Dakota Camacho | 2020 Native Launchpad Artist

ARTIST WEBSITE

Tribal Affiliation: Matao (CHamoru)

Artistic Discipline: Multidiscipline

dxʷdəwʔabš Territory (Seattle), WA

Born, raised, and based in Coast Salish Territory, Dakota Camacho is a Matao/CHamoru multi-disciplinary artist / researcher working in spaces of indigenous life ways, performance, musical composition, community engagement, and education.

Camacho weaves knowing from both yo’-ña (their) bloodlines and the diverse lineages that inform yo’-ña indigenizing journey. Creating opportunities for inter-indigenous exchange as a method for indigenous knowledge development is central to Camacho’s creative philosophy.

Camacho’s artistic training and practices reflects commitment to building community with a diversity of creative lineages spanning from Hip Hop, Danza Mexica, Capoeira Angola Palmares, and traditional/contemporary indigenous dance.

Camacho co-founded I Moving Lab, an inter-national, inter-cultural, inter-tribal, and inter-disciplinary arts collective that creates community and self-funded arts initiatives to engage and bring together rural & urban communities, Universities, Museums, & performing arts institutions.

Camacho is a chanter, adjunct instructor, and core researcher for I Fanlalai'an Oral History Project based at the University of Guåhan.

Through writing, recording, producing, and releasing digital media coordinated with flashpoint organizing moments, Camacho uses yo’ña art as a platform to amplify the voice of the CHamoru Liberation movement and mobilize support for their struggle to de-militarize. Camacho also produces community events in the homeland and abroad that highlight the creative genius of Matao/CHamoru people by showcasing artists who use their practice to decry ongoing militarization, environmental racism, and human rights abuses.

Camacho has worked for Atamira Dance Company and Dancing Earth Indigenous Contemporary Dance Creations as both a composer, dancer, and poetic lyricist.

Camacho holds a Masters of Arts in Performance Studies from Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, and graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a Bachelor of Arts in Gender & Women's Studies as a First Wave Urban Arts and Hip Hop Scholar.

Camacho has presented work in festivals, universities, and communities as a public speaker, facilitator, composer and performer throughout Turtle Island (The Americas), Oceania, Australia, Europe, and Africa.