A Burning Connection: The Temple at Londonderry

The Temple at Londonderry constructed by David Best and the Artichoke Foundation
The Temple at Londonderry constructed by David Best and the Artichoke Foundation

On March 21st 2015, I went to Derry in Northern Ireland to witness the newest creation of David best… The temple. I followed the project since the beginning of the fund raising and it’s been amazing to see time after time that we were getting closer to the possibility of building and living this incredible experience. I got to know about the burners and Burning Man from a friend who’s been active in the burner family for a good while. Since then I became very interested and started to follow fundraising associations like Artichoke, who was promoting the event on Facebook by raising money and offering a dream to collectively believe in and support by a donation.

The Temple Burn at Londonderry
The Temple Burn at Londonderry

I loved the project at first sight so I checked all the updates, and the feeling and the beauty of looking at something from a sketch on paper morphing and developing into reality was amazing. I travelled to Dublin-Derry with joy. Going on the site after a good walk up the hill and there it was standing there, the temple. I honestly felt what David Best meant by saying that the people would feel free from their sorrows just by looking at it. As the sun disappeared, the crowd gathered  together and lights slowly enlightened the temple showing  the amazing details carved into the wooden structure like one last sneaky look at this temporary beauty.  Then the quiet as the temple was set on fire and the whole crowd was admiring it, they were letting their spirits go high with sparkles and dissolved ashes, like that fire. There was no social network who could distract people from being just human and sharing this moment with a primitive eye and even bigger were the cheers when we could see another part of it falling down. Now I have never been to Burning Man, but certainly this experience made me want to go to many more and I absolutely recommend it.

The Temple Ablaze
The Temple Ablaze

 

Lucia Ferrari is from Melegnano, Italy, a small town nearby Milan. Four years ago, she moved to Dublin  to experience a new life in a different culture. Lucia recently went to Vienna for Vienna Burning Ball “a very free minded and quirky event.”  She flew to Vienna to participate.  She is just beginning her journey into burner culture but she seems to be really enjoying it.  “I met the organizers of the event and all the people were very welcoming and artistic and I also absolutely loved the” inside laws” about privacy and leave no trace policy !! like the temple for example ..has left no trace after being burnt .. but in our hearts.”

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