Northland advocate Ricky Houghton was farewelled by hundreds at his tangi near Kaitaia on Friday.
A hero to many in poverty, the 62-year-old died from cancer this week, but some say his wairua will live on in the thousands of people he helped.
“He was a hero to me actually, I could talk to him and the passion that just rolled out of him, the love for the things he did, I don’t even think his wife knew how many times he mortgaged his house to save other,” said Hone Harawira.
READ MORE: Northland community hero Ricky Houghton dies aged 62
As the leader of He Korowai Trust, he helped many in the north avoid losing their homes, and took others off the streets.
He also set up a home ownership scheme and mortgaged his own home to buy the old Kaitaia Hotel and turn it into a shelter.
“It’s a place where they can come to and be offered a warm, clean bed, a meal,” he told 1News.
Eldest daughter Shar Peeni said he’d sit on stairs waiting for politicians to talk too and get funding for his programmes.
“The He Korowai Trust was born out of him standing in the back of the line at the old Pak’n Save and he watched this guy who couldn’t afford his groceries and followed him out of the car and asked ‘what can I do to help you’,” Peeni said.
Born and raised in West Auckland, Houghton died at the family homestead.
He will be laid to rest at the Tarakaka urupa near Kaitaia, where he did much of his work.
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