The first Olympic mascot 'Waldi' a Daschund dog appeared at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games. Mascots are used to communicate the Olympic spirit to the general public, especially youth and children. They are usually a character or animal native to the country where the games are being held and showcase the history and culture unique to the host city. In more recent years it has been common to have more than one mascot. This could be to ensure gender equity but has undoubtedly increased the merchandising potential of the Olympic mascot.

Sumi the Chimera is one of three mascots used at the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games. According to the designers VANOC (Vancouver Olympics Organising Committee) Sumi is "an animal spirit who wears the hat of the orca whale, flies with the wings of the mighty thunderbird and runs on the furry legs of the black bera". The name comes from the Salish word, 'sumesh', meaning guardian spirit.

The other two mascots are Quatchi the Sasquatch and Miga a Seabear. The inspiration for all three was drawn from legends of First Nation Canadian Aborginal culture but other influences include the Olympic and Paralympic movements, modern animation styles and the culture and wildlife of British Columbia and Canada. The three mascots have been featured in a series of videos in which they are joined by a virtual friend called Mukmuk who is a rare marmot from the mountains of Vancouver island.