Monique Shiess, Co-founder of AfrikaBurn: The Catalytic Potential of Burning Man in South Africa
Life is a Festival #143 - Monique Shiess (AfrikaBurn)
In 2017 I attended Afrikburn, the Burning Man regional event which takes place a few hours north of Cape Town in the Tankwa Karoo. Afterwards, I wrote an article called “Afrikburn: The Unbearable Whiteness of Burning” with the wisdom and support of Co-founder and Creative Director Monique Shiess. Today on the show, I reconnect with Monique to discuss how things have change for Afrikaburn in the last five years.
On the show Monique shares her experience growing up in South Africa and producing events with the radical Mother City Queer Project during the fall of Apartheid. We talk about the founding of AfrikaBurn and the ways it diverges from Burning Man in the US. We discuss the challenges to radical inclusivity in a country with a racial history like South Africa and how the organizers reworked that principle to better reflect the need for assertive action in their country. We discuss Afrikaburn’s new permanent location, land rights in Africa, and the event’s relationship to the indigenous San people. Throughout the conversation we explore what it means to party with a purpose, rather than simply throw and empty “jol.”
Monique has worn many hats at Afrikaburn including Creative Director and Development Lead. She is currently on a well earned sabbatical. She studied Environmental Science at University of Cape Town, was a Ranger Umlani Bushcamp, and also a Coordinator at Mother City Queer Project before cofounding the South African Regional Burning Man Event in 2007. Afrikaburn is the 2nd largest official Burning Man event in the world.
Timestamps
:09 - The new AfrikaBurn site is more feminine
:13 - Mother City Queer Project and celebrating the end of Apartheid
:21 - The “Jol” and how Monique started a burn in South Africa
:27 - The difference between AfrikaBurn and Burning Man (the Gerlach Regional): San Clan, 11th Principle
:40 - The unbearable whiteness of burning in Africa and attempts to change the demographics of AfrikaBurn
:48 - Challenges to creating a more inclusive AfrikaBurn
:53 - Amending the “Radical inclusivity” Principle for AfrikaBurn
1:02 - Partying with a Purpose
1:09 - Afrikaburn’s new location and land rights issues in South Africa
1:16 - Afrikaburn’s relationship to the San people, the indigenous people of South Africa
Editing by Ariel Villafane
Graphics Designed by Ali Agus
Audio Engineering by Trevor Coulter
Theme song ““Peculiar Colors” [Manjumasi]“ by dj atish