Hoodie

I grew up in Saskatchewan. If you’re looking at a map of Canada, it’s the third rectangle from the left. The only province whose capital city rhymes with the word vagina.

Saskatchewan isn’t all that different than other places in North America. When I lived in Toronto, and Montreal, nobody pointed at me and said “You must be from Saskatchewan.” After all, I drove on the right side of the road; I spoke English. In fact, when I moved to Los Angeles, nobody could even tell I was Canadian.
   
I can’t say this didn’t disappoint me a little. I’d always wanted to be an exotic foreigner. But when you grow up watching American TV shows, listening to American music, and eating American McChicken Sandwiches with American McTrans-Fatty Acids, it isn’t that hard to pass for American.

As it turned out, I had but one single cultural quirk that set me apart. It made me different even from other Canadians; the ones who hadn’t grown up in Saskatchewan. It was this garment that I’m wearing in the picture above.

You probably call it a hooded sweatshirt, or a hoodie. I’ve even heard it called a kangaroo. But in Saskatchewan, unlike any other part of the world, it goes by a decidedly different name. One that I thought was fairly normal until I stopped to think about it.

Does anyone know what that name is?

UPDATE: One of my viewers in Saskatchewan has confirmed the name in the comments section of this post. But can anyone tell me where the name came from?

Comments

[Mel]

Bunny Hug? God I love Google.

[Glen]

Hey Chris, I just moved to Saskatchewan in the last six months. Before that I lived in the Northwest Territories (the big empty space above and to the left of Saskatchewan) and Toronto.

In both places, we always talked about hoodies. However, when I moved to Saskatchewan, everyone could tell I was a foreigner the second I mentioned the word hoodie. There would be some laughs and finger pointing, but no explanation.

I thought the giggling was strange, considering these are people whose capital city, as you so rightly point out, rhymes with vagina.

It was some time before I learned that hoodies in Saskatchewan are called "bunny hugs". I have no idea why, and no one seems to be able to provide an explanation. They all say, "that's just what we call them".

[Nicole]

Bunny Hug for sure. I knew someone from Regina and she told me that. I didn't believe her till years later another Saskatchewan guy that didn't hear my disbelief referred to a hoodie as a bunny hug.

[annilita]

Don't feel sorry for yourself, Chris. You are a hottie, your country of birth isn't led by an inarticulate idiot, and Jesus is Lord!

Sure, you come from a place where people allow 3-year olds to come up with names for outerwear, but we all have our demons.

I think you deserve a break after all your hard work on the bounce and reverse videos. How about you let Colty do all the work for Monday? It's time she pulled her own weight around there.

[Simon]

In England, we actually get banned from shopping centres if we wear hoodies.

So if you want to do something intresting whilst in England try and see how many shopping centres you can get banned from.

[Mel]

Okay, so nobody else has said anything about the origin. According to Wikipedia, the 'bunny hug' was an early 20th century bump n' grind kind of dirty dancing, and that's all I can find. But I don't see what that has to do with hoodies.

[Erin]

Wikipedia does have bunny hug as Saskatchewan slang for hoodie.

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/bunny_hug

[Dead Robot]

Snopes.com states the slang for Saskatchewan hoodies is "Wiggly puff love"

Or am I looking at the right site?

[Matt V]

I guess if you can live in a city that rhymes with vagina, then you can also put a bunny hug on.

[Andrea]

This is the Texan talking: F'ing Canadians are strange!

*Said with love...*

[Jen]

so my friend Matty in Saskatoon says the following (he's my Google!):

Answer. History.
The bunny hug was a short lived dance in the early 1900's in which it's participants would "shake and wiggle their bodies", "grind them together" Usually to slow blues. A dance many people in Saskatchewan love to do while wearing their "hoodies".

Answer. Balderdash.
Alfred E. Bunnyhug a Saskatchewan tailor in the 1930's was waiting for his tram car to work and had forgotten his gloves. He immediately pulled out his sewing kit and sewed an extra piece of fabric onto the front of his jacket. Thus inventing the "Bunnyhug".

well??

