A Wellington kaumātua says the wairua of of Tapu Te Ranga Marae was unique and very special.
The marae on the hills above Island Bay burned down in the early hours of yesterday morning.
Henare Kingi says when it was started in 1973 its founder, the late Bruce Stewart, had a vision of being a space for dispossessed urban Māori.
"When he decided to build his marae at Tapu Te Ranga he got in touch with quite a few of our kaumātua down here and we supported him knowing his wairua, a very humble man, a loving man, and the dreams he had for this marae, and we all got behind it," he says.
The Givealittle page to raise koha for to rebuild the marae already has more than $50,000 pledged.
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