the Inukshuk will be highly publicized as with the North but I beleive some consultation with some of the elders in Nunavut should have been made first.

Well this is just my opinion!!

Symbols of cultures and nations are organic and constantly evolving. In fact, symbols that have become static have usually become irrelevant, or worse, indicate the approaching death of what they are meant to represent. This is a STYLIZED inuksuk. It was never meant to maintain complete fidelity to the original cultural icon.

It is meant to embrace a wider breadth of symbolic significance. If you would open your minds just a tiny bit, you might be able to see that it includes design concepts that are meant to speak to the diversity of our nation…our whole nation. Personally I am pleased that the designer was able to draw on experiences of being a new Canadian to come up with this logo. He has the opportunity to see Canada from an international perspective as someone who grew up in another country, and also as a proud citizen who has chosen to make Canada his home.

If you would stop enjoying your righteous outrage for a moment, you might consider the choice of the inuksuk as the basis for this design as a sign of respect for all that it CAN mean, and all that it CAN represent. Why are you so eager to pigeon hole the inuksuk, and yourselves?

Perhaps consider this issue within its entire context as opposed to the narrow one so many of you have staked out for yourself. I am not saying this is a flawless logo, in fact I think there are several flaws with it. I guess all I want is a more thoughtful examination of the logo instead of the juvenile reactionism expressed here.

With respect (though admittedly frustrated)
A Proud West Coast Canadian

Most of the commentators here need to take a deep breath, calm down and get over yourselves. Many of you seem to be up in arms about the supposed cultural insensitivity of not choosing a logo that is more representative of BC.

OK, so ask yourself, how many provinces/counties/regional districts are there in Greece? Italy? China? (all examples chosen for their resent or pending Olympic games) Now maybe you are all much better versed in the geography of nations outside our own but I had to turn to google to find out that China has 23 provinces, 5 autonomous regions, 4 municipalities and 2 Special Administrative Regions.

Most Canadians can’t even properly identify the countries of the world’s other continents, let alone the province/territory equivalents of these countries. Do you really expect people from other nations to know the difference between Nunavut and BC? Is it possible that you don’t see what hypocrites you’re being? If you would all get off your moral soup boxes for a moment, and think about some of the other Olympic host countries, I think you’ll find that to some degree or another you are applying some sort of stereotype to that nation and it’s symbols.

Because you’re bad people? NO! Because everyone does this. And if we’re going to be really honest, we all create the situation where others stereotype our symbols and us. (If you are too uncomfortable with the word stereotype, we can always use the ever-popular buzzword “marketable” instead…the ever friendly, ever hockey obsessed I AM CANADIAN.)

It must be very easy for all you would-be graphic designers to talk about how you could have done better, from the comfort and anonymity of your computer chairs. Interesting that none of you creative geniuses chose to include a link to a picture of what you could have done better.

Did everyone read about Ilanaaq? What it stands for?

"ILANAAQ - the Inuit word for friend." "..used by Canada's Inuit people as directional landmarks.." "..the inukshuk has become a representation of hope, friendship and an external expression of the hospitality of a nation..."

Leave all your personal and political issues out of it and just try and appreciate it for what it is. A symbol of friendship. How can BC portray a feeling of friendship to others when we can't even get along? Grow up and be friendly. Sheesh....

The Vancouver 2010 emblem is a joke. With all the media attention, surrounding the logo "design" competition (recall that they put on a 2 day conference in order to encourage "artists" to submit their "creative" ideas), you'd think that they would choose something that shows a lot more ingenuity.

What I gathered and read about the conference (and all the rules and regulations surround the competition), it was clear that the committee wanted something "unique", "creative", and reflective of Vancouver. There was no creativity whatsoever in the emblem. Seriously, I could've gone to Stanley Park and quickly created a logo of the totem poles and stood a 50% chance of being picked. All I needed to do was write some elaborate 'symbolism' story behind it...

How is this logo going to look in 2010? Quite frankly, it'll look pretty silly and outdated. Look at Torino 2006 and Beijing 2008 - they look cool and sophisticated. Something that will still look that way in the future. Ours? A big, colourful, gumbie blob.

It's very unfortuate that some of the supposed top professionals in our country would choose such an unsuiting design. As far as I'm concerned in choosing this emblem it has broken the contest rules that where put forth to provide a new, original emblem that reflects canada, the olympics and the athlets. The emblem was not supposed to look like any seen before or copy others ideas.

It's clear that this has been done and I believe that the people involved in this uneducated blunder, should be sued for breach of contract and be liable for stealing a symbol that was not theirs to use in association with the olympics. Taking into consideration how strict the regulations are for the olympic logo, why would you steal somebody elses cultural symbol?

What the heck does an Inuit Inukshuk from the Canadian Arctic have to do with the Olympics being held in BC ? I can't believe with all the magnificent westcoast aboriginal art available that there wasn't an entry that would reflect the culture of your province.

On a positive note, I live North of 60 in Yellowknife and think this logo be great for promoting the Arctic.

I hate it, not for its simplicity, but because it ignores the complexity surrounding Aboriginal customary legal rights to culturally appropriate use of Aboriginal symbols.

What rights, you say.

Aboriginal rights, I say.

Inuit symbols are governed by a legal system that has existed since time immemorial (damn you made me use this term). These Aboriginal laws grant rights to Inuit and other persons the right to use these functional symbols for particular purposes. The fact that a non-Aboriginal designer company manipulated and simplified the inukshuk is no surprise. I suppose the simplest comparison would be using a religious symbol inappropriately. There are certain rules, customs and protocols that must be respected... it is really sad that Canada will be represented by an offensive symbol.

Also... last time I checked there were three Aboriginal peoples: First Nations, Inuit and Metis.

In theory, the Inukshuk is a great logo pick. In practice, there's a been there, done that problem. EVERYbody is using the Inukshuk as a logo these days. Check out: ASMG, Hill & Knowlton, Advanced Benefits, Real Estate Surfing or Purchasing Law. And if you're still in doubt, consider that there are entire companies who are now selling various bits of Inukshwag as corporate incentives, like Studiocrafts and Impression.

So is the Olympic committee really going to establish a distinctive imagemark by using an Inukshuk -- admittedly, the first I've seen that looks like it was rendered by Mondrian, but still.

Let's just hope the Committee doesn't show the same fervour in prosecuting imagemark violators that it does in prosecuting users of the word "Olympic"....or all those longstanding Inukshukers are in big trouble.