George Mason orientation begins with Native land acknowledgment, 'Turtle Island' video
George Mason University (GMU) in Fairfax, Virginia began a mandatory freshman orientation with a 'land acknowledgement' stating that the university is on Native American territory.
The orientation, held on June 30, began with a 'land acknowledgment' video referring to America as 'Turtle Island,' according to Liberty Unyielding.
George Mason University (GMU) in Fairfax, Virginia began a mandatory freshman orientation with a “land acknowledgement” stating that the university is on Native American territory.
The orientation, held on June 30, began with a “land acknowledgment” video referring to America as “Turtle Island,” according to Liberty Unyielding.
According to the outlet, the phrase “Turtle Island” was used historically by tribes in New York, not Virginia. Today, it is a term used by activists who call the United States a “settler project” to be dismantled.
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The acknowledgement reportedly extended the freshman orientation programming, which was already eight hours long. One parent departed from the auditorium after the land acknowledgement video.
GMU is far from the first school to incorporate land acknowledgments into campus life.
For instance, the University of Southern Maine spent $9,750 on a mural declaring that both the school and the city of Portland sit on “Wabanaki Land.” The mural, featuring a purple turtle representing North America, is part of the school’s effort to affirm what it calls “the uncomfortable truths of settler colonialism.”
The University of Arizona revised its land acknowledgment earlier this year to comply with federal guidance eliminating DEI mandates. Specifically, a line about being “committed to diversity and inclusion” was removed following a Department of Education warning that schools could lose federal funding over DEI programming.
The University of New Mexico has gone even further, publishing five statements acknowledging Native land, immigrant labor, and slavery.
At Fordham University, a student-run coffeehouse amended its constitution in December to include a land acknowledgment.
Campus Reform has also reported about other examples of leftist activism at George Mason.
In March, GMU’s LGBTQ+ Resources Center hosted a “Two-Spirit Storytelling” event as part of Pride Week. The speaker identified as a “Two-Spirit Navajo/Diné Knowledge Keeper” and promoted the idea of reclaiming “Two-Spirit identities” within Native LGBT communities.
The university also funds scholarships for illegal immigrants. The “Undocumented Scholars Award” offers financial support to students based on immigration status, including those with no legal right to be in the country.
Campus Reform has contacted George Mason University for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
