Christchurch Archaeology Project, together with Tūhura Otago Museum and the University of Otago, is proud to bring you the inaugural Ian Smith Memorial Lecture. Atholl Anderson will deliver a lecture titled "Hardy rascals of doubtful shame: sealing and sealers in southern New Zealand", exploring the legacy of Ian's work investigating sealing by Māori and Europeans in the Southern Ocean. This is a hybrid event, with in-person and online attendance - please register for either via the link below. And read on for more information!

Ian Smith was a key mentor for both Jessie and Katharine. He supervised some of our postgraduate research but was also a significant sounding board as our careers and ideas progressed. Not only that, Ian was a leading figure in the development and practice of historical archaeology in Aotearoa New Zealand. Ian died in 2020 and is much missed. This inaugural memorial lecture, organised as part of New Zealand Archaeology Week, honours his work and his legacy. It has been generously supported by our partners and sponsors, Tūhura Otago Museum, the University of Otago, the New Zealand Archaeological Association and the Australasian Society for Historical Archaeology.

Please note, this is a hybrid event. You attend in-person at Tūhura Otago Museum, or online. Please register for either options via the link below.

Hardy rascals of doubtful shame: sealing and sealers in southern New Zealand

Emeritus Prof. Atholl Anderson (CNZM)

The late Ian Smith spent much of his notable career researching sealing in the Southern Ocean by Māori, Moriori and Europeans and, in the process, became a leading figure in the archaeology of marine mammals and in the establishment of systematic historical archaeology in New Zealand. Atholl will discuss Ian’s research in Māori sealing as an exemplary case of economic prehistory and his archaeology of European sealing as demonstrating more organisation in the activity and a broader intention to engage with Māori than has been often assumed historically. Atholl will offer some additional thoughts upon the historical perception of sealers and society in southern New Zealand.

Date: Thursday 8 May 2025

Time: Doors open at 5pm, with refreshments provided and a cash bar. Talk commences at 5:30pm. Please register here.

Location: Hutton Theatre, Tūhura Otago Museum.

Online: Please register here.

Banner image: J. Garland.