Minas Gerais: Marvelous Sunrises, Amazing Surprises - Part 3

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Wow. Part 3. We are in the last part of our series discovering the state of Minas Gerais! History, geography, now culture. We saw so many nice things, and I'm almost sure Minas joined your list of favorite FLS. The culture part is featuring...

  • The performing arts
  • Music and literature
  • Vocabulary (accent), Crafting and Culinary
  • Folklore and Architecture
  • Tourism
  • Sports
  • Famous people who born in Minas
  • Curiosities
  • And a huge image gallery!

Oof, many things for a single blog. So let's start our final (that's weird lol)!

Perfoming arts

Minas Gerais has several spaces, projects and events dedicated to promoting the theatrical and dance areas. Minas Gerais has several spaces, projects and events dedicated to the promotion of theatrical and dance areas. In Minas Gerais are located some of the largest theatrical spaces in Brazil, such as the Municipal Theater of Ouro Preto, which is also the oldest theater in the Americas, opened in the 18th century; the Cine-Theatro Central, in Juiz de Fora, whose architectural and historical importance culminated in the listing by IPHAN; the Palace of Arts of Belo Horizonte, which is considered the largest center of production, training and cultural dissemination in the state and one of the largest in Latin America, being maintained by the Clóvis Salgado Foundation, which offers the population a series of artistic and cultural programs. educational activities; the Usiminas Cultural Center, in Ipatinga, considered one of the most modern in the country and maintained by the Usiminas Cultural Institute; and Banco do Brasil Cultural Center, in Belo Horizonte, maintained by Banco do Brasil.

Interior of the Municipal Theater of Ouro Preto
Inhotim Institute, in Brumadinho. Inhotim is the largest outdoor art center in the world.

Music and Literature

Music has been present in Minas Gerais since the colonial period. The first musical instruments to enter the state were brought by the Jesuits in the second half of the 16th century, with the aim of converting indigenous people to European customs. For decades, Jesuits were responsible both for teaching grammar and Latin and for musical literacy in schools. In the first half of the 20th century, samba, bossa nova, chorinho and marchinhas with composers Ary Barroso, and Ataulfo Alves stand out. In the 80s, the bands Sepultura and Sarcófago stood out worldwide, and in the 90s, the bands Skank, Jota Quest, Pato Fu and Tianastácia appeared. In the first decades of the 21st century, musical artists such as Gusttavo Lima, César Menotti & Fabiano and Paula Fernandes appeared.

Skank in 2014
Jota Quest in 2017

Minas Gerais literature, on the other hand, had a great contribution to the first Brazilian literary generation, still in the 18th century. The works originating from the state had bucolic ideals, aiming to represent local landscapes, being the main authors of the time Tomás Antônio Gonzaga, Alvarenga Peixoto and Cláudio Manoel da Costa. With Romanticism and Symbolism, in the 19th century, the works of Bernardo Guimarães and Alphonsus de Guimaraens stand out. In the 20th century, Minas conquered great space in the Brazilian literary scene, revealing names such as the famous poet Carlos Drummond de Andrade, Emílio Moura and João Guimarães Rosa, who contributed to the height of Modernism in Brazil, and wrote "Grande Sertão: Veredas". 

Ziraldo, creator of Nutty Boy

Between the second half of the 20th century and contemporaneity, Abgar Renault, Cyro dos Anjos, Murilo Rubião, Affonso Romano de Sant'Anna, Murilo Mendes, Otto Lara Resende, Paulo Mendes Campos, Fernando Sabino, Henriqueta Lisboa, Affonso Ávila stand out , Oswaldo França Júnior, Roberto Drummond, Bartolomeu Campos de Queirós and Ziraldo, the famous creator of "O Menino Maluquinho (The Nutty Boy)".

