18.09.2023 13:31 Date: September 18, 2023 Today’s Doodle celebrates Chile’s National Holidays! On this day in 1810, Chile took a pivotal first step toward becoming independent from Spain by creating the Primera Junta de Gobierno . Also known as Fiestas Patrias or Dieciocho, countless celebrations take place nationwide to commemorate Chile’s hard-won independence. Some patriotic parades feature huasos who stroll by to music, while the grand military and naval parades will march on the Day of the Glories of the Army tomorrow. The blue, white, and red Chilean flag flutters in the breeze next to businesses, homes, and festival tents on both holidays. Those gentle spring winds also make today popular for kite flying and other outdoor gatherings. Parties called fondas are open to the public, complete with patriotic decorations, dancing, games, and refreshments like empanadas de pino, choripan, and anticuchos. The cueca, Chile’s national dance, is commonly performed. People throughout the country wear traditional clothing like colorful swishy dresses, “chupallas”, and riding boots with spurs. There are many traditions in Chile and the three-legged pigs, as seen in today’s Doodle artwork, are another uniquely-Chilean custom. It is traditional to give away and collect three-legged pigs as they’re believed to be good luck and abundance. The pigs in the Doodle represent the towns of Pomaire and Quinchamalí . Happy National Holidays, Chile! Check out the behind-the-scenes process for today’s Doodle artwork sculpted by Doodler Sophie Diao Work in progress red clay pig Clay pigs getting fired in the oven before painting Location: Tags:
18.09.2023 03:00 Date: September 18, 2023 Today’s Doodle celebrates Respect for the Aged Day, known as Keirō no Hi or 敬老の日 in Japanese. In mid-September of 1947, a village in the Hyōgo Prefecture observed ‘Old Folks Day’ for the first time. The idea spread, local communities across Japan began hosting events in honor of the population's elders and Respect for the Aged Day was declared a national holiday in 1966. While this holiday is relatively new, respect for the aged is not. The honorific system of speech, keigo, is used when speaking to people older than oneself to show respect. And now, the third Monday of every September is dedicated to those with vast knowledge and life experiences. One of the primary ways people celebrate is by visiting their parents, grandparents, and other relatives to bring a gift, share a meal, or spend quality time together. Volunteers bring free bento-box lunches to their elderly neighbors, and the government gives a silver-plated sake cup to those who turned 100 in the year leading up to the holiday. The Japanese media dedicates programs to some of the oldest people in the country and interviews them about their experiences and tips for a long, healthy life. Keirokai ceremonies feature songs and dances by schoolchildren, whose vitality is rivaled by people in their later years who engage in sporting or fitness competitions. Be sure to thank an elder today for their valuable advice, lessons, and stories. Happy Respect for the Aged Day, Japan! Early Doodle Drafts Initial concepts Watercolor behind the scenes Location: Tags:
17.09.2023 06:31 Date: September 17, 2023 Today’s Doodle celebrates Picos de Europa National Park. Spread across 11 villages in northern Spain, the park is home to meadows, lakes, and a steep, sloping mountain range. On this day in 2001, the Bulnes cable car was inaugurated, which ended the isolation of the town of Bulnes which is located in the Picos de Europa. The Bulnes train station can be spotted within the second “G” in today’s Doodle artwork! The park’s natural beauty and abundant resources attract more than millions of visitors annually. From flourishing grasslands to dense forests, its 67,127 hectares provide ideal dwelling places for protected species like bearded vultures, brown bears, and Iberian wolves. The Cantabrian chamois has become the unofficial mascot of the park. Statues of the mountain goat antelope decorate trail signs and lodging throughout. Picos De Europa is also a flower enthusiast's paradise with over 40 orchid species and rare fauna like the pulsatilla rubra — known for its vibrant red petals with golden yellow stamens. In 2003, UNESCO approved Biosphere Reserve status for the park, establishing it as a site for scientific work. Nearly a decade later, Spain extended the park’s boundaries to its current size. Today, Picos de Europa remains one of nature’s wonders and reminds us why we should protect it. Location: Tags:
16.09.2023 10:30 Date: September 16, 2023 Today’s Doodle, illustrated by Mexican guest artist , celebrates Mexico’s Independence Day. On this day in 1810, the country began its fight for independence. After a decade-long struggle, Mexico officially became a sovereign nation. The anniversary commemorates when a local priest in Dolores, Mexico rang the church bell to summon townspeople. The priest gave an inspiring speech now known as the Cry of Dolores, encouraging the listeners to revolt against Spanish rule. On Independence Day eve, the President of Mexico rings that same bell before reciting the Cry of Dolores. Onlookers dress in national colors and wave the green, white, and red Mexican flag. Colors of the Mexican flag are represented in today’s Doodle artwork which celebrates the “Golden Age of Mexican Cinema” when Mexico's film industry blossomed in the 1940s and 1950s. Happy Independence Day, Mexico! Guest Artist Q&A with Ulices Mendicutty Today’s Doodle was illustrated by Mexican guest artist . Below, they share their thoughts behind the making of this Doodle: Q: What was your creative process