Vancouver artist behind Google Doodle for National Indigenous Peoples Day
The Google Doodle for June 21 commemorating National Indigenous Peoples Day was created by Vancouver-based Tahltan artist Alano Edzerza.
If you open Google on Saturday, art by a Vancouverite will show up on the homepage.
The Google Doodle for June 21 commemorating National Indigenous Peoples Day was created by Vancouver-based Tahltan artist Alano Edzerza. Titled 'Celebrating Totem Poles,' the graphic depicts wooden animals shaped like the letters in Google—a frog, wolf, raven, eagle, bear, whale and thunderbird.
Edzerza's art has been displayed in galleries around the world, and he even designed gear for Dutch athletes during the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Now, his work will be seen by anyone in Canada who makes a Google search.
'More than artwork, totem poles are deeply symbolic narratives carved into wood. They tell stories, commemorate events, or represent a family's lineage and crests. Many of these crests feature animals that represent kinship, identity and family history,' reads the webpage about the doodle.
'Colonization threatened totem poles with bans on various cultural practices, like the Potlatch, a ceremony where poles are raised. Today, beautiful totem poles are symbols of survival and resistance to cultural encroachment.'
Doodles are special Google logos that mark holidays or commemorate important people. Famous British Columbians who have been featured in Google Doodles include Terry Fox and Harry Jerome.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CTV News
2 hours ago
- CTV News
32nd Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival makes waves at Mooney's Bay
Ottawa's annual Dragon Boat Festival is taking place at Mooney's Bay this weekend. CTV's Camille Wilson caught up with some of the attendees. The annual Dragon Boat Festival is back for it's 32nd year in Ottawa. The event is the largest festival of its kind in North America, drawing teams from all over the world. This year's festival has about 145 teams with 72 cities participating. Along with teams all across Canada, paddlers competed in at least two 500 metre races at Mooney's Bay on Saturday. 'The community side is just incredible because it brings together all walks of life,' says John Brooman, CEO and president of the Tim Hortons Dragon Boat Festival. 'It doesn't matter whether you're a first-time paddler or if you're on the national team. People are just out here having a wonderful time. It raises a ton of money for charity,' It is one of the biggest sporting and entertainment events in the nation's capital and is part of a larger Chinese cultural tradition that goes back 2,400 years. 'I grew up with the Dragon Boat Festival as a kid in the UK and I really loved it,' said attendee Kyan Cheng. 'I really wanted to take my three-year-old son to experience it for the first time here. I've talked about it and it's part of our culture. He's just really loving it.' Ottawa Dragonboat Festival The Arctic Char Dragon Boat team from The Netherlands getting ready to compete. (Camille Wilson/CTV News Ottawa) Sandy Foote, captain of Fleet of Foote, says his team has participated in the event from the very beginning. 'This is our 32nd year at the Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival. We come every year and have a lot of fun,' Foote said. 'It's our biggest festival that we do. We do seven festivals every year. This one is the best one.' The festival is raising more than $250,000 for charity this weekend and has raised more than $6 million over the years. The two-day celebration also includes exhibitors, food, a Breast Cancer Survivor Challenge, traditional flower ceremony and dance performances. 'It's great to see such big crowds out for this type of event,' said Chris Bell. 'Lots of big smiles on people's faces. It's been a good, good experience.' There is free admission to all the races and free parking at the Canada Post parking lot. Races are every 10 minutes and will run until Sunday.