Vocabulary, Crafting and Culinary

Minas has its own accent, the Mineiro. Is spoken in the central region of the state of Minas Gerais. This variant, which occupies an area roughly corresponding to the Quadrilátero Ferrífero, including the speech of the capital, Belo Horizonte, is one of the most easily distinguishable dialects of Brazilian Portuguese. It should be differentiated from the caipira dialect, which covers areas in the interior of São Paulo, southern Minas Gerais, southern Goiás and northern Paraná. The Triângulo and southern regions of the state of Minas Gerais speak a dialect that mixes the Minas Gerais and caipira dialects, using retroflex "R". Some common words used in this accent are "uai (means surprise, astonishment, or even reinforce what was said)", "trem bão (good!)" "ocê (you)", "arreda (excuse me)", "doncôvin, noncotô, proncovô? (where I'm from, where am I, where will I go?)", "trem (basically means anything. You are a trem, I'm a trem, the world is a trem.)", etc.

The Minas Gerais dialect has the following phonetic features:

  • Strongly accentuated rhythm (stressed syllables are longer than unstressed syllables)
  • Apocope of short vowels.
  • Assimilation of consecutive vowels.
  • Permutation of "E" into "I" and "O" into "U" when they are short vowels.
  • Apheresis of "e" in words beginning with "es".
  • Some hiatus become long vowels.
  • -inho converts to -im.
The "namoradeira", typical handmade sculpture of Minas

Much of Minas Gerais' craft production is linked to the state's cultural traditions, such as the representation of images of saints or historical characters. Handicraft is present in several regions of Minas Gerais, with production based on soapstone, ceramics, wood and vegetable fibers, clay, silver and tin. Throughout the state are found embroidery, braided in splints, bamboo and textile fibers, crochet and knitting, in addition to wood.

In Minas Gerais cuisine, pork is very present, with the famous tutu with pork loin, the pork ribs and the pururuca suckling pig. The atomated cow, the tropeiro beans with cracklings, the hominy with meat (beef or pork), sausage and cabbage, the cabidela with cornmeal angu, the chicken with stewed okra and rice with pequi are also appreciated. The sweets from Minas are famous, especially the dulce de leche, guava and paçoca. Cheese bread, cheese (and their artisanal way of preparation) and coffee are also among the main references in Minas Gerais cuisine. Many dishes have indigenous origins, whose cuisine was predominantly based on manioc and corn and had an increase in European customs, with the introduction of eggs, wine, hot dishes and sweets.

Cheese bread with coffee. Probably the dish who describes Minas Gerais. 
Tropeiro beans, which also describes the state. 

Folklore and Archicteture

Religiosity has a marked influence on the main cultural manifestations of the people of Minas Gerais, especially on folklore festivals. Among the traditions present in the state, the highlights are the Congado, which brings together dances inherited from African customs, spread by slaves, with the Catholic traditions of the colonizers; the celebrations of the Folia de Reis, which celebrate from the birth of Jesus to the visit of the Three Magi through processions and visits to houses; the "Pastorinhas", who are boys and girls who visit the cribs in homes, just as was done in Bethlehem at the time of Jesus' birth; the bumba meu boi, which symbolizes the death and rebirth of the ox; the Feast of the Divine, in honor of the Divine Holy Spirit; the Cavalhadas, representing the combats and wars waged between Moors and Christians; the Dance of São Gonçalo; and the quadrille, at the June festivals.

Folia de Reis
A Brazilian June Festival

During the colonial period, the wealth from gold and diamonds led to the emergence of cities that had cultural dynamism as a characteristic. In this context, cities and colonial architecture developed, whose works remain as some of the most remarkable ensembles of this period in Brazilian history. The houses in the cities of Minas Gerais were built with uniform aspects to each other and usually occupied the entire land. The narrow streets adapted to the rugged topography of the Minas Gerais territory. Given the influence of the Catholic Church, many churches were erected in cities and towns at the time, with remarkable architectural features typical of the Baroque period. Particularly noteworthy are the works of Antônio Francisco Lisboa, the Aleijadinho, notable for his peculiar style reflected in the sculptures, architectural works and carvings from the end of the colonial period. At the end of the colonial period, there was a transition to the neoclassical period. However, this style was not so striking in Minas Gerais, leaving traces in some buildings.

