Enigmatic Black Power leader Abraham 'Abe' Wharewaka-Topia will be laid to rest today after dying on Saturday aged 74.
Wharewaka was a high-profile gang head from the 70s onwards, attending political hui and serving jail time for violence and drug offences.
He spent three decades leading Auckland's Sindi Black Power chapter, during which time he dealt in drugs and massage parlours.
In 1987, Wharewaka launched his own newspaper - Te Iwi of Aotearoa - which was considered to be the first Maori tabloid.
His gang pad - known as "The Marae" - in Otahuhu had a very high drug sale turnover until it was raided in July of 2003, leading to an eight-year jail sentence.
Police estimated the drug house had profited tens of thousands of dollars per day from selling drugs including cannabis and methamphetamine.
In his later years, he took on a more philosophical approach, pushing the idea of putting whanau first before crime and fighting with other gangs.
His tangi is taking place at Whai Ora Marae in Otara and he will be buried at St James Maori Cemetery in Mangere.
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