This piece features members of our community and extended family who have passed away since last year's burn. Inspired by the efforts of the Memorial Plaque that is placed in the Temple prior to its immolation as well as that of Temple itself, this video is a celebration the lives of the people we love. It is available for viewing in HD format on Vimeo.
My People
The night is beautiful,
So the faces of my people.
The stars are beautiful,
So the eyes of my people.
Beautiful, also, is the sun.
Beautiful, also, are the souls of my people.
-- Langston Hughes
Music by Dixon's Violin.
Photos by Frogbeater, OhTony, Scott Beale, Kevissimo, Jon Alloway, Neil Girling, and more (please contact me to credit your name).
15 comments:
DaBomb;
Bless you for this beautiful remembrance of all who have passed away this year. The music is so appropriate for this memorial And your talent with arranging the photos is exceptional.
Your efforts are much appreciated by those left behind.
Sincerely,
Deb
I weep.
And weep.
Thank you.
Its touching and that music is just ideal with the wonderful graphics. You guys are doing things that are absolutely splended. I weep way too easily, I am a big soft squishy wet sponge... :)
Love & Light to you Burncast!
Toaster
So sad that I wont be at the playa to say goodbye to my dear friend Lou.
So beautiful. And most of the people so young...it's a reminder that we don't know how much time we have left...don't wait, appreciate life, enjoy it all we can. Enjoy this burn and all the burners there, it may be the last for any of us.
Wow, that was so awesome! I thank you and Thelma thanks you too, I'm sure
This is such a moving piece. Thank you for the time and love that you put forth to share with us. I too weep for the loss of our brothers and sisters....
DaBomb, YOU are an exceptional human being with a HUGE talent that matches your heart. THANK YOU so much for putting this together. I agree, what a great way to remember these wonderful folks...so artistically gorgeous with a music that matches. How to create something that pays respect in a truly honorable way? You've figured this out. I vote for a "support Burncast" via PayPal button on your page, FB, etc. so that folks can contribute to your vision. It's just gorgeous. Love you mucho xoxo Napalm
Oops, sorry I posted as Anonymous. Also, I wanted to ask if you'd please post names with this vid in order of appearance. Some of the folks I think I knew, but aren't sure. Love this community, my heart weeps for this missing!! Much love Napalm
Thank you for including the photos of Lou.
Miss him so much.
sentimental sappy drivel.
Some of those people didn't so much 'pass' as they selfishly chose to end their life.
Excuse me if I yawn at their selfish act.
David Best's 'temple'-concept has taken away the incredible power of Burn night.
1. By separating sadness 'the temple' and joy 'the Burningman' we are not experiencing the complex set of emotions that were, at one time, inextricably unified in the festival's ultimate event. It has created the unnecessary duality of sacred and profane. Same old tired shit we've been experiencing and trying to get over, since the time of ancient Greece. This thinking enables the priest (in this case the Icon maker David Best) to be in direct contact with the 'deity' and focus your thoughts on the presented icon. It prevents you from experiencing your sadness and mourning directly. Having an icon present--the temple--can prevent you for taking responsibility for the breadth of your own emotions, instead, your experience will be what the icon maker wants you to experience... the sadness that only a Best(TM) burial temple can bring.
Options...
Burningman is about Burningman. It isn't about Burningman on Saturday and Temple burn on Sunday night. Why leave an event with a guaranteed sob. The ultimate event has by default now become 'the Temple Burn'. If you choose to do some mourning, please do it at the beginning of the festival on Monday night and get your sadness out of the way so we don't have to experience it.
Too many groupies...
David Best's (and his imitators) temples are derivative crap in the first place. Why hasn't anyone done something the least bit original... if I see another East Asian-inspired temple, it will be tooooo soon. It's culture vulturism at its pathetic worst. Euchronia was the last original, large-scale architectural piece on the playa. Best's groupies (and their groupies) are a bunch of architecture dilettantes working on their resumes for grad school by interning on a 'temple'. Unfortunately, they've have done too much MDMA to see the truth behind the curtain... that there is no curtain. Its pathetic seeing these folks fawning over second rate craftsmen.
Solution...
Our best case solution for this year's temple is to hope that some brave soul will risk jail and burn it on Monday night.
Lets make this burn temple-free.
"Burningman is about Burningman. It isn't about Burningman on Saturday and Temple burn on Sunday night."
I'm ALWAYS skeptical when anyone - even those I agree with - set out to tell me what Burningman is all about. The fact is, if you're in disagreement with what the Temple is about you should (as I do) elect to not participate in it. Further, positing the idea that one takes away from (or diminishes) the other is just plain silly.
It just is what it is.
Having worked on the Temple, it's hard for me to take markymark's criticisms objectively, except to say that he clearly has no idea who is involved in building the Temple.
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