More than 150 butterflies were released at the NOTL Community Centre last weekend, each one representing a loved one who died last year.
Every year, NOTL Community Palliative Care hosts a butterfly release where individuals who lost someone in the past year can celebrate their memory.
The ceremony remembers those who have died not with a balloon that rises and falls, but with an indigenous pollinator that supports the natural environment.
“The butterfly symbolizes release,” said Bonnie Bagnulo, executive director of NOTL Community Palliative Care Service.
The butterflies released at the event were painted ladies, a species native to most parts of Canada. They are shipped from Alberta on a cold truck and kept in a wine cellar until release day to maintain a dormant state, according to Bagnulo.
When the butterflies are set to be released, they are warmed up for two hours before taking to the sky. Painted ladies are also more durable compared to other species, such as monarchs or swallowtails, making them the right choice for the event, Bagnulo added.
The ceremony was well-attended and the butterflies were sold out. But before the release, guests attended a short ceremony where the names of their loved ones were read and Gregory Upshaw played music.
Merri-Lee Culbert, a bereavement coordinator at NOTL Palliative Care, spoke at the ceremony and explained how grief is a cyclical process. For this reason, the butterfly is a popular symbol for learning how to coexist with grief.
When the caterpillar thinks its life is over, it becomes a butterfly, Culbert said.
She explained how the event is “deeply personal” to her because she lost both of her parents and her partner. Culbert also sees some of her clients attending the ceremony, and calls seeing them take the next step in the grieving process “fulfilling.”
The butterfly release began during the COVID-19 pandemic because funerals could not be organized, making this year the fourth. Culbert said the attendance has gotten larger each year, likely due to the sense of community it fosters.
“It’s nice to be surrounded by other people who are grieving,” she said.
Bagnulo echoed that sentiment, explaining how a public demonstration of grief and love opens conversation.
“There are so many other people that are grieving and wanting to honour their loved ones, so this is a public way of being able to celebrate freely,” Bagnulo said.
The sunny afternoon, combined with Upshaw’s acoustic guitar playing, created a calm atmosphere for the butterflies to be released into.
For Bagnulo, building this supportive environment is the most important part of organizing the event.
“Holding a memorial where there are pictures, where there’s conversation, when there’s open grief being witnessed […] it makes it easier for people to be able to know that they’re not alone.”
