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7 September 2020
Kim Sowol’s 118th birthday
https://www.google.com/logos/doodles...7108317-2x.jpg
Today’s Doodle, illustrated by guest artist Eusong Lee, honors the 118th birthday of Korean poet Kim Sowol, whose beloved 1922 lyric poem “The Azaleas” [“Chindallae kkot”] is widely considered a masterpiece of the form. Celebrated for his contributions to early modern Korean poetry, Sowol composed many poems in the familiar cadence of traditional Korean folk music, which added to the broad popularity of his work.
Kim Sowol was born Kim Jeong-sik on this day in 1902 in present-day North Korea’s North Pyongan Province. As a teenager, Jeong-sik attended the esteemed Osan Middle School, where he became a lifelong protégé of the teacher and poet Kim Eok. In 1920, Jeong-sik published his first poems in a literary magazine, after which he assumed the pen-name Sowol, which translates into “White Moon.”
While still a high school student in 1922, Sowol published his famous work “The Azaleas.” This melancholic poem of love and loss inspired the colorful burst of Azalea flowers that surrounds his portrait in today’s Doodle artwork.
He went on to compose over 150 literary works and in 1925 published his sole collection of poems, also named “The Azaleas.” Sowol’s lifetime of heartfelt compositions cemented his legacy as one of Korea’s most treasured poets, and to this day many Koreans can recite his poems by heart. The annual Sowol Poetry Prize, established in 1987 in Kim Sowol’s honor, is considered one of the most prestigious awards in Korean poetry.
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17 May 2017
Norway National Day 2017
https://www.google.com/logos/doodles...5183488-2x.png
Hurray for the red, white and blue! On Norway’s National Day, celebrated today, local children carry tri-color flags and stride with marching bands in school parades, some even passing by Oslo’s royal palace. Buildings are also cloaked in Norwegian flags, while parade-goers wear red, white and blue ribbons or bunad [traditional folk garments]. Music fills the air, with repertoires including songs such as “Norway in Red, White and Blue” and “Seventeenth of May I’m So Glad.” And of course there’s food, glorious food, especially favorite junk food treats like hot dogs and ice cream.
National Day was first established in 1814 to recognize the signing of the Constitution of Norway in Eidsvoll, which made Norway an independent kingdom under Swedish rule. By the 1860s, the day had transformed from a patriotic tribute to a celebration for children, with the first barnetog [children’s parade] held in Christiania [Oslo] in 1870. This historic day belongs to Norway’s children.
Colored in the hues of the national flag, our upbeat Doodle cheers on the young Norwegians who make this day such a joyous celebration.
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6 August 2017
Luang Pradit Phairoh’s 136th Birthday
https://www.google.com/logos/doodles...5973376-2x.jpg
136 years ago, Luang Pradit Phairoh was born Sorn Silapabanleng to a musician's family in the Amphawa District of Thailand. As a young boy, he accompanied his father and performed as part of a traditional Thai piphat [[musical ensemble) across the countryside. At one of these soirees, his musical genius was discovered by a nobleman, and he encouraged 19-year-old Sorn to move to the capital to study music.
Today, he is regarded as the greatest composer of traditional Thai music.
Luang Pradit tutored some of Thailand’s finest musicians and composers, including King Rama VII and Her Majestic Queen Rambhai Barni. In 1925, he was titled ‘Luang’ [a title similar to ‘Sir’], and in keeping with the tradition of the times, was also renamed with the honorific, Pradit Phairoh – loosely translated as ‘Master of Symphony’.
Today’s Doodle depicts Luang Pradit Phairoh, against the backdrop of the ranat ek – a type of xylophone that forms the centerpiece of a traditional piphat. Luang Pradit was particularly known for his mastery of this instrument.
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19 November 2019
200th Anniversary of Museo del Prado
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Today’s Doodle celebrates the 200th anniversary of Madrid’s Museo del Prado. Opened on this day in 1819, the museum is home to thousands of Spanish paintings from the 12th century to the 20th century, including masterpieces by El Greco, Francisco Goya, Diego Velázquez, amongst other European masters.
Designed in 1785 by architect Juan de Villanueva, the building was repurposed by King Ferdinand VII and Queen Maria Isabel de Braganza from a center for the natural sciences to a public gallery in 1819. Originally called the Royal Museum, it was later named Museo Nacional del Prado. With a collection of over 5,000 pieces, the museum pursued an expansion project that increased public access and reduced crowding in the main building.
