30.05.2023 03:45 Date: May 30, 2023 Location: Tags:
29.05.2023 09:15 Date: May 29, 2023 Location: , , Tags:
28.05.2023 23:15 Date: May 29, 2023 Today’s Doodle celebrates novelist, journalist, and cultural critic Abdul Rahman Munif. On this day in 1933, Munif was born in Amman, Jordan. In 1952, Munif moved to Iraq to study law at the University of Baghdad. After leaving Iraq, he graduated from Cairo University in Egypt before earning his Ph.D. in petroleum economics at the University of Belgrade in 1961. He had a career in the oil industry as an economist in Baghdad, and later for the Oil Ministry in Syria and OPEC. Munif lived in Iraq and was an editor at the monthly periodical al-Naft wa al-Tanmiyya . He took an interest in writing during his childhood and believed “the mission of literature is to increase awareness.” He published several short stories before tackling his first book, which was in the production process during his time as an editor. Munif published his first novel, Al Ashjar wa-ightiyal Marzuq in 1973. This work persuaded people to ponder a freer and more just society. His best-known work is the quintet Mudun al-Milh , which describes how the Arab world changed during the oil era. Other monumental books of his include Al-Nihayat , Sharq al-Mutawassit , and the three-volume historical novel Ard Al-Sawad . Some of Munif’s 15 novels and 9 non-fiction books have been translated into over 10 languages. He won two distinguished awards for his writings, including the Al-Owais Cultural Award in 1989 and the Award of Cairo Gathering for Arab Creativity in Novel Writing in 1998. Happy birthday Abdul Rahman Munif, thank you for your contributions to Arab literature and your analysis of sociopolitical issues. Location: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Tags:
27.05.2023 19:00 Date: May 28, 2023 Today’s Doodle celebrates Indigenous Australian social activist, educator, and campaigner, Evelyn Ruth Scott AO. During National Reconciliation Week, we honor Evelyn who fought tirelessly for Indigenous rights. On this day in the year 2000, Evelyn led the Corroboree 2000 — the largest gathering of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous leaders in Australian history — and Walk for Reconciliation. Today’s Doodle was illustrated by Indigenous guest artist, , who descended from the Dagoman people from Katherine. Evelyn was born in Ingham, Queensland in 1935. Her life of activism started in the 1960s, when she was denied a wedding dress because of her racial identity. Evelyn joined the Townsville Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advancement League and became actively involved in the 1967 Constitutional ‘Yes’ Referendum, a decade-long campaign to include all Indigenous Australians in population counts — 90% of Australians voted in favor. Fueled by the campaign’s success, she joined the Federal Council for the Advancement of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders as Vice President and was eventually named its first general secretary. Evelyn also became Chair of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation in 1997. Three years later, she led more than 250,000 people in the Corroboree 2000 and Walk for Reconciliation across the Sydney Harbour Bridge in demand of an official apology for years of neglect towards the Indigenous population. Eight years later, the Prime Minister gave that apology. Evelyn played a significant role in helping unite all of Australia and paved the way for future generations of Indigenous people. Her inspiring contributions were recognized with countless awards and accolades: the Queen’s Jubilee Medal in 1977, the Centenary Medal in 2001, the Queensland Greats Award in 2003, and many more. A monument in Parkes, ACT was raised in her memory, and a school in her name still operates in the same area today. Thank you, Evelyn Ruth Scott AO for being an unwavering leader in reconciliation efforts. This year’s National Reconciliation Theme, ‘Be a Voice for Generations’, encourages all Australians to use their collective voices and uplift the rich history, culture, and future of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Location: Tags:
26.05.2023 05:30 Date: May 26, 2023 Location: Tags:
