Will GWU shake off ‘Colonials’ yoke?
Students say that nickname is no longer appropriate
Some students are asking to change a longtime nickname for George Washington University, arguing that Colonials is offensive because it is too evocative of colonization and oppression.
As alternatives, they suggested “Hippos.” Or “Riverhorses.”
Rachel Yakobashvili, a student, created the petition, which states, “We, as students, faculty, and staff of the George Washington University, believe it is of great exigence that the university changes the official nickname for its affiliates. The use of ‘Colonials,’ no matter how innocent the intention, is received as extremely offensive by not only affiliates of the university, but the nation and world at large. The historically, negatively charged figure of Colonials has too deep a connection to colonization and glorifies the act of systemic oppression.”
She and other students also created a petition on a website for the student association, which suggested “Revolutionaries” as another possible nickname.
By late last week, more than 200 students had added digital signatures. If 500 students sign on, the student association president will have to respond to the request.
The petitioners have not approached school officials with the issue.
GW Students for Indigenous and Native American Rights did not respond to a request for comment.
The GW Hatchet, the student newspaper, quoted sophomore Andrew Hesbacher as saying, “Colonialist, terrorist, murderer. In a lot of places that’s what colonials mean to people. Why would we continue to call ourselves that?”
When he was GW’s president, Stephen Trachtenberg bought a bronze sculpture of a hippopotamus in an antique store in 1996 and donated it to the school, which he felt needed more traditions. Some students rub its head or put coins in its mouth for good luck.
The Colonials nickname began in 1926, according to a university website.
Since 1996, the GW Hippo has been an unofficial mascot, with a student at some games in an inflated hippo costume, according to the website about university nicknames.