27.02.2021 22:34 Date: February 28, 2021 One man’s trash is another man’s treasure! Today’s Doodle celebrates the 93rd birthday of an artist whose work reflects this expression: Turkish sculptor Kuzgun Acar. For his experimentation in welding materials like wire, nails, and scrap metal together to form abstract works, Acar is widely considered a pioneer of modern sculpture in Turkey. Born in Istanbul on this day in 1928, Kuzgun Acar opened a shoelace factory with his father after high school, but it wasn’t until he enrolled in the sculptor department of the Istanbul Academy of Fine Arts that he found his true calling. There, he attended ship-dismantling workshops, where experts taught him how to weld scavenged materials into works of art. Influenced by contemporary Turkish masters Zühtü Müridoğlu and Hadi Bara, Acar developed the talent that became his life’s passion: abstract sculpture. In 1961, a sculpture made of rusty nails won Acar first prize at a Paris exhibition, along with a scholarship that sponsored a year of study in France. While there, he continued to perfect his artistic craft, and he even organized a solo exhibition at Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris in 1962. Upon Acar’s return to Istanbul, he produced some of his most significant works including “Turkey”—a massive bronze relief displayed on an Ankara skyscraper—and his timeless metal sculpture, “Birds - Abstract Composition.” As one of his final works, Acar transformed twisted steel and rubber into 140 metal masks for “The Caucasian Chalk Office,” a German theatre play staged in Paris. Happy birthday, Kuzgun Acar! Location: Tags: , , , , ,
27.02.2021 05:39 Date: February 27, 2021 On this day in 1844, the Dominican Republic was announced as a sovereign state with the firing of a cannon heard throughout the nation. Each February, the country honors its independence by celebrating its dynamic cultural heritage all month long with Carnival. The annual festivities culminate at the end of the month on the country’s Independence Day, a national holiday honored in today’s Doodle. Independence Day is marked with what’s integral to the country’s core from listening to music by local artists to enjoying national dishes. Not quite a stew and not quite a sauce, a steaming plate of habichuelas guisadas is one of the most common meals found on Dominican tables today. Although this savory dish is no stranger to meals at any time of the year, on Independence Day, it has special significance as a representative of Dominican culture and all the flavor that comes with it. Happy Independence Day, Dominican Republic! Location: Tags: , , , ,
25.02.2021 18:31 Date: February 26, 2021 Today’s Doodle honors the annual Taiwanese celebration, known as the Lantern Festival, one of the nation’s most treasured occasions that falls on the first full moon of the Lunar New Year. Across Taiwan, Lantern Festival celebrations include thousands of glowing paper lanterns, each inscribed with wishes for the year to come. According to the legend, mountain farmers in ancient Taiwan released float lanterns into the sky as a way to reassure their family members that they were safe and sound. Nowadays, the lanterns released into the sky across Taiwan are painted with everything from pandas to cats, and each have their own meaning, such as great fortune or luck in a relationship. Made official in 1990 by the Taiwanese government, the Lantern Festival originated as an idea to honor the local folklore that is woven into the nation’s history. The first iteration of the festival was only held in Taipei, but it has since grown in popularity and is now celebrated with illuminating art installations across the island nation—and around the world! Happy Lantern Festival, Taiwan! Location: , , , , , Tags: , , , ,
24.02.2021 23:03 Date: February 25, 2021 Today’s Doodle celebrates Kuwait’s 60th National Day in honor of the day in 1950 when Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah became Emir of the State of Kuwait. Today is recognized as a time to celebrate the centuries of progress that define Kuwait’s rich history. Kuwait was first inhabited as a small fishing village in 1613. Little did these early groups know that their modest maritime trading post was home to resources much more valuable than pearls and fish! In 1938, vast oil reserves were found in the region, a discovery which fueled the country’s evolution to become an international business hub, now home to over 4 million people. As Kuwait first began as a fishing port, it’s no surprise that seafood is a staple of many of the nation’s widely known and celebratory dishes. One of Kuwait’s most beloved meals to recognize today’s festivities is Mutabbaq Samak, traditionally made with fried pomfret atop a savory bed of rice. Along with tasty meals, Kuwaitis traditionally honor National Day by livening the streets with white, red, black, and green decorations—pan-Arab colors found on the country’s flag, which is depicted in the Doodle artwork. Happy National Day, Kuwait! Location: Tags: , , , ,
