Bonza: Unveiling the Vibrant Burner Community of Australia and New Zealand

In this episode we take a look at the BoNZA Community with Justin McGhee and Leanna Pugliese. We provide an in-depth look into Bonza, a community initiative supporting Australian and New Zealand burners. We discuss the origins and meaning of the term 'Bonza', its naming by Phil Smart, and the annual Bonza Summit, which facilitates networking, collaboration, and knowledge exchange among burners. Justin and Leanna share anecdotes and the evolution of the summit, outline the role of regional contacts, and emphasize the importance of in-person connections. They also explore the adaptation of events to virtual spaces during the COVID-19 pandemic and future plans for Bonza. Listeners are encouraged to nurture community spirit and extend the Burner ethos into everyday life, while also touching on the significance of intergenerational engagement and the evolution of burn culture.

Host: Stevan ‘Silent Disco’ Lay

Guests: Justin ‘Captain’ McGhee & Leanna ‘Momma’ Pugliese

Produced by PY Wong & Stevan Lay

Timestamps: [00:00:50] What is BoNZA?

[00:11:17] BoNZA landscape

[00:15:00] BWB civic ignition grants

[00:17:33] Sparkhaus maker-space

[00:21:50] Burning seed restructuring

[00:27:44] BoNZA summit

[00:31:44] Origin stories

[00:43:52] Bonza quiz

[00:54:29] Burner voice messages

[00:56:23] Regional contacts

[01:07:04] Aussies & kiwis on playa

[01:10:20] Magic of burns

[01:22:17] Burning man history

[01:29:58] 2025 BoNZA summit

USEFUL Links: Sparkhaus Hub: https://burnerswithoutborders.org/projects/civic-ignition-grant-update-sparkhaus-hub/

Bonza summit invitation policy: docs.google.com/document/d/1eWhtwDUc-AfIK7DgVdAQKsuiIqrgV9_S0kv7ISvMWsw/edit?tab=t.0

Regional Network: https://regionals.burningman.org/about-the-regional-network/

Aussies & Kiwis on Playa Facebook Group Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/858789392013744

MARGI the Pizza Oven: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100092292527187

Bonzaar Podcast website: https://bonzaarpodcast.net

Email us: mailbag@bonzaarpodcast.net

This episode was recorded on 16 January, 2025