EVERYONE knows J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy was filmed entirely on location downunder by Kiwi director Peter Jackson. But did you know that a real sorcerer, a magi of magic realism straight out of the Oscar-winning series, only rather recently left New Zealand after the nasty Christchurch Earthquake of 2011.
Born Ian Brackenbury Channell in London (4 December 1932), “The Wizard of Christchurch” is an inspired soap-box orator, comic genius, and eccentric occultist. His irreverently dadaist “Upside-Down World Map,” which places Antarctica on the top and the North Pole on the bottom, is a fitting re-view from the Southern Hemisphere heavies, who notice that the stars here are different and water spins counterclockwise down the drain.
According to the museum world, The Wizard of Christchurch is now not only a curiosity but also a national icon. On 17 September 1974, The Wiz began preaching in Christchurch’s Cathedral Square about an “inside-out universe.” He has been revered as “a living work of art,” as well as a gifted “Cosmologer.”
Instantly recognizable in his black gown, wizard’s hat, and staff of life, the Wiz at first acquired only wild hoots and snorts of derision, as well as expertly lobbed eggs from local clergy and laypersons. But now he is much more than just a tourist attraction.
In addition to creating his upside-down mappa mundi, the overaged wiseguy geezer, a former Royal Airforce pilot, travels around to various speaking engagements in his “Wizardmobile” (made from the welded front ends of two VW Beetles). In fact, he founded both the Imperial British Conservative Party and Alf’s Imperial Army, wherein “Alf” is not the TV show alien but an acronym for “Action for Love and Freedom.”
Also, he promotes the “ave the Males” campaign against mean venal dames who “cause wars with their shopping habits.”
Unfortunately, The Wizard of Christchurch has drifted to another point of the magnetic compass, like the golden Mont- Blanc pen of a Metaphysical Poet scribbling: “Oamaru.”
This sage move is evidence once again of the Commonwealthy Wizard avoiding being included in the evil census and having to pay any taxes at all.
And according to reliable eyewitnesses, The Wizard of Christchurch was recently spotted on an American Airlines flight to San Juan, Puerto Rico, with an onward connecting flight to one of the world’s most famous Caribbean offshore banking retreats.
Bio: John M. Edwards has traveled worldwidely (five continents plus), with stunts ranging from surviving a ferry sinking off Siam to being stuck in a military coup in Fiji.
His work has appeared in Amazon.com, CNN Traveller, Missouri Review, Salon.com, Grand Tour, Islands, Escape, Endless Vacation, Conde Nast Traveler, International Living, Emerging Markets, Literal Latte, Coffee Journal, Lilliput Review, Poetry Motel, Artdirect, Verge, Slab, Stellar, Trips, Travelmag, Big World, Vagabondish, Glimpse, BootsnAll, Hack Writers, Road Junky, Richmond Review, Xtreme Travel Stories, Adventure Journey, DVD Express, Borderlines, ForeWord, Go Nomad, Mango, ForeWord, North Dakota Quarterly, Michigan Quarterly Review, and North American Review.
He recently won a NATJA (North American Travel Journalists Association) Award, a TANEC (Transitions Abroad Narrative Essay Contest) Award, a Road Junky Hell Trips Award, a Literal Latte Travel Writing Award, a Bradt Independent on Sunday Award, and three Solas Awards (sponsored by Travelers’ Tales). He lives in New York City’s “Hell’s Kitchen,” where you can eat ethnic every night with soul survivors from Dante’s Inferno.
His future bestsellers, Move and Fluid Borders, remain unpublished. His new work-in-progress, Dubya Dubya Deux, is about a time traveler. He is editor-in-chief of the upcoming annual Rotten Vacations.
It was good to see the Wizard has stuck by Christchurch (and those ideals of architecture and – well – philosophy behind its creation that are at risk of being lost) after the earthquake… revising his plan to retire to Oamaru, this unique champion of the fun revolution and neo-gothic revival has put other Christchurch icons ahead of himself and can still be seen in the city, to great effect.