MIA VAN DER MERWE

Afrika Burners show off their painted faces and sweswe attire at AfrikaBurn in the Tankwa Karoo National Park, Northern Cape, South Africa, May 3, 2013. Rhodes student Robyn Perros decorated their faces, including her own, to contribute to the festivities of the event.

A group of Afrika Burners march towards The Wattle Tower while staging a happy funeral procession at AfrikaBurn in the Tankwa Karoo National Park, Northern Cape, South Africa, May 3, 2013. The Wattle Tower, made out of wattle collected in the Kwazulu Natal Midlands, was used as a stage space for performances.

The dry desert wind blows through an art installation at AfrikaBurn in the Tankwa Karoo National Park, Northern Cape, South Africa, May 3, 2013. AfrikaBurn is a space for creative expression of volunteers who gather in the Karoo to create a temporary city of art, themed camps, costumes, music and performance.

Festival goers light up the desert as they walk past art installations in the Tankwa Karoo National Park, Northern Cape, South Africa, May 3, 2013. One of these temporary works of art was built to create awareness of rhino poaching in South Africa.

A festival goer’s bike is left unattended at AfrikaBurn in the Tankwa Karoo National Park, Northern Cape, South Africa, May 3, 2013. Leave no trace is an environmentally friendly motto used to encourage Burners not to leave any MOOP (Matter Out Of Place) in the desert.

An AfrikaBurn Official stands nearby as an art installation is burnt in the Tankwa Karoo National Park, Northern Cape, South Africa, May 3, 2013. A small twister occurs as the warm air, generated by the fire, meets with the desert’s cool breeze.

A festivalgoer takes a photograph at AfrikaBurn in the Tankwa Karoo National Park, Northern Cape, South Africa, May 4, 2013. Towering over him are The Earth Pods which are installations made out of wattle.