8 Nov 2013

Whare tupuna burns at Te Uri o Hikihiki marae.

7:38 pm on 8 November 2013

A fire north of Whangarei has destroyed the whare tupuna of Te Uri o Hikihiki marae.

Emergency services were called to the ancestral house at Mokau about 1pm on Friday.

Several fire engines were used to battle the blaze, but the Fire Service says the whare tupuna has been destroyed.

Its spokesperson, Wayne Martin, says members of the marae committee have performed a karakia, so the fire investigators can enter the meeting house and find out how the blaze started.