Later, from the last decades of the nineteenth century, European eclecticism began to influence the architectural works of the state, which underwent a surge in development thanks to the coffee and cattle raising activities. At first, this style is still influenced by neoclassicism, with soft contours. During the interwar period, the world trend of art deco, which valued abstraction, line, shape, volume and color in its aesthetics and benefited from constructive innovations, such as the use of reinforced concrete. However, a great revolution would come with the projects of Oscar Niemeyer who, when designing the Pampulha Modern Ensemble, sought to create simple and useful shapes, with their curved characteristics. In the 50s, the architect conceived other notable works, such as the Niemeyer Building. At the same time, new concepts of the nascent International Style arrived in Minas, in addition to the emergence of modernist architecture in Brazil. Since then, the buildings started to integrate as principles the functionality and integration with their surroundings. One of the most recent and notable architectural projects in the state is the Administrative City of Minas Gerais, designed by Niemeyer and completed in 2010.

Minas is the state in Brazil with the most number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. They are: Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Matosinhos (Congonhas), Historical Center of Ouro Preto (Ouro Preto), Historical Center of Diamantina (Diamantina), and the Pampulha Modern Ensemble (Belo Horizonte). Following, the main historical cities of Minas Gerais.

Ouro Preto
Mariana
São João del-Rei
Tiradentes
Diamantina
Congonhas
Sabará
Serro

Tourism

Tourism in the state of Minas Gerais offers several historical, natural and cultural attractions. The largest and most visited historic cities are Ouro Preto, the former state capital, Diamantina, an important diamond mining city, and Tiradentes, the latter famous for its romanticism, culinary and film festivals. Monte Verde, district of Camanducaia, also stands out as a winter and romantic destination, with its European climate inns embedded in the Serra. The main city of the Water Circuit, São Lourenço, stands out for its hydro-mineral springs. Poços de Caldas is another city that stands out for its hydro-mineral springs, receiving many tourists from its proximity to São Paulo. Capitólio by the Furnas Canyon, rivers and waterfalls. Ibitipoca State Park for ecotourism and adventure tourism. Serra do Cipó and its waterfalls. Serra da Canastra famous for the trails through the mountains. Araxá by the famous Hotel of the same name, which has historically hosted several presidents. In Belo Horizonte and its surroundings, there is the Praça da Liberdade Cultural Circuit, Serra do Curral Park, Mangabeiras Park, Praça do Papa, Pampulha, Mineirão stadium, Sabará's historic center, Rei do Mato Grotto and Maquiné Grotto and the Inhotim Institute Museum. 24 state parks, and 8 national parks. As the Minas Gerais writer Guimarães Rosa says: "Mines, there are many. However, few are those who know the thousand faces of Gerais."

Waterfall in Serra do Cipó

Sports

Mineirão, in Belo Horizonte

Football is one of the most popular sports in the state of Minas Gerais, with the main teams being Atlético, Cruzeiro, América, Villa Nova, Tupi, Ipatinga, Boa Esporte and Caldense. The Minas Gerais Football Federation is the entity responsible for organizing the most traditional competition in the state, the Campeonato Mineiro, whose first edition was held in 1915. The greatest champion of the competition, is Atlético, with 46 titles.

Another traditional competition is the Minas Gerais Cup, which, due to lack of interest from the Minas Gerais clubs, was not held in 2013. Among the largest football stadiums in the state, the highlights are Independência in the capital, Parque do Sabiá in Uberlândia, Mário Helênio in Juiz de Fora, Melão in Varginha, Arena do Jacaré in Sete Lagoas and Ipatingão in Ipatinga, in addition to the Governador Magalhães Pinto Stadium, the Mineirão, which was one of the stadiums for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, and where Germany, scored 7-1 against Brazil. Is being constructed the MRV Arena, where Atlético will do its matches. The Minas Gerais Volleyball Federation is responsible for organizing volleyball competitions in the state that has the largest number of athletes registered as practitioners of this sport. There is also the Minas Gerais Basketball Federation, which organizes sport competitions, in addition to seeking to spread it throughout the state.

