City of Vernon transfers copyright to legendary Ogopogo to B.C. Indigenous nations
The legal rights to the legendary creature in a British Columbia lake have been transferred to an alliance of Indigenous nations who say the Ogopogo has always been part of their spiritual teachings.
Council members in the Okanagan city of Vernon voted unanimously to transfer the Ogopogo copyright it has held for 65 years to the eight-member Okanagan Nation Alliance.
Ogopogo means spirit of the lake in the alliance's Syilx language.
“It just makes sense,” Vernon Mayor Victor Cumming said in an interview. “The story comes from the Okanagan Syilx people and it makes sense for them to hold the copyright and not the City of Vernon.”
For $1, council voted to assign and transfer to the Okanagan Nation Alliance all copyright, title, interest and property including trademark rights arising from the commercial and non-commercial use of the Ogopogo name.
Cumming said the city never used the name for economic gain, but twice granted permission for its use in children's books.
Okanagan Indian Band Chief Byron Louis was not available for comment, but Okanagan Nation Alliance administrator Pauline Terbasket, who signed the copyright documents, said the transfer was “important” for the nation.
The councils representing Vernon and the Okanagan Indian Band meet monthly to discuss issues between the two governments, the mayor said.
“There's lots to talk about, and we're forming a stronger and stronger institutional relationship and items like this make good sense at this time,” said Cumming.
Indigenous legend says the Ogopogo inhabits Okanagan Lake, which at 135 kilometres long and depths of more than 230 metres, touches the cities of Penticton, Kelowna and Vernon.
Tourism Kelowna says on its website that stories about a lake creature date back thousands of years to area Indigenous Peoples who spoke of N'ha-a-itk, the spirit of the lake.
“Stories of N'ha-a-itk changed over the years as European settlers transformed the stories they heard into a creature, which later became known as Ogopogo and the purported sightings over the years continue to strengthen its legend,” says the website.
Tourism Kelowna says photos and sightings of Ogopogo have so far been inconclusive.
A statue of a green, serpent-like figure resembling what may be an Ogopogo is located in downtown Kelowna near the lake shore.
“Some say its head looks like a horse, while others say it's reptilian or goat-like,” says the website.
Vernon council agenda minutes say the city obtained the Ogopogo copyright in 1956 from local resident Arthur Gilbert Seabrook, who first registered the copyright in 1953.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 16, 2021.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Humboldt Broncos bus crash survivor qualifies Canada for Paralympics in rowing event
Former Humboldt Broncos goaltender and bus crash survivor Jacob Wassermann has qualified Canada for a rowing event for the 2024 Paralympic games in Paris.
Baby boom amongst nurses leads to maternity ward closure in Listowel, Ont.
The emergency room at Listowel’s hospital is open today, but come summer, their obstetrics unit will be temporarily closing its delivery rooms.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Krispy Kreme doughnuts coming to McDonald's in U.S., but not Canada
Canadians will be missing out on a sweet new partnership between McDonald's and Krispy Kreme, which will see doughnuts available at McDonald's locations across the U.S. by the end of 2026.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Quebec judge orders bus driver to stand trial for 2023 daycare crash deaths
A judge has ordered a Quebec man to stand trial on charges of first-degree murder in the deaths of two children killed when a bus rammed into a Montreal-area daycare last year.