In an unexpected move, Vernon council voted to relinquish its copyright to Ogopogo to the Syilx Okanagan Nation in Monday’s meeting.
The City of Vernon has held copyright for the past 65 years after obtaining them from longtime radio station general manager Arthur Gilbert (Gill) Seabrook in July 1956.
Earlier this month, the city greenlighted a children’s book author the right to use the legendary Okanagan lake monster in a sequel 35 years in the making.
Don Levers self-published Ogopogo: The Misunderstood Lake Monster in 1985 selling more than 25,000 copies and now, he’s set to release his sequel through Okanagan Publishing next spring.
To the Syilx Nation, however, the Ogopogo is not a monster at all, but a protective spirit of the lake known as n ̓x̌ax̌aitkʷ (n-ha-ha-it-koo).
Now, the multi-band, trans-boundary Nation will be responsible for granting use of the copyright.
Councillors Scott Anderson, Kari Gares and Dalvir Nahal were opposed to the motion.
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