Monkey Day

Monkey Day was created and popularized by artists Casey Sorrow (an internationally published illustrator and printmaker) and Eric Millikin (a Pulitzer Prize winning occult and artificial intelligence artist), beginning in 2000 when they were both art students at Michigan State University. Sorrow jokingly scribbled Monkey Day on a friend's calendar,McKenzie, Charlie (December 8, 2005). "[http://www.hour.ca/news/news.aspx?iIDArticle=7928 Holiday monkey business] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071013131425/http://www.hour.ca/news/news.aspx?iIDArticle=7928 |date=October 13, 2007 }}". HourKlein, Sarah (December 10, 2003). "[http://www.metrotimes.com/editorial/story.asp?id=5722 Monkeying around with the holidays]". Detroit Metro Times and then they first celebrated the holiday with other MSU art students, creating monkey artwork, wearing monkey costumes and imitating monkey behavior.{{Cite web|date=2021-12-14|title=Peristiwa 14 Desember: Peringati Hari Monyet Sedunia, Begini Sejarahnya|url=https://www.merdeka.com/jateng/peristiwa-14-desember-peringati-hari-monyet-sedunia-begini-sejarahnya-kln.html|access-date=2021-12-14|website=merdeka.com|language=en}} The holiday continued to gain notoriety every year as Sorrow and Millikin included Monkey Day in their artwork and alternative comics that they published online and exhibited internationally along with other artists.Sorrow, Casey (December 14, 2006). "[http://monkeydaycomics.blogspot.com/2006_12_01_archive.html 2006 Comics... It begins...]". Monkey Day Comics

Since then, Monkey Day has been widely celebrated across countries such as the United States, Canada, Italy, India, Pakistan, Estonia, the United Kingdom, Colombia, Thailand, and Turkey.{{cite journal

|last=Kessler

|first=Gregor

|title=Wir haben mehr als genug theologische Feiertage

|journal=Financial Times Deutschland

|pages=6

|date=December 8, 2006

|url=http://ftd.de/premium/beilagen/we/139699.pdf

|access-date=January 16, 2010

}}{{dead link|date=January 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}Laverne, Lauren (December 14, 2009). "[https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00pcclr/Lauren_Laverne_14_12_2009/2 BBC Radio with Lauren Laverne]". BBC Radio{{Cite web|url=http://www.dawn.com/news/1150916|title='World Monkey Day' celebrated at zoo|date=December 15, 2014|website=www.dawn.com|access-date=November 21, 2015}}{{Cite news|url=http://tallinnzoo.ee/en/monkey-day-celebration-14-12/|title=Monkey Day celebration 14.12.! – Tallinna loomaaed|website=Tallinna loomaaed|date=December 8, 2014|language=en-US|access-date=November 21, 2015}}{{Cite web|title = ¡Feliz día de los monos!|url = http://www.asoprimatologicacolombiana.org/noticias/dia-de-los-monos2014|website = Asociación Primatológica Colombiana|access-date = December 13, 2015}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.firstpost.com/living/monkey-business-this-primates-bus-driving-skills-in-up-couldve-been-aimed-at-reviving-a-tradition-2556618.html|title=Monkey business: This primate's bus-driving skills in UP may have been aimed at reviving a tradition – Firstpost|date=December 23, 2015|language=en-US|access-date=August 20, 2016}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.huahintoday.com/local-news/some-offbeat-days-to-celebrate-in-december/|title=Some Offbeat Days To Celebrate in December|website=www.huahintoday.com|date=November 30, 2015 |access-date=December 23, 2016}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.ozgurkocaeli.com.tr/kocaelide-dunya-maymunlar-gunu-312662h.htm|title=Kocaeli'de Dünya Maymunlar Günü|newspaper=Özgür Kocaeli|access-date=December 23, 2016}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.edinburghzoo.org.uk/events-calendar/2016/december/world-monkey-day/|title=World Monkey Day {{!}} Edinburgh Zoo|website=www.edinburghzoo.org.uk|access-date=December 23, 2016}} Hallmark Cards describes the holiday as a "day when monkey business is actually encouraged."{{Cite web|url=http://www.freepressonline.com/Content/Columnists/-Just-Saying-by-Tom-Sadowski/Article/Just-Saying-Monkey-Day/50/330/36298|title=Just Saying: Monkey Day – Free Press Online|last=Sadowski|first=Tom|website=www.freepressonline.com|access-date=August 20, 2016}} The Washington Post describes Monkey Day as a day to "learn something about these adorable and highly intelligent primates. Or you could use this day to act like a monkey."{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/kidspost/mark-your-calendar-with-these-odd-or-silly-holidays/2015/12/23/da33a19c-a8e2-11e5-bff5-905b92f5f94b_story.html|title=Mark your calendar with these odd or silly holidays|last=Barron|first=Christina|newspaper=Washington Post|access-date=August 20, 2016}}

