Mascot Genesis

By Trevor Zawalich

The current Vancouver 2010 Olympic mascots were designed to appear as charming variants of creatures from local Native legend. This decision, however, has resulted in only a very small portion of the overall Canadian culture being represented in the final design. Those in the position of designing a new mascot(s), would need to find a way by which to remedy this issue. While initially contemplating the necessary elements that an Olympic mascot would require, I complied a list of everything I considered Canadian. The list entailed natural elements, historical cultures, contemporary cultures, objects of Canadian pride, and Canadian characteristics derived from class texts. The end result was a list by and far too long to be incorporated into a singular icon or caricature. This was attempted in a variety of manners, but perpetually resulted in the horrible fusion of an entire culture's identity, crushed into a object no larger than a piece of paper.

The second attempt was made with the knowledge of the cause for the failure of the original creation, and the same mistakes were avoided. Instead of attempting to create a single, massive mascot encompassing all of Canada, the list was split into two halves. One side focused upon the Canadian idea of genesis, journey, and the natural wilderness. The second focuses its attention on elements of Canadian human culture, both ancient and modern. The two lists were then taken down to simple, easily recognizable objects, which became the final elements implemented into the mascot design.

The first mascot centers itself around the Canadian natural world, and the idea of a nature central genesis. Three animals found locally in British Columbia are the orca, the eagle, and bear, all three of which have become central portions of the mascot. The orca forms the body, the eagle the wings, and the bear the legs. In order to further connect the design to nature, a forest is seen growing from its back. The mascot, in its finalized form, is seen to be a spirit of life, creation, and the natural world. Focusing the design upon the natural world removed the issue of over-representation of a single culture, as the current Olympic designs have done.

The natural world plays a central role in a number of course texts, such as The Innocent Traveler. Images of nature play heavily into the discourse of the novels in situations such as when Topaz travels across the nation, intrigued at every stop by the manner in which the landscape had changed. The text further notes the manner in which Vancouver itself arose from the wilderness, a city still being born and perpetually surrounded by the wild. The natural wilderness is as much a part of the Canadian identity and its creation as human designated cultures.

The second mascot avoids nature entirely, it focuses solely upon aspects of human culture, chosen due to their recognizable appearance as being uniquely Canadian. The body of the mascot is formed by a hockey puck adorned with the uniform of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. His name is Louis. In one hand he clutches the Canadian flag, an easily recognizable symbol of the nation. Atop his head Louis is wearing a local First Nations Haida hat. The intention of the design is to bring together both elder native and the dominant contemporary Canadian cultures, each sharing a spot on the mascot, neither left out.

In relation to course texts, the mascot encompasses the idea of cohabitation of multiple cultures in a single body. This can be seen remarkably clearly by Naomi's uncle in Obasan, who is flawlessly both Japanese and Canadian. Topaz too shares this duality in common with the uncle. She is very pleased to find that Canadians and the Canadian lifestyle are very much as she would expect life to be in England, often noting that Canadian individuals seem very "English" to her; these observations suggest a very strong personal blending of the two cultures for Topaz. In opposition to this ideal are Naomi, alongside Duddy Kravitz, Louis Riel, and many others from the readings who very much struggle with this concept. They are torn between two cultures, questioning their identity, something which this mascot attempts to eloquently handle.

Works Cited

Kagawa, Joy. Obasan. Toronto: Penguin Canada, 1981.

Wilson, Ethel. The Innocent Traveler. Toronto: New Canadian Library, 1949.