by Steffi Seefield
OH Playa, You always provide what we need, even this year during a Renegade Burn. The moment we first saw the white playa again…. we stepped on it/her/him/them… :) Magical emotions start.
I experienced anticipation similar to my first Burning Man experience… No one knew how it is going to be, how the “plans” of the map are going to work out, no roads prepared, people will drive around in their cars, will there really be 20.000 of us in the desert? Art Cars are technically not allowed but so many are bringing it anyways?! …So many unknowns I was so excited to experience. Grateful for our RV crew of 7 who felt similarly excited and were all in just 3 weeks before the long weekend… some of us jumped on even just 3 days before departure :). None of us has ever spent much time, especially not the Burn, in an RV… The RV challenged us quite quickly with a blocked toilet, running out of water, and other “fun”…. We kept saying “We’re great burners, but not great RVers (yet).” :) We got the poop-bucket set up and were embracing to share something so natural and yet so so personal and private with each other in our set up shared communal space where we enjoyed sharing chess games, bacon and eggs, pickles, salads, acro and hosting new friends.
The daily adventures of riding out not really knowing how to find home again became quite normal quickly… Some camps around us had some high lit up structures that served as a landmark, but every day new people would come in and leave and every day and every night the city transformed into a new form. Finding home became its own adventure that was actually quite easy and fun. By the end of the weekend roads were naturally formed, not straight at all :), and we walked our bikes more than ever, because we missed the team that watered the playa to keep it hard… Porta potties and the hard playa are definitely way more appreciated than ever before :)
Once we were out there we found familiar camps and even a Temple; Piece Of Ass —> fluffy seat covers, Deoxidized —> Great parties, Sound Garden (lots of Camp Mystic crew) who threw a party on Friday that felt as epic as their White Wednesday Party does :). Some familiar Art Cars like Robot Heart, Techno Gecko and many others I don’t remember their names who made sure we had music all day and all night :)
The familiarity of certain camps, art cars, and heat but most importantly the openess, the kindness, the smiles and the free expression of all people made it feel so home. One of the beautiful aspects of the smaller size of this Renegade Burn was that we knew where to find our people and our things to do. We met up to play Dodgeball one night - so fun!!, and knew when in doubt -> hit Temple of Love and Legendary Camp to meet the crew for Contact Improv Breath Work, Eye Gazing, Acro, Ecstatic Dance…
There is so much to write about, yet… “How was Burning Man” is for most of us an answer that takes a whole lifetime and more to answer! :)
I want to finish up with The Temple and the Man
On Saturday during a bike ride through the playa we passed through the center, guided by curiosity about what people are doing there (Art wasn’t very present this year, so it felt like something special was going to happen :)). They told us to be here at 8PM and you will see something you’ve never seen before in your life. Other campers heard the same so we were right there on time for the “Man Burn” Drone Show. -> insert Video.
A man out of 50 or 100 drones, the moment the arms moved up felt quite emotional, and the colors changed to fire flames…. The crowd was on fire :) I am so appreciative of creative people that use technology in such experiential ways!
Now the Temple for an emotional ending…
I remember biking around 12 o’clock on Friday and thinking “Wow, that camp is so dedicated to complete their camp when it’s almost over.”…. It was a camp that brought a Temple for us to the Playa. I have so much gratitude for them. A place for us to feel all the feels from the last 1.5 years and more…. Let the emotions of grief, sadness, confusion, anger, and also aw, joy and pleasure was through and over us. One of my favorite moments was when I first entered the Temple and found “my spot” to sit with what's there. My eyes met another human’s eyes who walked so gently toward me, our eyes locked the entire time. Tears running down our faces, while smiling and realizing - we know each other. Camp Contact. It was Dena. Without words we held each other both in sobbing grief and giggles. The love I felt was so profound and probably my most beautiful sad moments. Both surprised by it and leaning fully into it. We lovingly separated and went on our journeys with the love in our hearts that will always continue living within us.
