Ocean: Tales of Voyaging & Encounter That Defined NZ

The Public History Talks are hosted by the Ministry for Culture & Heritage History Group at the National Library of New Zealand. They are usually held on the first Wednesday of the month from March to November.

How the ocean has shaped our history and culture.
As an island nation, the sea surrounds us. Both barrier and highway, it was the only way for people, goods and ideas to come to this country for hundreds of years.

In Ocean: tales of voyaging and encounter that defined New Zealand, author Sarah Ell explores the relationship between our peoples and the sea, from the earliest Polynesian voyagers to explorers and entrepreneurs, immigrants and environmentalists.

How that relationship has changed over time is one of the key themes of the book, as New Zealanders have come to more greatly appreciate the sea for its intrinsic value, rather than as a site for exploitation and commerce.

This talk will discuss some of the ways in which the ocean has shaped our history and culture, having effects far beyond the seashore.

About the speaker:
Sarah Ell was brought up and lives on Auckland’s North Shore, within sight of the sea. A journalist by trade, she has worked extensively in the magazine and book publishing.

Sarah has published 10 books on a range of topics and has a Master in Creative Writing degree from Auckland University.