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News of Zealand

Santa Gets Kiwi Makeover In Māori Cloak One Day and Fishnets the Next, Outrage Ensues

How do you make an imaginary entity relevant for the 21st century?
Santa Gets Kiwi Makeover, Predictable Outrage Ensues
Ponsonby's gender-busting Santa.

Gone are the days when Santa’s inconsistencies were irregularly styled white beards or slightly differently shaded red suits, musty from 12 months in the back of a closet. In this modern and increasingly politically correct society we live in, everything—from the race, age, gender and attire of the jolly figure—is up for heated debate.

In Nelson, the Santa Parade took a bicultural approach. The traditional pale-faced, rosy-cheeked Santa dressed in red velvet was replaced with a Māori man wearing a red korowai and holding a large hook.

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While some onlookers applauded the switcheroo, a bunch of children weren’t so approving, quizzing their parents on where the “real” Santa was. The unexpected twist even provoked a few tears, with young ones perceiving the bold statement as a devastating Santa no-show.

Ponsonby Central also jumped on the bandwagon, with this year's gender-busting rendition of Santa failing to disappoint. Dressed in a tight red coat split to reveal white frilly panties and fishnet stockings in the shadow of a pot belly, the provocatively dressed icon is complete with a retro bag and umbrella.

The alternative portrayal was a nod to the soon-to-be-released remake of Mary Poppins, but it also took an unintentional but hilarious swipe at National leader Simon Bridges’ controversial comments on the AM Show last week.

Bridges told the shows’ hosts that "just as Mary Poppins is a woman, Santa Claus is a man". The statement was in reaction to comments made by My Santa director Neville Baker—which momentarily got him sacked from the sleigh. During an interview with the Herald on Sunday, Baker said he would not cast any females in the role of Santa for the Queen Street parade—but women, he said, could still be cast as “Santa’s Helpers” and be dressed in “a little skirt and top”.

Despite Farmers firing Baker over the ordeal, they had a change of heart in time for the parade, and the traditional Santa lived for another day.