De Pan

Olympic Opening Ceremonies Squamish Paddle

Last night, the 2010 Olympic Winter Games opened in Vancouver. The ceremonies were filled with a rich array of various aspects of Canada's diverse cultural identity. A great post and photo overview of the whole spectacle is found over WoodnCanvas' great blog.

Since many of the events are hosted on lands belonging to various First Nations groups, there was a significant aboriginal presence at the games. In particular the Four Host First Nations welcomed the audience in their own tongue. Being the paddle addict I've become, I was immediately drawn to the image of a member of the Squamish Nation holding a decorated cedar paddle. Looks to be a classic West Coast design with pointed tip and flared blade. While most paddles of this type are usually richly carved with native pictographs, this simple, contrasting red and black painted design would certainly be more visible from a distance.








Pics Via: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/12/vancouver-olympics-2010-o_n_461057.html