The nearby Jerónimos Cloister was restored and incorporated to create the Museo del Prado Campus, allowing the museum to showcase the masterpieces of a new era. The Bicentenary exhibit, “A Place of Memory,” pays homage to the museum’s history through some of its darkest periods and offers a glimpse into how the museum has transformed into the institution it is today.
The museum is looking to the future on its 200th anniversary, taking time to ensure that diversity is embraced at the dawn of its third century. Throughout the year, the collection exhibited artists from Latin America such as Matrimonios de Martín de Loyola con Beatriz Ñusta y de Juan de Borja con Lorenza Ñusta de Loyola, an extraordinary example of the viceregal painting, coming from the Pedro de Osma Museum in Lima, Peru, and women in A Tale of Two Women Painters: Sofonisba Anguissola and Lavinia Fontana and Twelve Photographers. Guests should be able to see most of the museum in a couple of hours, but they might lose track of time trying to unpack the scenes in Hieronymus Bosch’s “The Garden of Earthly Delights.”
Happy two centuries, Museo del Prado!
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19 November 2014
Ofra Haza's 57th Birthday
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/yD...JJVaMhsHa=s660
Our homepage in Israel features a portrait of singer Ofra Haza for her 57th birthday. Popular in both her homeland and countries across the Middle East, Haza gained wider international recognition after she won second place in the 1983 Eurovision Song Contest.
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18 November 2017
Pedro Infante’s 100th Birthday
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQBYYeYs2vo
What’s in a name? If nicknames count, the answers are infinite for beloved Mexican singer and actor Pedro Infante. Often compared to Frank Sinatra, Humphrey Bogart, and Elvis Presley, the artist’s monikers — from "El Rey de Rancheras" to "El ídolo de Guamúchil" to "El Inmortal" — illustrate his myriad talents and enduring charm.
Born in 1917 in the fishing town of Mazatlán, Infante apprenticed to a carpenter and learned music from his father. Though deft at many instruments [he even crafted his own guitar], his voice was his most exceptional talent. As part of his father’s band, “La Rabia” in his teenage days, Infante experimented with the style that made him most famous. Mixing feeling with technique, his soulful croon forever changed the way the mariachi was sung and he helped popularize the genre around the world.
But singing was just the first act in Infante’s story. In 1943 he starred in "La Feria de las Flores," and also created his first musical record, "El Soldado Raso." This marked the beginning of a 14 year career in which Infante acted in nearly 60 films and recorded 366 songs, becoming one of the most prominent and loved figures in "La época de Oro del Cine Mexicano" [the Golden Era of Mexican cinema].
As today’s Doodle shows, Infante’s passions went beyond stage and screen, though they often appeared intertwined. An avid boxer off-camera, Infante stepped into the ring for 1953’s "Pepe El Toro," one of his most iconic roles. In "A Toda Máquina," Infante played the part of a motorcycle cop, dignifying the profession and immortalizing high-speed “acrobacias” — a sequence of dizzying, two-wheeled pirouettes that are still performed in many of Mexico’s parades and civil events today.
Infante was posthumously awarded a Silver Bear for Best Actor at the 7th Berlin International Film Festival for his performance in "Tizoc," his last film. Today we celebrate what would have been the artist’s 100th birthday with scenes illustrating the vibrant parallels between his life and work — all beginning with a classic Infante pose.
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19 November 2011
Mikhail Lomonosov's 300th Birthday
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/n2...2GdNqTbts=s660
Mikhail Vasilyevich Lomonosov was a Russian polymath, scientist and writer, who made important contributions to literature, education, and science. Among his discoveries were the atmosphere of Venus and the law of conservation of mass in chemical reactions. His spheres of science were natural science, chemistry, physics, mineralogy, history, art, philology, optical devices and others. Lomonosov was also a poet and influenced the formation of the modern Russian literary language.
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27 August 2019
Gladys Elphick’s 115th Birthday
https://www.google.com/logos/doodles...8786304-2x.png
Today’s Doodle celebrates Australian Aboriginal community leader Gladys Elphick, known as “Aunty Glad,” who dedicated herself towards social justice in Australia.
Born on this day in 1904 a proud Kaurna and Ngadjuri woman, she became the founding president of the Council of Aboriginal Women of South Australia, bringing about important social reforms. Despite leaving school at age 12, she was a tireless advocate for Indigenous and non-Indigenous women alike, inspiring many to stand up for their rights.
