The object I have chosen to discuss is a little purse my abuelita (grandma) got for me a few years ago from Ecuador. This purse is one of a few other objects my family has gotten for me from their visits to Ecuador, a place I have still yet to visit; however, means a lot to my family and I. I am a first generation on my dad’s side. My father immigrated here when he was around 14 and I am very proud of my family’s cultural history and ecuadorian roots. A lot of people don’t realize I am hispanic based off my appearance. My mom is irish and so I have lighter skin color than my dad and other members of my family. However, I am proud to be hispanic and love spending time at my Titi’s (Aunts) or Abuelita’s houses; eating their amazing cooking, dancing along to spanish music and practicing my spanish.
The purse is approximately 5 inches tall and 5 inches wide, resembling a square. It is also about a ¼ inch thick, when the purse is empty. It looks as if it was hand stitched and some of the threading is even coming undone within the inside of the main pocket of the purse. It has two compartments. The main one is opened by a zipper on the top and the other is in the front of the purse and is much smaller, also opened by a zipper. Although the outside stitching of the purse is a repeating black and white lined pattern, the rest of its design is much more eccentric. There are lines of different colors striped down the front in different thicknesses. It’s primarily made up of “warmer” colors; like orange, yellow and red. However, it also contains some blue, black, green and white. The biggest block of color is a yellow rectangle shape with a blue and a red stripe going down it. This is consistent on both the front and the back. This is significant to me because it is the colors of Ecuador, also found on its flag.
The yellow symbolizes the fertility of the land, the blue represents the sea and the sky and lastly, the red represents the bloodshed during their fight for independence. The yellow stripe on the Ecuadorian flag is also twice as thick as the red and the blue. This is also consistent with my purse in that the yellow portion of this part of the purse is much larger than the blue and red stripes going through it.
Throughout completing this assignment, I began to think about more of the background on how I got this object. My grandma got it for me several years ago after she visited Ecuador. She gave it to my dad to give to me, and it has been in my possession ever since. All I know about this purse is that it came from Ecuador, but I’m more curious now into finding out more specific details. Where did my abuelita purchase this purse? Who made it? Where in Ecuador did she get it? Why did she pick this specific gift to bring back for me? As all these questions are now raised in my head I’m looking forward to seeing my abuelita soon and asking if she remembers getting it for me and more about where she got it from. Just like Daniel Miller wrote in, Stuff, we need to appreciate the role of objects by considering them as signs and symbols that represent us. These objects can be worthless without us giving them meaning and using them to represent ourselves to the rest of the world and I am proud that this object can represent me and my heritage.
The Materials of History, Thought, and Art 
I really love the description on your purse. The colors are so vibrant and have so much meaning behind it. My parents also immigrated here so I understand how you feel to be proud of your roots. Maybe your grandma got you this purse to remember her by or the country you are rooted in. Maybe she hopes that wherever you go, you will carry this purse with you and remember how and your home country.
I really appreciate your description of this object—and what it means to you and your heritage. I think it’s beautiful the way you speak about your family’s roots—how you celebrate it and are proud of it. Your detailed description allows the reader to paint an image of the purse in their head. The way you describe how the bag is stitched together allows us to peak into the nature of the bag—how it was made, and how it came to be. There’s a special quality and handcrafted nature connoted. It shows your attention to detail and the appreciation that you have for this purse and what it represents. It’s also really fascinating what the colors on the Ecuadorian flag, and on the bag, mean, and how these colors were chosen to be used on this bag, to proudly present Ecuador. I think you bring up some really important questions regarding the bag. When we know where these items came from, or why they were chosen for us, it allows us to deepen our relationship with the object, and it adds to the story and journey of the object.