Helen Leach facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Helen Leach
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Leach in 2018
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Helen May Keedwell
3 July 1945 Wellington, New Zealand
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| Alma mater | University of Otago |
| Relatives | Nancy Tichborne (sister) |
| Scientific career | |
| Institutions | University of Otago |
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| Doctoral advisor | Charles Higham |
Helen May Leach, born on July 3, 1945, is a New Zealand expert in food anthropology. This field studies how food, eating, and cooking are connected to human culture and history. She is now a retired professor from the University of Otago.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Helen May Keedwell was born in Wellington, New Zealand, on July 3, 1945. Her parents were Peggy and Harvey Keedwell. Helen's older sister, Nancy Tichborne, was a well-known artist who painted with watercolors.
In the early 1950s, Helen's family moved to Dunedin. She attended Otago Girls' High School there. Later, she went to the University of Otago, where she earned her Master of Arts degree.
Career in Food Anthropology
Helen Leach joined the staff at the University of Otago in 1972. She became a full professor of anthropology in 2002. She first trained as an archaeologist, which is someone who studies human history by digging up old sites and objects.
Studying Ancient Farming
In 1976, she completed her PhD at the University of Otago. Her research focused on how people farmed in ancient New Zealand. Her thesis was titled Horticulture in prehistoric New Zealand: an investigation of the function of the stone walls of Palliser Bay. This means she studied old farming methods and the purpose of stone walls found in the Palliser Bay area.
Exploring Food History
Professor Leach has spent her career studying food, eating habits, and cooking in New Zealand. She also looks at the tools and equipment used for cooking. Her interests are wide-ranging. She has explored how people farmed in prehistoric times and how human diets have changed over many years.
She also studies the history of cooking itself and where recipes first came from. Another area she researches is how kitchens and cooking tools have developed over the 20th century.
Collecting Cookbooks
Helen Leach has a very large collection of cookbooks. She especially collects "community cookbooks," which are often put together by local groups or charities. This collection has been a great help to other researchers. It fills in gaps that even the National Library of New Zealand might have.
When reviewing one of her books, Kitchens, expert Barbara Santich said that New Zealanders are lucky to have Helen Leach. She called her a "guide, guardian and safe-keeper of their gastronomic past." Santich also noted that the book included pictures of items from Helen's own personal collection.
Retirement and Recognition
Professor Leach retired from the University of Otago in 2008. After her retirement, she was given the special title of emeritus professor. This title is given to professors who have retired but are still highly respected for their work.
Awards and Honours
Helen Leach has received several important awards for her contributions to knowledge.
- In 2004, she was chosen as a Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand. This is a high honour for scientists and researchers in New Zealand.
- In the 2018 Queen's Birthday Honours, she was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit. This award recognized her important services to the field of culinary anthropology.
See also
In Spanish: Helen Leach para niños
