Fri, 4 May 2018
We step away from the normal format of the show in order to hold space for the passing of Larry Harvey. Burner Podcast team members Navjeet Sarna and Tori Massie join Arash to read messages and stories written to and about The Man in the Hat. ******************* Lynn Marie Morski... I attended my first burn amid much strife in my capoeira life. I had wanted to play in the orchestra that leads the capoeira games, but my low status in the group prevented me from doing so. In capoeira,` your cord (belt) color is a rank like other martial arts, and only the higher cords were allowed to play instruments. ******************* Arthur Mamou-Mani... Larry Harvey - you are in our thoughts. The Temple 2018 will be here for you and for the community that you have so deeply inspired and changed for the better. ******************* Amy Vogler…. The result of your little beach bonfire party has changed the course of my life in so many aspects, and exposed me to more love, compassion, & creativity than I thought possible; within the community, and within myself. Thanks for your participation! ******************* Kat Ripley…. R.I.P. Larry Harvey Thank you so much for all you have done for humanity. I think it would be impossible to overstate the positive impact you made across the globe. I don’t know if I can make one one hundredth of an impact on this world as you have, but I promise I will try. ******************* Absinthia Vermut…. I first remember Larry when I was still at Burning Man, two days after the Man burned in 1995. I celebrated my 25th birthday on playa, fell madly in love with Burning Man, and I stayed to clean up. I just couldn't leave! A year earlier, I had moved to San Francisco, a dream I had since I first visited as a young girl. I never dreamed I would find something like Burning Man in an incredible location like Black Rock Desert, but there I was. Home.
We continued drinking absinthe, talking about such things as what to do about the Plug and Play camps, Larry sharing his ideas about building small Temples in the keyholes, and more. When the evening wore down and we all had more than enough absinthe, Larry offered to drive me, still dressed as Marian, home. I was all the way out in Illumination Village at 3 o’clock and A that year, and welcomed the ride. Larry spent about ten minutes debating with himself whether or not to drive his golf cart or his Jeep, and in the end, the Jeep won. He tried to unlock the door with his key, and I had to hold his arm to help him get the key in the lock. I went around and got in the passenger side to see him put a half full glass of absinthe in the cup holder! “Larry! You are driving me home with a glass of absinthe in the cup holder?” “Of course I am, dear, now let’s get going.” He drove out onto the playa and headed to my camp. “OMG LARRY that is a piece of art!” I hollered when a big something jumped out in front of the car. He slowed down and narrowly missed it. When found my camp, he seemed determined to drive me all the way to my door. Now, IllVille is home to a lot of fire art, which means there are propane tanks, gas lines, and art everywhere. A bad place for anyone to drive, but like I said, he really wanted to drive me to my door. We got to a spot where he had to stop, and I jumped out before he could drive any further into dangerous fire art, grabbed my case of absinthe, and gave him a big hug. I told him I loved him. He seemed embarrassed, and turned his Jeep around and drove home.
Absinthia Vermut ******************* Rebekah Waites... I only met him a few times so don’t really have any stories. I just know that he loved Church Trap and talked about it in interviews. Found out after that he carried a picture of it in his journal. Finding that out meant a lot to me. Only story I have was one on his bday at a party at Headquarters. I didn’t know anyone and am a bit shy. Jennifer Raiser invited me and when i got there told me to go say hi to Larry. When I tried to introduce myself he snapped “I just woke up.” So i ran away. Haha! When Jennifer asked me later if I said hi to him, I said I tried to but it didn’t go over very well. So she told me to go say hi again. This time I caught him in the line for tacos and started to say who I was. His response: “who???!” “Larry... it’s me. Rebekah. Rebekah Waites who did Church Trap.” Aaaaaaaand then I got the biggest hug from Larry and we talked for a moment. It was awesome. I’ll never forget that. ******************* Danielle White... Larry Harvey passed into his next journey. Thank you for the amazing growth, change and experience that this incarnation brought to my life. I am eternally grateful. 🦄🙏 One thing that has stuck with me, many years ago I went to a speaking engagement. He was getting lost of questions about all the “rules” His response was “It’s amazing how your thought process changes when you are responsible for people’s lives.” Im not sure why but I’ve thought on that moment many times. ******************* Sonya Sophia... This man's love has changed the world. He changed my world. He changed the lives of millions forever with his dedication to art, freedom, radical self-reliance and community. This pic was taken exactly a month ago at the Smithsonian’s Burning Man exhibit. The golden beam like an accidental foreshadow of him beginning his flight home a few days later and arriving in the infinite today.
