Baxter heart of extraordinary place

CELEBRATED COUPLE: James K Baxter and his wife Jacquieline C Baxter (nee Sturm).

THE year was 1972.

I had attended a Quaker (Society of Friends) meeting in Mt Eden, Auckland, and went next door to where the Christian denomination had accommodation. Lying down on a sofa in the lounge was a bearded man who got up as I came in the room. A second person in the room introduced me to this man and I shook his hand - it was New Zealand's most acclaimed poet, James K Baxter.

I had seen Baxter before - always in the vicinity of Auckland University. He had a flowing beard, longish hair and wore a long coat.

It was a shock to read about his death in the Auckland newspapers just weeks after I met him. I was also surprised at his reported age - he was just 46 when he died on October 22, 1972. I had thought he looked older, perhaps in his sixties.

Although he had lived in many places, including Wellington, Wanganui, Christchurch, Dunedin (his birthplace), Calcutta and Auckland - where he died on the North Shore - the place most closely associated with him, at least in the latter part of his life, is Jerusalem (Hiruharama) - a small settlement beside the Whanganui River, where he established a commune in September 1969 to help troubled young people: people with addictions, psychiatric problems or who were simply homeless.

It is here that Baxter was laid to rest - just metres from the back door of one of the commune's houses - the so-called Top House, about 800m up the rise on the north side of the river. The dwelling is situated on the "no exit" Otoraoho Rd, although it can be reached by a network of paths. The sign at the start (river end) of this road informs us that it is 66km to Wanganui and 13km to the next town, Pipiriki - the road follows the river.

By June 1970, about 25 people lived in the commune but visitors often swelled this number considerably. A bunkhouse was eventually built - at a cost of $1500 - which helped somewhat. One resident built a sleeping platform high up in a chestnut tree.

Conditions were basic. For example, there was no running water at first. Baxter tells of the effort of filling a bath for a female resident with many buckets of (presumably heated) water.

Eventually, running water was piped in from a spring above Top House.

There was insufficient money for comfort - even a fridge wasn't affordable, and Baxter writes of dealing with pork bones - a gift from the nearby pa - which had become flyblown. He compares journalists to blowflies because of what he discerned to be half-truths intended to denigrate the commune, eventually contributing to its collapse.

After consultation with the community and some negative publicity, as well as untoward incidents such as the sporadic killing of local farmers' sheep (it may have occurred just once!) for food - Baxter agreed to keep the number to a maximum of 10 people, although the number crept up to 15.

On the 39th anniversary of Baxter's death in 2011, my wife and I headed up the Whanganui River Road to Jerusalem. It is an enchanting trip. The first time I did it, several years earlier, I felt like I was travelling into another century. Wildly scenic with native bush and rugged contours, although a considerable amount of gorse has proliferated. It was along this rough road that Baxter walked many times, thumbing a ride if he was fortunate.

I had seen the exteriors of the two main commune houses, as well as the picturesque Catholic church, St Joseph's, completed in 1892, that was so important to Baxter - who sometimes headed down the hill, barefooted, in the small hours to pray in front of the altar.The other main commune house was called the "nun's cottage" and is about five minutes' brisk walk from the Top House, but closer to the river and slightly more to the north. The house, which Baxter arrived at on September 17, 1969, was owned by the Sisters of Compassion from the nearby convent.

However, I never saw inside either commune house on previous visits. This time I was keen to see if I could be invited inside Top House, which Baxter often referred to as the "wharepuni". Baxter wasn't so keen on the description "commune" - he preferred "community" or "family" and often "tribe".

Upon arrival I could see there had been changes to the house that I had not seen for about eight years. The back veranda had been removed. Also missing was the kitchen. I was greeted at the door by owner Michael "Mush" Bell, a member of the Ngati Hau hapu, who explained that the removal of the kitchen and back veranda was temporary, while the premises were being renovated. I recalled from my last visit that the exterior, at least, was certainly in need of some attention.

Just before being invited inside Top House, I had viewed Baxter's grave - one of several in the small graveyard near the back (facing the river) of the house. The gravestone was a simple white stone from the Wanganui River.

Apart from marrying a Maori woman, Opunake-born Jacqueline Sturm, whom James often refers to as "Te Kare" (the whippet), Baxter was a fluent speaker of Maori and well versed in, and very respectful of, Maori customs. One of the few possessions he brought to Jerusalem was a Bible in Maori, which was much used.

As I entered the house, one thing was immediately apparent: Top House, sometimes referred to as the "Big House" wasn't, in reality - very big. It had three bedrooms with bare wooden floors apart from some mats here and there. The walls were mostly covered with scrim.

The ceilings are tongue-in-groove. James himself estimated that 1500 people had visited at some time or other. Sometimes as many as 40 stayed the night. Meal times could be crowded.

I spent most of my visit in the so-called 'middle room', which Baxter often referred to in his writing as the room where the commune members most often congregated. It was basic, with several pictures on the walls and furnished with comfortable older furniture.Two notable locals, who are often mentioned in Baxter's Jerusalem books were Toro Poutini and Wehe Wallace.

Wehe was a kindly, but direct lady, who was quite prepared to scold the commune's occupants when she deemed it necessary - usually over neglected housework.

Wehe passed away in 1995. A native tree was planted near the church in her honour, with a plaque explaining her importance. 'This pohutukawa tree is dedicated to Weheora Wallace' reads the inscription. 'Planted by the Sisters of Mother Mary Aubert'.

In the church is a plaque dedicated to Toro Poutini. The inscription reads: 'In memory of a loved husband and father, Ahi Toro Poutini. Died 9 April, 1975'.

Another crucial person - both practically and spiritually - was Father Wiremu Te Awhitu, parson of St Josephs. "Te Atua (God) sends me a good instructor in Father Te Awhitu. His few words have the weight of wedges splitting timber. His soul speaks of God because he is at rest in God," Baxter wrote in Autumn Testament.

An excellent book was published in 2009 called The Double Rainbow; James K Baxter, Ngati Hau and the Jerusalem Commune by John Newton. It is published by Victoria University Press, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington. Apart from the fascinating prose, it has some intriguing photographs. One is of commune member Ray Cleaver, carrying Baxter's coffin, with other pallbearers including Greg Whakataka after the service at Jerusalem. Ray recently retired as editor of the Stratford Press. He concluded: "It was an extraordinary time and an extraordinary place." As to the service, Ray commented, "It was very, very moving. I've never seen so much grief before or since."

Among the estimated 800 or so mourners were Jacquie Baxter and his children John (Hoani) and Hillary, as well as notable literary figures such as Michael King, Maurice Shadbolt, Hone Tuwhare, and Rowley Habib.

-Rolland McKellar is a journalist with The Opunake and Coastal News.