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Gifting (Gallery 103 – case label)
Burning Man has managed to construct a rather oddly enthusiastic culture of giving. The city functions on a gift economy, where both money and bartering are fiercely discouraged. Instead, everyone is expected to take joy by gifting something for free: art, food, or an experience.
–- Gregory Ferenstein, Forbes Magazine
Black Rock City operates on one simple, revolutionary idea: nothing is for sale.* While Burners interpret gifting broadly based on what they have to offer and what is needed, this system has given rise to a whole subculture of Burning Man jewelry and gifts created solely for the event and freely given.
Anything that could become MOOP, or "Matter Out of Place," is heavily discouraged, so popular gifts are consumable (wood-fired pizza, grilled cheese sandwiches, shots of whiskey), small and portable (jewelry, patches), or intangible (a smile or hug, an offer of help, a meaningful interaction, a performance). Sometimes what you really need is a warm blanket on a cold night and on the playa, you're bound to find it.
Many participants of all skill levels make pendants to hand out during the week, often customized to refer to Burning Man's art theme for the year; some memorialize a particular art piece or impart a personal message. Burners collect playa jewelry and gifts as symbols of one-on-one social interactions and badges of volunteerism, reminders of the experiences and encounters of the week.
*Strictly speaking, this isn't true. Ice and coffee can be purchased on playa, one of Burning Man's many exceptions that seem to bring the rule into sharper focus. Nothing is as simple as it seems |