Ben Hana

Ben on a mission (April 2006)

Ben (Bernett) Hana is a widely recognised homeless man usually resident on the inner city streets of Wellington, New Zealand. Ben is better known by locals as 'Blanket Man' - a reference to his usual mode of dress - a loin cloth, and a single blanket. Ben refers to himself as 'Brother'. Ben is a self proclaimed devotee of the Māori sun god Tama-nui-te-rā, and claims that wearing of as few clothes as are legally allowable is an act of religious observance. Ben's lifestyle and presence provokes much public debate within Wellington. Ben has been arrested and imprisoned many times over the years. These arrests are usually related to possession of marijuana, or for non-payment of fines from previous convictions.

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")
• Te Whanau o Aotearoa, a New Zealand documentary film by Errol Wright and Abi King-Jones. The New Zealand Film Archive, Nga Kaitiaki O Nga Taonga Whitiahua.
• Fans of Ben Hana, a website by Paul Moss. An eclectic collection of related images, thoughts, charts, and links.

• 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

Misconduct

• On November 16th 2007 during the inaugural Kiwicon, a drunk and abusive Ben Hana attacked two visiting "security experts" (hackers). The two hackers were wrongly charged with fighting. The charges were dropped, spawning a complaint against the police.

Media exposure

• New Zealand court orders Ben to wear undies following arrest for indecent exposure on December 23 2008.
• 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
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  Ben at home
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  Ben Hana with his flowery blanket
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  High Res pic of Ben

See also

• Sociology
• Vagrancy

External links

• Te Whānau O Aotearoa – Caretakers of The Land: documentary about Ben Hana
• Listener Article: Robert Jones, a homeless man who walked the streets of Wellington for two decades.
• A Wellington School of Medicine and Health Sciences: Study of Homelessness in Wellington, PDF
• WCC Community Health and Recreation Committee: Response to the Homelessness Task Force, PDF
• Fans of Ben Hana