La Calaca Village
Founded in 2013, La Calaca Village is made up of family and friends from around the world. With roots in New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Reno, Amarillo, San Miguel de Allende and Mexico City, Mexico, our village is inspired by Mexican culture and the espiritu of that great land, its people and its robust traditions. Our name "La Calaca"—which means "The Skeleton" in Spanish—comes from our association with the La Calaca Festival, a participatory arts festival that takes place in San Miguel during Day of the Dead each year.
O U R C A M P S:
Curanderx
Camp Axolotl
Friendly Society
Working together, our camps offer mystical experiences that welcome all brands of travelers. Our village projects are all activated by the powerful muses of ancestry, Mother Earth and the wisdom and grace of natural healing.
Meet our Mayor!
Jim
Jim has been attending Burning Man since 2010 and co-founded La Calaca Village in 2013 with Brigham Golden and Michael Ventura as its inaugural mayor. He has also served as the Project Manager for the Axolotl: Earth Guardian Design and Build in 2015-2016 and currently is the co-lead for the vehicle with Brigham Golden. Jim also serves as camp co-lead of Camp Axolotl (formerly Piñata’s Revenge) with his wife, Lecie Love within La Calaca Village. Over the years he has contributed to other Burning Man Honoraria Art Projects such as: Digital Dalang, Pyro Podium and Touch Me. Additionally, he served as project lead on the 2012 Tree Pod project. Jim has also been performing his own live music at Burning Man as The Jim Reynolds Band, or their alter ego, Discoballs Deep. Jim’s playa name is ‘Yamez,’ though he goes by many names at Burning Man.
[photo by Michael Amici]
Our History
2007
Camp is staged out of Sebastopol, CA at the Reed Brothers Wood Carving Factory.
Founding of our original camp "Uber Tubers" by Brigham Golden and Lynn Rawden. This was a camp based on a love of root vegetables and a type of Turkish potato races known in camp as ‘Spud Humping’. This is a fun game, most would probably call it silly or even a bit ridiculous, learned by Lynn and Brig while on a boating vessel in Turkey. It involved a string, a potato and a willingness to gyrate in a competitive atmosphere.
Of the 35 camp members, 30 were virgin Burners, mostly consisting of New Yorkers and San Franciscans who were all cousins and old friends.
First art car created called by Duncan Reed "Mr. PotatoHead" and fashioned after the beloved child's toy out of an old Ford Econoline van, papier-mâché, chicken wire and wood. The back of the van had been hacksawed off and replaced with brown couches. It doesn’t drive on the playa until the night of the Burn due to massive breakdown in Davis, California (roughly 1 hour after leaving Sebastopol, CA). One of the great early successes of camp was their ability to get “Mr. P” up-and-out to enjoy on Burn night so quickly.
Uber Tubers is nicknamed "work camp" by the “Death Guild” (ironic?) next door, because of the extensive level of labor involved with forming our new camp. Original shade structure collapsed in mere minutes; was never able to fully withstand the rigors of the desert. Campers mostly sleep in tents under this grounded shade cloth – and somehow (not surprisingly) had an amazing Burn!
2008-2009
Uber Tubers continue to thrive, building and implementing our current shade design and transforming Mr. PotatoHead into a Mrs. - for variety and a new challenge. Over the next few years, the PotatoHead changes outfits and genders several times. It also adds a trailer onto the back to transport more people.
Camp continues mild growth, adding members and infrastructure.
2010
Camp renames itself "Piñata's Revenge" as key members relocate to Mexico and find inspiration in the concept that the "piñata will have its day of reckoning!"
Camp's interaction is focused on a game whereby a person in a papier-mâché "piñata suit" is suspended above another person from the back of Mrs. P, both wielding bats. The human piñata suit bursts open and empties candies, condoms and other swag when battered on the appropriate target. Malfunctions abound. Injuries are common. MOOP carefully collected. The first of many dangerous art projects for the group is created.
Camp population rises to 45 members.
2011
A school bus purchased by Piñata's Revenge debuts on-playa as fully-functioning kitchen, bathroom (sans toilet), and key transport vehicle; completely run on solar energy. Given name "Lupita."
TEDx Black Rock City is produced by key leadership of Piñata's Revenge, the first-ever TEDx at Burning Man! (TEDx Black Rock City continues for the next 5 years and is curated, managed and produced by Village members in partnership with PlayaSkool).
2012
“Pyropodium” becomes first camp project to receive an official Honorarium art grant led by inaugural member Noah Rosenthal. It features interactive fire art at the popular "Charcade."
Additionally, camp produces its final piñata installation, the Tree Pod, led by Jim Reynolds. This was essentially the same dangerous proposition of dangling a person from a giant crane but now with its base ‘planted safely’ into holes in the ground, rather than off of a trailer. After a dangerous few days on the playa, this project (lovingly thought of as “a death trap”), is converted into a much more friendly public swing.
