The Salt Lake Organizing Committee used a Saturday night, everyone-welcome street bash at the Triad Center to unveil mascots for the 2002 Olympic Winter Games.The animals and their stories are taken from Native American rock art and myths. Each also represents a piece of the Olympic motto: Citius, Altius and Fortius, which means swifter, higher and stronger. Utah school children will select names for the mascots from the suggestions below.
Snowshoe Hare
Represents: Swifter (Citius)
Suggested Names: Powder, Snowy, Sky, Billy, Carson, Spur, Dash, Hoppy or Tuck
Story: Once, when the sun was burning up the earth, the hare ran swiftly to the top of a mountain. She shot an arrow at the sun and dropped it lower in to the sky to cool the land.
Coyote
Represents: Higher (Altius)
Suggested Names: Parker, Windy, Bark, Bucky, Cody, Ranch, Crash or Curley
Story: When the world turned dark and frozen, the coyote climbed the highest mountain and stole the flame from the fire people to bring warmth back to the earth.
American Black Bear
Represents: Stronger (Fortius)
Suggested Names: Sage, Rocky, Boulder, Coal, Cassidy, Ranger, Check, or Slide
Story: Long ago, hunters left their villages to track the bear. But the bear was too strong and outlasted the hunters. Today, sons of the hunters continue the chase in the night sky.