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Tag: Doodle

  • Google Doodle honors pioneer Filipina writer Paz Marquez-Benitez on her 129th birthday

    On March 3, Google celebrates legendary Filipina writer Paz Marquez-Benitez on her 129th birthday with her very own Google Doodle, in honor of her pioneering work in literature.

    Paz Marquez Benitez Google Doodle

    Marquez-Benitez, a renowned Filipino author, is famous for her work Dead Stars, the first-ever modern short story in English from the Philippines. The Doodle features an illustration of Marquez-Benitez set against a field of shining stars, calling back to the title of the short story.

    Framed as a somber and melancholic love story of the engaged lawyer Alfredo Salazar and the young and charming Julia Salas, Dead Stars is a deeper allegory critical of the American occupation and its effect on local culture and social norms.

    Marquez-Benitez would go on to become a popular writing professor at the University of the Philippines until her retirement in 1951. Her work and tutelage at UP encouraged and inspired many other highly regarded writers over the decades. On top of this, she also founded what is now the Philippine Women’s University, advancing the cause of women’s education in the country.

    “Google Philippines is proud to honor an important figure in Philippine literature, Paz Marquez-Benitez. Our rich literary heritage would definitely not be the same today without Marquez-Benitez’s impactful contributions, not only with her creations, but also with her valuable mentorship of a long line of writers in the country,” said Mervin Wenke, Head of Communications and Public Affairs for Google Philippines.

    You can view the Doodle on March 3 by visiting google.com, as well as http://www.google.com/doodles/paz-marquez-benitezs-129th-birthday. 

  • Google celebrates Regatta de Zamboanga and its colorful vintas with a special Doodle

    Every October, thousands of people gather along the kilometer-long stretch of R.T. Lim Boulevard in Zamboanga City to watch hundreds of vintas and their colorful sails race across the coastline. The event is the highlight of the Zamboanga Hermosa Festival honoring its patron saint, the La Virgen Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Zaragoza.

    1 Regatta de Zamboanga Final Doodle Large

    The racers are mostly Bajau fishermen who come from coastal villages like Sinunuc, Maasin, Labuan, Mariki, and the island of Santa Cruz.  Each boat carries two people paddling towards victory.

    3 Early sketches of the Doodle
    Early sketches of the Doodle

    Also known as lepa-lepa or sakayan, the vintas are traditional outrigger boats with vibrant, rectangular sails. The intricate patterns on the canvas—designed by the racers themselves—symbolize the identities, customs and aspirations of the region’s diverse ethnic groups. 

    Although the regatta is a friendly competition in celebration of the fishermen’s maritime skills, everyone is motivated to be one of the winning teams to take home a prize. 

    Google Doogle Zamboanga Another image of the final doodle
    Another image of the final doodle

    Google Doodles are temporary alterations on the search engine’s homepage’s logo to commemorate holidays, events, achievements, and notable historical figures of particular countries. Read more about the Doodle here.