2010 Vancouver Olympics emblem- The Inunnguaq

One exciting aspect of the unveiling of the location of the next Olmypics, is also the unveiling of that year’s emblem. For the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, the Vancouver Olympic Committee (VANOC) has chosen the native American icon, inukshuk, or more specifically, the inunnguac. Here’s what Wikipedia had to say about this human-like stone formation:

An inuksuk (plural inuksuit) is a stone landmark or cairn built by humans, used by the Inuit, Inupiat, Kalaallit, Yupik, and other peoples of the Arctic region of North America. These structures are found from Alaska to Greenland.

The inuksuk may have been used for navigation, as a point of reference, a marker for hunting grounds, or as a food cache.[4] The Inupiat in northern Alaska used inuksuit to assist in the herding of caribou into contained areas for slaughter.[5]

Historically the most common type of inuksuit is a single stone positioned in an upright manner.[6] An inuksuk is often confused with an inunnguaq, a cairn representing a human figure.

The word inuksuk means "something which acts for or performs the function of a person." The word comes from the morphemes inuk ("person") and -suk ("ersatz" or "substitute").

The largest inukshuk is located in Schomberg, Ontario.

The 2010 Vancouver website goes into greater detail about the specific inunnguac used as the emblem for the 2010 games:

The Vancouver 2010 emblem is named ILANAAQ - the Inuit word for friend.

"Ilanaaq above all is a team player," said John Furlong, chief executive officer of the Vancouver 2010 Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC). "As VANOC relies on partnerships and a shared vision to deliver the Games, so does our emblem. Each stone relies on the other to support the whole. Together, the result is a symbol of strength, vision and teamwork that points us all in the direction of excellence and it will welcome the world to Canada in 2010." 

The emblem was chosen by an international judging panel from more than 1,600 entries from every region of Canada submitted through the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Emblem Design Competition. Rivera Design Group of Vancouver submitted the design, created by a team including company principal and creative director Elena Rivera MacGregor and designer Gonzalo Alatorre.

Unveiled during a live nation-wide television broadcast, the Vancouver 2010 emblem shows the deep connection between Canadians and their breathtaking environment. The emblem features five stone-like formations depicted in vibrant colours found in both the natural features of the Vancouver-Whistler Games host region and across Canada. Green and blues represent coastal forests, mountain ranges and spectacular islands. The red is for Canada's signature maple leaf and the gold evokes images of the brilliant sunrises that paint the Vancouver skyline and snow-capped mountain peaks.

Here’s a picture of a bid for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. You be the judge about which one looks best!