A lot was happening in 1869. For example internationally: Wyoming granted women the right to vote; the Heinz company was founded; the Periodic Table published; and the Suez Canal opened. In New Zealand, we were in the middle of the Gold Rushes and the New Zealand Wars, and the University of Otago was founded.
Megan Pōtiki
This year the Australasian Victorian Studies Association and the Centre for Research on Colonial Culture are co-hosting a conference of the theme of 1869 here at Otago on 25-29 September.
One of Te Tumu’s staff members, Megan Pōtiki will be presenting a keynote lecture. Other keynote speakers include Dr. Helen Pearson (Chief Magazine Editor, of the prestigious periodical Nature which first appeared in 1869) and Professor Marion Thain (of King’s College, London). Specially invited speakers include novelist, essayist and literary scholar Dr Tina Makereti (Massey University), whose most recent novel, The Imaginary Lives of James Pōneke, was long-listed for the Ockham New Zealand Book Awards; as well as Lisa Chatfield, producer of the BBC mini-series The Luminaries and its set decorator, Daniel Birt.
If you wish to present at this conference, please see the Call For Papers below. Topics do not have to be about 1869 exactly, but events and developments from around that time. This will be an exciting conference that will run alongside heritage festival events.