23.02.2021 23:49 Date: February 24, 2021 A little over a century ago, a reading of the Manifesto to the Peoples of Estonia announced the nation’s sovereignty to a jubilant crowd underneath the balcony of Pärnu’s Endla Theatre. The following day, on February 24, 1918, this declaration of Estonia’s independence was made official in the capital of the city of Tallinn, and the Republic of Estonia was born. Today’s Doodle celebrates this glorious anniversary, recognized each year as Estonia’s Independence Day. As the annual ceremonies begin with a hoisting of the tri-color national flag raised above the Tall Hermann, a stone tower at the corner of Tallin’s historic Toompea Castle, Estonians can tune into a broadcast of the traditional celebrations from the comfort of their own homes. Speeches of local dignitaries, a concert, and the laying of wreaths at Vabaduse Square are all a part of a television program organized in honor of Estonia's 103rd birthday. So what better time than today to enjoy a Kiluvõileib, a traditional Estonian open-faced sandwich topped with a sprat filet! Happy Independence Day, Estonia! Location: Tags: , , , ,
22.02.2021 06:04 Date: February 22, 2021 Today’s Doodle—illustrated by American Indian guest artist of Osage, Kaw, Cheyenne River Sioux, and European heritage, —celebrates the 145th birthday of writer, musician, teacher, composer, and suffragist Zitkala-Ša, a member of the Yankton Sioux Tribe of South Dakota . A woman who lived resiliently during a time when the Indigenous people of the United States were not considered real people by the American government, let alone citizens, Zitkala-Ša devoted her life to the protection and celebration of her Indigenous heritage through the arts and activism. On this day in 1876, Zitkala-Ša —also known as Gertrude Simmons—was born on the Yankton Indian Reservation in South Dakota. At eight years old, she left the reservation to attend White’s Indiana Manual Labor Institute, a missionary boarding school where her hair was cut against her will, she was forbidden to speak her Lakota/Lakȟótiyapi language, and she was forced to practice a religion she didn’t believe in. This was a common experience for thousands of Indigenous children in the wake of the Civilization Fund Act of 1819, which provided funding for missionaries and religious groups to create a system of Indian boarding schools that would forcibly assimilate Indigenous children. While she took interest in some of the experiences in her new environment, such as learning the violin, she resisted the institutional efforts to assimilate her into European American culture—actions she protested through a lifetime of writing and political activism. Returning back home to her reservation, Zitkala-Ša chronicled an anthology of oral Dakota stories published as “Old Indian Legends” in 1901. The book was among the first works to bring traditional Indigenous American stories to a wider audience. Zitkala-Ša was also a gifted musician. In 1913, she wrote the text and songs for the first Indigenous American opera, The Sun Dance, based on one of the most sacred Sioux ceremonies. In addition to her creative achievements, Zitkala-Ša was a lifelong spokesperson for Indigenous and women’s rights. As an activist, she co-founded and served as first president of the National Council of American Indians in 1926. Zitkala-Ša’s work was instrumental in the passage of historic legislation, such as the Indian Citizenship Act of 1924—granting citizenship to Indigenous peoples born in the United States—as well as the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934. Happy Birthday, Zitkala-Ša, and thank you for your efforts to protect and celebrate Indigenous culture for generations to come. Guest Artist Q&A with Chris Pappan Today’s Doodle was illustrated by American Indian guest artist of Osage, Kaw, Cheyenne River Sioux, and European heritage, . Below, he shares his thoughts behind the making of this Doodle: Q. Why was this topic meaningful to you personally? A. My Grandmother was Lakota, so it was an honor to be able to help bring more recognition to another strong Lakota woman. Q. What were your first thoughts when you were approached about working on this Doodle? A. I was honored to bring recognition to our people and glad that Google is reaching out to Indigenous Native American artists for related content. Q. Did you draw inspiration from anything in particular for this Doodle? A. All of the elements in the artwork relate to Zitkala-Ša's life in some way. Her Lakota name translates as “Red Bird,” she wrote an opera relating to the Sun Dance, and she was an accomplished musician—all reflected within the Doodle. She also witnessed great upheaval and change throughout her life, as symbolized by the tipis. The lettering for “Google” is based on a beadwork design from one of her traditional dresses. Q. What message do you hope people take away from your Doodle? A. I hope people realize that we can–and need to—speak for ourselves. The narrative of Native American history has been intentionally distorted for too long. Location: , Tags: , , , , , ,
