by Susan E. Carr

Created on: November 21, 2009   Last Updated: December 15, 2009

The 2010 Olympic mascots are cute, friendly and welcoming.  Development of the mascots by Vancouver-based Meomi Design, was based on, and inspired by, First Nations mythological characters. There are three "official" mascots, Miga, Quatchi and Sumi. Miga and Quatchi are the official mascots for the Olympic Games, while Sumi is the official mascot for the Paralympic games. There is one "unofficial" mascot named "Mukmuk" who "pops" up and surprises his friends on occasion.

Miga is a sea bear with the mixed characteristics of orca killer whale and Kermode spirit bear, and by the way, he is also a snowboarder. The Kermode bear is a subspecies of the American black bear and lives in the central coast of British Columbia. About 1 out of 10 of this population has a white or cream-colored coat (a gene pool variant), however, they are not albino nor are they related to polar bears. This species holds a prominent place in First Nations mythology and because of its ghost-like appearance is referred to as "spirit" bear and known to the indigenous population as "Moksgm'ol".

Quatchi is a sasquatch (Bigfoot). Indigenous peoples of the Northwest Coast have stories and tales around these "hairy" giants. Quatchi however, is a shy and gentle giant who especially loves winter sports and has aspirations of becoming a world-famous hockey goalie. Quatchi lives in the mysterious forests of Canada.

Sumi is an animal guardian spirit. He wears the hat of the orca whale, but flies with the wings of the Thunderbird, and not only that, this multidimensional character also has the furry legs of a black bear. Sumi lives in the mountains of British Columbia. The Thunderbird (giant bird) legend has been passed down through history and is an integral component of indigenous peoples' mythology and art.

Not to be overlooked, Mukmuk pops up to join his friends and cheer them on no matter where they happen to be. His name comes from the Squamish (First Nations, Squamish) word for food, since he loves to eat. Mukmuk is a "rare" Vancouver Island marmot, who is also small and friendly. The marmot is uniquely Canadian. The Vancouver Island marmot is one of 14 marmot species worldwide. This particular species is found only on Vancouver Island in British Columbia and differ from other marmot species.

The mascots represent many aspects of British Columbia and the First Nations peoples with respect to, and respect for, culture and diversity.

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