Raggedy Andy had one as a girlfriend. Frankie Valli sang about one with The Four Seasons. And now, the city of Palmira, Colombia, owns the largest one.
To celebrate a national children's day in Colombia, the Fundación Mundo Mejor (Foundation for a Better World) recently built the largest rag doll. "Nana," as she was named, measured 6.50 m (21 ft 4 in) tall when the foundation unveiled her earlier this month.
She also measured 4.35 meters (14 ft 4 in) wide and 1.10 meters (3 ft 6 in) deep. Nana surpassed the previous record - which had stood for nine years - by nearly 2 m (6 ft 6 in).
Fundación Mundo Mejor gathered participants from the National University of Colombia, Antonio Nariño University, and various public and private groups to help organize the project. The idea for the attempt was initiated by two university students and all proceeds from the unveiling were donated to the foundation.
To build the doll, the group established "bones" made of thick-cut bamboo, used a concrete foundation, and tensioned steel to keep it all together.
The body was then filled with cloth and the hair made by fibers from the local fique plant.
Guinness World Records adjudicator Evelyn Carrera was on-site to verify final measurements and building materials, before presenting the group with its official certificate of achievement.
It helped celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Feria Nacional de la Niñez y su Mundo (national day of childhood and their world), which was instituted by the city of Palmira in 2004 to establish itself as the capital of child welfare. The Fundación Mundo Mejor prides itself as a children's welfare organization, offering year-round programs, volunteering efforts, and donation drives.
The largest rag doll was the first-ever record in Palmira, and the first event in the Valle de Cauca region of Colombia to welcome an official adjudicator since the "largest nativity village" in Cali, in 2012.
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