CTV News
3 hours ago
- CTV News
Rock N' Field Day returns to Sask. RM for second year
Kids playing in the "Gold Mine" at the RM of Edenwold's Rock n' Field Day. (Sierra D'Souza/CTV News) The second edition of Rock N' Field Day took place in the rural municipality (RM) of Edenwold on Saturday afternoon. Rock N' Field Day saw local talent perform from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with many different ways for kids to keep busy, including a bouncy castle, face painting, fishpond, and sandcastles. While this year saw guitars take the stage, last year saw an accordion and a fiddle band. 'We get local talent to come on each year,' said Al Trainor, the reeve of the RM council. 'We had different ones last year and so we really want to showcase local talent as, as possible.' Expand Autoplay 1 of 5 RM of Edenwold Families are enjoying the RM of Edenwold's Rock n' Field Day. (Sierra D'Souza/CTV News) RM of Edenwold Families are enjoying the RM of Edenwold's Rock n' Field Day. (Sierra D'Souza/CTV News) RM of Edenwold Families are enjoying the RM of Edenwold's Rock n' Field Day. (Sierra D'Souza/CTV News) RM of Edenwold Local musicians playing at the second annual Rock n' Field Day. (Sierra D'Souza/CTV News) RM of Edenwold Kids playing in the "Gold Mine" at the RM of Edenwold's Rock n' Field Day. (Sierra D'Souza/CTV News) With local companies bringing in their farming equipment, it was a day for people to appreciate the role that agriculture plays in the Saskatchewan economy. 'We're really highlighting agriculture here,' said Trainor. 'The RM is a unique mixture of urban and agricultural. Obviously, agriculture is the backbone, that's where it all started, from here. We're proud of the farming heritage that we have.'
Winnipeg Free Press
4 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
First Nations celebrate culture, resiliency
The scent of tobacco swept through The Forks Saturday morning as elders kicked off National Indigenous Peoples Day celebrations with traditional water and pipe ceremonies. Performers from First Nations, Métis, and Inuit backgrounds entertained hundreds of community members who gathered at the historic site with music and dance, while elders shared teachings of their culture's history and traditions. Among the artists shedding light on Indigenous music was Kieran Maytwayashing, a fiddler (violin) player from the Lake Manitoba First Nation and the Long Plain First Nation. SPENCER COLBY / THE CANADIAN PRESS A heart shape cutout with the words 'Every Child Matters' is seen in a flower bed following a National Indigenous People's Day with youth from Future Paths Network, a grassroot organization dedicated to supporting youth who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour (BIPOC) in their transition out of the foster care system at Rideau Hall in Ottawa, on Saturday, June 21, 2025. Maytwayashing, who's played the fiddle for more than three years now, said he does it to honour the late Clifford Maytwayashing, another violin player from his community. 'I've always heard it. It's what I listened to all the time growing up, and he was the one who inspired me,' he said. 'I try to keep on his legacy by playing those tunes he played, and it's just been going ever since.' Maytwayashing received a phone call a few weeks ago from the organizer of The Forks event, Kíwétinohk Consulting — an organization serving individuals, organizations, and communities across northern Manitoba — asking if he wanted to perform on Indigenous Peoples Day because they had liked his music on social media. He said he was thrilled by the invitation. 'It's important that more people come to know more about us and what we do. It's normal in our communities, but I'm glad to see this stuff happening here in Winnipeg as well to show other people what the culture is like and experience it for themselves,' said Maytwayashing. He also uses music as a tool to comfort others, such as those currently being displaced from their homes due to the wildfires north of Manitoba. He plans to visit the soccer complex evacuation centre on Leila Avenue and perform for the evacuees staying there. Joanne Nimik, 53, from Swan Lake, came to The Forks to enjoy the live music as well as to witness Indigenous Peoples' resiliency. 'It's beautiful that in spite of things that Indigenous people have been through, time and time again, we rise up,' Nimik said. 'We get up, dust ourselves off, and we keep going. That speaks to the spirit inside all of us.' Weekday Mornings A quick glance at the news for the upcoming day. Nimik is Ojibwe and an intergenerational residential school survivor. She said it's refreshing to see society coming together and bringing some cohesiveness, as opposed to the division her mother had experienced in the past. 'It's been a hard road for a lot of folks to even come to attend events like this. To go learn about their history and their culture and their traditions and their language and what they want to learn, what they need to learn,' she said. 'We're starting to make a change, and we have to, but we have to rely on each and every one of us to make that change.' Nimik works closely with Indigenous communities through her service with Bear Clan Patrol. She said despite trying times with the wildfires, it's important to remember there is always a community to help each other out. 'I really hope and pray that a lot of people are coming together and supporting each other and rebuilding on hope, trust, love, courage, and faith. Rise from the ashes, so to speak,' she said.
