| Miga, Quatchi and Mukmuk are the three mascots of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver. Sumi is the mascot for the Paralympics. The logo is the representation of an Inuit inukshuk. They are all stylized representations of mythical and real animals of the First Nations region. The tribes inhabiting the First Nations have a long tradition of indigenous art, which like most folk arts, satisfied the aesthetic as well as practical necessity.
2010 Winter Olympics Logo
The logo for the 2010 Winter Olympics was unveiled on April 23, 2005 in the presence of more than 10,000 people at Vancouver’s General Motors Place- the venue for the ice hockey events of the Games. A 28 foot tall likeness of the logo was inaugurated at this event. The logo is named Illanaq, and the figure is based on the designs of a Canadian Inuit inukshuk. An inukshuk is a manmade stone construction – vaguely representing a human figure with outstretched arms – raised on the sparse Arctic terrains by the indigenous people of the region. It acted as landmarks in these sparsely inhabited parts of the country.
The Inukshuk is an integral part of Inuit culture. It represents leadership, cooperation, friendship and the triumph of the human spirit. The structure is built in five different blocks in colors of red, orange, two shades of blue, and green. They represent the natural beauty and prosperity of the Canadian nation.
The logo was selected through a process of an open competition where interested designers and artists could participate against a registration fee of $ 150. Elena Rivera MacGregor and her team of designers won the competition from among 1600 entries.
2010 Winter Olympics Mascots
The mascots of the Winter Olympics were selected by the authorities of VANOC from among designs and proposals submitted by over 177 designing houses from across the world. Vicki Wong and Michael Murphy of Meomi Designs were the winners in the competition. The original idea was to create three mascots: two for the Olympics and one for the Paralympics. Finally, the authorities decided to create a sidekick mascot for one of the character. As a result, there are currently 04 mascots for the 2010 Winter Olympics and Paralympics.
To learn more about the mascots of the 2010 Winter Olympics, visit the following links:
Sumi
Quatchi
Miga
| 
