Why an Octopus?

The Octopus has long been intriguing world-wide, especially with the 2020 Oscar-winning documentary, My Octopus Teacher. In Tacoma, images of the octopus are seen in art and items in gift shops. The area's relationship with the Octopus in recent media began with the failure of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge due to high winds and the tale that it was actually a 600lb octopus that took down the expansive bridge. Long before this photographed event, the Puyallup Tribe shared stories of encounters with large sea creatures with tentacles, that were assumed to be reminiscent of tales of the other Northwest cryptid, Bigfoot.

As our ability to go beneath surface increased, the existence of the Giant Pacific Octopus became clear and celebrated. Now a protected creature, the story of the Giant Pacific Octopus in Tacoma parallels the work of educators: Bringing Math, Learning and Identity to the Surface.

How the World's Largest Octopus went from Cryptid to Protected