[Jessica]

According to www.urbandictionary.com "Bunny Hugs" can come with zippers, but most do not. (Says Devin Davidson) Also, user 'Canadaisdope' adds this little gem of wisdom, "Bunny hugs are dope."

[Vanessa]

I think people don't realize that Chris has been on TV. Slings and Arrows, The Eleventh Hour,Wild Card. He even did an episode of Robocop. (which I find totally funny that that was a TV show)Do your homework peoples

[Vanessa]

Oh, btw. you should definately update your photo on imdb. you have the blankest expresion ever. Kinda looks like you just botoxed

[Charity]

I'm from Regina (ree-GYN-aaah) Saskatchewan. I've lived here all of my life.
I used to hitchhike all of the time, and the truckers would ask where I'm from. I'd say "Vagina Sa-snatch-ewan." The dude would be like "what??" and I'd say "REgina Saskatchewan, what did you think I said?" this worked great on american truckers.
My boyfriend DJ'd in L.A. for 5 years, and couldn't stay because immigration doesn't like illegal Canadian DJ immagrants. He never said Regina, he would just say "saskatchewan". Too ashamed of the town he was born in.
Kid Beyond came to a festival here, and we were driving him and his sound guy there, and they had a good laugh about the Vag(Regina).
If you are from this province, you have to have a sense of humour. Or you will never get out of here and get famous, and end up having a bunch of kids and settling down because it's cheap to live here, and ALL OF YOUR DREAMS ARE DEAD.
Chris, you are my hero, I WILL get out of here!

[Jill]

When I moved to Saskatchewan from B.C., for some reason my new friends asked me if bunnyhugs were popular in B.C., to which I responded "Whats? I don't think we have bunnyhugs there!" Shortly thereafter I learned they were referring to what is there known as a hoodie, and now my friends thought that all British Columbian sweaters were hoodless.

I also was at one point offered a "Vico," to which I responded "no thanks, I don't drink." . . . "Vico" is apparently chocolate milk. Go figure.

[Therese]

I live in Manitoba, and I didn't even know about bunny hugs until my cousin played for the University of Regina volleyball team.

[Buck]

hawesome!
I lived in Edmonton for a year, and would constantly be getting into arguments over what the proper nickname for a 'hooded sweatshirt' should be. The 'arguments' usually went like this:

Me: Bunnyhug!
Friend: Hoodie!
Me: Bunnyhug!
Friend: Hoodie!
Me: Bunnyhug!
Friend: Hoodie!
etc...

Of course, 'hoodie' makes way more sense, but I still prefer 'bunnyhug'.

PS - Hey Chris. did you grow up in small town SK, or one of the 'big' cities?

[EnergizerBunny]

I'm from Alberta. Ive never heard the term "bunnyhug" before.

[Krystl]

Ahhh Chris- the ever wondered "bunnyhug" issue. According to my husband (aka the american who is now a canadian) we also say Pasta different then Americanas as well as Semi (trucks).

he now (10 years later) is a convert and refers to them as a 'bunny hug'

SADLY i must report that HOODIES is becoming a normal word for them in Saskatoon!!! It's horrid

[Jena]

Bunnyhug...^-^ Now thats cuuute! I'm going to call it that from now on... Thanks Saskatchewan!

[Liesl]

I work in a reservations department for a resort in Australia (Hamilton Island) and I had a booking request today for someone from Regina. I was laughing so much cause all I could think about was CWC.

[sara]

a short time ago the starphoenix in saskatoon did a front page feature on the history of the bunnyhug... no real answers just a story about it being odd and about how some guy at the UofS is trying to figure out where it all started! :) YAY BUNNYHUG! :)

[Kerrie]

Bunny hugs huh? Well I like the sound of it.Just another Add on from the Canadians.Thank -You!I have a 7 year old and she wears them Here In Evansville, Ind. USA.She thinks the New name is great.As a fact all My 4 kids do wear them.Now that I know what to properly call them I do it all the time.The kids laugh and call me crazy and argue over the Hoddie vs Bunnyhug. But I'm wearing them down.

Love your Shows. Love the humor. Love that colty...

RED

[Louise]

Not all shopping centres in England.
Just the ones where you stand around looking suspicious with crowbars and a happy meal...