******************* Halcyon... I am no Larry disciple. I have not studied his writings or made stained glass of his image. My reflections are mostly my own projections. But the role he played in my life is profound. His legacy has influenced me more than Jesus. We met half a dozen times over the last 20 years. It was only our last encounter, over a meal at Esalen in 2016 that he indicated he knew who I was. Before that, I always felt that I was a bit of a nuisance. Just another fan eager for a selfie and an “I met Larry” story. But it didn’t bother me. Larry didn’t ask to be the mascot of Burning Man. He was always gracious and I was grateful for the brief moments of his time. My gratitude required no reciprocity. I was especially happy that I was able to give him a patented “Dirty Vibrating Hug” in 2002. (It involves pouding on the recipient’s back with huge, fur-covered foam wrist cuffs while pressing against the person’s crotch with a vibrating jockstrap. See 1st comment.) I was soaring with pride when he grinned and said, ‘Now that was something!” when I released him from the hug. My favorite Larry story was the previous year when I was asked to be in a photo shoot with him for the image above. While waiting for the photographer to set up, a woman stormed in the camp holding the “Who? What? Where?” Guidebook. She was looking for Larry Harvey and looked pissed. She explained that she had hiked all the way across the city to visit a camp that publicized a pancake breakfast. Only to discover that when she arrived at the destination, that their camp was empty. Larry took a drag from his cigarette. “You walked allllll the way across the playa?” “Yes!” And when you got there, there wasn’t anybody even there? “No!” Larry took another drag. “You didn’t see anything good along the way?” He was inspiring not because he rallied the community to follow him. But instead role-modeled a fierce personal authenticity in the face of cultural expectations. He was a reluctant leader who always seemed a little surprised that people were listening to him. Maybe he even had a trace of disdain for followers of any kind, even those who followed him. He was like the Zen master who sends away the student who comes looking for a guru. He would share his thoughts, but not take responsibility for Burning Man. He was fierce and humble and didn’t take any of it too seriously. I’ve seen several people post this week, “RIP Larry. Burning Man will never be the same.” I think that statement would have made Larry snarl. It’s totally off-base. Yes, Larry started the fire & penned the Principles. With many passionate people, he helped create the container. But this blaze rages independently of any person or group. As Burners, we don’t follow through on the vision of Larry. We step into the established space and then all make Burning Man what it is. This model of leadership and community is one of the most powerful things I’ve learned from Burning Man. Black Rock City doesn’t look a certain way. It invites Radical Self Expression and trusts that, when balanced with Civic Responsibility and the other Principles, everything will work out. For me and so many others, it has worked out in ways that have drastically shaped my entire life - not shaped from any external script...but allowed my inner truth to take shape authentically. Each year, we burn the Man. Each year we celebrate the transitory nature of all things. Each year we remind ourselves of how impermanent and precious everything is. Your life was art, Larry. A perfect Playa performance. Your physical form may become ashes, but the ripples of your art have changed the world forever. I have no doubt you saw plenty of good stuff along the way. ******************* Zac Cirivello... I'll miss this guy a lot. Also, this shirt is in my closet. ******************* Anael..... I believe Larry had a yearning. A calling we all share in our hearts. A craving for expression. For love. For freedom. His blessing was his curse. That pain brought him to a point of surrender where he gave in and created a space for this expression to be fulfilled. Something that so many of us crave for was born and continues to grow across the world beyond anyone’s expectation. The birth of a new culture which now influences the world. As a modern world we have lost our rituals and our pilgrimage. We have lost touch with our connection to each other in pursuit of personal gains. Thanks to Larry we have an avenue to give and share our love and our hearts. Now it’s up to us to continue the work and spread the message. ******************* John Simmons... For the last 12 years I would meet with Larry at first camp on Sunday after burn night we would talk about all Things BM. That meeting would usually be around 2 or 3 pm. Would last an hour or so. Sometimes I would bring a quest. Larry was the one who encouraged me to become a regional when the split the southern California region. At first I did not want to because I wanted to create Maham from the outside. He said I could be more effective doing that from the inside out. Our meetings for the last 6 years since I became a regional took on a whole new perspective. I will miss my friend and mentor. ******************* Charlie Dayburn.... Without you and Burning Man, my life path might probably be still pretty miserable. My first burn was 2011. At this burn, I met my heart for the very first time and everything goes banana after that. Since then, I discovered my connection to the true beauty of sunrises. I have never missed