Jul 20, 2021
Colombia Independence Day 2021
This Doodle’s Key Themes
Today’s Doodle honors Colombia’s Independence Day. On this day in 1810, the South American nation’s independence movement was sparked by a rather unassuming culprit: a broken flower vase—and culminated with Colombians marching on the Bogota town square to demand liberty.
From urban centers in the valleys of Antioquia to the villages harbored along the Amazon River, Colombians come together today to celebrate freedom and their cultural heritage. It’s common to prepare the national dish of bandeja paisa, which typically consists of minced meat, white rice, red beans, fried egg, plantains, pork, and avocado and is served in such generous portions it has to be brought out on a tray! Other traditions include gathering to play tejo, a game believed to have originated with central Colombian Indigenous cultures, in which opponents throw metal disks at explosive targets.
Today’s Doodle artwork features the critically-endangered Andean Condor, the national animal of Colombia and long-standing cultural symbol in the region dating to around 2500 BCE.
Happy Independence Day, Colombia!
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