Every fall, as the air cools and the trees begin to change color, millions of orange and black wings fill the skies of North America. These are monarch butterflies, one of nature's most determined travelers. But in Mexico, this sight carries with it a special excitement – it marks the return of spirits.
The Day of the Dead, or Día de los Muertos, is a holiday that celebrates the lives of loved ones who have passed away. Rather than the heaviness often associated with death, it’s full of color, music, and joy! Families build beautiful altars called ofrendas and decorate them with candles, marigolds, photos, and favorite foods of those they’ve lost. Mexican tradition has it that for a short time, the souls of our ancestors return to visit the living.
A beautifully decorated altar, or ofrenda, for Día de los Muertos. Photo by Roger Ce on Unsplash.
An Ancient Belief
For centuries, people in Mexico have noticed that the monarch butterflies always arrive around the same time as the Day of the Dead, usually in late October or early November. These butterflies travel thousands of miles from Eastern North America to Mexico, where they cluster together in tall fir trees. To many people who live there, the butterfly's migration isn’t just a coincidence – the fluttering wings of the monarchs carry the spirits of their ancestors, coming home to the warm welcome of their families, friends, and neighbors.
This belief goes back long before the holiday we know today. The Indigenous Purépecha people, who presided over the region before Spanish settlers, honored their dead at the same time the monarchs appeared. They saw the butterflies as symbols of transformation and rebirth – just like a caterpillar changes into a cocoon and then becomes a beautiful butterfly!
Monarch butterflies in Michoacán, Mexico. Photo by Alex Guillaume on Unsplash
The Aztec Empire
The Mesoamerican civilization, the Aztecs, also honored monarchs. The Aztecs reigned over a powerful empire from c. 1300 to 1521. To them, monarch butterflies represented the souls of fallen warriors. Monarchs, like warriors, live short but meaningful lives. Each one has a mission– to travel across countries and help future generations survive the cold winter. The Aztecs even carved butterfly designs into their armor to honor these small, majestic creatures!
When Spanish explorers arrived in Mexico in the 1500s, they brought new customs with them, like celebrating a holiday they called All Souls Day. But the Indigenous people didn’t let go of their traditions. Instead, they mixed their old customs with the new ones, creating what we now know as Día de los Muertos. Now, the butterflies’ arrival is seen as a sign that the spirits are back, ready to join in the festivities and celebrations.
Illustration of Aztec warriors. Image from Codex Mendoza, folio 67r. Wikimedia Commons / Bodleian Library
The Tradition Continues
Today, monarch butterflies are still seen as a symbol of life, death, and transformation. Families in Mexico even make pilgrimages to visit the butterflies, a treasured part of their Día de los Muertos celebrations. The butterflies are a living reminder of the love and memories that never fade. So, the next time you grab your butterfly net, you might want to think twice before catching a monarch. Who knows—maybe it’s carrying a spirit on its way home!
Want to learn more about the history of Mexico? Don't forget to check out our kids magazine, Issue 11 | Journey Through the Jungle. Kids can uncover the fascinating history of Mesoamerica, including the ancient stories of the Maya.