Famous people who born in Minas

Many famous people where born in Minas Gerais. We can quote:

Famous people who born in Minas
PeléOctober 23rd 1940Três CoraçõesFormer Brazilian soccer player, known as the best player ever
Santos DumontJuly 20th 1873Santos DumontPioneer of aviation, the creator of the airplane
AleijadinhoAugust 29th 1730 (or 1738)Ouro PretoSculptor and architect, he designed the Church of São Francisco de Assis in Ouro Preto, and built the 12 Prophets of the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Matosinhos in Congonhas. He lost his fingers and toes, but continued his work spreading the baroque rococo.
Juscelino KubitscheckSeptember 12th 1902DiamantinaServed as president of Brazil from 1956 to 1961, and inaugurated Brasília on 1960
Darcy RibeiroOctober 26th 1922Montes ClarosAnthropologist who contributed to the education in Brazil, and the indigenous cause
Tancredo NevesMarch 4th 1910São João del-ReiPolitician, that would be the first president of the New Republic, but died one day before take possession.
Guimarães RosaJune 27th 1908CordisburgoWriter, famous for the book “Grande Sertão: Veredas”
ZiraldoOctober 24th 1932CaratingaWriter and cartoonist, famous for create the character Menino Maluquinho (Nutty Boy)
Carlos Drummond de AndradeOctober 31st 1902ItabiraOne of the main poets of the Brazilian modernism.
Ary BarrosoNovember 7th 1903UbáComposer, famous for its sambas

Of course, we have a bunch more of people, but we can notice how many important people were born in the state.

Curiosities

  1. The biggest stalactite of the world is in Minas, at Cavernas do Peruaçu National Park.
  2. The Central Market of Belo Horizonte, is considered the third best market of the world.
  3. Mariana is the oldest city of Minas Gerais. It was the first capital of the state, and in Tiradentes Day, Mariana become the capital, symbolically.
  4. We know Minas is they state of the mountains. This get more clear, noticing that 4 of the 5 biggest cities in Brazil, are located in Minas Gerais.
  5. As consequence of the quantity of mountains and rivers at the state, we have many waterfalls. The third largest of Brazil, is located at Serra do Cipó, the Tabuleiro Waterfall.
  6. The famous coxinha with catupiry, was created in Belo Horizonte.
  7. Are you glad for knowing who is calling for us in the phone? Thank Nélio Nicolai, The creator of BINA, the invention who did this happen. Despite this, isn’t officially recorded as the inventor of this technology.
  8. We saw the expression “uai”. Where did this came up? The theory most accepted by historians says that this was an expression used during the Inconfidência Mineira so that its members could identify themselves and not be found by the Portuguese police. It means Union, Love and Independence.
  9. The concept of distance is very relative for the mineiros. We are famous for our hospitality and happiness. “Is way there” is a classic. Everywhere, “Is way there”, be 3k kilometers from where you are, or 3 streets.
  10. 3 of the 5 highest peaks of Brazil are located in Minas Gerais. The three are Pico da Bandeira, Pedra da Mina, and Pico das Agulhas Negras.
  11. The biggest cultural complex of Brazil is in Belo Horizonte, the Circuito Liberdade. There are 15 cultural spaces in the Praça da Liberdade.
  12. We have the smallest city of Brazil: Santa Cruz de Minas, with just 3.5km²
  13. And the less populated too: Serra da Saudade, and its 776 inhabitants.
  14. Minas Gerais has many bigs, but we noticed that not because it's small, that is less important. Is even cozy. The smallest basilica of the world, is in Minas Gerais, the Sanctuary Basilica of Our Lady of Piety.
  15. Big, small, Minas Gerais is unique in all the points. The largest suspended concrete building in the world is Palácio Tiradentes, in the Administrative City of Minas Gerais, with a free span of 147m in length and 26m in width.
  16. The Institute Inhotim is the largest outdoor museum of the world.
  17. Minas Gerais already had the names: Campos de Cataguá, Minas Gerais do Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais dos Goitacazes, Minas Gerais Capitaincy and Minas Gerais Province.
  18. In the south of Minas Gerais, is the charming and cozy Poços de Caldas. Built in a extinct volcano, until nowadays, the rumor circulates that there could be eruptions in the region. The theory has already been refuted, since the site had volcanic activity some 60 million years ago and there is no longer this risk. However, the sulphurous waters and hot springs, which made Poços de Caldas so famous, are further proof of the origin of the city.
  19. The people of Minas are always remembered for their calm and hospitality, which usually generates some curious news. A good example was this unsuccessful robbery after the thief was totally ignored by the victims who, faced with the thief's approach, went on with their lives as if nothing was happening. The case took place in São João Batista do Glória, in the south of the state, at January 2020. Don't you believe? Check out this video.
  20. We know Brazil many times for its beaches. Sadly, Minas Gerais is not in the coast... but Minas already had sea! Geologists and paleontologists have found fossils of ancient marine animals in Januária. at the north of the state. This proves that the region once had the sea! But it was soooo long ago, some 550 million years ago.
  21. Belo Horizonte is the world's capital of the pubs! No, it isn't Dublin actually, lol! BH has 28 "botecos" (pubs) each km². 9.500 pubs res and botecos, in 332 km² of city.
  22. The oldest theater of the Americas, is in Ouro Preto.
  23. The 5-cent coin features the face of Tiradentes, sentenced to be hanged for participating in the Inconfidência Mineira. Image of him is next to the triangle of the flag of the Inconfidentes, superimposed by a bird that represents freedom and peace.
  24. Bichinho, is a district of the municipality of Prados, in the southeast of Minas Gerais. If you know Portuguese, you would strange the name, which means “little animal”, but another thing curious there, is that in Bichinho, is located a crooked house! Today, is an art center.
  25. The oldest human fossil found in the Americas, was found in Minas Gerais. The name given was Luzia.

