It’s the one time in the year where I block out my calender and make sure that nothing stops me from attending, and yet again I was not let down. I love this event because it is so much more than a party or festival. Once entered into this community its essence becomes a way of life. I never feel quite the same after a Burn, and I’m yet to have a day in Tankwa Town where something has not amazed me.

It is not the mammoth sculptures or fantastic music or spontaneous performance that makes this event what it is, these are only by-products. It’s the fact that no one has to do these things but does anyway that makes it. This event would be nothing without people wanting to do great things, and it is this combined greatness that makes it the best event in South Africa to date.

Reading through the pamphlet handed out at the gates I come across the 10 key points of Afrika Burn:

Communal Effort

Participation

Civic Responsibility

Immediacy

Decommodification

Gifting

Leave No Trace

Radical Inclusion

Radical Self-Reliance

Radical Self-Expression

Each one of these holds so much importance in making Afrika Burn what it is, and it is vital that as this event grows these 10 points remain the essence of the event. Otherwise its just going to become another drugged up party in the middle of nowhere. But lets not put a dampener on what was a fantastic week in the desert right now. Here are a few pictures of the greatness that was Afrika Burn 2010, with more to follow. I don’t take many pictures here as I find I start observing more than participating, but it would be sacrilege to take none at all!

Congrats to all the organizers for putting together a flawless show, and thank you to all participants who went all out once again. You guys are incredible. Now to start planning for next year…

(Notice how small the people are in this picture)

Links:

http://www.afrikaburns.com/

Pics from last year: http://dspgallery.com/portfolio/photo-essays/afrika-burn