18.02.2021 00:30 Date: February 18, 2021 Go behind-the-scenes of today’s Doodle below! "There is no such thing as a single-issue struggle, because we do not lead single-issue lives. Our struggles are particular, but we are not alone. What we must do is commit ourselves to some future that can include each other and to work toward that future with the particular strengths of our individual identities.” - Audre Lorde In honor of U.S. Black History Month, today’s Doodle—illustrated by Los Angeles-based guest artist —celebrates internationally-acclaimed American poet, feminist, professor, and civil rights champion Audre Lorde, a key figure of the Black and LGBTQ+ cultural movements of 20th century. For Lorde, poetry was more than just a form of emotional expression, it was a way of life–providing the vehicle for her lifetime advocacy against discrimination and racial injustice. Audre Geraldin Lorde was born the daughter of Caribbean immigrants on this day in 1934 in Harlem, New York City. Introverted as a child, she learned how to read and write from her neighborhood librarian Augusta Baker, who influenced her profoundly. Poetry soon became second nature for Lorde. When asked how she was, her response was often a poem she had memorized, and by eighth grade, she began to write her own verse. A precocious student, she became the first Black student at Hunter High School, a public school for gifted girls. Her 1951 love poem “Spring” was rejected as unsuitable by the school’s literary journal, but was printed by Seventeen magazine when she was just 15—making it her first published poem. Lorde went on to earn her Master's of Library Science from Columbia University in 1961, and continued to write poetry as a librarian and English teacher in New York public schools throughout the ‘60s. Describing herself as a “Black, lesbian, mother, warrior, poet” Lorde emerged as an essential voice in the confrontation of homophobia and racism when she published her first collection of poems, ”The First Cities” . Throughout her career, Lorde published poetry that explored identity and sexuality, while demanding social and racial justice—not only in the United States, but also abroad. Between 1984 and 1992, Lorde spent extensive time in West Germany teaching poetry at the Free University in Berlin and organizing the local feminist movement. While in Germany, Lorde led numerous lectures and workshops on feminism, homophobia, classism, and racism. She also connected and mentored Black German women, encouraging them to define and own their identities; Lorde’s guidance was influential in sparking the Afro-German movement of the ‘80s. Poetry wasn’t the only literary medium that Lorde was fluent in; she also earned great acclaim for her prose. Her book “Sister Outsider” is a notable collection of her essays and speeches—including “Learning from the 60s” . In this speech and throughout her career, Lorde explored how the complexities of contemporary social justice activism lie at the intersections of our individual differences, which include gender, class, race, and sexuality. She noted that personal identity isn’t shaped by a single factor, rather that it’s the result of the myriad aspects of experience exclusive to each individual. Lorde felt that understanding this concept was the best way to make progress against oppression; understanding that the prejudices others face vary greatly from person to person, as they are unique to their own life’s journey. Lorde is often regarded as one of the forefront voices of intersectionality and its role within the global feminist movement. For her literary achievements, Audre Lorde was awarded the American Book Award in 1989. She was later honored as the poet laureate of New York State through the Walt Whitman Citation of Merit in 1991. Happy birthday, Audre Lorde! Special thanks to the family of Audre Lorde for their partnership on this project. Below Elizabeth Lorde-Rollins and Jonathan Rollins share their thoughts on the Doodle and their mother’s legacy. Our mother Audre Lorde died in 1992 after a fourteen-year battle with metastatic breast cancer, but she would have loved the Google Doodle. She loved learning new things–and she would have been very honored to be featured. As mentioned above, she received her Master’s degree in Library Science because she was very big on cataloging information in an orderly fashion so it could be located, even if centuries separated the knowledge from its seeker. How she would have enjoyed sitting down to a keyboard and having worlds of knowledge open at the typing of a few key words or phrases! Audre Lorde was a complicated and passionate woman. She was as passionate an educator as she was a fighter. It was very important to her that her work be useful—and she would be enormously gratified to know that her words are now used as a rallying cry of people fighting for justice all over the world. She also loved life: she loved to dance and to hunt for rocks. She loved candy bars. And she loved the people close to her, fiercely. Pictured: Audre Lorde Photo credit: Courtesy of the Lorde-Rollins Family Pictured: Audre Lorde