The Riches of Colombia

"Colombia is Passion!"

Our third day in Bogotá was Colombian Independence Day! One of Colombia’s Independence Day is on July 20th and celebrates the anniversary of Colombia’s independence from Spain. We saw Colombian flags throughout the entirety of our visit, of course, but on this day and on the ones following in particular they were in abundance throughout the city and during celebrations we participated in.

Click on the photo above for more photos and videos from our Independence Day celebration!

Colombia’s flag is called El Tricolor Nacional, or The National Tricolor, and features three colors: the bottom fourth of the flag is red, representing the blood spilled for their independence and Colombians’ perseverance; the fourth above that is is blue and represents Colombia’s skies, rivers, and shores; and the top half of the flag represents the riches or gold of the country, that may sometimes be unseen or underground.

There is not a direct or agreed upon meaning of the symbolism of the color proportions and representations, but I have decided to take some liberty to determine my own interpretations, because it seems like it cannot be a coincidence that the yellow stripe is twice as large as the others and most dominant. When thinking about the country of Colombia and what I was able to experience, the richness of the country is what stands out the most.

Yes, that can definitely be literal, and a few things stand out to me as to why that is:

• Colombia is the largest producer and exporter of emeralds (accounting for about 80% of the world’s market!). Our last day in Colombia, I made (yes, MADE!) an emerald ring with a jeweler in the Emerald District.

• The legend of El Dorado, a lost city of gold, originated in Colombia! The indigenous Muisca people believed Lake Guatavita, which is northeast of Bogotá at the foot of the Andes Mountains, to be sacred and they threw gold into the lake as an offering. This resulted in many people searching for Lake Guatavita and its riches, which is what many believe to be the origin of the legend of El Dorado!

• Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá (Catedral de Sal de Zipaquirá) is an underground Catholic church outside of Bogotá. Many Colombians and Catholics across the world will pilgrimage here each year. There is no way to adequately describe the beauty of the architecture in the cathedral, but perhaps photos can do it an ounce of justice.

• El Museo del Oro, or the Gold Museum, contains the largest amount of gold artifacts in the world and welcomes approximately half a million visitors per year.

I could see why, just with these few examples, Colombia has countless riches and why having half of its flag represent this is valid. However, this is just the tip of the iceberg when thinking about what comes from the rich soils of this country. On Independence Day, we visited Monserrate, which is a mountain that houses a church at 10,341 feet high that overlooks Bogotá. On our journey up the funicular and on our walk around the mountain, we were able to witness so much of the beauty of the floral and fauna of Colombia and learned these fun facts about the richness of its soil:

• Colombia is one of the world's 17 “megadiverse” countries, hosting close to 10% of the planet's biodiversity and 54,000 species. In fact, it is the second most biodiverse country in the world. Wow!

• Colombia has more than 4,000 Species of Orchids. It is responsible for 15% of the world’s cut flowers (75% of cut flowers in the U.S. originated in Colombia), and Colombia is the second largest producers of flowers in the world! If you’ve seen Encanto, you probably believe this fact!

• Coffee! Colombia is the third largest exporter of coffee. It has over 50,000 coffee beans/farms throughout the country.

So yes, Colombia’s underground riches are plentiful, both historically and currently, and the above ground riches in natural beauty abound and bring in money to the country. Though this is not alone why I see this country as having such unmatched richness.

Two days after Colombian Independence Day, we visited Ramón de Zubiría, a megacolegio in Suba, a town north of Bogotá. While on this visit, we were able to share about our home states, visit and observe classrooms, be interviewed on a recorded panel by students, and watched their Independence Day celebration, complete with dances, songs, speeches, and introductions. Following the vibrant performances, we met with the host teacher and principal, and we learned that a student in their school community had gone missing the day before the national holiday, and the neighborhood had spent the day looking for him. Following the Independence Day presentation and festival, school was dismissed again early for the community to look for the missing child. Even before we knew of this current tragedy and fear in their community, there was a certain unique “feel” at Ramón de Zubiría school. There was an energy amongst the students of vivaciousness, spiritedness, and hope. An energy that brought you in and made you immediately feel home and want to be a part of what made their community so cohesive. The neighborhood this school resides in is historically under-resourced and many families face significant economic challenges. However, I was amazed and taken by the richness of their community and the way they celebrated and cared for one another. Every member of the school and neighborhood ceased their plans, routines, and schedules to seek out one of their own and ensure their safety (and thankfully, we learned the next week that the child returned home unharmed). Witnessing the passionate community care made such an impact on me.

The richness of this country lies in the spirit of its people. During our visit, we were able to go on a Grafitti Tour across the city to learn about the impact of street art on the city of Bogotá. On the walls throughout the city, the complicated history of colonization in the country and the past and current struggles with drugs and war. Bogotá is known for its street art, and as our guide shared on our tour, with 57% of Colombians living in poverty ($3 USD/day), art is a way to make an impact in the community to say “we are here too.” Colombians don’t shy away from their history or their struggles, but display them boldly and robustly next to their triumphs, beauty, and riches.

Before my travels to Bogotá, I knew mostly of the problematic parts of the history of Colombia and the complicated ways the country is displayed by the media in the United States. After visiting the country, however, I understand why Colombia is frequently rated one of the happiest countries on the planet. And yes, of course, the reason could be the food and beverages, but I believe the reason is the soul and spirit of Colombians. I mean, what other country do you know of that finds a reason to celebrate a festival 365 days of the year?!

During our two week visit in Bogotá, I was grateful to experience all of the riches this country has to offer, mostly because the incredibly hospitable people we encountered were gracious enough to share them with me. Colombians value community, and they are gracious enough to bring others into their community, because they value the richness of connection.

During our Independence Day celebration, we viewed this video that highlighted the riches and joys of this beautiful country, both inside and out, which displayed that “Colombia is passion.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HILiLN2wJU