The following Gonzo article was written during the 2019 festival and first appeared in the Sunday edition of the printed daily Ozorian Prophet on August 4, 2019. At the next festival following the pandemic in 2022, the market scene reflected the hardships of the previous two years of standstill, some shops could not survive the lockdowns, others could not make it to the festival afterward, and neither was there The Prophet to report about it. We hope we are heading toward summers that can fully bring back the multicolor bustle of the Market Space, (and the daily news of course)!

The plan was to write an article that would properly showcase our vibrant market scene, which is both a global and multisensory experience and a psychedelic one. It is an intrinsic part of our tribal gatherings and the multicultural hub of our Ozorian village. Walking around the Artisan Bazaar and Shop Row is like being transported into a kaleidoscope of arts, crafts, world cuisine, delicacies, aromas, incense, jewelry, dreads and duds, and the kind of stuff you don’t know you need until you see it. Then other things came up, as it so often happens… when life reminds you of the joke, the one that goes: A: Do you know how you can make God laugh? B: How…? A: Tell him your plans:)

First, the heat wave struck, then the downpour just now, so there is no way I can keep my promise and head down to the food stalls and shops to ask a few questions and get to know some gossip to share. Thankfully, some of the impressions I got walking around with market space boss, Garcy (aka “Shop God/Dog:) the other day are still pretty vivid, so here’s a big taste of the bustling, colorful multiverse that comes to life along the Ozorian yellow brick road, a personalized market space tour in a few L-shaped knight moves…

Veterans and 20 years part of the Ozorian scene, since Solipse ‘99, are KenGuru and Psybabas. Both count as pillars of the Hungarian Goa and now broader psytrance scene, and they were also among the first to bring back riches and influences from Goa as well. Among my first goa parties, as we used to call them in the ’90s, was a KenGuru party held in a crypt, and I remember Irgum Burgum, the backbone of Psybabas, playing dark psy, which at the time kind of freaked me out, at the legendary open-air Halásztelek parties.

KenGuru is also a well-known name in fashion, with a label established in 1994, presenting yearly two shows in extraordinary places to suit his clearly recognizable fashion trend, inspired by the underground party scene, and rave culture, all very importantly animal cruelty-free. His is also the first shop where The Prophet’s chief editor, Geri, took me, along with a stack of the first printed editions of the tribe’s newspaper in 2012. It’s one of the places where you can get the daily newspaper. The refreshments are amazing too, especially prepared by KenGuru himself. Psybabas’ place is another central feature, and it looks and smells exactly like a joint in the Mo Sizely world of Chapora, Goa. And, by the way, many shops can be found at the Goan night and Anjuna markets too, so bringing to life that atmosphere is also an important part of the shop scene here.

Besides the well-known Plazmalab and Indian Project, other all-time favorites that promote our psytrance-Atlantic, post-apocalyptic-chic fashion sensibility include Emmanuelle Blanc’s Miss Be, all you need to dress up as a badass warrior princess, and Luca’s Flower of Life by Pleiadian, where Jedis go to equip themselves with quality psychedelic clothes and futuristic pirate wear.  As for time travelers and visionaries, Yacxilan artwear from Kailas Arts is created especially for you, boasting shamanic visions inspired by ancient cultures and psy-art printed on textiles. Nomadic-tribal dreaminess, on the other hand, can be found among the statement pieces and handmade art of Jodie’s Makemba Boutique, merging African and world tribal designs and materials into new-age fashion, and Mad Maxian apparel.

Similarly inspired and ethereal in an organic earthy way, are Stephanie Gayatri’s creamy tribal designs, as well as Neko and Company’s soft and delicately crafted accessories and clothes, and stepping into both shops feels like entering another universe, one that, in all honesty, reflects the love and light we believe in, beautiful people in beautiful surroundings, and anything you can imagine at Imagine, presents fit for the temple your body is, fashion fit to speak for your soul.

After you have found the pieces that uniquely speak to you – wildling, changeling, fairy, mage, or sorceress, there is also a wide variety of foods and delicacies from all over the world to satisfy all tastes with a variety of flavors, reflecting eco-conscious and cruelty-free choices. You will love the energy and food of the Veggie Pirates, for sure. When we stepped behind their stall with Garcy, we found ourselves in a whirlwind of laughter, loud fun, and a badass, loving welcome. I felt like the guys embodied the spirit of how I imagine a typical, let’s say Greek grandma, who wants to feed you well and hug you strong.

Closer to the Dome, another example of loving nurture is the longtime Hungarian goanaut, Gabor Rajda’s dream, Astral Food, with various cruelty-free and green goodness that can satiate your hunger or quench your thirst. The minty lemonade is to die for, though Garcy insisted everyone try the rose-water one. The space is also very inviting, where you can lounge around sipping or nibbling in a cozy area with low tables and lampions, all the while knowing that everything you consume is environmentally and animal friendly.

But if we’re talking about hospitable, friendly, and tasty, you cannot go home without eating at the Feeding Angels, across Info Point. When we get there with Garcy, I immediately notice the ‘free hugs’ sign on the wall, behind a counter loaded with insane amounts of homemade goodness, and it seems to embody what the enticing fragrances promise, soulful, vegan cooking, flavors of motherly care. Then Ildiko, the owner and food visionary, appears from the back, and you feel at home at once. I can imagine her as many people’s best godmother, who creates her own recipes because this is the food she dreamed of making. From the many options, I, for one, know for certain that her samosas are to die for, and when she asks Garcy how he is doing, and what he had to eat that day, I know this is where you want to come to be well fed healthy soul-food and feel completely cared for. 

Take your picks, and soak in the market space experience, next to our subculture’s art and music, it is the next clearest reflection of our tribe’s aesthetics, senses and sensualities.

Cover photo: Max Ambio
Photo credits: Péter Szőke