Unpacked by AFAR · Thursday, October 29, 2026
Journalist Kate Nelson and editor Jen Choi outline the editorial process behind AFAR magazine's print feature, explaining the decision to use the traditional name 'Turtle Island' for North America to honor indigenous creation stories and oral traditions.
“And the longstanding name for North America, before it was North America, was Turtle Island. So you go across, we call it Indian country. You go across Indian country and people generally know what that term means.”