26.05.2023 05:30 Date: May 26, 2023 Today’s Doodle celebrates Georgia Independence Day! On this day in 1918, the country established the Democratic Republic of Georgia and declared its independence from Russian empire. Tbilisi, Georgia’s capital, hosts an early-morning oath-taking ceremony in Freedom Square followed by afternoon concerts and military parades. The national flag, like the one in today’s Doodle, decorates the buildings and soldiers' poles as they march through the street. Popular celebrations include traditional Georgian feasts called supras. These events are led by a toastmaster, or tamada, and can last for up to 12 hours as attendees eat, drink, and dance late into the night. Almost every supra is sure to use ram horns or porcelain replicas for cups and serve Georgia's national dish khachapuri–a delicious cheese-stuffed bread. Happy Independence Day, Georgia! Location: Tags:
25.05.2023 02:15 Date: May 25, 2023 Today’s Doodle celebrates Jordan Independence Day! On this day in 1946, the country declared its Independence from Great Britain. Celebrations typically begin with a Royal Air Forces F-16 performance. The sleek aircraft soars into the sky to create intricate formations. Crowds cheer in the capital as a parade passes through Amman and major cities in the kingdom. As it's also a national holiday, People gather to enjoy live traditional nationalistic music, and songs about Jordan and the national day, as the national flag, depicted in today’s artwork, flies back and forth in the streets. At night people celebrate with many fireworks shows across the night sky. Happy Independence Day, Jordan! Location: Tags:
24.05.2023 16:16 Date: May 25, 2023 Today’s Doodle celebrates Australia’s Big Mango, an iconic road trip and tourist destination built to honor Bowen’s agricultural industry. The structure is one of the many Big Things across the country – a collection of massive roadside attractions that includes an acorn, banana, and gumboot just to name a few. Construction of the Big Mango began on this day in 2002, making today its 21st birthday! In 2002, the town of Bowen, in North Queensland, built a hefty tribute to their world-famous mangoes and prosperous fruit orchards. The Big Mango is on the Bruce Highway, just 5km south of the town of Bowen. The town is also known as the “salad bowl of the north” as they also grow tomatoes, capsicums and other vegetables. Weighing in at over five tons and standing at ten meters tall, the mango is truly an unmissable attraction. The $90K, fiberglass structure is modeled after The 'Kensington Pride' mango, as Bowen is the birthplace of this variety after it was introduced from India in 1871. The Kensington Pride is also referred to as the ‘Bowen Special’. A massive mango is unconventional in its own right, but something even more surprising happened in 2014: the giant piece of fruit disappeared overnight! After weeks of mango-filled headlines, a restaurant chain admitted to stealing the mango to promote a new menu item. The mango eventually returned to its rightful place in Bowen. Now, manGO see this thing with your own eyes! Check out the behind-the-scenes process for today’s Doodle artwork by Doodler, Sophie Diao Early Doodle sketches Clay model work-in-progress photo Location: Tags:
22.05.2023 07:31 Date: May 22, 2023 Today’s Doodle celebrates Barbara May Cameron, a Native American photographer, poet, writer, and human rights activist. The Doodle artwork is illustrated by queer Mexican and Chitimachan artist . On this day in 1954, Barbara Cameron was born in Fort Yates, North Dakota. Cameron was born a member of the Hunkpapa group, one of the seven council fires of the Lakota tribe, and raised on the Standing Rock Reservation by her grandparents. After graduating high school, she studied photography and film at the American Indian Art Institute in Santa Fe, New Mexico. It was here that Cameron began winning awards in theater and media arts. After coming out as a lesbian, Cameron moved to San Francisco in 1973 and advocated for LGBTQIA+ acceptance in the Native American community and addressed racism in queer spaces. In 1975, she co-founded Gay American Indians — the first ever dedicated Native American LGBTQIA+ group — with her friend and fellow activist Randy Burns. Cameron took part in various programs to promote human welfare. From 1980 through 1985, she organized the Lesbian Gay Freedom Day Parade and Celebration. She also co-led a lawsuit against the Immigration & Naturalization Service which had a policy of turning away gay people. The case went before the Supreme Court and ruled in favor of Barbara and her co-plaintiffs who made persuasive arguments for change. A few years later, she became an executive director at Community United Against Violence, where she supported people affected by hate crimes and domestic violence. The San Francisco Mayor appointed Cameron to both the Citizens Committee on