Daniel Moanaroa Howe

Daniel Howe was born in Birkenhead, Auckland, the third child of Gwen and George Kiwi Howe. He was raised mainly on Auckland’s North Shore. During his childhood he travelled extensively throughout the North Island of New Zealand with his genealogist/historian parents. Howe was a first-year pupil at Bayswater Primary School and attended the Church College in Waikato; he left school early due to his father’s ill-health. Howe worked in an office, studied Political Science and History part-time at university, and had custody of two children. Howe started writing poetry and lyrics in his early adult years. In his thirties he became involved with a creative writing group and began to recite his work in public at Auckland Poetry Live at the Gluepot Hotel in Ponsonby. Howe has judged poetry competitions and has had interviews, poetry and recorded songs broadcast on New Zealand radio, including a folk song called "Rahui". Over a dozen of his poems have been arranged to music, sung locally, with some recorded. Howe has published three collections of poems: Deep Raves, Earth Ink & Ecstacy, and an expanded version of Earth Ink & Ecstacy which includes a number of new poems. He intends to publish an updated selection of his poetry and writings in the next year. Howe has also used electronic media to publish his work - he has an internet website called Point of View, and states "This website brings my publishing into the global world scene and I have enjoyed the meeting of minds and evolvement it has helped produce including quality friendships from many countries and a very wide audience." He has travelled overseas some ten times and currently lives in Te Makiri, Helensville, on his rural property called Point of View which he has developed over the last decade as "a retreat for global thinkers, travellers and artists." He writes: "My poetry is often quite philosophical and autobiographical and has followed my unconventional evolving life - an honest window into my soul - for those who care to really look."

Biographical sources

• Phone conversation, emails and correspondence with Howe, 4,15, 27 June 1998, 25 June and 5 August 2004.