The Ecuadorian flag is an object that honorable to my family. The flag contains the Andean condor on an oval shield with snow capped mountains, a river, a steamship, a sun, and three stripes. The bird represents energy and effort. The yellow stripe symbolizes the fertility of Ecuador’s land. The blue stripe stands for the country’s coast and ocean resources. Finally, the red stripe representing the blood of men who sacrificed their lives in the fight for independence. 

My mother and father would spend their time explaining how the flag builds our identities and culture from our Hispanic heritage. My mother worked in the fields day and night with her parents to sell crops to the people. While my father worked long shifts at restaurants as a busboy. They’ve mentioned how the way of dressing in Ecuadorian culture has a lot of ancestral meaning. It influences the cultural identity of each town and province, just as the varied preparations of dishes each town can be as exquisite as a baked pork or exotic as an armadillo soup. 

The flag is significant to me because it represents who I am today till the end. I admire the symbols and colors to show my loyalty who fought for independence on August 10th, 1809. Invading Columbia and winning the decisive Battle of Pichincha on a mountain slope near Quito assuring the independence of Ecuadorians on May 24th, 1822. 

– Luis Zhinin

Relationship:  Child of im/migrant Child of im/migrant