This handsome fellow is Chacc, the Mayan Rain God. Nice tongue. Peggy and I met him before when we were on our honeymoon in Mexico back in the early 90s. We spent the night in a motel next to the ancient Mayan ruins of Chichén Itzá and went out to visit him and other gods after all the tourists had left. They were carved in stone. According to legend, Chacc lived in a cenote next to the ruins. (Cenotes are natural wells created by the collapse of overlying limestone.) In times of drought, human sacrifices would be tossed into the well to appease whatever was irritating him and bring rain. Here’s Chacc standing tall at Burning Man 2023. Miguel Guzman from Mexico City and lyvone Khoo from Singapore created the sculpture. Since there weren’t any cenotes around in the Black Rock Desert to throw human sacrifices into, we figured that the bowl on the stand in front was a substitute.The ever curious (and mischievous) Bone decided to see if Chacc would accept him as a sacrifice. Apparently, the answer was yes. Chacc grabbed Bone up quickly in his long, bony fingers. You know the rest of the story. It rained in the desert for three days and stuck 70,000 Burners in the mud— becoming world-wide news. The moral of this story is watch what you ask for. Bone has been very quiet about his role. Somewhere, maybe down in his cenote, Chacc is laughing. (Note: For those of you who aren’t familiar with Bone, I’m posting an updated interview done with him in the past in conjunction with today’s post.)While we are on focusing on the gods of Ancient Mexico, I should also include this version of the Aztec god, Quetzalcóatl, the Feathered Serpent, by the Crescent Art Collective/Lisa Regan & Ley Brashka from Coahuila, Mexico & Tulsa, OK. Among his several roles, he was patron god of the Aztec Priesthood.Here’s another great beast. An RV with legs perhaps? I’m thinking it would make a great off-road vehicle. Getting in and out might be a little challenging.The artist, Walker Babington from New Orleans, had more than a house on legs with his creation, however. From the front, his sculpture became a buffalo with the house serving as his torso. Both the house and the buffalo were made of materials repurposed from structures and trees that had been destroyed by hurricanes in New Orleans. Babington titled his work “Burden of the Beast” and says his work “symbolizes the task of relocating one’s intrinsic understanding of ‘home.'” The forces of nature magnified by global warming will require more and more of us to pick up the pieces of our homes and lives and move on to higher and safer ground. Migration may become a way of life.Meet Axototl Frequency, a 2023 Burning Man artwork created by Gio Mantis & Elana Novali from Mexico City.Axolotl is modeled after an endangered salamander that can be only be found in one place, Lake Xochimilco near Mexico City. We think it’s cute. According to Mantis and Novali, “These art pieces aim to express the importance of protecting this endangered animal…” One thing that helps assure their continued existence is they are quite popular as pets. I want one.One of my all time favorite group of artists at Burning Man is the Flaming Lotus Girls out of San Francisco who are known for their imaginative creatures that light up the night skies of Burning Man in strange and wonderful ways. This was one of several sculptures we found together on the Playa. We wondered if they were plants, animals or machines. The Flaming Lotus Girls claimed that they were a bit of all three, evolving. Unfortunately, due to the rain, we never got to see them flaming at night.Leaves or wings? A flower head or an animal head?Not a creature I would like to meet at night shooting out flames. (Actually, I would have.)A photo I took of a dragon created by the Flaming Lotus Girls at Burning Man 2015.Zea Narvaez from Portland, Oregon urged viewers to face and love their beasts in a series of sculptures arranged in a circle with each one different and with a mirror. Peggy caught this photo of me next to my favorite. “Damn,” I told Peggy when we were reviewing our photos after Burning Man, “the beast marked me.” I swear, it was the first and only time I noticed the claw marks on my chest! Reflected Playa dust on the mirror? Maybe.Mainly we took selfies, as Peggy is here. If that isn’t a form of “Loving Thy Beast,” what is? Speaking of possible beasts, do you see that sculpture in the distance on the right in the far distance? We hopped on our bikes to check it out.“Well, I have an idea what it might be,” I told Peggy.“You are looking at it wrong,” Peggy told me. Oh. “Tip of the Iceberg” is what Melissa “Syn” Barron from Oakland & Big Sur, CA calls her sculpture. The comment was “Monumentalizing this misunderstood & mysterious piece of anatomy, we hope our sculpture will educate, empower, & honor its rightful place in biology.” Right. You are looking at an ‘invisible Trojan Unicorn’ according to artists, Invisible Pink Unicorns from Los Angeles. It’s certainly pink and a unicorn. Here’s what the artists had to say, “Given the challenge of getting the tickets, we invited the easiest and cheapest way to get to Burning Man – inside the Trojan unicorn. Please come and check if it is open and if we successfully get out to the Playa and are not trapped inside (and help us get out if we are still in)!” My money would have been on Burning Man Org blocking free entry into the event. They are a lot tougher than the Trojans were! Grin. They even checked the bathroom in our trailer to make sure we weren’t trying to slip someone in! Little did they know about the trap door on our black water tank. Heh, heh. Just kidding. I’ll conclude with this fun winged beast I couldn’t find any information on. Next up, I’ll feature a Hedge Hog from Ukraine made from tank traps and other fun animals including a giant bear and a bunny.
Dave Ply described it as “The big sculpture with four legs reminds of a cross between a camel, a tree house, and a Star Wars attack vehicle.” I thought that was pretty good, Lauren. 🙂 It certainly was creative. –Curt
My memories of Chacc in Mexico were somewhat different as well. But the Burning Man Chacc was magnificent.
I hadn’t thought of the Star Wars attack vehicle. Good one!
