Join Leigh Larson for a night exploring the famed Scottish Witch Hunts of the 1500s-1700s on Wednesday, Oct. 15 from 5 to 6 pm!
These hunts were violent, tragic, and politically-motivated. At least 6,000 women were brutally tortured and/or killed by the hands of religious extremists during a time of civic distrust, paranoid royal leadership, and economic hardships.
This witch hunt presentation will cover royal rivalries, religion as a political institution in a competing free market of believers, and the stories of those scapegoated during a time of national upheaval. Though Scotland was not the only European country to implement witch hunts, Scotland’s hunts accused and killed significantly more women per capita than that of its contemporaries.
Join us to learn about the historical context of the Scottish Witch Hunts, the stories of those hunted, the motivations and methods carried out to achieve the hunter’s goals, and the impact that leaves on our society today. Wear your witch costume! Prizes will be given to groups and individuals with the best costumes. Please note: there is discussion of physical and sexual torture, and may not be suitable for all audiences.
Larson describes herself as a storyteller. Whether it’s writing, speaking, filming, or digital designing, She aims to make stories relatable, entertaining, and memorable for her audiences. She completed her undergraduate at the University of Texas at Austin with a bachelor’s in International Relations and minors in Environmental Sciences and World Religion / Philosophy.
She worked in Texas politics prior to serving as a minister in the USAFR Chaplains Corps and for a church in Denver. She successfully helped start a recovery non-profit before growing her skills in tech as a web and graphic designer before launching her web and graphic business full-time. She has visited 46 American states and many national parks, as well as traveled in Pakistan, Sweden, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, England, South Africa, Botswana, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Tanzania. She also is an avid hiker, explorer, women’s advocate, and collector of stories.
For more information, contact Jake Sorich at jsorich@greatfallslibrary.org or 406-453-0349 ex. 220.
Author: Staff
Our Staff account is used to publish submitted content. If you have content that was published under this account, and wish to have your name as author, please contact us at (406) 952-3021
