Mutant vehicles have always been my favorite part of the Burn. They are what brought me to Burning Man, and the 10 Principles are what keep me coming back. I initially built Hootie just to build it. When I get an idea, I tend to throw myself neck-deep into it until it’s “complete”.
Once Hootie was somewhat complete and drivable, the reactions and smiles I would get driving it around Austin really drove me to continue expanding and building on the project. We brought Hootie to the Renegade Burn, and people really loved it.
One interaction, in particular, has really stuck with me… We were sitting at camp and something told me to go take a ride, so I headed off to the center of the city. As soon as I got to what would normally be Esplanade, a group of people stopped me. One of the Renegade Burners asked to take a photo with me and Hootie. She told me her mother had recently passed, and she was expecting to see an Owl soon. We talked for a bit, she cried, we hugged, and we took the picture. I really felt at that moment that she was able to accept and let go just a little bit. As someone that lost a parent at a young age, this interaction will remain one of my most cherished Burn memories.
Ultimately, Hootie is a test for a larger mutant vehicle build. Teacher Money has aspirations to start building a larger mutant vehicle this year to bring out in 2023. Hootie Version 0 (that we took to Renegade Burn), was the alpha test. Hootie Version 1 going to 2022, is really the beta test for the larger project. We learned so much by bringing the vehicle to Playa and will learn even more bringing Hootie to this year’s full burn. We already learned what breaks, what rusts, and what corrodes. Honestly, it’s just good to start small. We do plan to keep Hootie moving beyond 2022. The ultimate goal is for Teacher Money to bring out multiple mutant vehicles.
Why an owl? Owls have shown up as a good omen at a lot of the major events in our lives, so it only seemed fitting.
TLDR: Hootie makes people smile, it’s a great conversation starter, and it’s a beta test for a larger project.
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