Godzone Sheep

Sheep are not individuals. Sheep are social animals. They move where other sheep move. They go in this mindless flock wherever the lead sheep goes, This was a metaphor for what New Zealand was like in the mid to late 70s— just heading there because everyone else was.

– Musician Chris Knox explains his band Toy Love's song 'Sheep', in clip four

They have such a high profile, they’re very visible . . . Tourist in their buses or in their cars can see them perhaps throughout the length of New Zealand. They represent the open air, clean green, clear skies fresh air image of new Zealand.

– Toy sheep designer Krys, early in this documentary

Pere is a wee bit unusual I suppose: he had his own cheque book and a bank account. When I sold the wool when he was shorn that all went into his bank, and that helped keep him going for drenching and shearing . . . his wool was very much in demand as a young sheep...

– Sheep fancier Peg Harvey on her pet sheep Pere, in part three

They’ve invaded the language in terms of all the metaphors, like fleecing someone and pulling the wool over someone's eyes, and a bit of a dag. They’ve invaded the art and the visual look of New Zealand, because they’re just there . . . I mean its in our clothes too. It's like there's wool everywhere . . . you can’t get away from them, you can’t escape from sheep.

– Playwright David Geary, late in this documentary

The first impressions that I did get when I did go to the immigration office to have a look at how New Zealand would look, was a very big country and not many people, and lots of sheep.

– Dutch immigrant Yanny Split on her first impression of New Zealand, at the start of this documentary

The film was sparked off initially by a report of a ram that killed a man; it butted him to death basically. And at the same time there was another incident of a couple who were walking by the river in Waikato I think it was, when another killer ram came along and butted the husband into the river, and wouldn't let him out.

– Filmmaker Costa Botes on the inspiration for his sheep drama The Lamb of God

I'd say that I szx not the sort of person that would ever get attached to a sheep but working with them here . . . in such a close environment, you get to know them by name . . . You get to know each one, and you get to know it’s personality...

– Sheep showman and shearer Harley Churstain

What were we? We were Britain's garden or something, you know. The butter and the lamb, and the rest of it. That was our function. We weren't here to build battleships or anything. We were just meant to grow this food and send it back home. We were stuck with that role, as farmers.

– Artist Dick Frizzell, in clip two