Image Gallery

So, this is the image gallery of our series. It will show all the images I used for the three blogs about Minas. Just a nice visual representation in images.

PART 1:

Flag of Minas Gerais
Coat of arms of Minas Gerais
Location of Minas Gerais in Brazil
Pataxós at a national indigenous mobilization, in Brasília
Painting depicting the gold mine in the foreground and Vila Rica in the background
Historical Center of Ouro Preto, UNESCO World’s Heritage
Coffee plantation in Minas Gerais
Roasted Arabian coffee beans
Initial plan of Belo Horizonte, one of the first planned cities in the country
Pampulha Lake and its Architectural Ensemble, UNESCO Heritage, in Belo Horizonte
Praça da Liberdade in Belo Horizonte

PART 2

Pico da Bandeira, at Serra do Caparaó, bordering Minas and Espírito Santo
Pico do Cristal
São Francisco River between Ponto Chique and Várzea da Palma
Paranaíba River, on the border of Itumbiara, in Goiás (right), and Araporã, in Minas Gerais (left). 
Climate of Minas Gerais
Cerrado
Atlantic Forest
Caatinga
Dom Helvécio Lagoon, in the Rio Doce State Park. The park is home to the largest Atlantic Forest reserve in the state. 
Serra da Canastra National Park
Serra da Mantiqueira
Serra do Cipó National Park
Belo Horizonte
Uberlândia
Contagem
Juiz de Fora
Agriculture fields next to Perdizes, at Triângulo Mineiro
Refinery Gabriel Passos, in Betim.
PART 3
Interior of the Municipal Theater of Ouro Preto
Institute Inhotim, in Brumadinho. Inhotim is the largest outdoor art center in the world.
Skank in 2014
Jota Quest in 2017
Ziraldo, creator of Nutty Boy
The “namoradeira”, typical handmade sculpture of Minas
Cheese bread with coffee. Probably the dish who describes Minas Gerais. 
Tropeiro beans, which also describes the state. 
Folia de Reis
A Brazilian June Festival
Ouro Preto
Mariana
São João del-Rei
Tiradentes
Diamantina
Congonhas
Sabará
Serro
Waterfall in Serra do Cipó
Mineirão, in Belo Horizonte

Finish of the Part 3 (and of the series)

After 3 blogs, we finished the series, who show the depths of this amazing FLS which is Minas Gerais. History, geography, culture, how many characters were spent? I know each one was enjoyed, and not just me, myself also, we learned together about Minas.

We saw the history, from the incredible gold era, to the late, but great process of industrialization. The geography, from its unique topography, to even the hustle and bustle of the economy. The culture, from the amazing performing arts, to even curious curiosities. So much we saw... I said that once I started, I would finish. And that’s the finish of our series.

