It's Waitangi Day today (sorta' 4th of July but with more controversy) btw it is really Saturday in NZ.

 

Sheep shearing time is at hand.  The "mob" is gathered up and placed

in different pens in the shearing shed.

  

Gulp. She's looking at me!

See the gate?  Behind each gate, there are more sheep waiting their turn.

In this shed there are three shearers and two "rousies" (spell??) Could this be from the word "rouse?"

Anyhoo, the rousie's job is to pick up the wool off the platform and floor and put it in the bins.

They have to do this in a shed, because if they were outside, the wool would blow away.

One of the bins

Please note the cigarette kept in his mouth. Good thing wool is not flammable.  A good shearer can get a sheep shorn in less than 2 minutes. In competition, they are graded for smooth shave, no nicks or blood and some other criteria.  They wear these black shoes, which I mentioned to someone looked like ballet slippers.  "HAHAHAHAHA. You mean the moccasins Kerry?" Yes, I guess I do, but they look like ballet slippers.  Is that to protect the sheep when they accidently step on them?

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA--Kerry, that is to protect the shearer, 

when the sheep step on them!"

Sheep farmer putting them in bales (not sure the correct term)

Reid and Monique, sheep farmer children whose baby sister's birth we attended.

A close shave.

They look naked without their wool coats.

On a truck, for transport to the wool market.

Controversy you ask? Well, imagine if America celebrated the day that they made one Treaty with representatives of the Native American community? Right. There would be some people that are not exactly keen on that.  The Treaty of Waitangi is considered, somewhat like the US Declaration of Independence. But that is still not a complete explanation. If you care to learn more, click on this link:

http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/category/tid/133

Since the sheep industry was originated by NZ Europeans/Pakeha...I will include some photos of a beautiful Marae, which is a Maori meeting house. This one is located in Bluff. I have not had the opportunity to go into one--but I love the carvings and the deeper meaning of what they represent.

I believe that 98% of my Maori patients or their partners work in the sheep industry. 

It is cross-cultural employment.