Monkey Day is particularly popular among animal rights and environmental activists, and visual artists and arts institutions. Monkey Day's celebrants and supporters include Jane Goodall, Greenpeace, National Geographic, the National Portrait Gallery in London, the Louvre Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Smithsonian Institution.{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/janegoodall/photos/a.391778027170.169034.10765027170/10153799468982171/?type=3&theater|title=Happy World Monkey Day from Dr. Goodall|last=Goodall|first=Jane|website=www.facebook.com|language=en|access-date=September 1, 2017}}{{Cite web|url=http://greenpeaceusa.tumblr.com/post/135192597650/world-monkey-day-has-arrived-did-you-know-that|title=World Monkey Day has arrived!|website=Greenpeace USA|language=en|access-date=September 1, 2017}}{{Cite web|url=http://web1.greenpeace.org.uk/blog/forests/clone-pictures-swing-action-its-monkey-day-20141211|title=In pictures: Swing into action, it's Monkey Day! {{!}} Greenpeace UK|website=web1.greenpeace.org.uk|language=en|access-date=September 1, 2017}}{{Dead link|date=April 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/MuseeLouvre/status/809046842386300929|title=C'est la journée du singe aujourd'hui!|last=Musée du Louvre|date=December 14, 2016|website=Musee Louvre|access-date=September 1, 2017}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.nationalgeographic.org/thisday/dec14/monkey-day/|title=Monkey Day|last=National Geographic Society|date=November 14, 2014|work=National Geographic Society|access-date=September 1, 2017|language=en}}{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/NPGLondon/status/809098056574664705|title=A fitting image for World Monkey Day|last=National Portrait Gallery|date=December 14, 2016|website=@NPGLondon|access-date=September 1, 2017}}{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/metmuseum/status/809073152592580608|title=Georges Seurat imparted an idealized appearance to this monkey by showing the animal in strict profile. Monkey Day|last=Metropolitan Museum of Art|date=December 14, 2016|website=@metmuseum|access-date=September 4, 2017}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.si.edu/spotlight/monkeys|title=Monkey Day|website=Smithsonian Institution|language=en|access-date=December 14, 2017}}

