A rapturous reception welcomed the ‘matriarch of the north’, Titewhai Harawira, onto her home soil in Whakapara where she was laid to rest today.

Hundreds of Tai Tokerau iwi and hapū members turned out to farewell Ngāpuhi’s best-known matriarch and lifelong activist for Māori rights, who died last Wednesday at her home in Auckland, aged 90.

She lay in state at Hoani Waititi Marae in Oratia where the country’s leaders old and new paid their respects to the formidable trailblazer during her tangihanga. Then it was homeward bound to her birthplace, Whakapara.

Closed state highways, floods and slips troubled her return from Auckland on Saturday morning but just as in life, Harawira was undeterred. In fact, Hoani Waititi Marae stayed dry as floodwaters submerged much of Auckland.

Ngāti Hine leader Pita Tipene said there were conclusions drawn that the heavens breaking as they did were symbolic of Titewhai herself.

She eventually made it to her papakāinga, Raupuriri, and a service was held there at the home where she was raised. After which Harawira was welcomed on to Whakapara Marae later that afternoon by a powerful haka/pōwhiri.

“There was widespread happiness that she had got home but everyone was focused on honouring and acknowledging her,” Tipene said.

As well as making sure her immediate whānau were looked after in every way so they could focus on their grief, he added.

The marae grounds swelled with more than 300 people – rangatira and kaumātua – who had made the trip across the rain-soaked region.

“It was certainly a packed house, there was no room to move. Outside was full as well,” Tipene said.

“The tributes were flowing about all of her character as well as her accomplishments over time … it was a really nice homecoming for Titewhai.

“Given all the speeches that were made, she really is the matriarch of the north,” he said.

Harawira’s achievements stretch back to the age of 15 or 16 when she entered the fold of Māori activism. She helped organise the historic 1975 hīkoi led by Dame Whina Cooper; and was a Ngā Tamatoa member, who delivered the Māori language petition to the steps of Parliament in 1972.

Ngatiwai Trust Board chief executive Huhana Lyndon said Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Wai, Ngāti Hau, and Ngāpuhi all came together to ensure rain, hail or shine Harawira’s legacy was honoured.

A legacy that stood strong as the wāhine of the whānau asked the marae whether women could have the opportunity to mihi – to speak on the marae.

Lyndon said it was granted and by invitation, a group of wāhine stood and addressed the hui formally before the funeral service on Sunday.

“We shared kōrero around legacies, around her hard work, around the expectation that her work would not be lost and that it is our job to pick up on those things that she has left behind. Both as descendants and hapū – to carry on the fight around our rangatiratanga.”

Two of Harawira’s granddaughters spoke of how people saw her public face but didn’t know her private face.

“Titewhai was a very loving grandmother,” Lyndon said.

“In her 90s she was still kissing and hugging moko to go to school. She was well known to take moko and raise them.”

Lyndon said Harawira’s granddaughters shared a side of her no one saw as she was often all business.

In her own kōrero, Lyndon spoke of Harawira’s soft side towards her and that she had felt her love.

“She would call and ask questions of me. I appreciated that, that she found the time to talk to me.”

And, at times, to challenge too.

“She hadn’t some very strong opinions as to what I should be doing, she wasn’t shy about sharing those.

“Sometimes it was loving and sometimes it was to tell me what is happening,” she said through laughter.