El Salvador’s Independence Day is honoured in today’s Google Doodle. El Salvador, together with Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua, proclaimed independence from Spain on this day in 1821. The Federal Republic of Central America was founded by the five nations; after its disintegration, El Salvador attained independence in 1841.
Salvadoran families start their celebrations early in the morning by chowing down on pupusas, El Salvador’s national food, to mark their nation’s independence. The locally-sourced, hand-made corn tortillas are filled with cheese and squash flowers and topped with curtido, a fiery salad from El Salvador. People gather in major cities throughout the afternoon to see student bands march behind patriotic floats. By dusk, groups of friends and family are congregating on beaches to watch magnificent fireworks.
El Salvador’s national flag, which is depicted in today’s Doodle, is displayed on houses and other structures all around the nation. The central coat of arms in the blue and white pattern is purposefully similar to the one on the flag of the Federal Republic of Central America, which represents the unification of the region.
Happy Independence Day, El Salvador!