Dakota Alcantara-Camacho

Born and raised in Coast Salish Territory, Dakota Camacho (Ancestral Lineages: Matao/ CHamoru, Ilokano, European) creates activations of indigenous knowing, life ways, and spiritual connection. As a multi-disciplinary artist-researcher, the work spans the realms of ritual activation, performance art, installation, contemporary indigenous movement, traditional chant, culturally convergent music, and ancestral responsibility. The work aims to proliferate inafa’maolek — unifying human consciousness with the natural world, restoring balance with the elements, and living with life force.

Camacho has worked at festivals, universities, and community organizations as a public speaker, facilitator, composer, and performer across Turtle Island, Aotearoa (New Zealand), Australia, Europe, and South Africa. Camacho holds a MA in Performance Studies from Tisch School of the Arts at NYU, and graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a B.A. in Gender & Women’s Studies.

Dakota received 2019 GAP Award funding to tour -|- Tåno’ Uchan -|- : -|- Tåno’ Dxʷdəwʔabš -|-:-|- MALI’E -|- in Tkaronto (Toronto), the traditional lands of the Haudenosaunee, & Anishinaabe peoples since time immemorial and part of the original homelands of the Wendat people. -|- Tåno’ Uchan -|- : -|- Tåno’ Dxʷdəwʔabš -|-:-|- MALI’E -|- will be presented at the Weesageechak Begins to Dance Festival.