By The Naked Barista 15 September 2015
“Imagine you are put upon a desert plain, a space that is so vast and blank that only your initiative can make of it a place. Imagine it is swept by fearsome winds and scorching temperatures, and only by your effort can you make of it ‘home’. Imagine you’re surrounded by thousands of other people, that together you form a city, and that within this teeming city there is nothing that is for sale. The Black Rock desert is an empty void… It is a place that is no place at all apart from what we choose to make of it. The playa is like an enormous blank canvas. The desert is a blank slate.”
– Larry Harvey (2000)
‘A world within a world’… this is what went through my mind the very first time I was blessed with being at Tankwa Town, in the barren Karoo… our first time was 2012…
Arriving at 3 in the morning and waking up excited!
AfrikaBurn is an annual get together of participants in the Tankwa Karoo to create a temporary city of art, music, costumes, theme camps, performance!
It is with utmost gratitude that we feel blessed to have been to this event seven times!
Our friend Kirsten sounds her first arrival…
If it is your virgin visit, a gong would have to sound your arrival!
After a week of hard burning, the desert becomes barren once again, leaving no trace of life behind… accept an artwork or so to burn for the next year…
AfrikaBurn was originally conceived by Paul Jorgenson. It is held on a private farm called Stonehenge, which is adjacent to the Tankwa Karoo National Park. The event is only a week-long, but many participants go much earlier to build a town. The event started in the year 2007 with around 1000 people. This number has grown with the years to more than 10 000.
The main structure at the event is designed to look like a San (Bushman) rock art glyph. The intention is always to convey the idea of unity and community. Most sculptures are then burnt at the end of the event!
‘MOOP’ is the most heard ‘non-word’ at AfrikaBurn and those that did not already know what it means, will definitely know by the end of the event…
“Matter Out Of Place”…in other words ‘litter’ or anything that was not there before…
No money exchange hands as it is a participant created event run by volunteers and if you were there once, you will be inspired to participate the next time. “Gifting” is hugely promoted and beautifully honoured in such a grand way that money is an obsolete tool. The only thing money can purchase at the event and definitely the most wanted item is ice…
Some more ‘guiding principles’ for this event, is – Each one teaches one – that 
encourages the sharing of knowledge. It stands to reason that these principles, taken out into the world are like a drop which has a ripple effect… so that we as a community can reinvent the world. Let me introduce you to our wealth of knowledge…
Every year there is a general post office that flies (yes, there is even an airstrip), postcards out to your loved ones. During the year an AfrikaBurn newsletter can be signed up for keeping news of the event up to date.
Our friend Reinhardt (below left) who build 2 huge hammocks for our relaxation…
and lovely wife Nadine
Owners of the makers of solid wood furniture etc, – CustomFit
If you feel inspired to build something big, or ‘mutant’ a vehicle for transportation at the event, you could possibly be superblessed with a ‘grant’ from the organisers.
The theme for 2016 has just been announced and what could be better than ‘X’. This is the 10th year of the coming together of a community of open-minded, free-thinking, free-spirited people (beings).
The theme ‘X’, leaves an immense opportunity for the wildest imagination to go even beyond wild. The roman numerical for 10 and letter X that represents an open signifier and 10 signifies the completion of a cycle. X stands for births and deaths in mystical traditions. Signifies new beginning of a decade…
With Tarot cards, ten is the wheel of fortune and symbolise the beginning of a new cycle.
Illiterates mark their signature with an ‘X’ and mathematicians considers X, the ‘unknown quantity’…
X definitely is multifunctional, mysterious and a powerful character. What marks the spot for a hidden treasure on a treasure map… ‘X’… Mystical, exciting and flexible… perfect for Tankwa Town. AfrikaBurn is definitely a must “feel” treasure…
Tankwa Town’s evolution over the span of 10 years has proven that the imagination of our ‘freed’ brain has potential for unlimited possibilities…
… the ‘X’ factor… so to speak… if we embrace the search for the only constant we have… the ever-changing, new and unexpected… so much to do with this year’s theme…
It definitely helps us to get into the flow and know how superblessed we are!
No preconceived idea can substitute for this experience…
… Join the eXperiment…
You would be superblessed if you dare!
