The Ogopogo

The Ogopogo is Canada's very own sea monster. The creature is described as a green fifteen-foot-long sea snake with a horse's head and a deer's antlers. The creature resides in Lake Okanagan, spreading from Vernon to Penticton, British Colombia. The sea monster is a large part of Canadian mythology and carries significance to a range of people in the area. 

The myth of the legendary sea monster stems from Indigenous roots. before the settlement of Europeans, the original inhabitants of the Okanagan area were the Indigenous people of the Okanagan Nation. The people of the region believed that a spirit inhabited the lake. The being in the lake was called N'ha-aitk, meaning the sacred spirit of the water in the Syilx language. This being was said to have two forms: the lake itself and the sea snake that Canadians have become familiar with. The story of the lake monster would be passed through Okanagan oral history. The spirit was tied to lessons about the importance of water and respecting the environment and its resources. Tradition says that offerings would be offered to the spirit of the lake thanks to the water from the lake and the resources the water supports.[1]

Though the legend began with the Okanogan People, it would change with the arrival of European Settlers. In 1873, Susan Allison would be the first non-Indigenous person to spot the Spirit of the lake. From this point on the Ogopogo would begin to appear in European mythology as well as the oral storytelling of the land Indigenous people. [2] Later, at a dance hall in Vernon British Columbia, the song "The Ogo-Pogo" by Mark Strong and Cumberland Clark would become increasingly popular with the Europeans. The song tells the story of "the funny little Ogo-pogo. His mother was a polliwog, his father was a whale". The lyrics outlining the monster would become attached to the spirit, giving us its more familiar name. [3]

The Ogopogo comes in and out of fashion with time but remains a significant character in Canadian Lore. Websites and communities form around the spirit where people gather to share their sightings and discuss their experiences. The craze of the beast brought an opportunity to the communities surrounding the lake. in the 1950s a copyright for the name "Ogopogo" was set up and attributed to the city of Vernon. This meant any profit off of the mythical beast was given to the city, which is opposed to the people from the legend originated. This has recently been changed, as of April 2021 the copyright for the Ogopogo has been given to the Sylix Okanagan Nation Alliance. This small bit of reconciliation is meant to return the spirit to its community of origin. The copyright transfer aims to make more people familiar with the story of the N'ha-aitk and what it means to Indigenous culture. The N'ha-aitk brings the focus on appreciating Canada's lakes and waters. [4]