A podcast at the intersection of burner culture and its ASIA-PACIFIC regional communities.

Who we are…

BoNZAAR is an acronym for "Burners of New Zealand, Australia & Asia Regionals". We are an eclectic bunch of misfits, oddballs, and passionate burners who have gathered collaboratively to provide listeners with an episodic open-source communications newscast and conversation show that examines and promotes burner culture, its evolving communities, and the people that makes the experience and events magical.

We offer the latest developing community news and events; interviews with local burners and community members; exchange history lessons and burner stories; and share our banter and thoughts on various topics, issues, and related subjects of interests.

We go behind-the-scenes and into the ground levels to present the community voices that make the burner experience and burner culture in New Zealand, Australia, Asia and surrounds amazingly unique and remarkable. We recognise podcasting as a communication for future generations to understand about the world and times we are experiencing. This is why we podcast.

“If we are to preserve culture we must continue to create it.”

— Johan Huizinga

WhAT we are (TRYING TO DO)…

It has been said that the best way to preserve our human culture is to continue to create it . The impetus of the bonzaar podcast project is to promote, capture, document and chronologise our regional burner cultures and present a distinctive voice about our Asia-Pacific communities by way of the digital story-telling medium of podcasting where each episodic series would act as a time-capsule – intended to be communicated, recorded, stored, retrieved, and preserved. This digital audio record is a portrayal of the diversity of life and culture within our burner landscape, and a representation of our goodwill and determination to educate future generations about the world and times we are experiencing; and inspire change.

“Through the art of storytelling, we can preserve our heritage, educate future generations, and inspire change.”

— Philipp Humm

The aim of the podcast is to examine, promote, capture and document the lifestyle and lived-experiences of burners concentrated in Australia, New Zealand, and its nearby regional communities such as Dragon burn & Burning Japan. The immediate goal of the project is complete a full calendar season (12-months) of podcast content, storytelling, and information sharing that is engaging, entertaining, and informative. The 2-year projection is to build upon the conversations and chronicles to create a library of archives, and have the podcast become sustainable through crowdfunding and donation support. The 5-year goal is to have some historical accounts of our regional cultures and burn communities and a communications model and framework that would support more burner content. The project is also designed to have our podcasting team become multi-skilled, adaptable and flexible; establishing a flourishing network and talent pool in digital media production; and to foster a community of thought-leaders and conversationalists. The grand vision of the podcast project is to establish a bonzaar auditory “museum” and a digital media space for connection & communication. Building a network that is able to host, support, fund, and promote other user-generated digital content would broaden our burner cultural narrative. Introducing the bonzaar podcast allows for greater community communication, collaboration and connection; and inspiring more burner-generated digital content from our regional networks.

HOW we are (INSPIRED)…

The bonzaar podcast project is inspired by the Burning Man Project, its culture & ethos, and the makeup of its global communities. The bonzaar podcast is an episodic, open-source, burner-centric communications newscast and conversation show where we will endeavour to examine, promote, capture and document the lifestyle and lived-experiences of burners concentrated in Australia, New Zealand, and its nearby regional communities such as Dragon burn & Burning Japan. It is an intended platform to highlight our civic and communal society; exchanging history lessons and burner stories; and share our banter, paddock shenanigans, and thoughts on various topics, issues, and related subjects of interests. The bonzaar podcast aims to offer the latest developing local community news and events; interviews with regional burners and community members, and go behind-the-scenes and into the ground levels to present the community voices that make the burner experience amazingly unique and magical.

Twenty years prior, in 2004, the ten principles of burning man was introduced to the world by Larry Harvey as an open-source guideline to the newly formed regional network. This reflection of the ethos and culture of Burning Man had been instrumental to the inception of kiwiburn (2004), burning seed (2011), burning Japan (2012), blazing swan (2014), dragonburn (2014), modifyre (2015), and third degree (2024). And with more emerging burn events on the horizon and the formation of these co-created communities (such as PACT, CIA, CAV, BSI, & SBA), we view this as an opportunity to build a better and more connected community and communications network and generate greater social capital. The launch of the bonzaar podcast would allow listeners an interactive experience that links the community to the people, but also empowering the people to reconnect back to the community in participatory and co-creative ways. Enhanced civic engagement by way of keeping the storytelling alive is the function to preserving our burner culture.

WhY we are (PODCASTING)…

Podcasting is the convergence of art, science, & technology, where a podcast becomes the artifact in which we communicate our stories, our culture, our sounds, our thoughts, and our feelings. We welcome our old friends to tune in; greet our newly-discovered friends with appreciation and respect, and embrace the stranger (or traveller) to our ethos and culture. The reach and expanse of the podcast is intended to acknowledge our listeners who are near and far, and in-between time and space. Such an episodic series of digital audio files that users can download to listen to at a time of their choosing is a convenience and accessibility feature that is inclusive to all listeners, and at no financial costs.

So why is storytelling essential to culture?

Because culture is the foundation upon which human civilization is built – it is the heartbeat of society. Burner culture is the mirror that reflects our shared human values and experiences.

Because culture is the invisible thread that binds us all – it is the fabric that connects us all. Burner culture is the art of living collectively – it is the bridge that brings people together.
Culture is the prism through which we see the world – it enriches our perspective. Burner culture is the compass that guides us through life. It ignites the spark of innovation – the fertile ground for creativity to flourish.
Culture is the legacy we leave for future generations - is the medium through which history speaks. Burner culture is a mosaic of stories waiting to be told.

Podcasting is also a great way to boost information and knowledge sharing as we focus on such subject matters as community development, civic involvement & advocacy, arts and culture, and environmental and sustainability concerns. Unlike traditional media (television/radio), podcasting offers greater cost-efficiency in getting the message or narrative across to its targeted audience. The podcast will enable burners to practice their “audio” self-expression and self-exploration; engage in communal efforts; and immerse in participation. The podcast will also advance and foster community interaction and participation through (individual/group) conversations and story-telling, as well as encouraging sentiment expression and feedback from our listeners. We value communication; language; articulation; insight; story-telling, and knowledge-sharing.

Participants committed to the podcast show will benefit greatly in the amount of knowledge they will acquire about the community and culture they are promoting. They will get to meet and talk with some amazing burners and awesome humans; learn about the history and heritage of each regional community; and become more plugged-in to the community. When podcasting, participants can say anything – there is no censorship. However, we DO NOT condone any hate speech, racism, or call to violence on the podcast. The idea is to have fun (play) and be authentic!

Welcome to the bonzaar podcast show and thanks for tuning in!