Human Carcass Wash

Shawnster · Post by **Shawnster** » Wed Sep 16, 2009 3:11 pm

Who else took part in this? What did you think? I wrote about it in the last part of my Burning Man story: http://bit.ly/14qLVU

justfred · Post by **justfred** » Wed Sep 16, 2009 3:57 pm

Looks like an interesting article, will have to go back and read the rest.

Since you ask...

I've done the HCW in the past, and I'm friends with one of the guys who hosts it. The point is that it's not just a wash, it's an exercise in defining your boundaries. You mentioned that the washee defines their boundaries, but the washers also have their own set of boundaries. "Not only did I have to touch some human flesh I didnâ€™t want to touch," by no means did you have to. Maybe you chose to ignore your own boundaries? Or maybe you didn't catch on to that part of the exercise (many people don't!). Despite the fact that I'm pretty open-minded about touching people, folx like Mr. "gung-ho" are beyond my boundaries so I choose not to participate in order to avoid those situations.

But, yeah, my other reason for not doing it is I don't feel I get as clean as I might with five minutes by myself and a 1-gallon garden sprayer and a bit of Dr. Bronners.

Only other thing is you sort of cast these experiences - massage, carcass wash, headwash - as free services rather than opportunities for nontraditional human interaction with friendly strangers, which I think it a lot more rewarding way to view them.

Oubliet · Post by **Oubliet** » Wed Sep 16, 2009 6:55 pm

It always looked a bit too crowded for my preferences. It looks like something of a Mosh pit bathing" exercise.

(I'd rather just be utilitarian and use a 1 gallon sprayer andDr Bronners all by my lonesome, too.)

curiousgnate · Post by **curiousgnate** » Wed Sep 16, 2009 11:43 pm

hcw is fucking awesome. i love love love it. its the only time i get semi clean all week. As stated before its your boundaries that prevent it from being anything but a great experience. I think all peeps should get over the naked touching thing, but understand how one can have issues. I don't and love love love it, as stated above. woo hooo. lets get sudsy!

mars · Post by **mars** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 12:00 am

I've been working up to it...and this was the year i finally felt ready to go for the experience of HCW...and then I never saw the HCW and promptly forgot all about it!

Well, there's always next year....(i hope!)

curiousgnate · Post by **curiousgnate** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 7:05 am

Mars that got me laughing so hard..... isn't that just the way it seems to go in brc sometimes. still laughing!

flatlander13 · Post by **flatlander13** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 8:01 am

One of the Virgins in our camp who is this 65 year old guy did the HCW daily. When we asked him about it he said, â€œHuman Carcass Washâ€¦.its a good way to kill an hour.â€

scotto · Post by **scotto** » Fri Sep 18, 2009 9:26 am

curiousgnate wrote:hcw is fucking awesome. i love love love it. its the only time i get semi clean all week.

The HCW has been a Playa Staple for 11 yrs, washing bodies and honoring boundaries on hundreds of dusty Playa Citizens each day.

I am so glad to hear that you enjoyed the HCW! Look for it again in 2010 - Mon-Sun 3:00p-4:30p

Scotto
Benevolent Dictator PolyParadise

Fire_Moose · Post by **Fire_Moose** » Fri Sep 18, 2009 9:31 am

guess so haha see ya later scotto