Ben Hana

Ben Hana in April 2006.

Ben Hana in 2008.

Bernard "Ben" Hana, a.k.a. "Blanket Man", (8 February 1957 – 15 January 2012) was a homeless man who wandered the inner city streets of Wellington, New Zealand.^[1] He was a local fixture and something of a celebrity, and was typically found on the footpath in the precincts of Cuba Street and Courtenay Place.^[1]

Hana was a self-proclaimed devotee of the Māori sun god Tama-nui-te-rā,^[2] and claimed that he should wear as few items of clothing as possible, as an act of religious observance. As a result, he would sometimes remove all his clothing, which resulted in the consequent attendance of police officers.

His name of "Blanket Man" was a reference to his usual mode of dress, which was a single blanket,^[1] long dreadlocks and either a loin cloth or briefs. His activities and presence provoked a degree of public debate within Wellington.^[1]

It's believed Hana chose to live on the streets after killing a friend in a drink-driving accident^[3] as a form of self-penance.^[4]

Early life

In the late 1970s Hana associated with the Black Power gang, living in Wellington, going by the name Bugs^[5] and fathering two children.^[3]

Judicial hearings and convictions

Hana was arrested and imprisoned several times for offences including public nudity^[6] and possession of cannabis.^[7] His criminal record reportedly ran 17 pages long.^[1] In 1979, he was convicted of drunk driving causing death.^[1]

Ben Hana visited the South Island for the first time in 2010, was arrested, charged and flown home after being provided with a shower and new overalls.^[8]

In 2010, a judge ordered that Hana be made a mental health patient to be housed in Wellington Hospital's psychiatric ward 27, where "he will have clean clothes, regular meals, and no access to drink and drugs." In the same year he was released back onto the streets without any notable change in character.^[1] In his later years he was a diagnosed schizophrenic under a community treatment order which allowed forced medical treatment as an outpatient.^[3]

Local celebrity

With his distinctive look and high visibility location, Hana became something of a local celebrity. In general, he was tolerated by some shopkeepers outside whose premises he sat, and by passers-by, although there have been times of opposition from other shopkeepers. Also, on occasions when he decided to push the boundaries of offensive behaviour, police officers were likely to be in attendance. As someone who departed from the patterns of normal behaviour, Hana had become a figure of amusement, sympathy, disgust and even some academic interest. During the 2006 Rugby Sevens tournament, one costumed group appeared in dreads and blankets, mimicking his distinctive look.^[9]

In media

Hana featured in several works:

• 2012 Blanket Man tribute song created by Leon Mitchell, sung by Michael Murphy, recorded and released by ZM radio http://www.zmonline.com/player/ondemand/blanketman-song
• "A Different Way of Life" by Marcelina Mastalerz, an interview with Hana
• Te Whanau o Aotearoa — Caretakers of the Land, a New Zealand documentary film by Errol Wright and Abi King-Jones.^[10]
• In 2007 Victoria University of Wellington sociology lecturer Mike Lloyd and PhD student Bronwyn McGovern delivered a presentation titled "World Famous in Wellington: Blanket Man as contemporary celebrity" to the New Zealand Folklore Symposium^[11]
• "The man behind the blanket" The Dominion Post – Saturday, 19 June 2010 – Tom Hunt.^[12]

Death

Hana, age 54, died in Wellington Hospital at 3:35 p.m. on 15 January 2012^[13] of suspected viral myocarditis.^[3] However, he was suffering medical problems stemming from heavy alcohol use and malnutrition.^[14] A temporary shrine was created outside the ANZ Bank on Courtenay Place, a location where Hana could often be found. Messages were written on the building's facade, and flowers, candles, food and other items were left in tribute.

Among those who paid tribute were Wellington mayor Celia Wade-Brown and sports athlete Sonny Bill Williams.^[15] His funeral was paid for by philanthropist Gareth Morgan.^[16]

See also

• Vagrancy

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ben Hana.

• WCC Community Health and Recreation Committee: Response to the Homelessness Task Force, PDF