The Maori JesusThe Maori JesusBy James K BaxterBy James K Baxter

Stereotypical images of Stereotypical images of JesusJesus

Baxter’s Maori Jesus?Baxter’s Maori Jesus?

In groups, findIn groups, find

Local references - NZ people, Local references - NZ people, places, words, foodplaces, words, food

Biblical allusionsBiblical allusions Social outsiders & rule-breakersSocial outsiders & rule-breakers Signs of sickness in societySigns of sickness in society

His breath smelt of His breath smelt of mussels and paraoamussels and paraoa

Good paraoa is Good paraoa is less likely to go less likely to go unnoticed. unnoticed. Paraoa is a Paraoa is a bread bread unleavened by unleavened by commercial commercial yeasts; rather yeasts; rather it uses wild it uses wild yeasts yeasts captured and captured and cultured with cultured with mashed potato. mashed potato.

Mt CrawfordMt Crawford

In 2008 the Dept In 2008 the Dept of Corrections of Corrections shut down Mt shut down Mt Crawford prison Crawford prison and moved and moved inmates to inmates to Rimutaka and Rimutaka and Arohata prisons.Arohata prisons.

The disciplesThe disciples

He did no miracles. He played the guitar He did no miracles. He played the guitar sitting on the ground.sitting on the ground.

The First day The First day he was he was arrested for arrested for having no having no lawful means lawful means of supportof support

He was lobotomizedHe was lobotomized

Lobotomies:Lobotomies: cutting the connections to cutting the connections to

and from, or simply and from, or simply destroying, the prefrontal destroying, the prefrontal cortex in the brain. cortex in the brain.

result in major personality result in major personality changes and possible changes and possible mental retardation. mental retardation.

were used in the past to were used in the past to treat a wide range of treat a wide range of severe mental illnesses, severe mental illnesses, including schizophrenia, including schizophrenia, clinical depression, and clinical depression, and various anxiety disordersvarious anxiety disorders

Used to control minoritiesUsed to control minorities

Key ideas in Key ideas in The Maori JesusThe Maori Jesus Baxter was Baxter was critical of organised critical of organised

religionreligion, “respectable parish[es]”, and , “respectable parish[es]”, and puritanical, judgemental attitudes.puritanical, judgemental attitudes.

He was He was moved by the suffering of the moved by the suffering of the outcastoutcast in society in NZ and had in society in NZ and had compassion on them. E.g. started compassion on them. E.g. started Narcotics Anonymous group in Grafton Narcotics Anonymous group in Grafton for addictsfor addicts

He believed the He believed the true spirit of true spirit of ChristianityChristianity was to was to reach outreach out and and journey withjourney with the the downtrodden and downtrodden and dispossesseddispossessed, rather than judge them., rather than judge them.

Features of the poemFeatures of the poem

ImageryImagery (see following slides) (see following slides) Connotative languageConnotative language e.g. long hair, e.g. long hair,

dungarees – associations of unkempt, dungarees – associations of unkempt, working class manworking class man

BiblicalBiblical allusionallusion Extensive use of Extensive use of parallel structuresparallel structures – –

gives sense of a Biblical narrative e.g. gives sense of a Biblical narrative e.g. “When he smiled/frowned/broke wind” “When he smiled/frowned/broke wind” and “The first day/second day” etc.and “The first day/second day” etc.

Features of the poemFeatures of the poem

Tone = starts fairly Tone = starts fairly neutralneutral, some , some humour,humour, presents images that presents images that clashclash with our with our stereotypical image of Christ/disciplesstereotypical image of Christ/disciples, , ends on an ends on an ominousominous note. note.

Language – use of Language – use of NZ slangNZ slang (dee, screw) (dee, screw) Maori words (paraoa) and refers to local Maori words (paraoa) and refers to local places (Porirua, Mt Crawford)places (Porirua, Mt Crawford)

Use of Use of colloquialismscolloquialisms (head doctor, cops, (head doctor, cops, shit) gives the poem an earthy feel and shit) gives the poem an earthy feel and constrasts with the formality of the constrasts with the formality of the structurestructure

Images of Jesus in the Images of Jesus in the poempoem The The humble, everyday Jesushumble, everyday Jesus who is who is

made made familiarfamiliar to us by being to us by being placed in a placed in a NZ contextNZ context and being and being MaoriMaori

E.g E.g ““He wore blue dungarees”He wore blue dungarees” ““walking on Wellington harbour”walking on Wellington harbour” ““He did no miracles. He played the He did no miracles. He played the

guitar sitting on the ground.”guitar sitting on the ground.”

Images of Jesus in the Images of Jesus in the poem cont’poem cont’In touch with In touch with creation, supernaturally creation, supernaturally

powerful, powerful, with a good sense ofwith a good sense of humour humour E.g “when he broke wind the little E.g “when he broke wind the little

fishes trembled”, “when he laughed fishes trembled”, “when he laughed everyone got drunk.”everyone got drunk.”

Inspired and divine Inspired and divine - but seen as - but seen as madmad by society and by society and persecutedpersecuted for it for it

E.g. “On the sixth day he told the head E.g. “On the sixth day he told the head doctor, ‘I am the Light in the Void.” doctor, ‘I am the Light in the Void.” The seventh day he was lobotomized.”The seventh day he was lobotomized.”

Images of 1960s NZ Images of 1960s NZ societysocietyA sick, decayed societyA sick, decayed society e.g. “An alcoholic priest going slowly mad”e.g. “An alcoholic priest going slowly mad”A society with no compassion for the A society with no compassion for the

downtrodden.downtrodden. E.g. “he was charged with being a E.g. “he was charged with being a

Maori”Maori” ““He was arrested for having no lawful He was arrested for having no lawful

means of supportmeans of supportA society with the wrong priorities.A society with the wrong priorities. ““The brain of God was cut in half.”The brain of God was cut in half.” ““mile deep civilised darkness”mile deep civilised darkness”

Images of outcasts and misfits Images of outcasts and misfits in society – those looked down in society – those looked down on by ‘respectable society’on by ‘respectable society’ A A bearded, long haired Maoribearded, long haired Maori wearing blue wearing blue

dungarees with dungarees with smelly breathsmelly breath, who was , who was arrested arrested and put in and put in prisonprison, thought to have a , thought to have a mental illnessmental illness and them lobotomized and them lobotomized

Railway station Railway station toilet cleanertoilet cleaner The The call girlcall girl with no self respect (free sex) with no self respect (free sex) A non-conformist A non-conformist housewifehousewife (doesn’t use (doesn’t use

contraception, doesn’t watch TV)contraception, doesn’t watch TV) A A rebellious office clerkrebellious office clerk (a “traitor” to the (a “traitor” to the

established order, tries to set fire to govt established order, tries to set fire to govt buildings)buildings)

A old sad A old sad queenqueen (confused gender identity) (confused gender identity) An An alcoholic priestalcoholic priest (failed his calling) (failed his calling)

Your turn…Your turn…

What do you think was Baxter’s What do you think was Baxter’s PURPOSE in this poem?PURPOSE in this poem?

How well do you think he How well do you think he achieved that purpose?achieved that purpose?