To the editor:
Get rid of the Ogopogo on our float and replace it with the stunning and awe-inspiring theme of 㽶Ƶֱoutdoor recreation㽶Ƶֱ?
We could be confused with Revelstoke or Whistler, for Pete㽶Ƶֱs sake. Who are these people on city staff? Sound like a bunch of whippersnappers to me.
They talk about branding. That㽶Ƶֱs a very cool and trendy word. Yes, it㽶Ƶֱs all about branding. Has it occurred to them that the Ogopogo is probably one of the most iconic brands that exists anywhere?
Could you imagine KFC dumping Colonel Sanders? Would Loch Ness ever kiss Nessy good-bye?
I spoke to one of our prominent councillors who agreed that Ogopogo should stay. Maybe a little face lift is in store. And I wonder what our Westbank First Nations people would say? They refer to Ogopogo as N㽶Ƶֱha-a㽶Ƶֱitk. Here㽶Ƶֱs an excerpt from their website:
㽶ƵֱThe meaning of N㽶Ƶֱha-a㽶Ƶֱitk is Sacred Spirit of the Lake, not lake demon or monster. If N㽶Ƶֱha-a-itk disappears due to pollution and misuse of the water, so do the plants, medicines, trees and foods that sustain us. For this reason, WFN embraces N㽶Ƶֱha-a-itk, as is obvious on our logo, as an important figure in our history and connection to the land.㽶Ƶֱ
Ogopogo and N㽶Ƶֱha-a㽶Ƶֱitk are the Okanagan. They have been ever since anyone can remember. If it aint broke, boys, don㽶Ƶֱt fix it.
Richard Knight, Kelowna