Welcome to La Calaca 2018!

¡ La Calaca !

I hope this email finds all of you well.

The man burns in 26 days! As we begin our final preparations for the playa, I wanted to take a moment to send a note that will hopefully serve as a primer for our camp virgins and as a well-timed reminder for those of you who've been out in the dust before.

I've tried to cover a lot of the questions I get as the event draws closer, but should you have anything you want to know that isn't addressed here, don't hesitate to be in touch with either myself, or your crew lead.

You might be asking, "Who's my crew lead?", well...

CAMP CREWS ****************************************************

As a reminder, we've got 3 camp support crews. When you filled out your sign-up form you either picked Mind, Body, or Soul. Each are critical to creating all the magical vibes you'll feel as we live and laugh together for a week in this dusty playground.

Your camp leads are:

MIND: Charlie Coleman BODY: Felicia Chen SOUL: Lauren Cucinotta

The MIND

These are the people handling our mechanical, electrical, operational, and rigging needs around camp. They keep everything running, pumping, illuminated, generally tied-down, and looking sharp. If you are on this team, you're handy. And we like that. You know how to use tools, fix stuff, and be resourceful when shit breaks. Because shit breaks. The Mind crew keep our showers running, our grey water pumping, our lights on, and all our structures fine-tuned throughout the week. They're also around to do some bike repairs if you can't handle it yourself, but remember the first rule of Burning Man is radical self reliance, so if you haven't tried to fix it yourself first, you should.

Give these people lots of love - they are fond of massages, snacks, and liquor in equal measure. Keep them happy by:

-Returning any tools or supplies you borrow to their rightful home
-Being mindful of your water and power consumption (it's the desert and both have finite supply) -Recycling and generally keeping your trash volume to a minimum
-Not breaking shit

The BODY

When you're out in the hot desert sun all day and head back to camp to find an ice cold cooler of agua fresca – thank the Body crew. When you are feeling like you can't eat another fucking granola bar and then an A+ dinner for 100 people is served, that's the Body crew. They shine at sunrise and sunset like desert gods and goddesses bringing us sustenance. Quite literally, this crew keeps us fed and hydrated. They also pick up ice for the kitchen every day to keep our supplies cold. They make camp meals. And they keep the kitchen dome clean and running for breakfast and dinner every day.

If you haven't signed up for kitchen support and you are on the Body team, please reach out to Felicia (Cc'ed).

Surprise a Body crew member with a helping hand when it looks like they could use one. Offer to fix them a cocktail after they've cooked you a meal. Clean up after yourself in the kitchen or in the dining area so they don't get stuck picking up after

Page 1 of 5

anyone. Offer to help with the dishes and you might make out with one of them in return for your service. Oh, and they probably won't say no to a back or foot rub if you offer.

The SOUL

Every year we are assigned our placement on the playa in advance and given ample land to call home because of our in- camp interactivity. The Soul crew runs this aspect of camp that makes La Calaca a place that is welcoming to all visitors. Our healing domes are where you can go for a variety of body work and spiritual practice. This year, we have practitioners offering three types of experiences.

-One-on-one sessions (ranging from massage to Chinese medicine to tarot to astrology and much more). Sessions are available from 11am - 5pm daily.
-Group workshops (every morning, including yoga, meditation, etc.) as well as at scheduled intervals during the week (times will be posted on-playa)

-Ceremonies (taking place intermittently throughout the week). There are ceremonies that are already planned, though more are on the way.

• The first will take place on Sunday the 27th (at sundown). This is when we will open sacred space in our domes for the week ahead. All are welcome to attend. If you would like to bring items for our altar, please do so. If you would like to contribute something specific to this ceremony (e.g. music, an offering, etc.) please reach out to Lauren (Cc'ed) directly.

