Walkway installation at Police College to honour bravery

Wednesday, 5 January 2022

A mock-up off what the He Toa Taumata Rau (The Place of Many Brave Deeds) installation at the Royal New Zealand Police College will look like.

A powerful and permanent tribute to police courage is taking shape in Porirua.

The He Toa Taumata Rau installation is soon to be erected at the Royal New Zealand Police College and will take the form of a walkway of decorated pou.

It was co-designed with the regional iwi Ngāti Toa Rangatira and will be a feature along a path in the college’s lower grounds within sight of the road.

New Zealand Police Museum director Rowan Carroll said the project was a way to “showcase the bravery, integrity and professionalism of our people”.

The people behind He Toa Taumata Rau Backrow, from left: Ammon Katene (Ngāti Toa), James McLean (Story Inc!), Senior Sergeant Rob Rutene, Callum Katene (Ngāti Toa), Evan Hippolite (Ngāti Toa) Front Row from left, Te Roera Puna Pouwhakataki Wellington NZ Police , Raylene Bishop (Ngāti Toa), Rob Lee NZ Police, and Rowan Carroll Museum Director NZ Police.

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“Its position means recruits can be inspired and take pride in the achievements of the people who came before them.”

The name He Toa Taumata Rau translates as ‘The Place of Many Brave Deeds’.

Visitors will be greeted at the start of the walk by a carved tōtara pou, representing a warrior’s wero challenge.

The 14 steel pou will represent 27 events since 1950 which led to the award of the George Cross, George Medal, New Zealand Cross, New Zealand Bravery Star, New Zealand Bravery Decoration and New Zealand Bravery Medal.

The steel pou will stand 2.5m tall on a concrete base and follow the chronological order of the events, with the most recent at the lower end of the path.

The columns will be uplit at night and the tops will feature water-cut designs by Nathan Rei.

At the end of the walk will be a pou whakamaumahara, a traditional structure erected to memorialise a person, group of people or a significant event.

The pou mark major historical events such as: the Napier siege in 2009; the shooting of Constable Jeremy Snow, also in 2009; Operation Aramoana in 1990; and Operation Earthquake in response to the Canterbury earthquakes.

Ngāti Toa Rangatira chief executive Helmut Modlik said the iwi was pleased to support those who served the community so well and the installation honoured those people and inspire trainees.

“We are keen to be supportive in any way we can of the development, the training and the readiness of those young men and women as they go forward to serve our community.”

Porirua City mayor Anita Baker said she was “super excited” about the proposed new addition to the college.

“Anything they do up there is great for our city, one it’s more staff, and it keeps people coming out here so I’m really pleased.”

A police working party collaborated with local iwi Ngāti Toa and design specialists Story Inc to create the project.

Work has already begun on the project and it will be completed later in 2022.