for this Doodle artwork? A: I did some research on the graphics that were used at that time for movie posters. I tried to base my references mostly on those and look for details that were representative and could be adapted to the ideas that I had to create the Doodle. I had to pay tribute to the Golden Age of Mexican Cinema and also to Independence Day, so the most complicated part was to try to unite both things in one drawing. I tried to solve it with the use of color alone. The color refers to Independence Day and the absence of color refers to the Golden Age's beautiful black and white films. Q: Did you draw inspiration from anything in particular for this Doodle? Are there specific elements of the artwork that have symbolic meaning? A: From the beginning it was clear to me that the main symbol of the Golden Age of Mexican Cinema were its protagonists, so my ideas revolved around highlighting this characteristic. The costumes, the decorative elements and the traditions that were transmitted through them were my greatest source of inspiration and the thing I most wanted to convay with my drawing. I also tried to make the characters in the Doodle women because historically there was more focus on the male elements so I wanted to show that women actually played a huge role in the Golden Age too. Location: Tags:
15.09.2023 14:16 Date: September 15, 2023 Today’s Doodle celebrates Honduras’s National Day! On this day in 1821, Honduras, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Nicaragua declared independence from Spain. These countries joined to create the Federal Republic of Central America, but in 1838 Honduras seceded and gained full sovereignty as an independent nation. Depicted in today’s artwork, Honduras’s national flag decorates buildings and homes throughout the country on this day. The flag features blue and white stripes with five central blue stars for each member of the Federal Republic of Central America. On National Day, Hondurans gather in city streets to watch parades filled with colorful floats, marching drummers, and folk dancers. Along the parade route, street vendors sell folded tortillas filled with beans and cheese called baleadas. Later, people sing the national anthem before continuing to celebrate into the night. Happy National Day, Honduras! Location: Tags:
15.09.2023 14:16 Date: September 15, 2023 Today’s Doodle celebrates El Salvador’s Independence Day! On this day in 1821, El Salvador signed the Act of Independence of Central America and became a sovereign nation. In 1609, El Salvador joined the Reino de Guatemala , which was created as an administrative territory of New Spain. After more than 200 years under Spanish rule, a variety of factors encouraged Salvadorans to push for independence. The 1811 Independence Movement, although quickly suppressed, was the initial resounding cry for freedom from its people. Ten years later, El Salvador signed the Act of Independence of Central America and formed the Federal Republic of Central America. On Independence Day, Salvadorans attend large parades with flag-bearing floats, concerts with lively music and traditional dance routines, and street markets to indulge in cultural bites and beverages. Such delicacies include the national dish pupusas , sopa de pata , and horchata de morro . Happy Independence Day, El Salvador! Location: Tags:
15.09.2023 14:16 Date: September 15, 2023 Today’s Doodle celebrates Guatemala’s Independence Day! On this day in 1821, Guatemala and several other Central American countries signed the Act of Independence of Central America and gained independence from Spanish rule. During the colonial period, Guatemala was a captaincy-general territory of Spain. Several other Central American countries like Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua were grouped into this domain, which was also called the Reino de Guatemala . In 1821, at a public meeting in Guatemala City, they signed the Act of Independence of Central America and eventually formed the Federal Republic of Central America. On Independence Day, Guatemalans visit extravagant parades featuring cheerful bands and vibrant floats, high-spirited night concerts, firework shows that light up the night sky, and local markets with mouth-watering delicacies. Some dishes include pepián , shucos , and Kak’Ik . Many also wear colorful clothing and costumes influenced by Mayan designs and dance along with traditional marimba dance performances. Happy Independence Day, Guatemala! Location: Tags:
15.09.2023 14:16 Date: September 15, 2023 Today's Doodle celebrates Costa Rica Independence Day. On this day in 1821, the country declared its freedom from Spain as it signed the Act of Independence of Central America along with four other Central American nations. Costa Rica is now considered to be one of the happiest countries in the world — and one of the most biodiverse! Although this small nation only takes up 0.03 percent of Earth's landmass, there are half a million species that call Costa Rica home. Costa Ricans often describe their way of life as pura vida, which means a simple life that centers on happiness, relaxation, and an appreciation of nature. People typically spend the day enjoying their country’s pristine oceans, lush rainforests, and majestic volcanoes, or attending local parades and cultural performances throughout the country. Many families gather on this day to reflect on the country’s progress over traditional meals like tamales and casados — a signature dish filled with fluffy rice, savory beef, black beans, and fresh tortillas. Happy Independence Day, Costa Rica! Location: Tags:
