Lake monster allegedly found in Lake Okanagan in British Columbia and related by name to several other Canadian lake monsters, including Manipogo of Lake Winnipeg and Igopogo of Lake Simco. Early Native legends told of a demon that possessed a human who then murdered an old man named O-Kan-He-Kan. In honor of the murdered man, a beautiful lake was named for him, later giving its name to the entire valley. The gods changed the murderer into a lake serpent, which came to be called Naitaka, or “lake demon.” This monster, condemned to suffer for his crime, also made others suffer. He devoured fishing people and others who came too near the lake. For many generations, Indian people avoided the lake or brought gifts for Naitaka when travel on the lake was unavoidable. Indian tales also inspired caution in European settlers of the 19th century. Settlers’ stories filtered back to England, where Ogopogo became a music-hall mainstay and acquired its present name.
Ogopogo has been described as dark-colored, long-necked, narrow, and humpbacked like many other lake monsters. It is said to be somewhere between 12 and 21 meters (40-70 feet) long. In various accounts it has also been described as having horns, a mane, a beard, and a forked tail.