Events & Calendars "Out of the Blue: Nantucket and the Pacific World"

Edward D. Melillo, assistant professor of history and environmental studies, will deliver the annual Max and Etta Lazerowitz Lecture on Tuesday, April 8, at 4:30 p.m. in Pruyne Lecture Hall. The lecture, entitled "Out of the Blue: Nantucket and the Pacific World," chronicles the stories of David Whippy and William Cary, a pair of 19th-century Nantucket mariners who spent many years residing in Fiji. These two castaways were involved in the export of sea cucumbers from Fiji to China and the importation of whales' teeth to Fiji from various parts of the Pacific. The histories of Whippy, Cary and the commodities they traded offer potent testimonials about cultural and ecological changes during the 19th century. They also illustrate the long-term connections that emerged among Nantucket, Fiji and the broader ecosystems and cultures of the Pacific Ocean region during the 1800s. The lecture is free and open to the public. A reception will follow.