Masquerade Before And After

BEFORE AND AFTER

Masquerade - The Day of the Dead a.k.a. El Dia de los
Muertos is celebrated on November 1st and 2nd. During this time the sky over
the Mexican mountain village of Anguangeo is strewn with flickers of fiery
orange and browns. They are not from the colors of autumn leaves but from
countless monarch butterflies concluding their journey to the hills covered in
firs.

The locals believe the monarchs are the returning spirits of
their deceased relatives, inexplicably returning the same time every year. The
ancient Aztecs believe that the dearly departed souls return as hummingbirds
and butterflies.

The Mandarin Chinese word for butterfly is
"hu-tieh". "Tieh" means "70 years", therefore
butterflies have become a symbol for a long life. If a butterfly crosses your
path, it means good luck. In the Japanese culture butterflies are thought to be
representative of young maidens and marital bliss. In ancient Greek the word
for butterfly is "Psyche", which translated means "soul".
Butterflies also symbolize: Resurrection, Transition, Celebration, Lightness,
Time and Soul. Symmetry is another manifestation of the balance of Yin and
Yang, of the unimpeded flow of ch'i.