Career
Potini was a man of Māori descent. He was known for his skills as a speed (1 minimum) chess player. The chess club was also involved with the Ngāti Porou heritage.
Potini suffered from a bipolar disorder and was regularly admitted to hospital.
Despite this he was able to stabilise his life and during his last decade make a strong contribution to his community. He died in 2011 and was buried at Taruheru Cemetery in Gisborne.
In 2003 director Jim Marbrook made a documentary film about Potini (Dark Horse). The film was awarded the 2005 Best New Zealand Feature Documentary.
In 2014 James Napier Robertson presented his feature film The Dark Horse (starring Cliff Curtis).