2013
Addition of sister camp "La Calaca" transforms Piñatas Revenge Camp into a two-camp sisterhood, or village. Michael Ventura named as camp lead for Camp La Calaca and Brigham Golden stays on as camp lead for Piñatas Revenge.
"La Calaca Village" is born and Jim Reynolds assumes the role of Village Mayor.
The Village and Camp are named after the “La Calaca Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) Festival” in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, which was founded that same year by camp leadership including (but not limited to) Klaudia Oliver, Brigham Golden and Lynn Rawden. La Calaca is a SXSW style event that takes over the city each year to celebrate Dia de los Muertos in Mexico.
Total campers now at roughly 150+, representing several countries around the world.
Healing Dome debuts as interactivity project in Camp La Calaca Camp.
"Touch Me" receives honorarium art grant, as interactive fire art.
Second school bus purchased to create new art car by Piñatas Revenge. Given name "Chuy." In its first year on Playa, Chuy was used simply as large gear and people transport.
Final Year of Mrs. P on playa.
2014
Large deck built on the roof of Chuy by Ocean Littlefield in Redding, CA.
Piñatas bring Chuy to the playa for his first year as an art car, known as Love Sphynx. Project lead is Duncan Reed and lead artist is Leyre Montes. Built in Sebastopol, CA at Reed Bros. Factory.
Vintage hi-fi sound system designed by Stefano Berio, Heath Oyama and Jim Reynolds makes its inaugural run as well.
Brigham Golden steps down as Piñatas Revenge camp lead. Jim Reynolds is named as camp lead.
2015
Staging for both camps begins out of Reno.
Piñatas bring Chuy for year two of its art car exhibit; this year as ‘La Catrina Sirena’ led by Brigham Golden.
Village gets placed at 3:00 and K (or, the end). again. and again. and again. The ex-burbs become our sacred home thereafter.
The head of ‘La Catrina’ is thrown into the man pile burn, signifying the initial birth of Axolotl had begun.
2016
Piñatas debut Axolotl: Earth Guardian on the playa, designed by Elias Cattan and Ludovic Celle after the beautiful and endangered species Axolotl, found primarily in the Xochimilco region of Mexico, in Mexico City. Project lead: Jim Reynolds.
This vehicle was built entirely by campers and fundraised entirely internally (over $70k). Fundraising lead: Bethany Golden.
Woodwork done in Reno; team led by Ben Golden.
Metal designed and built in Amarillo, TX by Dan Zwinck and Jacob Breeden.
Fire system was designed in Cleveland by Matt Hummel and built by Fi Cheng and Mat Gillespie in Reno.
The car becomes one of the playa's only mobile sound stages for live music.
Same ol’ killer sound system is upgraded again and hosts well-0known International DJs for the first time.
Axolotl serves as sound system for "Pixel Forest."
2017
The La Calaca Village tops over 200 people and yet another growth occurs, known as Mitosis. The village now includes two additional satellite camps.
Healing Dome expands services and providers and gains popularity.
Pyramid of the Dead, an art installation from La Calaca Day of the Dead Festival in Mexico, led by artist Thomas Burkey, receives Honoraria Grant and debuts on playa.
First "Day of the Dead" procession is staged in conjunction with the unveiling of the Pyramid of the Dead's projection mapping.
Satellite camp "Machinas de Ideas” is added and opens the first Village Bar.
2018
The La Calaca Village tops over 270 people.
Digital Dalang—the first Indonesian-based art installation to receive an Honoraria Grant—debuts on playa led by Ali Agus.
Day of the Dead procession gains popularity as Larry Harvey's passing becomes catalyst to officially collaborate with the BORG and a walk to the Temple.
Axolotl and art car team and Piñatas Camp infrastructure featured on popular German News Program.
2019
The La Calaca Village nears 300 people and is four full-fledged camps once again.
ETZNAB, a Mexican-based art project, is invited to participate in Burning Man 2019. The installation is a temple that mirrors ritualistic sites in Meso-American culture.
Digital Dalang is erected within the village for its second year on Playa.
A new entryway building for the village is debuted.
Axolotl Pilgrimage occurs in December of 2019 – key Village leaders meet in Mexico City to meet important advocates for axolotl and visit the Xochimilco Region to understand its home – Village makes a new pledge to support this creature on and off the Playa.
2020
Village core sister-camp, Camp La Calaca, becomes Curanderx @ La Calaca Village
Village core sister-camp, Piñatas Revenge, becomes Camp Axolotl @ La Calaca Village
Artist Ali Agus’ ‘Buddah at the Trash Fence’ is awarded Honoraria, making it the 5th Honoraria Project in camp history.