one in 7 years. I discovered my hidden potential as a composer and my inner superhero avatar Dayburn at 2013. My father's photo was burned with the temple at 2016. I made my decision to become a life coach at 2017. Many monumental life decisions and self discoveries were all made at Burning Man. I had my last glimpse of you last year at the Man's Opening Ceremony which I was the composer. It's almost too hard to believe I could be serving this part for the Man. This year, I will dedicate my 5th annual sunrise assembly to you. Without you and Burning Man, there will be none of these created. Thank you, Larry. I am forever owe my deepest gratitude to you. ******************* Liz Devin... Larry's impact in my life is that I have seen and know anything is possible. We can do better, together. We can be better, together. Judgement is a dead end road. Acceptance, inclusivity, love and expression of love is where it's at. Larry's legacy is astounding and will continue to change the world for the better into eternity. I'm so saddened to hear the news about Larry's passing but I know he had a very full life and was loved by so many. Rest in peace brother. ******************* Jerry James... Around 1985 Larry Harvey and I became best friends. He was as lost and confused as I was. Young and full of energy, and scared to death I looked to him hoping to find assurance and truth. He had a good rap, combining concepts from all kinds of stuff like Freud, Emson and Joseph Conrad. He and I read Nostromo along with some other friends. I’d have been reading Celine, Bukowski, and playing Bob Marley and Captain Beefheart. We met through Dan Richman who sometimes had people over to play music, get high, and get laid. Larry was working as a gardener for Edgewood, a health care institution, and I was a carpenter. We both had young sons. We’d take them out for hikes-had some laughs. The oft-referenced unsuccessful relationship from which he was allegedly recovering was with someone named Paula. I was living, off-and-on, with Maria Majeski in Bernal Heights, San Francisco, he in a large apartment building in Alamo Square with his roommate, Dan Miller. I also had a 12-year-old son, Jeremy, in Boise from where I’d relocated in 1980. Larry’s from Portland originally. At that point of my life I had the unfortunate tendency to adopt certain friends who I considered strong male figures as father figures. I did this with Larry. He read a lot and expressed ideas with confidence. To me this translated as strength. So, I looked up to him and sometimes mimicked him. I had a lot of strengths and many weaknesses. Admiring (and trusting) Larry was a weakness that would take its toll. Larry had been reading the Golden Bough, an anthropological work that references the history of burning human effigies. He had also attended, in previous years, events at Baker Beach that included burning a variety of objects. I’m not sure why Larry didn’t continue those beach traditions with the others but when he asked if I wanted to build an effigy and burn it for the summer solstice, my response was-why not? June 20, 1986. Earlier that day Larry and I had spent a couple of hours in Ellen Into’s (Flash’s mother-in-law) garage in Noe Valley tacking some wood scraps into a crude figure-the first Burning Man. It only took us a couple of hours to craft the figure, about ten feet tall. I stapled burlap inside to approximate skin and provide kindling. We grabbed our girlfriends and kids, invited a couple of more folks and headed to the beach. Arriving at Baker Beach, there were about ten of us including our girlfriends and kids. We parked in the lot and started down the beach. Coincidentally, we passed Dan Richman leaving as we made our way down the quarter mile of sand to the north end of the beach. We said hi but nobody stopped. You’re very lucky if you get a sunny sunset at the beach in San Francisco, especially on the summer solstice so it was high just to be there with the waves crashing, and sun on our backs as we walked straight toward the Golden Gate Bridge above us. Being a typical San Francisco afternoon, the modest sunlight was soon overtaken by foggy breeze. Arriving at the end of the beach I planted the Man in the sand. We shared a few drinks and laughs, and as the sun set I doused the figure with a gallon of gasoline and added fire. It burned furiously-it was, after all, gasoline. The handful of strangers in the vicinity joined us. One had a tambourine and started chanting something like, “burn fire, burn,” which, though on the one hand embarrassing, somehow suggested that there was something special about this modest incendiary sacrifice. It burned quickly and we left soon after. Inspired by the event, we spoke of it later, and again from time to time over the following year. We decided to repeat it when the next solstice rolled around.
1987. That’s when Maria and I were living in a worn-out mansion on Capp Street with three roommates. It was a groovy, big place with a couple of fireplaces. There had to be some lost stories behind it. I built the second Burning Man on the back deck. It was an awesome, open space. Sunny, framed by exterior walls but felt warm and free. This time it was about 12 feet tall. Larry helped with embellishing its head. It being still a pretty modest assembly, I spent a couple of weekends building it. This time we spread the word so there were about 35 friends and acquaintances at Baker Beach for another cold night and burning of the Man. It was quite similar to the year before.
