AfrikaBurn
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| First year: | 2007 | |
| Location: | Tankwa Karoo, Northern Cape South Africa |
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| Month: | April/May | |
| Most Recent Event | ||
| Date of event: | April 27 to May 2, 2011 | |
| Participants: | ~4000 | |
| Website: | [1] | |
| List of regional Burning Man events | ||
AfrikaBurn is a Burning Man regional event, held annually in the Tankwa Karoo in South Africa.
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[edit] History
Afrika Burns Creative Projects (AfrikaBurn) was created in 2007 as a Not-For-Profit Company, with the intention that it would serve as a vehicle for the co-ordination of a South African Burning Man regional event. The initial directors of the organisation were Lil Black, Paul Jorgenson, Robert Weinek, Monique Schiess and Michael 't Sas-Rolfes.
The event has been running since 2007, with all events to date held on a private farm called Stonehenge, which is adjacent to the Tankwa Karoo National Park. The farm is very isolated, as it is situated half way along the R355, an 250km long untarred road between Calvinia and Ceres.
The event was originally called AfrikaBurns, however due to concerns about the name having possible negative connotations there was a public call for proposals on 15 May 2008. On 16 July 2008 the new name, AfrikaBurn, was officially announced via email. The new name preserves the identity of the event, but deals with possible negative interpretations changing the name from something ('burns') that happens to Africa, to something (a 'burn') that happens in Africa.
In 2010 the event was moved earlier in the year because the autumn weather is better suited to the event, and so that a public holiday (or in some years two) could be included in that dates. It also means that it is not so close to Burning Man, which will hopefully increase the number of foreign attendees.
The dates for AfrikaBurn 2012 are Wednesday 25 April - Monday 30 April 2012. The 27th of April is a public holiday as is the 1st of May.
| Year | Dates | Location | Theme | Participants | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 22 - 25 November | Stonehenge farm | Tribe | ~1,000 | |
| 2008 | 16 - 19 October | Stonehenge farm | Power | ~1,200 | |
| 2009 | 9 - 13 September | Stonehenge farm | Time | ~1,600 | |
| 2010 | 22 - 27 April | Stonehenge farm | Dream | ~2,200 | |
| 2011 | 27 April - 2 May | Stonehenge farm | Stof: the Primal Mud | ~4,000 | |
| 2012 | 25 - 30 April | Stonehenge farm | Mirage | ? |
The current directors of the organisation are Monique Schiess, Robert Weinek, Paul Grose, Julia Savage, Liz Linzell, Jonathan Hoffenberg, Adriaan Wessels and Brad Baard.
[edit] San Clan
By analogy to the Man at Burning Man, the main sculpture at the event is called the San Clan. It is designed to look like a San rock art glyph of a group of people. The intention is to convey the idea of unity and community at the event.
[edit] Culture
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As a regional Burning Man event, AfrikaBurn adheres to the ten principles of Burning Man. Among these are the Leave No Trace philosophy, radical self-expression, radical self-reliance, and communal effort. [1]
Theme camps are one of the key components of vibrant regional Burning Man events. Theme camps are established by participants to enhance the experience for all participants.
Major theme camps from the last few years include "Heartspace", "The Desert Rose", "Partycipation", "Amadeadly Disco" and "Burning Mail"
[edit] Themes
The theme for any AfrikaBurn is intended as a point of possible connection, or inspiration. The theme is not enforced, and art or performance is not necessarily in line with the theme. For a list of past years' themes, please see the table in the History section above.