Photo credit: Courtesy of the Lorde-Rollins Family Audre Lorde Doodle Team Art Director | Angelica McKinley Guest Artist | Program Managers | Lindsay Elgin, Colin Duffy UX | Anthony Irwin Engineering | Jacob Howcroft, Collin Irwin Marketing & Partnerships | Sierra Menzies, Perla Campos Business Affairs & Partnerships | Madeline Belliveau Doodle Team Leads | Jessica Yu, Brian Kaas, Tom Tabano Special thanks to our partners Elizabeth Lorde-Rollins Jonathan Rollins The Audre Lorde Project Credits 1. Excerpts from Sister Outsider – Essays and Speeches; published by Penguin Random House USA and UK; © 1984, 2007 Audre Lorde 2. Audre Lorde, Sister Outsider Übersetzt von Eva Bonné und Marion Kraft © 2021 Carl Hanser Verlag GmbH & Co. KG Location: , , , Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
17.02.2021 18:30 Date: February 18, 2021 Lou Hei! Today’s Doodle celebrates Yee Sang, a Malaysian raw fish salad traditionally enjoyed on the seventh day of the Lunar New Year. With chopsticks in hand, families toss the ingredients that make up Yee Sang high above the table while they exclaim “Lou Hei” and wish each other good fortune for the year to come—the higher the toss, the better the fortune! This ritual traces its origins to the Chinese creation myth of goddess Nu Wa, who is said to have created humanity on the seventh day of the new year. Chinese fishers and sailors commemorated this symbolic day of rebirth by combining the leftovers of the new year’s celebrations to make yu sheng—a salad as thrifty as it was tasty. By the 1930s, Chinese immigrants brought the Yu Sheng tradition to Malaya, selling fish salad with ginger and lettuce out of hawker carts. But it wasn’t until the 1940s, when Seremban chef Loke Ching Fatta added a twist, that the recipe was adapted to the Yee Sang known today. Fatta combined some 30 ingredients together with his signature sauce to invent the dish now loved by many during the Lunar New Year. One of the most common combinations of Yee Sang include raw fish, ginger, shredded carrot, radish, pomelo, leek, topped with condiments like crushed peanuts, all mixed thoroughly with several different oils and spices. But there is no wrong way to make Yee Sang, as the dish has infinite variations. Here’s to Yee Sang and prosperity in the Lunar New Year! Location: , , Tags: , , , ,
16.02.2021 20:01 Date: February 17, 2021 Today’s Doodle celebrates the 125th birthday of Dr. Marie Thomas, one of the first female doctors in Indonesia. Born on this day in 1896 in the Indonesian village of Likupang, Marie Thomas made history as the nation’s first female specialist in gynecology and obstetrics. Marie Thomas frequently moved around Indonesia throughout childhood before graduating from a European school based in Manado. It was then that Charlotte Jacobs, one of the Netherlands’ first female pharmacists, supported her with a scholarship fund for aspiring Indonesian female physicians. In 1912, Thomas was accepted into STOVIA , which prior to her enrollment, was an institution exclusive to men. Ten years later, Marie Thomas earned her doctorate, an achievement with such an international impact that even a Dutch newspaper announced her graduation. Not missing a beat, she promptly went to work at one of the largest hospitals in Batavia . Thomas later moved to Padang, where she continued her trailblazing career as one of the first doctors to introduce new methods of contraception, such as the IUD, to women across the archipelago. Renowned for her generosity, Thomas often treated those unable to afford her care at no cost. She further exhibited her passion for patient care by establishing the first Sumatran school for midwifery; only the second of its kind in Indonesia at the time. Happy birthday, Dr. Marie Thomas. Thank you for your selfless dedication to the lives of others that has paved the way for women in Indonesia to pursue medicine and higher education. Location: , Tags: , , , , ,
15.02.2021 23:49 Date: February 16, 2021 Today’s Doodle celebrates Lithuania’s Restoration of the State Day, one of the nation’s two historic independence days. On this day in 1918, 20 members of the Council of Lithuania dipped their feather pens to sign the Act of Independence of Lithuania, marking the foundation of the nation as a sovereign republic. Located in the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius, the building where the Act of Independence was signed is known today as the House of Signatories. However, this house wasn’t always an official government building; in the early 20th century it was the home of wealthy merchant Kazimieras Štralis. So, why did the council sign such an important document at a private residence? The answer: the biting cold of Lithuania’s winter. The council first met at the Lithuanian Scientific Society, but were frigid without firewood . To warm up, the meeting was moved to Štralis’s home, where the council took advantage of his stocked fireplace and made history in the process! Warm wishes, Lithuania—and Happy Independence Day! Location: Tags: , , , ,
