Letters from Burning Man
Biking on the playa
I've heard a lot about Burning Man over the years, but I never really thought that it would be my cup of tea. Let’s just say that the heat, the dust, some of the more notorious activities gave me the willies, so to speak! Nonetheless, my friends dragged me out there this year, so I gave it a chance without really knowing what to expect.
To be sure, there are plenty of difficult things about Burning Man and it’s not for everyone: the temperature is routinely above 95F (35C), there is absolutely no cellphone reception (and the phone use is culturally discouraged), there are no showers in sight, and you should be prepared to have dust get inside everywhere and everything. But not to fear!
Art cars and furry bikes
From the rumors I’d heard about Burning Man, it just sounded like a bacchanalia in the desert. But the truth is that the experience is so much richer than that, and any of the small inconveniences are nothing compared to the impact of the event overall.
Burning Man is a place where every person has a freedom to express himself/herself unconditionally and the result is quite beautiful – in one hour you can go from a classical concert, to a poetry reading, to a ramen cafe, to a burlesque show to a massage spa within the span of a few hours!
Air gymnastics in the desert
Every experience that you have is gifted from someone else and there is no money or expectation of a gift in return — it's just a reflection of human creativity and participation in the open culture of Burning Man! Black Rock City is a temporary home for about 60000 people and is governed by 10 major principals that people practice and take seriously:
Windmill
1. Radical Inclusion - everyone is welcome 🤗
2. Gifting - people give gifts and don’t expect anything in return 🎁
3. Decommodification - no commercial sponsorships, transactions, or advertising allowed. Also no logos! 💸
4. Radical Self-reliance - you’re responsible for everything you need while there ⛺️
5. Radical Self-expression - whatever talents you have, you should share them with the community 🧙♂️
6. Communal Effort - supporting creative cooperation and collaboration 👨👩👧👧
7. Civic Responsibility - follow the principles of Burning Man ⚠️
8. Leaving No Trace - you’re responsible for cleaning your own space and leaving it in better condition than when you found it 🧹
9. Participation - Burning Man expects people to participate in building it and not just be spectators 🔨
10. Immediacy - {what I fail at the most :} is to enjoy being present in moment, disengaged from screens and schedules, and to be open to new people and experiences as you encounter them without an agenda 🧘🏻♀️
Art & Dust
Fun Facts:
Founding of Burning Man. Larry Harvey and Jerry James, founders of the festival; were two friends from San Francisco. One day Harvey calls Jerry and says “Let’s... let’s burn a man, Jerry.” So two friends built an 8 ft tall effigy made of scrap lumber and burnt it on the beach of San Francisco! )^(
"Burgins." All the newbies setting their foot in the land of Burning Man are called ‘Virgins.’ Entering the gate virgins have to cross the line made in sand and then roll in the sand; ringing the gong, they have to shout ‘I’m not a virgin anymore’ three times and the most magical and imaginative world is yours 🔥 #virginburner
You can’t buy anything. The only things you can purchase with money are ice and coffee at center camp. Outside that, Burning Man functions on the gift economy. All items are exchanged based on "gifting." For example, people or camps might supply food, alcohol, clothes, or even jewelry to people who stop by with no expectation for anything in return. As co-founder Larry Harvey said, "Burning Man is like a big family picnic. Would you sell things to one another at a family picnic? No, you'd share things."
Thank you, @burningman, for an incredible experience! Until the next year! 🔥⛺️😎
XO,
@karinabnyc
