Afrika Burn – Things to Do Before You Die

Our international visitors may be familiar with Burning Man festival.  Well, here in Africa we do things a little differently, but the organisers of Afrika Burn 2010 (22-27 April) have taken a page from Burning Man’s book, set it on fire, and created something uniquely South African.  In fact, it’s pretty much the only party of its kind in the country.  And that’s a good thing.

Afrika Burn is not for everyone.  That said, it’s definitely something you should experience.  A lot of our visitors will be familiar with large outdoor trance parties like Easter and New Years Vortex, Alien Safari, and a whole host of smaller (and arguably better) independent outdoor progressive and electro parties.  Afrika Burn is not like this.

Those of you expecting to fill up on chemicals, grab a double vodka Red Bull from the bar and bounce around past sunrise should check your attitude at the gates, and relinquish any preconceptions about trance parties before you even think about it.

This year, The Daily Discharge staff photographer Cameron Richards is not only attending – he is investing himself fully in the event.  He will be spending nearly a month in the desert (and many long nights beforehand) as part of the DPW (Department of Public Works) crew, helping to set up and provide the basics for the festival goers.  He is also helping to build the main sculpture, called ‘San Clan’, which we expect to look something like this (and is traditionally burnt at the climax of the festival):

His mission for the festival will be to take as many photographs as possible, documenting the entire process for his final year Photography project (Cameron is currently a fine art student at UCT’s Michaelis School of Art).  His images from last year’s Afrika Burns 2009 were nothing short of breathtaking, and we expect that this year he will outdo himself.

Afrika Burn is held on the longest stretch of highway without a town on either side (the literal middle of nowhere), and is an “experiment in temporary community building, radical self expression, self-reliance and non-commercialism”.  What that means is that there are no cash bars, no trinket stalls, and nothing to buy (or even barter for).  Your money is no good there.  You must either bring everything you need, or rely on the community’s generosity for your needs.  To quote from their website:

“This “gift economy” means that there is no commercial exchange at the event – no vending, no cash bars and no branded promotion of services or products – the aim being real social interaction. It is an exercise in total self-reliance: participants camp for four days and provide entirely for themselves, including all their water, shelter and food needs”

What’s more, everyone who comes to the festival is expected to “gift” something to the community.  This can be as simple as handing out orange slices in the noon sun or playing the guitar by the campfire, or as elaborate as building a large structure (or ‘Wish’) to be burnt as an offering to the community.

Image © Cameron Richards Photography

“If you come to AfrikaBurn, you must participate in whatever way you can. We want no spectators.”

If this sounds like a bunch of hippy nonsense, and all far too dirty and dusty for you: save yourself the trouble and stay at home.  But think hard before you write it off.  This is an experience of a lifetime, waiting for you to grab it.

The principles and ideology behind Afrika Burn come from those embraced originally by the Burning Man festivals abroad (although rumour has it that these festivals have sadly lost some of their free spirit and open, community-oriented atmosphere).

The bottom line, and something we wish to stress, is that everyone is welcome.  The festival’s principles of radical inclusion (whoever you are, we accept you) and immediacy (immediate experience being the touchstone of the Afrika Burns society) are paramount, and everyone who attends needs to bear these in mind.

Afrika Burn 2010 may be just a five-day event, but the company itself (Afrika Burns) aims to be a continuous collaboration that will foster large-scale public art and the sharing of creative energy.  It is a not-for-profit organisation, with any money earned being returned to the artistic community through art grants.

To sum up: this is not just a trance event, or a music festival, or an art exhibition.  It is not just a party, an event, or a road trip.  It is a departure from everything you have come to know and expect from modern society, and a drastic step towards finding new ways of being part of humanity. I’d like to leave you with this quote from the organisers:

“Afrika Burns aims to be radically inclusive: we hope that its meaning is potentially accessible to anyone. The touchstone of value in our culture will always be immediacy: experience before theory, moral relationships before politics, survival before services, roles before jobs, embodied ritual before symbolism, work before vested interest, participant support before sponsorship.  We hope that the ideas in the principles will become a way of life for those who have experienced them, spawning independence, initiative and creative expression.”

So think about it, and if you don’t go this year, put it on your bucket list.

Related posts:

1. Interview: Shaun Holiday – Mixed-up Productions
2. Synergy Live in Stills: Part 1