• The second ceremony will take place on Thursday night. Thursday we host a village dinner – opening our doors to the whole neighborhood, barbecuing and celebrating our time together. After this, we will be doing a Dia de los Muertos procession from our camp to the temple to honor the life of Burning Man's founder - Larry Harvey - who passed away this year. Incense, bells, chimes, and any other healing sounds or smells are welcome. Please feel free to bring supplies to share!

If you are signed up for this crew but are not a practitioner yourself, your support is even more important. We need people to volunteer every day with the practitioners in the domes helping to greet our guests and make them comfortable. We need musicians to play mellow music in our lounge area. We need cold drinks because the dome gets HOT during the day and our practitioners need to stay hydrated. And we need your warm smiles and general vibey nature to make everything feel groovy.

Thank the Soul crew by being respectful of the sacred space these domes hold. Every year, people receive transformative experiences in this space. Treat the space with reverence and keep it clean and energetically kind and welcoming. It is our mouthpiece to the Burning Man community and a place for people to heal.

We also like mid-day snacks, group hugs, and items for our camp altar.

RADICAL SELF RELIANCE ****************************************************

While our camp crews do a lot to help keep everything running smoothly, and while everyone contributes to their crew throughout the week, there are also some things we ask everyone to do for themselves.

Leave No Trace: Burning Man is a Leave No Trace experience. That means we leave our little slice of the desert as clean as the way we found it. For you virgins out there, you'll hear the word "moop" used often. It's stands for "matter out of place" and basically means anything that doesn't belong to the desert. So if it's not dust, eventually, it's moop. If you see something laying around on the ground, especially at camp but frankly, anywhere, pick it up and throw it out. Don't bring things that shed (we know that dope feather boa you bought on Amazon is gonna look so fresh but if it's going to fall apart and leave hot pink feather-mess everywhere, rethink your fashion choices).

Water: We do not provide drinking water for the camp, however Autonomy has been surveying the camp and she is planning on implementing a communal source for water. She will be following up with all of you on that front, but if you don't want to use the communal water, plan to bring your own. That said, check yourself when you're at Costco looking at the 36 gallons of water you're about to buy in addition to that random apple juice you know you'll love on day 4, an inordinate amount of coconut water, and all the alcohol (which isn't hydrating but you still only have one bladder to fill). Every year, we have tons of water that people don't drink and want to leave with us when they break camp. We love you, BUT WE DO NOT WANT YOUR WATER. It's heavy and it's a pain in the balls to schlep back to Reno with the clean up crew. The best thing to do is to participate in Autonomy's water program (Kelly is cc'ed) or to buy a few of those refillable 5 gallon water bottles. You can get them in Reno. It's way more ecological than all those plastic 1 gallon containers.

Specialty Food: Our camp menu is designed with both omnivores and vegetarians in mind. There are always ways to avoid gluten for a portion of the meal or to dodge those pesky nightshades that some of you are allergic to, but if you have a serious dietary plan and want to ensure you've got the right things to eat, please be radically self-reliant.

Ice: Our body team picks up ice every day for the kitchen but that is not for your own personal coolers. If you have a cooler you're using to keep your own things cold, you'll want to plan to mosey over to Artica (a few blocks away) and purchase ice.

Page 2 of 5

(Ice is one of the only things you can buy on the playa with actual cash. The other thing is delicious fancy coffee and other drinks at center camp.)

Tickets and Rides: Do you already have your ticket? Do you need a ticket? Do you have or need a ride to (or from) the playa? The best place we've found to figure this out is on the Facebook group. Everyone's rad - you'll enjoy sharing a car and sitting in line with anyone in this camp. Don't be a stranger.

Trash: Ok, here's an important one. I hope you've stayed with me thus far. Trash. We bring a lot of it back to the dump every year. A LOT. A 27' truck full of a week's worth of trash. It sucks. But we do it because we love you. Here's how you can help. When you're packing your gear and your food/drinks - remove any excess packaging that you won't need and get rid of it BEFORE you arrive on the playa. Don't buy glass if an aluminum or plastic option exists. That stuff weighs a lot less and can be compacted. This is a huge help.

