Medicine Hat Mohawks name challenged in student's petition

Braves, Indians, Redmen. There are plenty of controversies when it comes sports team namesand First Nations, but is the use of the name Mohawks offensive?

Suzanne Tripp thinks so. The Grade 12 student at Medicine Hat High School hasstarted a petition, and stirred controversy, in order to see her school's team name changed.

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Tripp's initial focus was the factMedicine Hat is located in traditional Blackfoot territory, so it makes no sense to her tohave the name of a nation from the Great Lakes region emblazoned on local jerseys.

"I didn't choose to bring up the racial issues just because it was a bit complex and a bitshocking for a school environment to really, like, open up about that kind of thing," said Tripp.

"Over time, we had to, but I first started off talking about the territorial things because it was just a bit easier to get people's attention with."

Tripp says the name Mohawks isn't shocking to the ear in the same way as a racial slur like Redskins, leading some to argueit's a celebration of First Nations, but she arguesthat's not the case.

"So we're representing First Nations people as terrifying and savage when this is the way people thought 50, 60 years ago. I mean, it'sextremely outdated nowadays," she said.

Backlash

Needless to say, starting a petition to change the name of the sports teams at a school that counts most Medicine Hatters as alumni hasn't gone unnoticed.

"There's been backlash from all areas of Medicine Hat, specifically the football team, yes.They were first ones to really take offence to the proposition for the name change," said Tripp.

She says the team felt she was attacking their sense of pride and community, and acknowledges that"unfortunately that type of thing is tied in with the name of a sports team."

As for the army of alumni in the city, Tripp says she estimates the response as 50/50.

"It's kind of hard to say really what side it leans to, just because it seems like all the backlash has been voiced through social media and all the support has been voiced through direct messaging towards me or other people who have supported the petition," she said.

Waiting for decision

Rick Preikschas, an alumnusand resident ofStandoff, has started his ownpetitionasking for the name to remain.

Grant Henderson, the superintendent of Medicine Hat school district No. 76, who met with Tripp on May 21, says he's reserving judgement on the matter until formal concerns are submitted in writing.

"Depending on what's presented then will determine, you know, is it something that the board has to consider or is it something internally that we look at," he said.