After the death of her first husband, Aunty Glad moved to Adelaide in 1939, supporting her two children. During the 1940s, she joined the Aborigines Advancement League of South Australia, the country’s first group for Aboriginal women. In the mid-1960s, she served on the activities committee supporting important initiatives such as opening a community center for adult education, medical, and legal services. Her efforts led to the establishment of many other institutions, including the College of Aboriginal Education and the Aboriginal Medical Service.
In 1971, Aunty was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire and named South Australian of the Year in 1984. Since 2003, the Gladys Elphick Award has been awarded to recognize Aboriginal women working to advance the status of Indigenous people through a wide range of mediums.
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3 May 2021
US Teacher Appreciation Week 2021 begins!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HNI77rorzM
Happy U.S. Teacher Appreciation Week 2021!
Today’s interactive, animated Doodle honors educators across the nation by inviting us all to listen to five real stories of their experiences and the lasting impact they have on their students every single day. Created in partnership with StoryCorps and US-based guest animators Lindsey Deschamps, Monique Wray, and Vrinda Zaveri, today’s Doodle features stories across a spectrum of backgrounds and eras—including the COVID-19 pandemic which has brought unprecedented challenges to the lives of educators and students everywhere.
As you listen to these touching stories, we encourage you to think of a time when a teacher changed your life for the better. Do they know the impact they had on your life? Visit StoryCorps to #ThankAnEducator by using self-directed recording tools to interview a special teacher in your life—or to have a conversation reflecting on their impact with a friend or fellow student. These moments of gratitude will be archived in the Library of Congress.
To educators everywhere: We appreciate you!
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3 May 2018
Celebrating Georges Méliès
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEePFpC9qG8
"My friends, I address you all tonight as you truly are; wizards, mermaids, travelers, adventurers, magicians... Come and dream with me."
—Georges Méliès
Today’s first-ever Virtual Reality [VR] / 360° interactive Doodle—created in collaboration with the Google Spotlight Stories, Google Arts & Culture, and Cinémathèque Française teams—celebrates Georges Méliès, the trailblazing French illusionist and film director on the release date of what is considered to be one of his greatest masterpieces: À la conquête du pôle [The Conquest of the Pole, 1912]. Méliès pioneered numerous technical and narrative film techniques in the early days of cinema, primarily in the use of special effects and creation of some of the earliest films of the science fiction genre.
Enjoy the full Google Doodle VR experience on mobile, Cardboard, or Daydream by downloading the Google Spotlight Stories app now on Google Play or in the App Store. You can also experience the Doodle without a headset as a 360° video on the Google Spotlight Stories YouTube Channel!
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30 Apr 2018
Levi Celerio’s 108th Birthday
https://www.google.com/logos/doodles...8687744-2x.jpg
Today's Doodle celebrates prolific Filipino musical phenom, Levi Celerio. The composer and lyricist wrote over 4,000 songs, many still popular today. With his unique talent of playing music with a leaf, Celerio received international attention as the “only leaf player in the world” by the Guinness Book of World Records.
Levi Celerio was born in Manila in 1910. With a scholarship to the Academy of Music in Manila, he became the youngest member of the Manila Symphony Orchestra.
His folk, Christmas, and love songs embodied Filipino life and traditions. Any Filipino born in 1947 and beyond was probably lulled to sleep to the beloved lullaby Sa Ugoy ng Duyan [English: “In the cradle's rocking”]. Fifty years later, Celerio was named National Artist for Music and Literature, the highest national honor recognizing significant contributions to Philippine arts and cultural identity. Many of his songs written for local movies, some becoming the films’ titles, earned him a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Film Academy of the Philippines.
In later years, Celerio became a cultural icon after appearing on The Merv Griffin Show and That’s Incredible! television shows. He continued to play public concerts at the Cultural Center of the Philippines and at a local Quezon City bar. On his 100th birthday, the Philippines honored him with a stamp.
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30 Apr 2018
Johann Carl Friedrich Gauß’s 241st Birthday
https://www.google.com/logos/doodles...3997824-2x.png
Today’s Doodle celebrates the birthday of Johann Carl Friedrich Gauß, one of history's most influential mathematicians — and it was the scholar, himself, who worked out the date. While his mother couldn’t read or write, she knew her son was born eight days before the Feast of the Ascension [39 days after Easter]. At the age of 22, Gauß set about using math to solve the mystery, devising a formula to compute the date on which Easter fell in any given year, and his exact birthday — April 30th.
