Ben Hana
Wellington, New Zealand vagrant (1957–2012) / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Bernard "Ben" Hana, a.k.a. "Blanket Man" (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.[citation needed] 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 drunk-driving incident[3] as a form of self-penance.[4]