Many zoos hold annual Monkey Day events. For example, the Lahore Zoo in Pakistan holds an annual World Monkey Day celebration that includes art competitions and educational events about monkeys, including over a hundred children wearing monkey masks, poetry readings about monkeys, and performances to highlight monkey evolution as well as the threats monkeys face.{{Cite web|url=http://dailytimes.com.pk/punjab/15-Dec-16/every--monkey-has-a-day|title=Dailytimes {{!}} Every monkey has a day!|last=Ali|first=Haider|website=dailytimes.com.pk|date=December 14, 2016|language=en|access-date=January 22, 2017}} The Tallinn Zoo in Estonia celebrates Monkey Day by auctioning artwork created by chimpanzees and performing intelligence tests on Japanese macaques. The Indira Gandhi Zoological Park in India organizes Monkey Day programs to educate children about wildlife issues and encourage people to adopt monkeys.{{Cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Visakhapatnam/Monkey-Day-has-a-serious-message-for-children/article16806101.ece|title=Monkey Day has a serious message for children|last=Patnaik|first=Santosh|newspaper=The Hindu|access-date=December 23, 2016}} The Faruk Yalçın Zoo and Botanical Park in Darıca, Turkey, hosts Monkey Day events to draw attention to declining monkey populations. The Edinburgh Zoo in Scotland uses Monkey Day events including monkey story telling to raise awareness of the dangers that primates face worldwide. Since 2009, the Colombian Association Primatological APC (for its acronym in Spanish) has celebrated Monkey Day.{{Cite web|url=http://www.asoprimatologicacolombiana.org/historia.html|title=Historia de la APC|website=Asociación Primatológica Colombiana|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160122043915/http://www.asoprimatologicacolombiana.org/historia.html|archive-date=January 22, 2016|url-status=dead|access-date=December 13, 2015}} During the week of Monkey Day, the National Zoo & Aquarium in Australia holds a range of activities and educational talks, raising awareness for all primates and raising money for conserving critically endangered species like Cotton-top Tamarins in Columbia.{{Cite web|url=http://nationalzoo.com.au/world-monkey-week/|title=World Monkey Week|date=December 7, 2018|website=National Zoo & Aquarium|language=en-AU|access-date=December 10, 2018}} The Zoo Debrecen in Hungary celebrates Monkey Day by allowing visitors to share meals with tufted capuchins and mantled guerezas.{{Cite web|title=Majmok Világnapja / World Monkey Day {{!}} Zoo Debrecen {{!}} December 14, 2021|url=https://happeningnext.com/event/majmok-világnapja-world-monkey-day-eid3a08eq4m0v|access-date=2021-12-14|website=happeningnext.com|language=en}}

Prominent artists like Sorrow, Millikin, Rob Balder, and David Malki have created Monkey Day themed comics and artwork.Sorrow, Casey (December 16, 2005). "[http://monkeydaycomics.blogspot.com/2005_12_01_archive.html The End of Monkey WebComics 2005]". Monkey Day Comics

For Monkey Day 2012, Millikin created The 12 Stars of Monkey Day, a series of paintings published by USA Weekend that were "in part inspired by the many pioneering space monkeys who rode into the stars on rockets, leading the way for human space flight."Millikin, Eric (December 12, 2012). "[http://www.usaweekend.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Avis=C4&Dato=20121212&Kategori=NEWS&Lopenr=1212002&Ref=PH The 12 Stars of Monkey Day] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20130205063705/http://www.usaweekend.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Avis=C4&Dato=20121212&Kategori=NEWS&Lopenr=1212002&Ref=PH|date=February 5, 2013}}". USA Weekend In 2013, Eric Millikin created a mail art series where he mailed Monkey Day cards to strangers, including Koko the sign-language gorilla and President Barack Obama.Millikin, Eric (December 12, 2013). "[http://www.freep.com/interactive/article/20131210/BLOG44/131212002/Eric-Millikin-sends-Monkey-Day-cards Eric Millikin sends Monkey Day cards to strangers]". Detroit Free Press For Monkey Day 2014, Millikin created a 3D monkey experience.{{Cite web|url=http://www.freep.com/story/news/weird/eric-millikin/2014/12/14/eric-millikin-monkey-day-2014-orangutan-3d/20396625/|title=Celebrate Monkey Day in 3D with Eric Millikin|website=Detroit Free Press|access-date=June 18, 2016}} Since 2016, Millikin has created the Danger Beast series of street art portraits of endangered animals created out of endangered plants, including a portrait of Harambe the gorilla made from Venus flytraps.{{Cite news|url=https://patch.com/michigan/royaloak/tours-bicycle-built-6-showcase-art-explored|title=Tours on Bicycle Built for Six Showcase Art Explored|date=August 11, 2016|work=Royal Oak, MI Patch|access-date=December 10, 2017|language=en-US}}{{Cite news|url=http://thestudiodoor.com/inside/?page_id=4574|title=ENDANGERED: ARTISTS|date=July 31, 2016|work=THE STUDIO DOOR|access-date=December 10, 2017|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171115232319/http://thestudiodoor.com/inside/?page_id=4574|archive-date=November 15, 2017|url-status=dead}}