It was far from the first time Gauß exhibited mathematical gifts; at the age of three, he found an error in his father’s business payroll accounts, and by the age of five, he was made responsible for overseeing them. At age seven, he shocked his teachers by almost instantly summing integers from 1 to 100, using a formula he created himself.
Gauß made substantial contributions to the fields of Algebra, Astronomy, and non-Euclidean geometries. He developed the Theorema Egregium, a method of calculating the curvature of a surface using angles and distances, as well as Gaußian statistics [the bell curve] and the Gauß Divergence Theorem. At the age of 24, he wrote “Disquisitiones Arithmeticae” which laid the foundation for modern number theory and is widely regarded as one of the most influential mathematics texts of all time.
In fact, his contributions to the world of mathematics remain so vital that one of the highest honors in mathematics, the Gauß Prize, bears his name.
Today’s Doodle was created by guest artist Bene Rohlmann and highlights several of the things for which Gauß is widely known. The star, found on the Gauß statue in his hometown, represents the heptadecagon he constructed. He invented the sextant/heliotrope for geodetic surveying, and the ellipse represents his work in astronomy. The curve shows a triple version of the normal distribution, which he popularized, and E represents Sigma, the mathematical symbol for a sum.
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30 Apr 2018
Dadasaheb Phalke’s 148th Birthday
https://www.google.com/logos/doodles...55680.2-2x.jpg
Almost 150 years ago on this date, Dhundiraj Govind Phalke was born in Trimbak in present-day Maharashtra.
The son of a scholar, Phalke developed a keen interest in the arts and studied at various points, photography, lithography, architecture, engineering, and even magic. After stints as a painter, draftsman, theatrical set designer, and lithographer, he chanced upon Alice Guy's silent film, The Life of Christ [1910)].
Already deeply influenced by the works of painter, Raja Ravi Varma, Phalke resolved to bring Indian culture to the silver screen. He traveled to London to learn filmmaking from Cecil Hepworth.
In 1913, India’s first silent film, Raja Harishchandra was released. Phalke’s magic touch with special effects and mythology made it a huge hit, and it was followed by a dozen more.
In 1969, the Government of India paid homage to this visionary filmmaker by establishing the Dadasaheb Phalke award recognizing lifetime contributions to Indian cinema.
Today’s Doodle by guest artist Aleesha Nandhra shows a young Dadasaheb in action as he went about directing the first few gems in the history of Indian cinema. Happy Birthday!
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27 Apr 2018
King's Day 2018
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Happy Koningsdag, or King’s Day, to all Dutch people everywhere! Each year on April 27, Dutch families all through the country and around the world partake in commemorating the birthday of King Willem-Alexander.
Planning and preparation for the day is the responsibility of the Oranjecomité, or Orange Committees, sourced from local communities. These groups will plan concerts, parties and vrijmarkt, or flea markets, a longstanding tradition on King’s Day. While towns across the Netherlands will participate in the festivities, the largest events take place in the capital city ofAmsterdam. Over a million visitors, decked in orange clothing [and some with orange hair], flock to the city to celebrate in the streets and canals, and honor their country.
Today’s Doodle depicts the Dutch game of Koekhappen, traditionally played by children to celebrate King’s Day. Koekhappen involves a piece of soft sweet cake, such as gingerbread, tied to a string. The game begins as players either close their eyes or are blindfolded, the cake is held just above their heads and each must try to take bites of the cake without opening their eyes!
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27 Apr 2018
Celebrating Mahadevi Varma
https://www.google.com/logos/doodles...8280064-2x.png
Born in 1907, Mahadevi Varma was a transformative poet, essayist, and advocate for women’s rights in India. She spent her childhood near the city of Allahabad, where her father was a professor. While both parents encouraged their daughter to pursue her education, it was Varma’s mother who inspired her daughter to write in Sanskrit and Hindi.
While pursuing a masters degree in Sanskrit, Varma penned her first verses in secret — only to be discovered by her roommate and friend, Subhadra Kumari Chauhan [herself a well-known poet]. As modern Hindi became more accepted in literary circles, Varma and Subhadra grew together as writers, reading aloud and publishing their work in the language. Today, Varma is considered one of the foundational poets of the Chhayavad movement in Hindi literature.