Community Development and the San Francisco Human Rights Commission in 1988, and the next mayor appointed her to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. HIV/AIDS disproportionately impacted Native people in the early 1990s, so Cameron stepped up to lead the charge. She was active within the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, the American Indian AIDS Institute, and served as a consultant to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control, helping with AIDS and childhood immunization programs. Cameron is remembered for her passionate writing and speeches, many of which are housed at the San Francisco Public Library. Her words live on through her essay, No Apologies: A Lakota Lesbian Perspective which is featured in Our Right To Love: A Lesbian Resource Book. Happy birthday Barbara May Cameron, thank you for working tirelessly to improve human rights and for giving queer Indigenous people a place to feel safe and belong. Special thanks to Barbara’s partner, Linda Boyd-Durkee, for her collaboration on this Doodle. Below she shares her thoughts on Cameron’s legacy. People know the serious side of Barbara, because she was serious about justice, serious about the civil rights and safety of native people, of lesbian and gay people, of women. But she had her playful side, and the most tender heart. She liked to set up her son Rhys to “shock” his mom with language some people would punish. She understood how a kid would love to be able to say a curse word, because she was still a kid at heart. While recovering from back surgery, she enjoyed Rhys’ video games. She was an excellent bridge player and a great cook; we spent whole weekends at rented houses in Bodega Bay, California, playing bridge, cooking and eating with friends on the beautiful Pacific coast. She was devoted to animals. In the photo below, taken by her son, Rhys Cameron Boyd-Farrell, she’s holding Zizila, the cat, and Shelby, the dog. When we heard about a pair of kittens found in Golden Gate Park, we went to the flat where the kittens were kept in the bathroom , and she sat on the floor watching them until she had their names - Mahto and Zizila . We adopted Shelby when her guardian, our friend, was dying of pancreatic cancer. We brought Shelby to see him on weekly visits for his remaining months. We traveled to her reservation for her naming ceremony — wherein a wisdom-keeper conducted a ceremony to ascertain her real Lakota name. We formed a circle around a blanket, on which gifts were offered to the ancestors, and all of us opened ourselves up for whatever energy showed up. Shelby the poodle was with us, and barked at the presence none of us could see. In the ceremony, Barbara was named Wia Washte Wi, which means woman, good woman. This name was bestowed on her because she cared about others, and always worked to serve, manifesting the virtues of the warrior, thus being a good representative of her Hunkpapa people. There are people all over the country who were impressed by something that she said in a talk to a college class in Women’s History or Native History, or at an AIDS conference or a LAFA event or anywhere else that Barbara spoke. Our hope for her legacy is that those who were so moved will honor her by standing up for the lives to which she dedicated hers. -Linda Boyd-Durkee Pictured: Barbara May Cameron with her cat and dog Courtesy of Rhys Cameron Boyd-Farrell Guest Artist Q&A with Sienna Gonzales Today’s Doodle was illustrated by guest artist . Below, she shares her thoughts behind the making of this Doodle: Q. Tell us a bit about your experience working on this Doodle. What did you enjoy, and what did you find challenging? How was it different from other projects? A: It was an absolute privilege to depict Barbara May Cameron and pay tribute to her as a champion for queer Native American visibility. One aspect I particularly enjoyed was delving into research on period-accurate clothing for both sides of the drawing. It was fascinating to discover the similarities in fashion trends despite the physical distance between Barbara's reservation and the vibrant city where she spent most of her life. However, one of the challenges I faced was adapting my usual penchant for tiny details, as I had to consider the different scales at which this Doodle would be displayed. Q. Did you learn anything surprising or noteworthy while researching for this Doodle? A: As a queer woman of color, this project served as a powerful reminder that intersectional activism has a rich history that predates my personal awareness. It was