You got me to bust out a laugh out loud when you explained how you guys and Bone accidentally started the rain. That’s the most plausible explanation yet. That will teach you to mess around with ancient gods – jeez.
I agree with you: I want an Axolotl pet salamander. I am pretty moved by the beasts with mirrors. That is more impactful than others for me today. It is always good to see Bone. Tell him that Pedro and I say “Hi.”
Well, I know better than to mess with ancient gods, Crystal, but Bone… You know how he is since the two of you travelled together. He came back from that journey raving about Cherokee princesses. I’ll tell him hi for you and Pedro. We liked the mirrors as well. Interesting concept. –Curt
For me, the Axolotl is the winner, primarily because of its literary associations. There’s Ogden Nash, for example:
“I’ve never met an axolotl
But Harvard has one in a bottle.
Perhaps – and at the thought I shiver –
The very villain from Fall River,
Where Lizzie Borden took an axolotl
And gave her mother forty whaxolotl.”
And then there’s this, from Al Nonymous, with apologies to William Wordsworth:
“I wandered lonely as a clod,
just picking up old rags and bottles;
when onward on my way I trod
I saw a host of axolotls.
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
the sight could make a man’s blood freeze.
Some had handles; some were plain.
They came in red, blue, pink, and green;
a few were orange, and in the main
the sight was weird as any seen.
The females offered up a spritely glance
to males wearing knee-length pants.
Now oft when on the couch I lie,
and doctors ask me what I see,
they flash upon my inward eye
and make me laugh in fiendish glee.
I find my solace then in bottles,
forgetting all them axolotls.”
I have no idea who actually wrote that, or where I found it, but I’ve been carrying it around with me for years. I’d say that poet and the axolotl sculptor might have met up in some alternative universe!
Laughing about holy moly, Pam. Now I have a new way to describe Burning Man. Be sure you check out my latest post that covers some of Burning Man’s best art. Tomorrow, Peggy and I begin our trip through the big game parks of Botswana and Zimbabwe. Another adventure.
Thanks, Cindy. The dust certainly adds to/impacts the experience. It will be showing up in Serafina, our trailer for months, regardless of how many times we clean it! And my tennis shoes have adopted a new color.
Wandering through Time and Place 
As much as I love horses, Curt, I have to say my favorite so far is the house with feet! 🤪
A magnificent beast, G. 🙂
The sculptures are indeed magnificent.
Always, Peggy. So much creativity. –Curt
All of them are incredible, but I like the RV with the legs. Interesting, Curt, to say the least! 🙂
Dave Ply described it as “The big sculpture with four legs reminds of a cross between a camel, a tree house, and a Star Wars attack vehicle.” I thought that was pretty good, Lauren. 🙂 It certainly was creative. –Curt
I agree, great description! 😊
Bone Chacca Lika. Not quite the same Chacc I met in Mexico, but apparently his powers are current – as are Bones.
The big sculpture with four legs reminds of a cross between a camel, a tree house, and a Star Wars attack vehicle. Very inventive.
My memories of Chacc in Mexico were somewhat different as well. But the Burning Man Chacc was magnificent.
I hadn’t thought of the Star Wars attack vehicle. Good one!
You got me to bust out a laugh out loud when you explained how you guys and Bone accidentally started the rain. That’s the most plausible explanation yet. That will teach you to mess around with ancient gods – jeez.
I agree with you: I want an Axolotl pet salamander. I am pretty moved by the beasts with mirrors. That is more impactful than others for me today. It is always good to see Bone. Tell him that Pedro and I say “Hi.”
Well, I know better than to mess with ancient gods, Crystal, but Bone… You know how he is since the two of you travelled together. He came back from that journey raving about Cherokee princesses. I’ll tell him hi for you and Pedro. We liked the mirrors as well. Interesting concept. –Curt
For me, the Axolotl is the winner, primarily because of its literary associations. There’s Ogden Nash, for example:
“I’ve never met an axolotl
But Harvard has one in a bottle.
Perhaps – and at the thought I shiver –
The very villain from Fall River,
Where Lizzie Borden took an axolotl
And gave her mother forty whaxolotl.”
And then there’s this, from Al Nonymous, with apologies to William Wordsworth:
“I wandered lonely as a clod,
just picking up old rags and bottles;
when onward on my way I trod
I saw a host of axolotls.
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
the sight could make a man’s blood freeze.
Some had handles; some were plain.
They came in red, blue, pink, and green;
a few were orange, and in the main
the sight was weird as any seen.
The females offered up a spritely glance
to males wearing knee-length pants.
Now oft when on the couch I lie,
and doctors ask me what I see,
they flash upon my inward eye
and make me laugh in fiendish glee.
I find my solace then in bottles,
forgetting all them axolotls.”
I have no idea who actually wrote that, or where I found it, but I’ve been carrying it around with me for years. I’d say that poet and the axolotl sculptor might have met up in some alternative universe!
And another fabulous collection!
Alison
holy moly, these are pretty incredible!
Laughing about holy moly, Pam. Now I have a new way to describe Burning Man. Be sure you check out my latest post that covers some of Burning Man’s best art. Tomorrow, Peggy and I begin our trip through the big game parks of Botswana and Zimbabwe. Another adventure.
I hope you’re trip is going well!!!!
Indeed!
Wow!!!
A good description, Steve. 🙂 But was it the art or how Bone caused the rainstorm?
love the art.. best I’ve seen Curt. Now I don’t have to go.. lol. the dust would kill me. Love your pictures! 💓
Thanks, Cindy. The dust certainly adds to/impacts the experience. It will be showing up in Serafina, our trailer for months, regardless of how many times we clean it! And my tennis shoes have adopted a new color.