Our camp has many forms of recycling that we do. Be mindful of this as you spend your time with us in the dust. We divide trash into 4 parts: MOOP, Recyclable, Burnable (paper and wood only), and Batteries. If you see a trash can is full, wrap the bag and toss it in our trash storage (a big red kiddie pool) and put a fresh bag in the trash can. Karma points and hugs will follow.

And lastly, when you leave the playa, please take a few bags with you when you go. There are tons of spots on the way back to Gerlach where you can drop the trash. It makes our clean up much easier if we all help a little and for those of you who leave before Monday, it makes those of us who are staying love you even more.

Camp Bar: This year, the one and only Mark Stern will be running our Hora Feliz (happy hour). Specialty cocktails every night before dinner! The bar is also stocked with lots of liquor. Help yourself. And if you want to bring alcohol or mixers for the bar, please do. Every night at dinner we have a different volunteer who's offered to man the bar and pour some cocktails. Give them many thanks.

Camp Location & Arrival: La Calaca is located at 3 o'clock and L. When you arrive at La Calaca for the first time, please seek out one of the advance crew. Don't be shy. When you arrive, tell whoever you meet that you are camping with us and just arrived and that you want to find someone from the advance crew. One of us will help you get situated. Don't worry about what time it is... Someone is probably awake.

When you arrive, if you are camping in a tent, we'll help you find a spot. DO NOT just put your tent anywhere - you will be asked to move it if you do. We try to keep the tent area set up with tents in rows, leaving a clear path down the middle for easy walking / stumbling home. Keep your tents close to your neighbor so there's room for everyone.

Once you know where you'll be camping, you can unload your gear and then we'll help you find a place to park your car. We need to keep certain lanes open for water delivery, grey water pumping, etc. So please don't just park wherever you see a spot. Someone will help you.

If you are in an RV, same deal. Find someone and we'll help you get situated so that you are in the right place to be pumped as needed.

Little (but important) Stuff: You should read the Burning Man Survival Guide, and also be aware of these important things that will help you get through the week in playa style...

-The ground is very alkaline. For some people this can destroy their hands, feet, lips, and other sensitive spots if it's not kept clean. A solution of white vinegar and water will help neutralize the alkalinity and return your skin to normal. Drop a little essential oil in it though so you don't go around smelling like salad dressing.

-Your headlamp is your best friend. Flashlights are cool, but they need to be held. Bring a headlamp and you'll have light wherever you'll need it.

-Bring a little container for moop while you're out on the playa. An old altoids tin, a little ziplock bag, etc. There are no public trash cans so you'll need a place to chuck that clove cigarette or chewed gum or whatever other weird-ass thing you've been holding for 5 minutes.

-A CUP. You'll need one. Bring something durable. Write your name on it. Put a string or a carabiner on it. You'll thank yourself.

-Gifting is an important part of Burning Man. The misconception is that it is barter or trade-based. That's not the case. You simply gift things. Be generous. Bring something you've made and gift it to people you meet along the way. Share food and drinks with people. Offer a massage or tell someone their fortune. Make something up if you can't tell fortunes. No one will care. Just be generous!

Page 3 of 5

BIKES ****************************************************

We have about 50 camp bikes. They are all in varying degrees of health. Some are awesome. Some are charming. And some are on their last leg. That said, we spend a lot of time every year before and after the burn to repair and keep these ponies running. It's a simple process - take a bike when you need one, bring it back to camp when you're done so someone else can use it.

If you want to guarantee that you will always have a bike at your disposal, you can either bring your own or you can rent one in Gerlach as you drive in.

LA CALACA VILLAGE & ART CAR ****************************************************

The basics: Our camp is called La Calaca (obviously). We are located at 3 and L. We are part of La Calaca Village. A village is a structure that Burning Man put in place years ago to help different camps who are friends camp together. Our sister camps are called Piñata's Revenge and Circ de Tamales. Collectively, we have appointed the one and only Jimmy Jim Reynolds as our Village Mayor. Jim does all the hard stuff it takes to make this camp official every year. Find him and give him a wet kiss.