both surprising and noteworthy to discover that individuals like Barbara have been courageously raising their voices and effecting change for much longer than I had realized. Their ongoing commitment inspires me in my own journey. Q. Can you describe your art-making process? What materials/equipment do you use? A: For my art-making process, I utilize Procreate on my iPad Pro. Throughout the creation of this Doodle, I relied on just two brushes: a hard airbrush and a textured pencil. I strive to replicate the essence of traditional art within the digital realm, as it imparts a tactile quality to my pieces. Limiting myself to only two or three brushes per artwork allows me to maintain this approach. Additionally, I prefer hand coloring rather than relying on color dropping, as it closely resembles the techniques I employ with colored pencils. Q. Any other thoughts you'd like to share? A: One aspect that truly resonates with me about Barbara's story is her unwavering connection to her roots. It serves as a powerful reminder that I, too, can embrace and honor both my queerness and my indigenous background without having to choose between them. While my family has unfortunately lost much of our connection to our Chitimachan heritage, I find solace in knowing that my resilience and boundless optimism serve as my own personal tribute to the sacrifices of those who came before me. It's a testament to their enduring legacy, and I strive to carry it forward with pride. Location: Tags:
21.05.2023 03:30 Date: May 21, 2023 Location: Tags:
19.05.2023 23:45 Date: May 20, 2023 Today’s interactive Doodle celebrates Lake Xochimilco, a natural lake near Mexico City that is the last remaining native habitat for axolotls in the world . The lake was once home to the ancient Aztec civilization during the 15th century, and eventually landowners in the colonial period took over occupation of the lake. On this day in 1920, the Mexican government returned Lake Xochimilco back to the locals. Lake Xochimilco now serves as a recreational site, cultural attraction, and home to the rare axolotl species. Due to Lake Xochimilco’s unique landscape, local farmers adopted the ancient chinampa farming method, which involves artificial floating gardens. These chinamperos grow hundreds of different aquatic plants, from common vegetables to medicinal herbs, in the nutrient-rich soil. It’s also a popular destination for rowing and kayaking — cruising on colorful, wooden boats called trijaneras is an essential pastime on the lake. Lake Xochimilco is also currently the last remaining native habitat on Earth for axolotls, fresh-water salamanders that live in the water instead of on land. Their mouths are permanently upturned into a slight smile, and they can regenerate limbs, gills, and even parts of their eyes and brains! Unfortunately, these delicate creatures were listed as a critically endangered species in 2008. Legend has it that their namesake — the Aztec god of fire and lightning, Xolotl — disguised himself as a salamander to avoid sacrifice. The axolotl is so culturally revered in Mexico that the Bank of Mexico added the salamander to the country’s 50-peso bill in 2021. Today, many are working to protect Lake Xochimilco after years of pollution, invasive species, man-made disturbances, and other obstacles have harmed the axolotl ecosystem. Local chinamperos have been actively restoring their lands with better fertilizers and water filters to preserve these creatures that have become an integral part of their identity and way of life. Click today’s Doodle to hop on a trajinera boat with salamander tourists to see if you can snap a pic of some of the axolotls that call Lake Xochimilco home! Doodle artist, Helen Leroux, traveled to Mexico to research Lake Xochimilco. Check out photos and videos from her trip! Trijanera line up Aztec statue of God Xolotl Axolotl smiling…? Axolotl swimming Wildlife sightings on Lake Xochimilco! Early Doodle Drafts Lake Xochimilco Team ART & UX DESIGN Art Lead, Design & Animation: Helene Leroux Design & Animation: Emily Barrera Animation Support: Alyssa Winans UX Design: Winnie Ma ENGINEERING Engineer Lead: Daniel Dovali Engineer: Mark Ivey MUSIC Composer: Julian Cerrillo & Bruno Barrera PRODUCTION Producer | Brittany Dandy Marketing | Perla Campos, Caroline Moran, Selly Sallah, Ximena Goka Business Affairs & Partnerships | Madeline Belliveau Doodle Team Lead | Jessica Yu, Nate Swinehart, Jacob Howcroft Location: Tags:
19.05.2023 14:45 Date: May 19, 2023 Today’s Doodle celebrates a delicious Québécois dish you’ll surely want to pout-ine your mouth! On this day in 2014, the word “poutine” was added to the English Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Poutine originated in Québec, however, its origin story is debated! Several restaurant owners in the province claim to have invented it. One restaurant owner stumbled upon the surprising trio of white cheese curds, brown gravy, and double-fried russet potatoes because they observed customers adding a side of cheese curds on top of their gravy fries. Enticed by the combination, the owner added it to their menu in 1964. Another restauranter in Québec was asked by a customer to add cheese curds to a bag of fries, and the owner responded, “It will make a mess!” The “mess” began to intrigue him and he started to serve the fries and cheese curds together topped with gravy to keep them warm. The entomology of the word “poutine” is also debated. The two most common theories are that it’s related to the English word “pudding,” or that it’s derived from the slang word “poutine” meaning “mess.” A legend of the first poutine served corroborates both theories. As more people tasted the delicious fusion, poutine grew in popularity across Canada and beyond. Specialty chains and bistros serve it, and some high-end restaurants might offer lobster or foie gras poutine. Within Canada, regional variations include Montréal-style poutine which contains smoked meat, and poutine galvaude prepared with chicken and green peas. Across the globe, even more types of poutine exist, such as Italian poutine with tomato sauce instead of gravy, and veggie poutine with mushroom sauce. No matter where poutine came from, Canadians agree that it’s a favorite comfort food! Early drafts of the Doodle Location: Tags:
19.05.2023 14:45 Date: May 18, 2023 Location: Tags:
19.05.2023 14:45 Date: May 17, 2023 Today’s Doodle celebrates the 78th birthday of German actress Renate Krößner. She rose to international fame after her role as the titular character in Solo Sunny – a groundbreaking film from East Germany that resonated with people everywhere. Krößner was born on this day in Osterode, Germany in 1945. She grew up in Berlin and performed in school theater productions. After studying acting at the Staatliche Schauspielschule Berlin, Krößner worked in East Germany theaters. While she performed smaller roles in a few television programs, Krößner was on her way to becoming a star. In 1980, she was cast as the lead actress in Solo Sunny, an East Germany film about a band’s singer who longs to be a solo artist. Krößner’s performance as the rebellious and angst-ridden Sonny received critical acclaim around the world. She earned the Berlin International Film Festival’s Silver Bear for Best Actress—the first for an East Germany production. Her character’s attitude and fashion sense also widely influenced German youth. After receiving permission to leave East Germany in 1985 she moved to West Berlin, Krößner became a mainstay on television shows like Stubbe - Von Fall zu Fall and Einmal Bulle. Her role as the love interest of a Franciscan monk in the show Bruder Esel earned her a Golden Lion award. She also starred in more films, including the thriller Unbesiegbar and the comedy Alles auf Zucker. In 1991, Krößner was a jury member at the 41st Berlin International Film Festival. She later won a Deutscher Filmpreis Best Actress award for her work in Nordkurve. Krößner continued acting into the 2000s, later moving to Brandenburg, Germany. Happy Birthday Renate Krößner, your iconic performances are immortalised on the silver screen, and are just as captivating today. Location: , Tags:
19.05.2023 14:45 Date: May 17, 2023 Today’s Doodle celebrates Norway Constitution Day or Syttende Mai in Norwegian. On this day in 1814, Norway became one of the first countries in the world to officially adopt its modern constitution. Constitution Day wasn’t regularly celebrated until 1833 when writer Henrik Wergeland gave a public speech honoring Norwegian heritage. Wergeland became a symbol of Norway’s Independence and citizens have celebrated the day ever since. In 1864, the country started a longstanding tradition of organizing a children’s parade to honor Norway’s bright future. Depicted in today’s artwork, the Norwegian flag features a blue cross outline in white atop a red background. Citizens don the country’s colors or wear bright bunads during celebrations. The most popular children’s parade is in Oslo where school bands march past the Royal Palace as the Royal Family waves to the crowd from their balcony. Gratulerer med dagen, Norge! Location: Tags:
