We started our trip at an event close to Palmerston North on the North Island of New Zealand. The event is called “Kiwiburn”, a regional “Burn” that is inspired by the principles and ethos of Burning Man. For those of you who have no idea what we are on about, you can read up about the main principles here. And for our Nowhere Burner friends, we would recommend the experience.
The site, or as they call it here, “the Paddock” is situated next to a forest with a cooling river, rolling hills, massive trees and towering fern bushes/trees; it is a great venue full of summer smells, sheep and new bird songs to discover.
The event is run 100% by volunteers (including us), which is why we arrived two weeks before the actual starting date. We were part of MPW (Ministry of Public Works) and helped with the build and setting up of infrastructure for the event.
Our responsibilities included, but were not limited to:
- Clearing pathways and the forest area
- Making signs
- Building Huts and shade
- Erecting infrastructures
- Moving portaloos
- Fixing random things
- Making handwashing stations
- Setting up marquees
- Etc
Basically we needed to turn an empty field into a hippie paradise. Apart from that we got to be part of a fun crew and build our confidence with a collection of tools, some of which we have never used before (e.g. auger, angle grinders, several types of wood saws and many more).
Some perks of being part of the crew are a banging crew area with outdoor showers, composting toilets, and plenty of fun times pre-event. All while being fed amazing food. We had a mountain of food that very rarely if ever repeated itself, considering that it was a temporary kitchen in a gazebo, it was fantastic.
A big part of the Kiwiburn culture are internal shenanigans (which go as far as hot wiring a crane to get your couches back from different crews/camps) and Dobro’s.
Leading up to Kiwiburn, we heard many things about Dobro’s, but had no idea what they might be. We have now learnt that Dobros, or Double Browns, are the preferred beverage, as they are cheap, have only 4% alcohol and are “safe to enjoy during working hours”, as well as tasting similar both cold and warm. They can also be used as a “currency” (money ain’t get you far at a Burn).
A community BBQ was organised the weekend before the event started to give the locals a taste of what the event is all about. Surrounding farmers and locals, including the mayor, came to enjoy a spit roasted lamb, a renegade show and a small effigy burn (a pheasant within an egg – built by MPW).
Finally, after two weeks of slowly toiling away and creating a space fit for a 2500 person event, we were feeling very comfortable in our idyllic surroundings… and then it happened, the event kicked off. The once peaceful Paddock that for two weeks was our little safe haven, was overrun by a flock of overly energized hippies. It took us a moment to come to terms with this invasion of our “home turf” that we had worked on with the crew.
We quickly learned that Kiwis have colossal camping set ups, the likes of which we have never seen before. Gigantic gazebos, tents on top of trucks, entire living rooms and kitchens sprawled all over our lawn, some even brought their rugs with them. The local sheep were firmly displaced and our views were greatly reduced as the tent city sprung up around us. Where once it was just us and a scattering of sheepish sheep, there were new highways of (semi-)naked hippies, flashing lights, sounds, and frantic energy.
There was a time when we were very proud of our little camp, that we managed to erect with a convoluted system of mismatching ropes, tree branches, and old tarps that we had scavenged from the work yard. However our immediate neighbors were quick to show us how it was done. Their compound made our carefully constructed camp look more like a rundown shelter. Given our limited resources it was clear that we were the plebs of the Paddock. We shared the space with friends from the build and christened it “Shanty town”.
The event had started and it was time to explore and indulge in its offerings. Officially it ran from Wednesday to Monday. It is a free form event – no headline acts, no corporate sponsorships, no real security, no money, and no rules per-say. It is up to the participants to provide the entertainment, to share their knowledge/food/drinks/vibes/music and allow the event to organically take its own shape and energy.
For us a typical day included some time in the forest, dipping in and out of the river, reapplying heavy duty sunscreen (the UV is extra strong here, due to a hole or two in the ozone layer), attending a workshop or two, checking out the artwork, handing out shots of tequila and verdita (shout out to Ian and Sarah), getting dressed up and then dancing late into the night.
The pinnacle of the event is “The Burn”, which is the burning of a huge effigy on Saturday night. Prior to the event the effigy crew had worked day and night to build a towering art structure (12 meters tall), made out of recycled bamboo and pallets.
The burn was a massive spectacle, including fireworks, fire dancers and flame throwers. It was by far the biggest fire that we have ever seen, with bright flames of green, blue, crimson, and gold, that soared high into the starry sky.
The rain came down not a day too late, as the event was coming to an end. We watched hoards of people abandon the paddock, which led to the phenomenon called “Collexodus” – crew members collecting excess snacks and alcohol from the participants who were making their collective exodus. We were now fully loaded again and ready for the pack down. Given the scale of the event it was really remarkable how quickly the paddock was evacuated and how clean it was left. There was just enough time left for some days of hard work and one last crew party. Then we said our goodbyes and made the nine hour bus journey back to Auckland. Time to rest up, wash and get ready for our big adventure on two wheels.
Wish us luck!
Sound track to the month:
You’re welcome – Moana