Varma’s poignant poetry, and later, essays, often centered on the experience of being a woman. Her feminist work appeared in magazines and books, and her collection of short stories, “Sketches from My Past,” portrays the women she encountered while principal of an all-girls school. While she was a firm supporter of women’s rights, Varma also explored the topics of tradition and the past with great fondness.
Varma received the Jnanpith Award on this date in 1982 for her outstanding contributions to Indian literature.
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26 Apr 2018
Fanny Blankers-Koen’s 100th Birthday
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On a rainy summer day in 1948, onlookers at London’s Wembley track saw an unexpected athlete make history. Dutch runner and 30-year-old mother of two Fanny Blankers-Koen outstrided her opponents in the women’s 200m by 0.7 seconds—the highest margin in Olympics 200m history and a record that still stands today.
Born near Baarn, the Netherlands, in 1918, Blankers-Koen had set a national record for the women’s 800m by age 17. At 18, she competed in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, placing fifth in the 4x100m and sixth in high jump.
After the 1940 and 1944 Olympics were canceled, many thought Blankers-Koen would never make another Olympics. When she declared her intentions to compete in the 1948 London Games, she received letters from many criticizing her for continuing to race despite being a mother and insisting she stay home.
But words couldn’t break Blankers-Koen’s stride. She captured four golds during the 1948 London Games, winning the 100m, 80m hurdles, 200m, and 4x100m relay to become the first woman to win four medals in a single Olympics. Her quick feet didn’t just set records. Blankers-Koen’s accomplishments flattened stereotypes of female athletes at the time, earning her the nickname “The Flying Housewife.”
Today, we celebrate what would’ve been her 100th birthday with a Doodle that imagines her racing down the track, smiling mid-stride.
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25 Apr 2018
Hung Kings Commemoration Day
https://www.google.com/logos/doodles...20160.2-2x.png
On the 10th day of the third lunar month, Vietnam celebrates Hùng Kings Commemoration Day [also known as Hùng King Temple Festival day]. An official holiday since 2007, the celebration pays tribute to the Hùng Kings, the 18 emperors of Vietnam who, according to legend, ruled from 2879-258 BC and founded Văn Lang [the former name of Vietnam]. Immortalizing the Vietnamese proverb “when drinking water, think of its source” [uống nước nhớ nguồn], Hùng Kings Commemoration Day is a joyous way for young people to learn about their country’s ancestors and ancient rituals.
Today, celebrants from near and far make the pilgrimage to the Nghĩa Lĩnh Mountain near Việt Trì, where, as the story goes, the first Hùng King, Kinh Dương Vương, is said to have established his kingdom.
While some gather at the foot of the mountain with sticks of incense and food, others make the procession to the High Temple at the summit, preparing palanquins and sacred offerings, carrying wreaths from the country’s leaders, or dressing in colorful costumes, all accompanied by the sound of bronze drums. Activities like Chèo singing, games of chess, and rice cooking add to the fun.
Today's Doodle captures the spirit of this vibrant, culturally significant holiday with a depiction of the dragon dance and the colorful banners that lead the march to the temple relic site.
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25 April 2015
100th anniversary of the ANZAC landings at Gallipoli
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/mC...9ZB-KVD9M=s660
Anzac Day is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand that broadly commemorates all Australians and New Zealanders "who served and died in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations" and "the contribution and suffering of all those who have served". Observed on 25 April each year, Anzac Day was originally devised to honour the members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps [ANZAC] who served in the Gallipoli Campaign, their first engagement in the First World War [1914–1918].
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23 Apr 2015
Shoen Uemura’s 140th birthday
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Je...zP1RMsjrM=s660
Uemura Shōen was the pseudonym of an important artist in Meiji, Taishō and early Shōwa period Japanese painting. Her real name was Uemura Tsune. Shōen was known primarily for her bijin-ga paintings of beautiful women in the nihonga style, although she produced numerous works on historical themes and traditional subjects. Shōen is considered a major innovator in the bijin-ga genre despite the fact she often still used it to depict the traditional beauty standards of women. Bijin-ga gained criticism during the Taisho era while Shōen worked due to its lack of evolution to reflect the more modern statuses of women in Japan. During bijin-ga's conception in the Tokugawa, or Edo, period, women were regarded as lower class citizens and the genre often reflected this implication onto its female subjects. Within the Taisho era, women had made several advancements into the Japanese workforce, and artistry specifically was becoming more popular outside of pass times for the elite, which opened way for Shōen's success.
