Meet Nanguz, The Official 2015 Winter Games Mascot
Kaitlyn Muir designed and wrote the story about Nanguz, the winning design and story for the 2015 Canada Winter Games Mascot Challenge – photo 250 news
Prince George, B.C.- More than three thousand votes were cast in the final challenge to select a mascot for the 2015 Canada Winter Games, and in the end, it was Nanguz the fox, who came out on top.
Nanguz was created by 10 year old Kaitlyn Muir, a Hart Highlands Elementary School student. Although Kaitlyn could have chosen to write and draw about any of the creatures depicted in the Canada Winter Games brand, choosing the fox was easy, "I go to my Grandma's farm a lot and there are lots of foxes there, and I really love them" .
The 2015 Winter Games are the first Canada Games that are co sponsored by a First Nation, namely the Lheidli T'enneh, and Nanguz was the only one of the three finalists ( the others being Spruce the Moose and Fraser the Eagle) to sport a First Nations connection. The name "Nanguz" is from the Dekelh Carrier language and it means "fox".
"I just thought that the Natives are very important to Canada because they were our founding people, so I just thought it would be a good name to use" says Kaitlyn.
Nanguz's story is that he is a multi sport athlete who lives in a den in northern B.C. He is a red fox with a tail that is tipped with the colours of the Northern Lights. He loves being outdoors, whether playing sports or enjoying the outdoors.
She says it took her about two hours to come up with the image and the story of the fox, but right now, she is bursting at the seams with excitement, "I'm very excited I'm going to be a torch bearer" says Kaitlyn, who, as part of her prize for the winning design, will not only be a torchbearer, but wins a pizza party for her class with Nanguz in attendance, some Games gear for herself, and a 3 month YMCA Family membership.
As for Nanguz, he carries the YMCA's "Y" logo on his paw, and will make his first official public appearance at the Y's Healthy Kids day event on June 1st.
Comments
Congrats to you Kaitlyn.
Excellent choice!
I agree great choice. Probably one of the local wild animals that has the most interaction with people in PG. A healthy fox population is also a sign of a healthy eco-system as a whole.
“A healthy fox population is also a sign of a healthy eco-system as a whole.”
Tell that to the chickens and see what they cluck in response.
Jokes aside, it is a unique and more interesting choice for a mascot name.
Congratulations Kaityln!
Love it! Only downside – the obvious ubiquitous party tune – what does the fox say? But he’s a great looking mascot so we can live with it I’m sure. Congrats Kaitlyn!
Way to go Kaitlyn. And all the kids who participated. It’s always a good thing to be involved in your community. Nanguz will no doubt be a great mascot.
What is the proper pronunciation of Nanguz??
You can hear the word “nanguz” on the Yinka Dene Language Institute web site:
http://www.ydli.org/dakinfo/SaikuzAudio/Vocabulary.html#nanguz
This example is in Saik’uz (Stoney Creek) dialect, but the word is the same as in the Lheidli dialect.
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