In our next instalment of Guiding Principles, let’s talk Gifting. The official Kiwiburn description of the Gifting Principle is short and sweet: ‘Burning Man (and therefore Kiwiburn) is devoted to acts of gift giving. The value of a gift is unconditional. Gifting does not contemplate a return or an exchange for something of equal value.’
Seems pretty straightforward, but why do we give gifts at Kiwiburn? What’s the point? Is it just for the sake of the warm fuzzies? Well, yes. And no.
Firstly, let’s take a look at what kinds of gifts people typically give and receive at the Burn. It doesn’t have to be the latest beyblade or a boutique salami. Gifts on the Paddock are anything you are happy to share with a stranger. It could be a shot of your home-made gin, a story, a pair of horrendously ugly sunglasses, or even just helping someone clean up their Theme Camp after a particularly sticky event.
Now, some people may mistakenly interpret this to mean that Kiwiburn operates under a barter economy. “I scratch your back” and such. This kind of misses the point. A gift does not imply any obligation to reciprocate. If it did, it wouldn’t be a gift, it would just be money in the shape of a biscuit (or whatever your gift is).
In this sense, the principle of Gifting is closely related to the principle of Decommodification.
“The Gift is a brilliantly orchestrated defence of the value of creativity and of its importance in a culture increasingly governed by money and overrun with commodities.”
That’s the essence of Gifting. It’s about giving things to people because you feel that you have the ability and the desire to do so. It means that everyone on the Paddock is their own judge of value, instead of feeling pressured or driven by (cue chilling violin music) “Market Forces”.
If you want to know more about the inspiration behind Gifting and how it became such an integral part of Burner culture, check out “The Gift” by Lewis Hyde, or its film version.