In addition to his monkey-themed artwork, Sorrow also maintains a comprehensive "Monkeys in the News" blog with stories on topics like monkey attacks, monkey smuggling, and monkey science.{{cite journal|last=Hollifield|first=Scott|date=December 25, 2008|title=Monkey Stories: They're thieves, gangsters and snitches|journal=Winston-Salem Journal|pages=3D}} Every Monkey Day, Sorrow's "Monkeys in the News" blog counts down the previous year's "top 10 Monkey and Primate News highlights".Sorrow, Casey. (December 14, 2012). "[http://www.monkeyday.org/2012/12/happy-monkey-day-2012.html Happy Monkey Day 2012!]". Monkeys In The News

Often, Monkey Day celebrations involve raising money for primate-related issues. In 2008, the official Monkey Day celebrations included an art show and silent auction to benefit the Chimps Inc. animal sanctuary; the show and auction included art by human artists as well as paintings from chimps Jackson and Kimie, residents of the sanctuary.{{cite journal|date=December 10, 2008|title=Out On The Town|url=http://npaper-wehaa.com/citypulse/8070CYaz2dP2KQ4U/#?article=115120|url-status=dead|journal=City Pulse|volume=8|issue=17|pages=36|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091009104306/http://npaper-wehaa.com/citypulse/8070CYaz2dP2KQ4U#?article=115120|archive-date=October 9, 2009}}{{cite journal|date=December 11, 2008|title=Mountain High|journal=Missoula Independent|volume=19|issue=50|pages=37}} The Biddle Gallery in Detroit also celebrated Monkey Day in 2008 with an annual Monkey Day art sale that included a free banana with each purchase.{{cite journal|last=Rubin|first=Neal|date=December 11, 2008|title=Gallery owner gets artists to monkey around|url=http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081211/OPINION03/812110324|journal=Detroit News}}{{cite journal|last=O'Neil|first=Megan|date=December 10, 2008|title=Night and Day|url=http://www.metrotimes.com/news/story.asp?id=13517|journal=Detroit Metro Times}} For 2013, the International Primate Protection League celebrated Monkey Day and raised money for conservation by offering life-drawing classes where people could learn to draw portraits of Gary the gibbon.Strong, Sharon (December 9, 2013). "[http://charleston.patch.com/groups/announcements/p/celebrate-monkey-day-paint-it-forward-for-ippl Celebrate Monkey Day: Paint it Forward for IPPL]". Charleston Patch(December 5, 2013). "[http://www.ippl.org/gibbon/painting-primates-international-monkey-day/ Painting for Primates on International Monkey Day] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131214084358/http://www.ippl.org/gibbon/painting-primates-international-monkey-day/ |date=December 14, 2013 }}". International Primate Protection League Greenpeace says "Monkey Day is the perfect time to swing into action and help protect primate habitat by becoming a forest defender."{{Cite web|url=http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/blog/forests/clone-pictures-swing-action-its-monkey-day-20141211|title=In pictures: Swing into action, it's Monkey Day! {{!}} Greenpeace UK|last=Glienicke|first=Angela|website=www.greenpeace.org.uk|access-date=August 20, 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160920004313/http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/blog/forests/clone-pictures-swing-action-its-monkey-day-20141211|archive-date=September 20, 2016}}

