May 14, 2019
Paraguay Independence Day 2019
This Doodle’s Key Themes
Today’s Doodle celebrates Paraguay Independence Day, a country with its own unique culture and language, called Guaraní. On May 14th, 1811, the South American country became the second independent nation in the new world, 35 years after the U.S. A two-day celebration in Paraguay starts today, and continues through tomorrow, in honor of the country’s first day of independence.
Paraguay celebrates both its National Day and Mother's Day on May 15 in honor of Juana María de Lara, who played a key role in the movement for independence. According to legend, she celebrated the victory by greeting revolutionary forces with a bouquet of red roses, blue jasmine, and white lilies, inspiring the colors of the tricolor flag, which sports a different design on each side.
Paraguayan families come together on Día de la Independencia Nacional, enjoying barbeques, drinking yerba mate from calabash gourds, and dancing to traditional polka music. A parade winds through the capital city of Asunción as well. Many women wear traditional blouses with lace and embroidery, skirts with layered petticoats, and a rebozo or shawl, while men wear fancy shirts, straw hats, ponchos with a faja (sash) around the waist, and traditional trousers.
Happy Independence Day, Paraguay!
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