Ogopogo: How Canada's famed lake monster gained worldwide notoriety

The Ogopogo is arguably one of the most famous lake monsters in the world. While not on the level of fame as the Loch Ness Monster, the Ogopogo is something most Canadians have heard of.

The Ogopogo is said to inhabit Okanagan Lake in British Columbia, which was created by melting glaciers 10,000 years ago. It stretches for more than 127 kilometres, with a depth of 232 metres. Needless to say, if there is a creature in there, it has plenty of area to hide.

As for the story of The Ogopogo? That dates back to before Europeans ever set foot in Canada, and that is what I want to focus on. The name Ogopogo is a modern name, dating back to the early 20th century in a song that first emerged in Vernon in the 1910s.

A statue of Ogopogo is set up near Okanagan Lake in Kelowna (RL0328/Shutterstock)

The story of Ogopogo goes back thousands of years

The Indigenous Peoples have occupied the area for at least 12,000 years, and in that time, legends and myths related to the creature have sprung up.

The Secwepemc and Syilx people call the Ogopogo, Naitaka or n ̓x̌ax̌aitkʷ, which translates to water-demon, water god or “sacred creature of the water.”

Originally, it was believed that the Secwepemc and Syilx Nations saw Naitaka as a supernatural entity that had great power and was malevolent. This was because of a miscommunication between early settlers and the Indigenous Nations of the area. In truth, Naitaka is a sacred spirit of the lake that ensures the protection of the valley, including all the water systems of the area.

Okanagan Lake/Shutterstock

In the First Nations mythology, Naitaka is a spirit manifested into physical form. The image of Naitaka has been captured over the centuries in petroglyphs, which depict a long serpent with a green or black body, swimming through the lake. Sometimes, Naitaka has the head of a horse and antlers like a deer.

Naitaka also needed to be respected. According to the Indigenous Nations, Naitaka serves as a reminder of the sacredness of water.

When settlers saw the Indigenous Peoples making offerings of meat, salmon, tobacco or sage into the lake, they incorrectly believed that live sacrifices were needed to appease the creature that lived within the lake. This evolved into stories of small animals being killed so people could cross the lake safely.

A story emerged from this about a First Nations chief named Timbasket who did not give the sacrifice that was required before he decided to cross the lake. The chief ventured out into the lake with his family in a canoe. As they journeyed, Naitaka suddenly appeared. With a great thrashing of its tale, Naitaka flipped the canoe, sending its occupants into the water. The family was then sucked down into the water and never seen again. This story has been repeated online in association with the story of Naitaka.

In truth, the Syilx and others were making symbolic offerings to the lake to thank it, and Naitaka, for providing them with food and water.

The offerings to the lake were typically made near Rattlesnake Island. According to legend, Naitaka was said to live nearby in a subterranean cave at Squally Point.

The damage to Naitaka’s reputation had been done, though. The image of a giant lake monster eating anyone who did not make an offering had emerged. For a time, settlers patrolled the lake shore with guns in case Naitaka attacked.

As time went on, the image of Naitaka softened and the creature’s name became Ogopogo. Before long, an entire tourism industry emerged around Naitaka.

The Indigenous connection to Naitaka was recently reinforced and honoured. The name “Ogopogo” was once held in copyright by A.G. Seabrook. That copyright was given to the City of Vernon in 1956. That allowed the city to produce merchandise related to the Ogopogo for decades. In 2021, the copyright transferred to the Syilx Nation.

Hopefully, this results in the original version of Naitaka emerging and replacing the modern tale of the Ogopogo.

Next time you visit Okanagan Lake, give thanks to Naitaka for its efforts to protect the lake and provide its residents with food and water for thousands of years.