Ben Hana

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Ben on a mission (April 2006)
Ben on a mission (April 2006)

Ariki Ashby, aka Bernett Hana, aka Ben Hana, who prefers to be called Brother but is more widely known as Blanket Man as headlined by the local media is an infamous character in Wellington, New Zealand. Wearing only a loincloth and blanket and sporting dreadlocks, Hana worships the Māori sun god Tama-nui-te-rā.

Contents

[edit] Sociology

The existence of Ben Hana (Blanket Man) and the surrounding debate has provoked several works that both question the existing information and attitudes, and deliver even more for digestion and comment:

  • "A Different Way of Life" by Marcelina Mastalerz interview with "Brother" (also known as "Blanket Man")
  • "Perceiving homelessness in Wellington" by Nyree Barrett[1]
  • Fans of Ben Hana, a website by Paul Moss. An eclectic collection of related images, thoughts, charts, and links.
  • Aunt Jemima Prophecy: Cobra Sign is a novel by Steve Kenya. It is loosely based on the life of Ben Hana.
  • In 2007 Victoria University sociology lecturer Mike Lloyd and PhD student Bronwyn McGovern's delivered a presentation titled "World Famous in Wellington: Blanket Man as contemporary celebrity" to the New Zealand Folklore Symposium[2]

[edit] Misconduct

  • In August 2005, Hana was also observed to be in possession of a motor vehicle apparently signaling that he had joined the property-owning classes. The vehicle was unregistered, and boasted no license plates after Hana forcibly removed them using a hammer still in its plastic wrapper. He then painted the words "Te Whaka" in large white letters where the number plates had previously been. After spending a few days illegally parked, the car was towed on 2005-08-05 and Hana was arrested. Te Whaka is probably translated as "the Waka", the Māori word for "canoe", which is also used to refer to cars, however could also be a pun as "wh" in Māori is pronounced "f".
  • In September 2006, Hana appealed a drunk-driving conviction, again claiming the Toyota he was driving was not a car but a "waka".[3] In appealing against the sentence, Hana's lawyer, Maxine Dixon, said he had reported for community work but it required the wearing of shoes and Hana had not worn shoes for seven years. He was assessed as unsuitable for community work and has applied for a sentence review. The appeal was dismissed.

[edit] Media exposure

  • An article, Academic unravels Blanket Man appeared on the Stuff.co.nz news website and also in the Dominion Post newspaper on December 5 2007. It described a lecture presented by a Victoria University of Wellington lecturer and PhD student which was based on Ben for the New Zealand Folklore Symposium at the National Library of New Zealand.
  • One group of fans dressed in his likeness for the 2006 Rugby Sevens, received national television coverage for their creativity.
  • An article, "Going Global: First Courtenay Place, now the world", appeared in the Wellington Dominion Post newspaper about Ben Hana and his Wikipedia article, on March 4, 2006.
  • Ben appeared on National Television News (TV3) at 6pm NZST on June 25, 2006 in an article about the issues facing homeless people in Wellington, New Zealand.
  • In late 2005, coverage in the Dominion Post noted Hana among a group of vagrants who are causing considerable concern for retailers and shoppers in the Cuba Mall/Manners Mall district.
  • Te Whānau O Aotearoa – Caretakers of The Land is a 2003 documentary about Ben Hana.

Ben

Ben at home

Ben Hana with his flowery blanket

[edit] Art versus politics

Film reviewer Bill Gosden said about Ben:

His project lends itself to art more readily than to politics. The picture of a pure, disinherited man whose very disconnection from the world that swirls around him is a critique of that world, is essentially a poetic one. What makes the picture compelling in this film is that it’s so grounded in the realities of life on the streets.[4]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Nyree Barrett (2006-05-12). Perceiving homelessness in Wellington. Media Studies. Victoria University of Wellington. Media Studies, Victoria University, Te Whare Wananga o te Upoko o te Ika a Maui.
  2. ^ Academic unravels Blanket Man. Stuff.co.nz (2007-12-05).
  3. ^ Emily Watt. "Car a waka, claims "Blanketman" in appeal", The Dominion Post, 2006-09-26. 
  4. ^ Te Whānau O Aotearoa – Caretakers of The Land

[edit] External links