Shōen received many awards and forms of recognition during her lifetime within Japan, being the first female recipient of the Order of Culture award, as well as being hired as the Imperial Household's official artist, which had previously only employed one other official woman in the position. In 1949 she died of cancer just a year after receiving the Order of Culture Award.
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18 Apr 2011
129th Birthday of Monteiro Lobato
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pS...DdVopQnAi=s660
José Bento Renato Monteiro Lobato was one of Brazil's most influential writers, mostly for his children's books set in the fictional Sítio do Picapau Amarelo [Yellow Woodpecker Farm] but he had been previously a prolific writer of fiction, a translator and an art critic. He also founded one of Brazil's first publishing houses [Companhia Editora Nacional] and was a supporter of nationalism.
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4 Apr 2011
Senegal Independence Day 2011
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/6m...IbJvvYBdw=s660
Senegal, officially the Republic of Senegal, is a country in West Africa. Senegal is bordered by Mauritania in the north, Mali to the east, Guinea to the southeast, and Guinea-Bissau to the southwest. Senegal nearly surrounds The Gambia, a country occupying a narrow sliver of land along the banks of the Gambia River, which separates Senegal's southern region of Casamance from the rest of the country. Senegal also shares a maritime border with Cape Verde. Senegal's economic and political capital is Dakar.
Senegal is well known for the West African tradition of storytelling, which is done by griots, who have kept West African history alive for thousands of years through words and music. The griot profession is passed down generation to generation and requires years of training and apprenticeship in genealogy, history and music. Griots give voice to generations of West African society.
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13 Apr 2011
Songkran Festival 2011
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/c5...CLiZJPSJb=s660
Songkran is a term derived from the Sanskrit word, saṅkrānti [or, more specifically, meṣa saṅkrānti] and used to refer to the traditional New Year celebrated in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, parts of northeast India, parts of Vietnam and Xishuangbanna, China. It begins when the sun transits the constellation of Aries, the first astrological sign in the Zodiac, as reckoned by sidereal astrology. It is related to the equivalent Hindu calendar-based New Year festivals in most parts of South Asia which are collectively referred to as Mesha Sankranti.
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25 Apr 2011
90th Birthday of Karel Appel
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/TN...9WerN57qF=s660
Christiaan Karel Appel was a Dutch painter, sculptor, and poet. He started painting at the age of fourteen and studied at the Rijksakademie in Amsterdam in the 1940s. He was one of the founders of the avant-garde movement CoBrA in 1948. He was also an avid sculptor and has had works featured in MoMA and other museums worldwide.
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26 Apr 2011
Vallenato Festival 2011
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/N3...PuTEODMpP=s660
The Vallenato Legend Festivalis one of the most important musical festivals in Colombia. The festival features a vallenato music contests for best performer of accordion, caja vallenata and guacharaca, as well as piqueria [battle of lyrics] and best song. It's celebrated every year in April in the city of Valledupar, Department of Cesar.
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27 Apr 2011
Freedom Day 2011
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/XP...MfsjMcYvq=s660
Anniversary of the first general election in South Africa after the end of apartheid in 1994
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29 Apr 2011
Royal Wedding
https://www.google.com/logos/2011/royalwedding11-hp.png
Admittedly, this was one a bit challenging as far as doodles go. We usually replace a letter or two, but in this case, the entire logo was replaced with scenery, hidden in the form of buildings, bridges and fairy tale-esque castles, not to mention that huge crowd! If you found the logo a little difficult to read, that’s okay, we did it on purpose — we just didn’t want our logo to steal any attention away from the bride and groom’s big day!
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10 May 2011
Zhang Daqian's 112th Birthday
https://www.google.com/logos/2011/zhang11-hp.jpg
Chang Dai-chien or Zhang Daqian was one of the best-known and most prodigious Chinese artists of the twentieth century. Originally known as a guohua [traditionalist] painter, by the 1960s he was also renowned as a modern impressionist and expressionist painter. In addition, he is regarded as one of the most gifted master forgers of the twentieth century.
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19 May 2011
Nellie Melba's 150th Birthday
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/fI...maI6XxFMI=s660
Dame Nellie Melba was an Australian operatic soprano. She became one of the most famous singers of the late Victorian era and the early 20th century, and was the first Australian to achieve international recognition as a classical musician. She took the pseudonym "Melba" from Melbourne, her home town.