As for the Piñatas, they are an amazing and warm and truly wonderful group of people. We share our land together so treat them like family. The Piñata's are the ones who have been working tirelessly all year to build our village art car - AXOLOTL - The Earth Guardian.

The AXOLOTL is a rare and extraordinary amphibian unique to the rivers and lakes around Mexico City. It's also our village art car & concert soundstage. It serves as a platform for performances and a symbol of ecological preservation and the connection between all living things.

The art car can always use help. If you're feeling helpful, head over to it and ask one of the Piñatas if there's anything you can do to help. There will be something.

Circ de Tamales is bringing a TON of original art projects to the playa this year and they will be featuring them at our very own little "mini playa" at camp. If you have an art project you also want to do, let us know and we'll get you connected.

Also, we are hosting some of our dear friends from Mexico and Indonesia this year who are bringing the first art grant project from Indonesia to the playa. Check out Digital Dalang for more info and send them some dollars to support their efforts!!

CAMP SCHEDULE ****************************************************

There's really no way to keep an actual schedule on the playa. Those of you who have been there before know this all too well. That said, here are a couple things that are happening that you should be aware of.

Breakfast: Breakfast is served every day around 930am and will remain out until 1030. After 1030, a breakfast bar remains, with pastries, cereal, granola, yogurt, and other items if you missed actual breakfast.

Morning Workshop: Any and all are welcome in the domes at 11 each day for workshops. Our morning workshops are focused on yin yoga, meditation, sound healing and more. Come get some.

Afternoon Workshop: There are two afternoon workshops (at 1pm and 3pm) with varying modalities being presented. A schedule will be shared on-playa.

The Healing Dome: Sessions begin at 11 (though some practitioners start earlier if they are feeling up for it) and run until 5.

Dinner: Dinner is served at 7. It's usually just before sundown so it's a pretty special time where we get to enjoy a meal as a family. If you miss dinner, leftovers are typically out for people to find something to eat. The kitchen is wrapped and cleaned by 9pm.

Monday: We will have an all-camp gathering at dinner on Monday night. This will be an opportunity for everyone to meet and for us to make any updates. It would be awesome if you were there.

Thursday: Our village hosts a Day of the Dead ceremony and block party at sundown. As discussed above, there will also be a procession to the Temple. There will be live music, drinks, food, and many strange things that happen. We need artistic people to help provide catrina face painting. If you would like to help with that, please let me know. Also, if you have anything

Page 4 of 5

else you'd like to do to contribute to this (get creative), the world is yours. We’d love it if all of you can attend.

Saturday: The Man Burns! Some of us will drive the art car out early to get a good spot in front of the man, then come back to camp for dinner before we all head out.

Sunday: The Temple burns. This is a hugely powerful experience and I highly recommend staying to see the temple burn. It's very different than the night of the Man and it provides an amazing sense of closure to the powerful week we've all spent together. We host a post-Temple sound healing project. Details to follow.

Monday: Monday we'll break down camp. We need as many people to stay and help as possible. This is hard to do after a week of partying but there are a group of us that do it every year to ensure that we receive our camp placement and can continue to make La Calaca a home for all of us. Anything you can do to help on Monday is greatly appreciated.

Okay, I know that was a lot to read. Thank's for coming along for the ride. I hope it was helpful. If you have any other questions, don't hesitate to get in touch. I know I speak for all of the advance crew and many of the veteran burners when I say that Burning Man is one of the greatest (and sometimes challenging) transformative experiences you will find. You get out what you put in. We’re all in this together and here for each other to have the burn they need.

Those of us who work all year to run this camp love building it for all of you. Don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions.

See you crazy kids in the dust.

XO MV