Dec 7, 2017
Many of us are inspired at the thought of taking a journey of self discovery. Irene Skyriver took just such a journey—an epic solo kayaking trip to find herself and a new sense of connection with her ancestors. In her memoir Paddling with Spirits she chronicled her solo voyage from Alaska to her home in Washington’s San Juan Islands. Town Hall is proud to debut Irene as she vividly reimagined stories of her family history and native coastal ancestors (Tlingit and Makah), interweaving them with the true account of her adventures. Irene invited us to follow her on the water and through her past—through oil booms, orphanages, wartime romances, dance halls, and cattle ranches. Join Irene for a celebration of her heritage, and a chance to share her experiences of self reflection amidst the wild beauty of the coastal waters.
Irene Skyriver comes to Town Hall with her debut memoir. Born in a ghost town and raised in the country, she is a rider of horses in full gallop across the Tibetan grasslands. An activist, an organizer, a deliverer of babies; a teen mother, now grandmother of 6. She is a tame rebel, a busy dreamer and singer of Earth songs, fearful of buildings and fearless in Nature.
Recorded live at Green Lake Bathhouse Theater by Town Hall Seattle on Sunday, November 19, 2017.