The holiday is also celebrated with costume parties intended to help draw attention to issues related to simians, including medical research, animal rights, and evolution.{{cite journal

| title =A Toast to Bubbles

| journal =Los Angeles CityBeat

| issue =131

| date =December 8, 2005

| url =http://www.lacitybeat.com/article.php?id=2980&IssueNum=131

| access-date = August 18, 2007 | url-status =usurped

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070415031643/http://www.lacitybeat.com/article.php?id=2980&IssueNum=131 |archive-date = April 15, 2007}} Often there are competitions to see who has the best costumes, who can act like a monkey the longest or perform the most amusing impression of one, or speed knitting of monkey dolls.GateHouse News Service (Dec, 14, 2010). "[http://www.herkimertelegram.com/newsnow/x2012971188/Morning-Minutes-for-Tuesday-December-14 Morning Minutes for Tuesday, December 14]". Herkimer Telegram Other Monkey Day activities include going on shopping sprees for Paul Frank "Julius the Monkey" fashions, eating Ben & Jerry's Chunky Monkey ice cream, and spending the day at the zoo.Brenner, Lisa (December 14, 2010). "[http://laist.com/2010/12/14/party_like_rhesus_witherspoon_today.php Party Like Rhesus Witherspoon: Today Is Monkey Day!.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160122043914/http://laist.com/2010/12/14/party_like_rhesus_witherspoon_today.php |date=January 22, 2016 }}". LAist Often when monkeys cause trouble, such as a monkey driving away in a stolen bus, the monkey is said to be honoring the traditions of Monkey Day.

Films and music about monkeys and other nonhuman primates are popular at Monkey Day events. In 2005, Peter Jackson's King Kong was released on the fifth anniversary of Monkey Day. For Monkey Day 2014, the creators of Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb released a short feature starring Crystal the Monkey.{{Cite web|title = Meet Night at the Museum's Crystal the Monkey in an Exclusive Video! - ComingSoon.net|url = http://www.comingsoon.net/movies/trailers/391863-meet-night-at-the-museum-secret-of-the-tombs-crystal-the-monkey-in-an-exclusive-video#/slide/1|website = ComingSoon.net|access-date = November 21, 2015|language = en-US|last = Lesnick|first = Silas|date = December 12, 2014}} Mainstream American films like King Kong and Planet of the Apes films are popular at Monkey Day parties,The Times Leader (Dec, 10, 2012). "[http://timesleader.com/stories/FIVE-THINGS-TO-KNOW-THIS-WEEK-Monkey-Day-a-piece-of-cake-and-Gollums-precious,239325 FIVE THINGS TO KNOW THIS WEEK: Monkey Day, a piece of cake, and Gollum's 'precious'] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131214232452/http://timesleader.com/stories/FIVE-THINGS-TO-KNOW-THIS-WEEK-Monkey-Day-a-piece-of-cake-and-Gollums-precious,239325 |date=December 14, 2013 }}". Times Leader, pg. 1A as well as monkey Kung Fu films like Lady Iron Monkey.{{Cite web|title = Popcorn & Candy: Strindberg and Helium Edition|url = http://dcist.com/2014/12/popcorn_candy_valet_in_a_spray_edit.php|website = DCist|access-date = November 21, 2015|language = en-US|last = Padua|first = Pat|url-status = live|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160122043914/http://dcist.com/2014/12/popcorn_candy_valet_in_a_spray_edit.php|archive-date = January 22, 2016|df = mdy-all}} Monkey-themed songs, such as Major Lance's "The Monkey Time" and The Rolling Stones song "Monkey Man", are also part of Monkey Day festivities.Jackson, Ashawnta. (December 4, 2012). "[http://soundcheck.wnyc.org/blogs/soundcheck-blog/2012/dec/04/december-holiday-playlist-no-not-holiday/ A December Holiday Playlist (No, Not That Holiday)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121214084758/http://soundcheck.wnyc.org/blogs/soundcheck-blog/2012/dec/04/december-holiday-playlist-no-not-holiday/ |date=December 14, 2012 }}". WNYC{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/rollingstones/status/809089601143009280|title=Happy #MonkeyDay!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4CrCTndkKc …|last=Stones|first=The Rolling|date=December 14, 2016|website=@rollingstones|language=en|access-date=December 10, 2017}}

• International Primate Day
• World Animal Day

{{reflist}}

{{Apes}}

Category:December observances

Category:Unofficial observances

Category:Monkeys in popular culture

Category:Apes in popular culture