festival culture

she'd never been before. it was truly like another planet. half dress multi-colour painted bodies dancing in time to the pulse and beat of the mainstage. hulahooping fire wielding dancers near the drum circle. children in the mudslides. babies on blankets, on hips and shoulders, on breasts. food that was vegan. food that was locally grown. food that was gluten free. food that had names she couldn't pronounce and ethnic origins she was likely to misremember. and there were unspoken rules. who could lay their tarp where. heights for chairs. shower and bathing rituals. male and female spaces. she felt half overwhelmed and half anthropologist. she felt out of place and excited all at once. she got lost. she lost her sense of caring. she lost herself in the rhythm of the music.