Q'Orianka Kilcher

Kilcher was born in Schweigmatt, Germany. Her name Q'orianka means "Golden Eagle" in Quechua. She speaks English and some German. She learned some words of the extinct Powhatan language, an Algonquian language, for her part in the film The New World.

Her father is a Quechua artist from Peru. Her mother, Saskia Kilcher, is a human-rights activist of Swiss descent, and was born in Alaska and raised in Switzerland. Q'orianka has two brothers, Kainoa Kilcher and Xihuaru Kilcher, who both work as actors… Show more and stunt performers. Kilcher's maternal grandfather was Ray 'Pirate' Genet, a famous Alaskan mountaineer, and her cousin is Grammy-nominated singer Jewel Kilcher.[1]

When Kilcher was two, she and her mother moved to Honolulu, Hawaii, where her brother Kainoa was born. Her father, from whom she is estranged, was absent for much of her life. Growing up in Hawaii, Kilcher was inspired by the local Hawaiian culture and started hula dancing at the age of 5. She also trained in Tahitian dance and West African, as well as ballet, Hip Hop and Modern Dance. In 1997 Kilcher won Ballet Hawaii's Young Choreographer Award at the age of 7.

She was selected to compete at the international Tahitian Dance Competition in San Jose, California in 1996 and 1997. She performed in over 50 professional dance performances island wide. As member of the Waikiki Singers, she was chosen to be the Soprano Soloist, performing Schubert's Mass in G and Amahl and the Night Visitors by Gian Carlo Menotti. At the age of 6, Kilcher was the first child to study classical voice at the University of Hawaii with Laurance Paxton. She also studied Drama with Bill Ogilvie at the Diamond Head Theater. At age 6, her mother booked her at venues as featured singer and opening act to some of Hawaii's greats, such as Willie K among others.

In 1999, her mother moved the family to California. Kilcher started to showcase her talent busking on the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica. -wikipedia.org

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