I know, the three parts ended, but the emotion didn’t, and our heart, of everyone, will still pumps the famous mineiridade (mineirity? Minas Gerais culture?). That was Minas Gerais: Marvelous Sunrises, Amazing Surprises!

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Level 43
Aug 7, 2021
Hope you like it, and don’t forget to comment with the hashtag #Minas4Life!
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Level 43
Aug 7, 2021
I’d like to know what was the best part for you. Also, say the best curiosity you found out! Each one better than the other!

And that the mineiridade continue pumping on your hearts! #Minas4Life!

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Level 52
Aug 8, 2021
Very curious curiosity of a blog filled with many curious curiosities, too many to chose. But jokes aside, I will commend you for all the painstaking work you must have gone through to create this astonishing blog series, and the splendid result is nothing short of amazing. Thanks for such a great addition to the blogging community, and I have no doubts that you will continue to write incredible blogs.
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Level 43
Aug 8, 2021
Thank you! For me, one of the best curiosities is 19. I really didn’t believe when I read lol! And thank you! Was very hard do it, but I’m glad that is out, and that you liked to learn about Minas! :D
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Level 52
Aug 14, 2021
How absent-minded of me! I forgot #MINAS4LIFE!!!!
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Level 43
Aug 14, 2021
No one did that... -_- #MINAS4LIFE
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Level 63
Aug 8, 2021
Great Blog as always, MG, and an amazing ending to the series! The pictures are very nice as well! After reading all of this, I am definitely putting Minas Gerais onto my list of places to visit in Brazil, as well as Rio De Janeiro, Belo Horizonte and the Serra dos Orgaos National Park :)
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Level 43
Aug 8, 2021
Don’t forget Iguaçu, Lençóis Maranhenses... blah blah blah lol! And if BH is on the list, MG (the state lol) would also be! And thank you! Finally I have a weight out of the back lol! More work coming, at least I’ll use the hands at this turn lol
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Level 63
Aug 8, 2021
Lol now you can focus more on conquering the moon now that this is out of the way!
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Level 43
Aug 8, 2021
Maybe I’ll concern on making BH become independent, or Minas Gerais become independent... :)
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Level 63
Aug 10, 2021
Yes definitely lol
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Level 43
Aug 10, 2021
Because is priority.
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Level 73
Aug 10, 2021
Fantastically written! I read the previous blogs when I didn't have the "privilege" of commenting. So, consider this as my compliments to all of them!

#Minas4Life

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Level 43
Aug 10, 2021
Thanks man!
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Level 31
Aug 14, 2021
Sup
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Level 43
Aug 15, 2021
Hey Felix! Don’t spam again!
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Level 31
Aug 15, 2021
I won't
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Level 31
Aug 15, 2021
So what have I missed?
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Level 43
Aug 15, 2021
Could you please say when did you leave JetPunk?
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Level 31
Aug 16, 2021
I think around december of last year
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Level 43
Aug 16, 2021
Ok, let me see... wait, I think it was after that lol

Wasn't it in April?

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Level 31
Aug 16, 2021
Maybe I can't really remember
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Level 43
Aug 16, 2021
Hmm, so, we had big updates. The Blog Update, and the Create (Quiz) Update. We now can make charts. Some conflicts, like a user who posted a blog about a country, after another one created the original series. Some JetPunkers took winter breaks, or normal breaks... and we had a big quiz with animated SVG, by the amazing @overtired. That's what I remember ;-;

Oh, and TheBerryLegend was banned, and YakosaysBOTSWANA as well. But he is back, and now just shadowbanned.

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Level 31
Aug 16, 2021
I remember the berry legend amd yako getting banned
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Level 43
Aug 16, 2021
Oh
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Level 31
Aug 16, 2021
Yes I'm at level 30!
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Level 43
Aug 16, 2021
Congrats!
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Level 55
Aug 24, 2021
MG17, you are truly a talented person. How could people not like reading blogs that contain so much good information. Good job and keep up the good work!
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Level 43
Aug 25, 2021
Thank you man!
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Level 40
Nov 24, 2021
mg17