SchoolsEstela RomeroMarch 15, 2021At the largest overwintering colonies

Conservation shall come first!

SchoolsEstela RomeroMarch 15, 2021At the largest overwintering colonies

THE VISIT

Dear Friends,

While certain limitations were imposed in our social daily life in the region during the past few weeks, the Symbolic Migration did, as officially recommended, make fewer visits with less children until the COVID pandemic impact diminished in our region.

The situation has improved, vaccines are now being distributed to our seniors, and many activities get step-by-step reopened with strict regulations, of course. Here then the Symbolic Migration is going directly to a target student population: the children and grandchildren who will directly inherit around 85 Ejidatario titles (owner’s titles) on the nucleus and buffer Oyamel tree forest areas within the short and mid-term future at the largest Monarchs’ colony surrounding: “El Rosario” Sanctuary.

It has been through the Ejidatario committee, parents and the priests to the community, once they knew the Symbolic Migration program was still awaiting for the COVID regulations to soften to deliver this year’s lesson and Northern children’s’ Ambassador Monarchs to students in the area, that they all ran the word, met with Estela, and finally agreed that the church facilities of “El Rosario” location shall be the most appropriate place to gather students due to its ventilation and large space.

The Symbolic Migration would never have guessed that it would all turn out so successful!

Around 250 students are members of the families living around the nucleus surroundings to “El Rosario” Ejido, attended the Symbolic Migration’s message on Conservation and received their Ambassador Monarchs with great excitement, since they had been afraid that this unusual year, to crown the whole situation, they would not receive their Symbolic Monarchs, as they traditionally had done.

The lesson has been taught from Kindergarten children to middle and high school students in the area now.

Here, Kindergarten children and their young mothers, who only a few years ago, attended themselves the Journey North – Symbolic Migration lessons at their own local schools in “El Rosario” area itself and where they now run their own new families: “We are extremely interested in our children’s’ education including Conservation aspects as a priority along their upbringing,”, a few of the shy mothers expressed.

Several other young mothers added: “Now we know that the conservation of our Oyamel forests shall determine a whole future in our region. It is first in terms of natural resources of all kinds, and next in economic support for our own families. We have, for years now, as parents, husbands and siblings been involved in conservation activities relating Monarchs’ overwintering spots in our area.”

“Wow, is this where we live that we call our planet?”

“Ohhh, this tiny little egg, and then the tiny little caterpillar eating healthy to become a huge one and then to become a strong Monarch to be able to come to us!”

“So, now I can understand why Mom and Dad, while creating our souvenirs to sell at the Sanctuary, do not create a tiny egg, a caterpillar or chrysalis We do not see them here! We only see the Monarch butterfly!”

“Wow, really? Our giant Oyamel trees are so unique and no one else in the world has them?”

“Yes, Monarch butterflies arrive on our great Day of the Dead because they are also the souls of our dead ones. They renew and renew each year, because the souls of our dear dead ones shall never die!”

“They com from our friends in the North, because only there they have “algodoncillo” (milkweed) to feed themselves and become strong for the long journey and only us have the warm home for them to spend a warm winter!”

“… and now, teacher Estelita, when will you show us and give us the surprise from our friends in the North where Monarch butterflies come from, that you say they asked you to deliver to us? The gift is in that box behind the blackboard, isn’t it? We have been learning enough for today, haven’t we?”

This was how the session with children developed, as Estela, at the end, while children were marveled with their Symbolic Monarchs in hand, sent small but very important reflections to mothers on how unique and important our Oyamel forests and whole ecosystem is for Monarchs’ preservation and the assurance of our own lives in the region.