During the First World War, Melba raised large sums for war charities. She returned to Australia frequently during the 20th century, singing in opera and concerts, and had a house built for her near Melbourne. She was active in the teaching of singing at the Melbourne Conservatorium. Melba continued to sing until the last months of her life and made a large number of "farewell" appearances. Her death, in Australia, was news across the English-speaking world, and her funeral was a major national event. The Australian $100 note features her image.
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25 May 2011
Jordan Independence Day 2011
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Z6..._EqR1BemA=s660
Independence Day: The most important event in the history of Jordan is its independence from the British government.
The independence of Jordan came as a result of the London Treaty signed by Emir Abdullah and the British Government. The treaty was signed on 22 May 1946 and was ratified by the Jordanian parliament later on.
The holiday is usually marked with official ceremonies attended by members of the House of Hashim, as well as civil and military officials. Award presentations, political speeches and diplomatic visits are commonplace on the holiday. In the Jordanian Armed Forces, Presentation of Colours ceremonies and national/unit military parades are common during the day, as well as a 21-gun salute in the capital. On the civilian level, festive events and activities including a fireworks display and special religious services are held.
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27 April 2014
South Africa Freedom Day
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Dy...Epv7gyB2U=s660
Freedom Day is a public holiday in South Africa celebrated on the 27th of April. It celebrates freedom and commemorates the first post-apartheid elections held on that day in 1994.
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17 January 2019
Konstantin Stanislavski's 156th Birthday
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Born in Moscow on this day in 1863, Konstantin Sergeyevich Stanislavski was raised in a prominent Russian family that supported his interest in theater as it grew from a hobby to a passion. He focused on acting at first, relentlessly refining his craft in a quest to bring emotional truth to the stage.
He later became interested in directing and production, founding the renowned Moscow Arts Theater in 1898. Their 1904 premiere of Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard is widely considered a masterpiece of modern theater.
Among his contributions to the world of theatre, Stanislavksi developed an influential system for training actors, and his ideas were profoundly important to the development of what is now known as method acting. “There are no small parts,” Stanislavski observed. “Only small actors.” By devising a series of seven questions, he helped aspiring actors to understand their characters and motivation more fully The questions, which are featured in the animation of today’s Doodle include:
- Who Am I?
- Where Am I?
- What Time Is It?
- What Do I Want
- Why Do I Want It?
- How Will I Get What I Want?
- What Must I Overcome To Get What I Want?
As simple as they may seem, answering these questions required extensive research and reflection. During rehearsals, Stanislavski would often comment “I do not believe you,” pushing actors to bring their performances to life by digging into their own psyches.
In recognition of his contributions to Russian theater, he was awarded the Red Banner of Labor, the Order of Lenin, and the title “People's Artist of the U.S.S.R.”
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28 Apr 2014
Cinecittà's 77 anniversary
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/b1...MbcD0CcFy=s660
Cinecittà Studios [Italian for Cinema City Studios, is a large film studio in Rome, Italy. With an area of 400,000 square metres [99 acres], it is the largest film studio in Europe, and is considered the hub of Italian cinema. The studios were constructed during the Fascist era as part of a plan to revive the Italian film industry.
Filmmakers such as Federico Fellini, Roberto Rossellini, Luchino Visconti, Sergio Leone, Bernardo Bertolucci, Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, and Mel Gibson have worked at Cinecittà. More than 3,000 movies have been filmed there, of which 90 received an Academy Award nomination and 47 of these won it. In the 1950s, the number of international productions being made there led to Rome being dubbed "Hollywood on the Tiber."
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29 Apr 2014
Ustad Alla Rakha's 95th Birthday
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/v7...YP_U9Irxr=s660
Ustad Allarakha Qureshi, popularly known as Alla Rakha, was an Indian tabla player who specialized in Hindustani classical music. He was a frequent accompanist of sitar player Ravi Shankar and was largely responsible for introducing Tabla to the western audience.
A tabla is a pair of twin hand drums from the Indian subcontinent. Since the 18th century, tabla has been the principal percussion instrument in Hindustani classical music, where it may be played solo, as accompaniment with other instrument and vocals, and as a part of larger ensembles. Tabla is also frequently played in popular and folk music performances in India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka. The tabla is also an important instrument in the bhakti devotional traditions of Hinduism and Sikhism, such as during bhajan and kirtan singing. It is one of the main qawali instrument used by Sufi musicians. Tabla also features in dance performances such as Kathak.