15.02.2021 00:10 Date: February 15, 2021 Today’s Doodle celebrates Serbia’s National Day commemorating the First Serbian Uprising which began exactly 216 years ago. Known as the first revolution in the Balkan region, it paved the way for the drafting of the First Constitution of the Principality of Serbia, which was formally adopted on this day in 1835. Also known as Statehood Day, Serbia’s National Day traditionally begins with a memorial service followed by a symbolic wreath laying in remembrance of the 1804 Serbian revolution. The commemorations continue with speeches from national leaders who reflect on Serbia’s progress to become the unified country it is today. Throughout the multi-day holiday and every day, the tricolor Serbian flag—depicted in today’s Doodle artwork—proudly stands as a symbol of the country’s solidarity. Happy dan državnosti Srbije! Location: Tags: , , , ,
13.02.2021 12:35 Date: February 14, 2021 At the heart of each Valentine’s Day, there’s one unifying emotion that always sticks around year after year: love! So today, let that special someone know that you love them to pieces—a million tiny sparkly ones at that! Happy Valentine’s Day! to really feel the L
11.02.2021 18:38 Date: February 12, 2021 Today’s Doodle celebrates the first day of the first month of the lunar calendar—officially starting the Year of the Ox! Vietnamese New Year, Tết Nguyên Đán , marks a time to honor ancestors and look forward to prosperity in the year ahead. This Lunar New Year marks the official transition out of the Year of the Rat–believed to be one of constant change–and into the Year of the Ox, which is traditionally associated with things moving at a more slow and steady pace. The ox is the second animal of the Vietnamese zodiac and symbolizes hard work, positivity, and fertile harvest. Throughout Vietnam and around the world, the lunar new year is warmly welcomed with traditional foods such as bánh chưng, bánh tét, and mứt . Alongside special meals, many Vietnamese decorate the outside of their homes as a way to welcome the new year, like buying a cây đào , cây mai , or cây quất to symbolize the hope of fertility and fruitfulness in the coming year. So take this year by the horns—here’s to this next lunar cycle being as strong as an ox! Happy Lunar New Year! to join in the festivities and welcome the Year of the Ox with a bang! Early concepts and sketches of the Doodle below Location: Tags: , , , , ,
11.02.2021 17:32 Date: February 12, 2021 Today’s Doodle celebrates the first day of the first month of the lunar calendar—officially starting the Year of the Ox! Korean New Year, Seollal, marks a time to honor ancestors and look forward to prosperity in the year ahead. This Lunar New Year marks the official transition out of the Year of the Rat–believed to be one of constant change–and into the Year of the Ox, which is traditionally associated with things moving at a more slow and steady pace. In Korean culture, the ox—symbolizing hard work, positivity, and fertile harvest—holds special significance as one of the animals that appears most frequently throughout the nation’s traditional proverbs. The lunar new year is warmly welcomed with traditional foods such as tteokguk , yakbap , japchae , and jeon . Lunar New Year is also sometimes celebrated with talchum , as depicted in today's Doodle artwork. The Eunyul Talchum and Bukcheong Saja Noreums, both recognized as National Intangible Cultural Properties of Korea, are rooted in a folk belief that lions have the power to turn away evil spirits and bring peace. So take this year by the horns—here’s to this next lunar cycle being as strong as an ox! Happy Lunar New Year! to join in the festivities and welcome the Year of the Ox with a bang! Location: Tags: , , , , ,
11.02.2021 14:02 Date: February 12, 2021 Today’s Doodle celebrates the first day of the first month of the lunar calendar—officially starting the Year of the Ox! Lunar New Year, also referred to as Chinese New Year or the Spring Festival, is a time to honor ancestors and look forward to prosperity in the year ahead. This Lunar New Year marks the official transition out of the Year of the Rat–believed to be one of constant change–and into the Year of the Ox, which is traditionally associated with things moving at a more slow and steady pace. The ox is the second animal of the Chinese zodiac and symbolizes hard work, positivity, and fertile harvest. Throughout most of Asia and around the world, the lunar new year is warmly welcomed with traditional foods such as yú , nian gao , and tang yuan . Also, as depicted in today’s Doodle artwork, Lunar New Year is often celebrated with lively lion dances. The lion symbolizes power and wisdom, and the spirited dance is performed during numerous Chinese and other Asian cultural and religious festivals to bring good luck and fortune. So take this year by the horns—here’s to this next lunar cycle being as strong as an ox! Happy Lunar New Year! to join in the festivities and welcome the Year of the Ox with a bang! Early concepts and sketches of the Doodle below Location: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Tags: , , , ,
