Five Goats Statue (Auckland, NZ)

The granite statue of five goats presented in 1999 by Auckland's sister city Guangzhou [formerly Canton]. It is a representation of a traditional Chinese story and is a symbol of the contribution of the Chinese Community to New Zealand.

'A herd of goats discover a bleak valley and survive eating the rough vegetation. Their feeding prunes the spiny plants and their droppings manure the soil. Contained in their droppings are the seeds of plants from outside the valley. Over a period of time the valley is transformed into a fertile place due to their quiet diligent activity.' The statue is made of granite to underline the enduring quality of this work.

Prior to the Communist Revolution in 1949 all chinese immigrating to New Zealand came from the province directly to the north of Hong Kong & Canton.

The placement of the statue in Myers Park recalls the longstanding presence of the Chinese in the area. For the first half of the 20th century there were a number of Chinese living and working in the Greys Avenue / Cook Street / Hobson Street areas. Now at the start of the 21st century the shops on Queen Street facing Myers Park may be seen as a continuation of this presence.