1988. Then came the watershed. To this point the Burning Man had been a family picnic. It was about to become a public event. In 1988 the Man was built at a garage I rented for my construction company on Duboce Street across for Ralph K. Davies Medical Center. Three of us worked the entire weekend for several months designing and building this 30’ tall figure-Mike Acker, Larry, and I. This was to be more than a friendly little statue. At this size the figure would require true structural integrity. The design would be further challenged by the fact that in order to fit into the shop where it was being constructed, and to be able to be transported to the beach and erected, it would have to be built in modules. I provided the design required for the structure and modules. Regarding its appearance, it was Larry’s idea the year before to use the end-mitered, wood-brackets-on-axis, as the primary design motif. He, Mike and I collaborated on its appearance. I built the Man with help from Mike. Larry tinkered. Larry’s carpenter skills were limited. I built the Man in component parts-legs, torso, body, arms, and the head. It was around this time we began referring to the figure and event as the Burning Man. I still have the poster Maria produced that year bearing that title. For the most part I had little luck enlisting my builder buddies to help until it came to the day to transport, assemble, and then burn the Man. They then provided assistance that was absolutely necessary. After a couple hours of carrying the components from the trucks to the beach and then assembling them we were ready for ignition. With our backs to the cliffs and the Pacific roaring in front of we prepared to pull the Burning Man from lying on it’s back to standing. Relying on a block-and-fall whose stake failed on the first attempt to raise him, we nearly impaled the crowd who’d volunteered to lift him. On the next attempt we depended solely on manual labor. With many pulling on a rope tied to his solar plexis and many others lifting his shoulders as his feet sunk into holes in the sand the Man was raised! What transcendence-it was breathtaking! We’d considered that the authorities might take an interest in the immolation of such a thing especially given that we were on a beach in the US Army’s Presidio base. We’d never asked for permission. Somewhere in this scramble a reporter from San Francisco Focus magazine approached me. I said I was too busy for an interview but gave him information to follow up later. There was a guy banging a gong, some others blowing horns and we started the fire. Being another cold, windy night in SF, the burlap, newspaper and kerosene, being the body of and kindling for the Man, burned up and blew away. We were left with a rather large, charred figure and we were uncertain how to proceed. I tried starting a campfire at his foot. Someone else climbed the Man and tried to ignite his torso. That’s when the cops arrived. There were two good cops and two bad cops, and after a few threats and negotiations they left on our promise that we’d knock it down, finish burning it, and go home. This proved to be a great solution all the way round. To satisfy my curiosity and to clean up our mess, I returned to the crime scene the next morning to pick up the pieces. Later, when the SF Focus magazine’s writer called I put him in touch with Larry. Busy with a full-time job it seemed logical to ask Larry to arrange the interview. I emphasized that I wanted to be included. Larry had hurt his back and was unemployed. He held the interview without me. Mike Acker and I were referred to as Larry’s cohorts in the article. It was around that time when Larry and I consulted with a guy connected to the SF art scene named Michael Bell. In discussing our ideas for Burning Man, given its clandestine nature, Michael said, “it’s easier to ask forgiveness than permission.” I think that hit Larry down to the soles of his shoes. The video from the beach in 1988 shows Larry standing on the beach, hands on hips, watching and pointing. ******************* Terry Pratt... He taught me a lot about a new way to look at life. ******************* Elenor Preger... I sat next to Larry @ a luncheon for the opening of the Smithsonian Renwick Burning Man exhibit, No Spectators. We chit chatted, & I asked him to tell me something I didn't know about him. He chuckled. That would take a while he said. ******************* Julia Collier... Larry, I never personally met you but I knew who you were. *******************
The year was 2012. Black Rock City. ******************* Sarah Cranberrry... ******************* Serena Van Vranken... Burning man gave me community when I didn’t even know I was missing one. The welcome home I received my first year from strangers, both verbal and hugs, did something to change my heart. I became more open, loving, and forgiving. More inclusive and less judgmental. More willing to make connections. My heart swells when I think of going home. Although Larry didn’t believe in an afterlife, or so I hear, I do. What I believe is that his energy will be there this year and for years to come, welcoming us home. Thank you, Larry, for all you’ve done, but especially I thank you for this gift of community you’ve given us. TRAV MO ... It was Monday morning of my second burn 2014. A day I will always remember. The gates should have been open by now, but heavy rains late Sunday night soaked build crews and playa leaving the gate no choice but to remain closed. A buddy and I went on a fools errand to try and retrieve ice for our camp without realizing how sticky and relentless the mud would be on our wagon tires. After 3 hours of slowly chipping hardened playa off our wheels we decided to sit down and take a breather. That's when I saw him. Grey brimmed hat, muddied rain boots, cigarette draped on his lips. He emerged with the sun from center camp like The God I never believed in. He kept gazing up into the sky, as if to politely ask the clouds to break so everyone at gate could finally be let in. I knew I had to seize this magic moment. I knew I had to say something. ******************* Troy Swanson...
******************* Alpy... If it weren't for Larry, I never would've met my family, and I never would've met myself |