Above is the official logo of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The multi-colored symbol is an Inukshuk (or Inuksuk), which is a stone landmark used by various groups of the North American Artic region including the Intuit, Inupiat and Yupik peoples. Inukshuk symbols have been used as reference points in navigation, and to designate certain landmarks. Vancouver's Inukshuk Olympic symbol is named Ilanaaq. Of all the Winter Olympic logos over the years, this is my favorite. It is not coincidence, then, that a couple of my favorite hockey pins from the 2010 Olympic Games feature this unique Olympic logo.
The pin above, which I previously featured with various other Latvian Olympic hockey pins on May 2, 2011, is very unique among NOC hockey pins. The design incorporates the Vancouver Inukshuk symbol with a hockey stick extending from Ilanaaq's right hand.
Meanwhile, the above unofficial parody pin has given Ilanaaq a goaltender's stick and pads, and placed the Inukshuk symbol in a classic netminder's defensive pose. Again, this pin is often denoted as a fake* because it lacks the official Olympic rings and endorsement by the Vancouver Olympic Committee ("VANOC").~
*I really dislike the use of the term "fake" to describe an Olympic pin. I think that "unofficial" is more descriptive of this type of pin that lacks the traditional markers of an IOC-licensed or other formally approved Olympic product.
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