
The Odawa Native Friendship Centre logo was designed by
a young Aboriginal student from northern Ontario, Michael Sutherland,
who was attending school in Ottawa during the mid 70's. The newly established
Odawa Native Friendship Centre held a logo contest for a design that
would best reflect the spirit of friendship represented by the centre.
The logo features a Goose and a Fish - two precious commodities that
have ensured the survival of generations of Aboriginal peoples, especially
in the north.
According to the artist, the Goose represented Indian people, and the
Fish represented the Inuit people. They are joined together in friendship,
within the circle of life. Nearly 25 years later, this logo is still
relevant, as the Odawa Native Friendship Centre continues to uphold
its original commitment to help Aboriginal people in Ottawa to build
a strong and vital community, in the spirit of friendship and goodwill
toward all.
The logo reminds of a time not so long ago, when Aboriginal peoples
across Turtle Island began to retrace their steps, to relearn their
traditional culture, history and lifeways. With that knowledge came
pride - pride in a beautiful and rich heritage and pride in ourselves
as nations.
It was during that time across Turtle Island that the traditional summer
gathering, today known as the Pow Wow, was reborn. Today, "Pow
Wow Time" is a signal to all Aboriginal peoples, and to our friends
from the four directions, to join us in friendship and peace: to dance,
to visit, to eat, to trade and most of all to have fun.