Gifting Economy

The only things that can be purchased inside Black Rock City are ice and espresso drinks. The ice – I understand and appreciate the availability of. The lattes and chai teas, while yummy, I would agree with many of the old timers that this goes against the essence of Burning Man. But of course, since it’s available, I’m not sooo against it that I won’t partake. All I’m saying is that if they ever stopped offering it, I would totally understand and not make a stink about it.

Well, this makes the rest of BRC a very different place than we’re used to in our normal day to day. People share things freely (not just those things but un-naughty things as well…get your mind out of the gutter) and many people participate in a Gift Economy. From what I was able to gather, gifting can take many shapes.

Gifting can be the giving of a trinket. Necklaces are very common. Charms on leather strings with some impression of the BM logo and 2007 emblazoned on it. Pete made tie-dyed bandanas with the BM logo printed on it. These can be given to someone who has shared something of their own with you, someone who’s visited your camp or someone’s who’s company you’ve enjoyed. Or even someone who you just see and are compelled to approach. At Burning Man, you actually can approach most people pretty freely but sometimes having a gift helps if your normal life apprehensions make you stutter.

Gifting can be the provision of a massage, body paint application, peppermint water spritz, breast exam, etc. Gina henna-ed a lot of people, including her first…ahem…male-specific part.

Gifting can be the sharing of food or drink. The Tuna Guys, who are also from Portland, fish off the Oregon coast and bring 500 lbs of tuna down to the desert and just cook it up in all sorts of delectably wonderful marinades and serve it up to anyone who comes by their camp. In years’ past they’ve been very popular, for obvious reasons, and have had lines swerving in and out of their camp site and around the playa like a Disneyland ride. Apparently, this wasn’t agreeable to the BM people without some health services permit or something like that for the amount they were distributing so this year, they’ve had to be pretty incognito about it. Fortunately for me, Jackie’s in their camp and has been our inside meal ticket. Since I didn’t have any real gift, besides my charming personality, I gifted back ice to them. Hey…stop it with the ice queen jokes.

There was also the Cereal Killers camp where Jackie and I enjoyed some wonderful sugary cereal. I did have to say no to the chocolate soy milk with my Fruit Loops. I think their slogan was, “Be naked. Eat cereal.” We enjoyed some wonderful icy, fresh fruit, vodka, Red Bull blended drinks at the Deep End day bar. There was the Pancake House. Sarah and I were in the middle of the playa one hot afternoon and were served Sno-Cones, with the official Sno-Cone labeled paper cone cup, out of a penguin’s ass (an art car, see pic). I told you this place was great.

Another one of my favorite things is the learned habit of carrying a cup and a fork with you at all times, so that you are ready for any eating or drinking instance that might occur. We were at the Moonshine Bar and someone walked in with pasta salad that they had an excess of. Since BRC has the No Trace Left Behind policy and very poor refrigeration, it makes more sense to share leftovers than toss them or try to save them. Anyway, a person walked in with the pasta and small dixie cups. I grabbed one, grabbed the fork out of my bag and enjoyed. I’m so going to start carrying a fork around with me all the time now. You could also take your cup, prop it on the bar, and it would get filled with pretty much whatever the bar had. Why isn’t every place like this?

I saw gifting in the form of joke telling, kiss requests, etc. As I said, it comes in all shapes and forms. One doesn’t have to bring something for this Gift Economy. I didn’t and fared quite well. However, if I ever go again…I definitely will bring something or do something because there’s something about the giving that’s just pleasant. I was so appreciative of people who so openly shared their things that I wanted to share something back. Next time.