A fire that ravaged the Mokau Marae wharenui near Whangarei has driven home the importance of having water sprinklers, a marae trustee says.
Te Uri o Hikihiki wharenui was not fitted with sprinklers, and was extensively damaged by fire on 8 November in a blaze suspected to have been started by two young boys.
Mokau Marae trustee Clive Stone says most of the carvings were damaged beyond repair, and some taonga lost.
There were plans to install sprinklers in the meeting house, and the fire had driven home they were needed in the future, Mr Stone said.
Photos had been taken out of the meeting house as a result of renovations, which were being carried out on the marae wharekai, or dining room.
But it was unfortunate tukutuku, or decorative panels, being worked on in the wharenui for the marae wharekai and some for Kawa Marae on Barrier Island were lost, he said.
