He and his family use their culture to keep connected and grounded, through prayer, smudging, giving thanks, and spending time on the land. Today, Dakota lives in Vancouver, pursuing his many interests - music, videos, design, youth education, business, and raising awareness about Indigenous land and rights - as well as being a loving, full-time partner and father. And it’s really knowing that we are able to grow and we are able to move forward.” Through the 500 years of colonialism that we have been faced with, through all the adversities and the plights, through all of this, we’re still here. “It is also knowing that we’re very resilient. Living with an absentee father, a mother battling additions, and other family members struggling with alcoholism, Dakota sought to find positive examples similarly carried through his Indigenous bloodline. The trauma can get attached in that way.” We carry that through our blood, we carry it through our DNA. “It made me realize that it’s important to have somebody there.And that’s why I’m so dedicated to helping young people.It’s kind of like reciprocal.”ĭakota describes his younger self as “spending so much time caught up in the wrong things…messing around, wasting time, partying and drinking.” It was many years before he came to the realization that he was behaving this way because he was “coping in an unhealthy way with intergenerational trauma.”ĭakota defines the meaning behind this powerful term: “ ‘Intergenerational trauma’ is feeling the effects of the pass and permit system, residential schools, the 60’s scoop and more, feeling the trauma of these plights that our grandparents and our parents had felt without actually going through that ourselves. Losing him helped Dakota further understand the important role his uncle had played in Dakota’s life. Sadly, one of Dakota’s uncles passed away in 2016. Just to have those people as mentors in my life, those family members, helped me greatly.” “When my father left, my uncles took the role of wanting to teach me things that I needed to learn growing up as a young man.
“With the platforms I have, I’m hoping to spread messages of hope to young Indigenous peoples, also spread truth and awareness on issues that we face as Indigenous people, whether that be through my music, or through the clothing that me and my partner design, or speaking more directly at schools….just using the platforms we have created over the years to really empower and inspire younger people.”ĭakota’s motivation to guide and inspire others likely stems from the mentorships and guidance that he received when he was young and struggling. And then taking that knowledge…and using that to help launch business.”ĭakota’s work is not only about creating, but also sharing. I learned so much within that eight month programme.” But Dakota also learned a lot from less formal sources, as well: “ doing online courses anywhere that I could, that had Indigenous instructors online or videos, and how-to tutorials. “Having that education greatly helped me. Though Dakota has been making music for 10 years, it was only after attending a business course in Vancouver that he found a way to pursue his passion further, “not only as a hobby or something I did to feed my creative side, but something that I was able to have as a career path.”ĭakota was able to apply the lessons he learned about publicity, marketing, and all aspects of business management to his other ventures, too. This is what Dakota’s role as a warrior entrepreneur is all about: “Taking the values of our Indigenous culture and bringing those to our businesses: carrying ourselves in a good way, giving back to the community, ensuring that we’re only taking what we need.” Dakota builds all of his enterprises with this noble ethic, and also provides advice to other Indigenous businesses. inspiration really does come from our Indigenous culture.” “Whether I’m writing a song or creating a project, I’m always thinking about who is listening to it, and what they are getting from it…. His copious interests speak to his energy and passion and, in every one of his many endeavours, Dakota brings his Indigenous identity to the forefront. Dakota Bear is a 26-year old hip hop artist, land protector, warrior entrepreneur, clothing designer, business consultant, motivational speaker, and youth mentor from the Treaty 6 Territory.
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