Hundreds of mourners have gathered at Te Piringa Tahi o Te Maungarongo Marae in West Auckland to pay tributes to Ricky Houghton, who died of cancer, aged 62.
He will be remembered as a staunch advocate for Māori rights, housing, and social welfare issues but also as an outgoing and loving person who helped the poor and downtrodden.
Houghton was a product of state care, where he was subjected to abuse. Former Oranga Tamariki ministerial advisory board chairman Mathew Tūkakī says he remembers the passion Houghton had for issues involving state care.
"Ricky was one of the first meetings I had as the chairman when we were undertaking the review. Northland has a sad record of children in care. Ricky was also a product of Mātua Whāngai, which was one of the programmes in the Department of Social Welfare, and Ricky and I would often talk about what it would mean to bring that programme back."
Te Piringatahi
Houghton was a Westie and former board member of Te Whānau o Waipareira. He was also instrumental in establishing Te Piringatahi Marae in West Auckland, where he is lying in state.
Te Piringatahi Marae kaumātua Mōkena Pēni, remembers the time and effort Houghton, and others put in to establish the marae in Massey.
"We began to talk about establishing a base for Ngāpuhi here in Henderson. We scouted a few places and we came across this place in Luckens Rd."
But it is housing where Houghton really made his mark.
Houghton established He Korowai Trust, a group dedicated to providing housing for Māori in the Far North.
Hurimoana Dennis of Te Pūea Marae says the understanding that Houghton had on housing issues made him a perfect advocate to challenge the Crown on issues of homelessness.
'His work isn't finished'
"His was an indigenous voice when dealing with the Crown. Whenever a government initiative was released, he would challenge them, saying that's wrong and that's wrong. This is what's needed to combat homelessness amongst Māori."
Houghton relocated 45 houses from Auckland to the Far North to provide housing for vulnerable whānau. He also mortgage his whānau home in West Auckland to buy the Kaitāia Hotel, which he used to establish services aimed at housing and social need.
Huri says that there is still much to do for housing issues among Māori.
"We at Te Pūea Marae are very sad because his work isn't finished. So it is a very sombre time for us as Māori, indeed the whole country."