When my husband and I got married in 2010, we merged symbols from our culture to create a symbol that represented our union of cultures. Both of my parents are from the Philippines, and I was born in Seattle. Although I only periodically go to the Philippines to visit, I still have a deep connection to my family’s history and ancestry. My husband’s family is from Laos, and came to the US when he was 2-years old. Though many symbols can represent our ethnic backgrounds, we chose the Philippine Sun to represent my culture, and the three-headed elephant to represent Laotian culture. Historically, the sun on the Philippine flag represents freedom, with the eight rays symbolizing the 8 provinces that first rebelled against Spain. The three-headed elephant is on the Royal Laotian flag and represents the deity Erawan and the three Kingdoms of Laos.  Today, our wedding design holds even more value because it represents the merging of cultures as we raise our kids to know and value both their Filipino heritage and Laotian heritage. To our family, the sun represents freedom and the light of life, while the elephant represents family, wisdom, and strength. My two daughters have never visited the Philippines or Laos, but we teach them Filipino and Laotian traditions, values and language – in hopes that they will appreciate their diverse family history. 

– K

Relationship:  Im/migrant who arrived as a child Im/migrant who arrived as a child