MPHS Tomahawk mascot meant to honor Tulalip people

Published 1:30 am Sunday, January 16, 2022

In recent articles on the topic of retaining the Marysville Pilchuck High School Tomahawks mascot, I cast my vote “yes” to the Marysville School Board in support of retaining our traditional mascot.

My view comes from a place of respect and appreciation for my Tulalip brothers and sisters, with whom I attended classes, played multiple sports and shared lives starting 50 years ago as fellow students. In fact, to me I thought the Tomahawks honored my great friends, such as the Gobins, Hatchs, Parks, Sheldons, Pablos and many more by incorporating their culture into our school life.

If the decision is to remove the Tomahawks as mascot, those involved in that decision should be aware that with it will go for many of us these feelings of mutual respect, connection and honor among people of different traditions all sharing the same place. MPHS is better to embrace the Tomahawks mascot as it has for decades upon decades.

Gary O’Malley

Snohomish