15.09.2023 14:16 Date: September 15, 2023 Today’s Doodle celebrates Nicaragua’s National Day! On this day in 1821, Nicaragua and several other Central American countries signed the Act of Independence of Central America and gained freedom from Spanish rule. Nicaragua was briefly a part of the Federal Republic of Central America along with the other countries that gained independence on this day: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. In 1838, the nation became fully self-governing. To celebrate over 200 years of independence, festivities start on September 1st. The blue and white horizontally striped flag, like the one waving in today’s Doodle, is hung outside of homes. During the days leading up to Independence Day, a burning torch symbolizing freedom is carried by hand from Guatemala to Costa Rica. Over 8,000 students pass the torch to each other along the 387 km journey. On National Day, school marching bands participate in the Festival Nacional de Bandas Rítmicas, and a grand finale in Managua determines what group gets bragging rights for the year. School bands and dance groups also parade through the streets in unison, and the pleasant sound of marimba playing fills the air. The Act of Independence is read aloud in state schools, and fireworks burst in the sky as night falls. Happy Independence Day, Nicaragua! Location: Tags:
15.09.2023 14:16 Date: September 15, 2023 In honor of US Hispanic Heritage Month, today’s Doodle celebrates Guatemalan American labor organizer, journalist, and activist Luisa Moreno. The artwork, depicting Moreno linking arms with people from the various communities she tirelessly advocated for, was illustrated by Guatemala City-based guest artist . Moreno was born “Blanca Rosa Lopez Rodrigues” in Guatemala City on August 30, 1947. As a child, her family immigrated to Oakland, California. She moved back to Guatemala as a teenager, but her education was halted as women were not allowed to attend universities at the time. In response, Moreno organized a group to lobby for a woman's right to pursue higher education. Winning this civil rights campaign sparked her lifelong passion for activism. Moreno pursued her interest in social issues as a journalist in Mexico City for a few years before moving to New York City in 1928. Shortly after her move, a group of Latino protesters were brutalized and killed by police after speaking out against a Warner Brothers film perpetuating anti-Mexican sentiment; She later stated this incident motivated her work to unify Spanish-speaking communities. When the Great Depression struck, she began working as a seamstress at a garment factory to support her family. She immediately saw the need for labor reform as workers were underpaid for long hours and endured dangerous working conditions. In 1935, Moreno joined the American Federation of Labor as a professional organizer. Within that role, her work with the United Cannery, Agricultural, Packing and Allied Workers of America took her across the country, helping workers such as cigar factory workers in Pennsylvania, sugar cane laborers and pecan shellers in the South, and beet farmers tuna packers in the West. She was eventually elected vice president of the UCAPAWA in 1941. In addition to her labor rights work, Moreno advocated for racial and ethnic equality. In 1938 she founded the National Congress of Spanish-Speaking Peoples — the first national Latino civil rights assembly. The group advocated for the fair treatment of Latino employees and the desegregation of schools and neighborhoods. Notably, in 1942, she established a defense committee who successfully fought for the dismissal of charges against a group of Mexican American teenagers who were arrested without evidence. Despite Moreno’s tireless efforts to improve the lives of thousands of US workers, her status as a labor leader made her a target for the Immigration and Naturalization Services . The INS began threatening her with deportation unless she testified against fellow union leaders. Refusing to do so, she was forced to leave the US and returned to Latin America. There, she continued her work by unionizing workers in Mexico, Cuba, and Guatemala. Thank you for dedicating your life to improving conditions for every community you touched. Here’s to you, Luisa. Special thanks to Luisa Moreno’s granddaughter Mytyl Playford for her collaboration on this project. Below, she shares her thoughts on Luisa’s legacy. On my last visit to my grandma in 1980s Guadalajara, Mexico, I requested we use a taxi instead of the local bus. She refused and told me "we ride with the people." This experience of riding the crowded buses with “the people" allowed me to better witness and understand the plight of the people in Latin America. This memory has stuck with me to this day and is one of the many reasons why I have a deep respect for my grandma’s dedication to the poor. I hope this Doodle teaches more people about Luisa’s story and her dedication to improving the lives of so many. Pictured: Luisa Moreno Courtesy of Lusia Moreno estate Guest Artist Q&A with Juliet Menendez Today’s Doodle was illustrated by Guatemala City-based guest artist . Below, she shares her thoughts behind the making of this Doodle: Q: Why was this topic meaningful to you personally? A: I was thrilled for the chance to work on a project celebrating a strong woman who shares my Guatemalan and bi-cultural background. But what truly inspires me and feels very meaningful today, is how Luisa Moreno was able to bring so many groups together across borders, races, and class lines to stand up. Q: What message do you hope people take away from your doodle? A: I want people to see that, though our stories don’t often get told, Latinas are very much part of our shared American history and have been here, planting the seeds of our biggest social movements, since the beginning. Location: , , , Tags:
10.09.2023 23:00 Date: September 11, 2023 Location: Tags:
08.09.2023 00:30 Date: September 8, 2023 Today’s Doodle celebrates Czech musician and composer Antonín Dvořák. On this day in 1841, he was born in Nelahozeves, north of Prague. Dvořák grew up interested in his father’s musical skills. He played a string instrument called a zither, which sparked the young Dvořák to experiment with music in his youth. Around age 12 he found a music teacher who encouraged him to learn the basics of the organ, piano, violin, and music harmony. He also began writing his first musical compositions. Seeing that music was his forte, his teacher persuaded his parents to send him to music school, and Dvořák was off to Prague Organ School in 1857. He graduated as a trained organist and began working as a musician. He joined the an orchestra as a violist and taught private piano lessons on the side. He composed operas, symphonies, and chamber music and gained recognition in Prague with his hymn, The Heirs of the White Mountain, in 1873. He also became an organist at St. Adalbert’s Church and entered a few of his scores into music competitions. One of the judges who awarded him in 1875 introduced Dvořák to his music publisher, who commissioned Slavonic Dances. This made Dvořák a well-known name across Europe, and more commissions came his way — notably Symphony No. 7 in D minor, the orchestral work Saint Ludmila, and Moravian Duets. After several successful performances in his native country and England, the Prague and Cambridge Universities made him an honorary doctor of music. In 1892, he was invited to direct the National Conservatory of Music in New York City. There he found inspiration in Black and Native American music and wrote one of his most famous pieces, Symphony No. 9 From the New World. Fun fact: this piece was brought to the moon by astronauts years later, in 1969! And this year marks 130 years since the premiere of this Symphony at Carnegie Hall. After about three years in the U.S., Dvořák returned to Prague and became director of the conservatory there, passing on his knowledge to future Czech composers. In his later years, he focused on operas and premiered his smash hit Rusalka in 1901 — this musical fairytale has been popular worldwide for over a century. Dvořák is remembered for his romantic music with folk influences and for being one of the first Czech composers to gain worldwide acclaim. Happy birthday, Antonín Dvořák! Location: , , , , , Tags:
07.09.2023 05:15 Date: September 7, 2023 Today’s Doodle celebrates Brazil’s Independence Day, or Sete de Setembro in Portuguese. On this day in 1822, Brazil declared independence from Portugal. Two years later, it adopted its first constitution and gained formal recognition as a sovereign nation. On Independence Day, Brazil’s green, yellow, and blue national flag flies high throughout the country. The flag’s central coat of arms contains a star for each Brazilian state. The green stands for the nation’s lush forests, the yellow represents wealth, and the deep blue symbolizes that Brazil is at the center of its own universe. Today's Doodle uses the same colors to celebrate and remind us of those values that Brazil holds dear. Happy Independence Day, Brazil! Location: Tags:
04.09.2023 06:45 Date: September 4, 2023 Today’s Doodle honors employees in the United States and Canada and those who fought and those that continue to advocate for better working conditions. In early September of 1882, the first commemoration of Labor Day took place in the form of a sprawling parade in New York City. In the 19th century, trade and labor unions rallied and organized strikes to push for employment standards that often get overlooked today: 40-hour work weeks, paid time off, safety, and sick leave. Union leaders began advocating for a holiday that appreciates working people and the difference they make in the world. The Central Labor Union adopted a proposal for the celebration and began organizing the first NYC parade. Oregon became the first to declare it a legal holiday in 1887. Several followed suit by the end of the year, but it wouldn’t become a federal holiday in the U.S. and Canada until 1894. Happy Labor Day to all past, present, and future labor leaders and workers! Location: , , , Tags:
02.09.2023 03:45 Date: September 2, 2023 Today’s Doodle celebrates Vietnam’s National Day. On this holiday, people come together to appreciate the country’s hard-won freedom. On this day in 1945, thousands gathered at Ba Đình Square to hear the first president affirm the nation’s sovereignty by reading the Declaration of Independence aloud. Today, many festivities take place at the historic square. People congregate to watch a national parade featuring members of the armed forces, women wearing traditional áo dài, and colorful floats honoring the first president. Torch processions, speeches, and flag salutes are also common. Near Ba Đình Square is the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, which many visit to learn more about Vietnam’s journey to independence or to lay flowers and flags in honor of the esteemed leader. Especially this year given the four-day holiday, National Day is a great opportunity for family gatherings and traveling. Many people make their way back to their hometowns, visit relatives, or explore new places in Vietnam . As a symbol of Vietnamese pride, the vibrant red flag with a central gold star, will be seen decorating streets, homes, temples, and businesses. Happy National Day, Vietnam! Location: Tags:
