The burns at AfrikaBurn are powerful, communal rituals that mark the climax of the event. Towering wooden sculptures—often weeks or months in the making—are set ablaze in a spirit of release, transformation, and impermanence. As the flames rise, participants gather in a circle, watching in silence, celebration, or catharsis. Each burn is different—some solemn, others ecstatic—but all share a symbolic letting go, reminding everyone that nothing is permanent and that creativity, like life, is meant to be lived fully and then released.
Dog and Man
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| A message I wrote to dear Mackie |
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| A message Russell wrote to Sally |
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| Commemorating Mackie |
The Tower
Ego Check
At the Ego Check Booth, we were asked by friendly counsellors what aspect of our selves we would like to let go of. We then wrote it on a piece of cloth that was hung up in the booth. Then, a few days later, the Ego Booth went up in a flurry of flames. Catharsis! As the booth burned, it was revealed that a large metal heart had been built into the frame of the booth. The wood burned and all that was left was love.
The Phoenix
Angels
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| Russell volunteered as a fire marshal. |
The Clan
Dreamcatcher
The Pot
The Scratch
