A big part of Burning Man culture is the importance of Playa names. “Playa” is the term Burners use to reference the dried lakebed that Burning Man takes place on. When you step foot onto the Playa, you have the freedom to become someone else and play with a different identity. As this metal sculpture depicts, a Playa name is a way to be reborn as someone new.
Some people create their own Playa names, while others wait for other Burners to bequeath one on them. Playa names are fun and wild, such as “Sexy Bacon” or “Hooty.” Once you have your Playa name, it’s up to you how strict you want to be about using it. Some Burners use their Playa name for fun and reveal their legal names. Others only use their Playa names, leaving their true identities a mystery.
A Waking Dream
Burning Man is a nine-day festival that goes by in a blur for most of its attendees. Many Burners probably go home wondering if their time in the desert was just a dream. That’s why this art installation from the 2005 festival is so perfect, even after so many years. The sculptor Pepe Ozan created this giant installation called “The Dreamer,” which revelers could walk into and sit around a firepit.
Pepe Ozan was a visual artist who returned to Burning Man again and again. He not only installed large-scale sculptures but also directed performance pieces with original music, which he called “operas.” In an ironic twist of fate, “The Dreamer” was later installed at the Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, which is a stone’s throw from where the original Burning Man began on Baker Beach all those years ago.
Money Has No Meaning
Burning Man is a one-of-a-kind event for many reasons, one of them being its economy. Once you step foot into the Black Rock City community, your money is worthless. Burning Man operates on a bartering system in order to embody the “decommodification” pillar of their mission statement. They don’t sell any food, drink, or entertainment. Instead, everything is considered a trade or a gift.
Burning Man also rejects capitalism with its choice of sponsors. Because Burners don’t use traditional money during the festival, there are never any corporate sponsors pouring money into the event. Instead, people rely on each other to get what they need. Burners completely understand that teamwork makes the dream work.
Love is in the Air
With Burning Man’s sense of community and free love, it’s no wonder some couples meet, fall in love, and even decide to get married during the annual event. Yup, that’s right. Couples can tie the knot at Burning Man. Despite what many think, however, a Burning Man wedding isn’t 100% impromptu. If you want to get married out on the Playa, you have to plan at least a few weeks in advance.
Before showing up in your Sunday best, you need to ask around and find a wedding officiant who is also attending Burning Man. That way, you’re guaranteed to have someone there who can officially marry you. Plus, you and your partner still need to get all the official paperwork done beforehand. There’s no way to barter your way out of the marriage license fee, unfortunately.
Organized Chaos
Burning Man might look like absolute chaos to an outsider, but it’s actually an expertly organized, large-scale event. The nine-day event wouldn’t be possible without the coordination and cooperation of Burning Man’s volunteer teams. From the box office crew to emergency services, these groups of volunteers monitor Black Rock City to make sure everything goes off without a hitch.
Plenty of these Burning Man volunteers are event veterans and can be found riding around Black Rock City on bikes and other unorthodox modes of transportation, such as a giant duck car. You can even volunteer to help out the day of if the urge suddenly strikes. Overall, Burning Man is full of friendly people who just want to have a good time and ensure everything runs smoothly and safely.