Hud Rapata, a resident of the Wakatipu for the past nine years, will read poems from his new book, Gratitude For Life, at the monthly Art Culture session at Subculture tomorrow.
The recital follows Mr Rapata's book launch, attended by more than 60 people, at Tanoa Queenstown on September 26, the day he turned 49.
Three of his poems - Imagination, I Am Me and Inner Strength - have been put to music by Ned Webster and Tavana Henare, of Queenstown, and were performed on the night.
The self-employed entrepreneur describes himself as a "high school drop-out" who was given a second chance with education.
Once he began to take learning seriously, he saw that his choices would have continued to be limited without the classes supported by the Invercargill foundation, he said.
"It changed my life immensely. I have a real desire to make the most of life. I'm of Maori origin, but I'm very proud to be New Zealander, as it's given me the opportunity to be who I am today."
Gratitude For Life is a collection of 51 poems about life, friends, relatives and places and was written over six months this year.
The self-published book was sponsored by his long-time friend Donna Gorbetti, of Queenstown, and he gave special thanks to Karen Telford, at Printshop Express, in Gore.
"The general theme is ordinary people doing ordinary things and being challenged by life," Mr Rapata said.
A first run of 100 books has been published.
Mr Rapata said he and Ms Gorbetti, as his manager, intended to approach book stores and venues of public recitals.
The husband of 30 years to Donna Maria Rapata, father of four and grandfather of five has also written a dozen short stories and two dramatic short films over the past four years.
His feature-length script Broken Glass is based on his growing up as a Maori in the 1960s and 1970s.
The plot focuses on the dramatic shift from country to urban living and on his realisation his family were still living in Great Depression era conditions.
Broken Glass had been submitted to a production company in Wellington, Mr Rapata said.
"This book is the start of gaining credibility as a writer along with my other projects and it's been a wonderful job. The feedback I've had of it has been tremendous.
Gratitude
By Hud Rapata
Only to be grateful, is why I write this book in these days
For all the wonderful blessings in this paradise of praise.
Life itself stems from gratitude - it's the miracle of our time
Be grateful for everything and life will always turn out fine.
Small but valuable gifts are worthy of acknowledgment
Gratitude is easy to give out and receiving it is a compliment.
Beautiful mountains of grandeur, love and hearty greetings
Gives 'grateful' personal harmony, and instills appreciative teachings.
It's easy to overlook simple gifts and yearn for better things
But material wealth is dwarfed by what we ourselves can bring.
Look forward to another new day, as darkness of night will fade
The gift of precious life is of what each wonderful day is made.
