Manaka was born in San Diego, CA, on May 2, 1982. She spent most of
her childhood in Seattle, WA, until about the age of 15, when she left
home and started her path as a healer and musican. That is when she first
picked up a guitar and started singing. She moved to Kauai when she was
17, and lived there for over five years. The Islands have played a big
part in evolving her musical path. Manaka started performing for the first
time with a local Kauai Reggae band, Burning Bush, who she still performs
with when in Kauai.
When she was 18 she had her first experience recording in
a studio, when she sang backing vocals on
Shimshai's
CD,
" I Sense Your Presence".
In the summer of 2001, Manaka toured with
Shimshai at various festivals along the Pacific West Coast. By 2002, she started
performing and playing more of her own music, as well as recording on
several other artists' CD's. With the help of real life experience, divine
guidance, and support from friends, she has naturally taught herself how
to sing and play guitar.
Manaka has performed on stage with artists such as
Shimshai
and the Natural Mystique Ensemble, Burning Bush,
Jah
Levi and The Higher Reasoning,
Lambsbread,
Arjun and Gaurdians,
Sasha
Butterfly,
Tina Malia,
Satya
Yuga, Shakina,
Joules Graves,
DJ Jahtta, and The One World Orchestra, a collective of vocalists and
musicians including members of
Hamsa
Lila,
Shimshai and the Natural Mystique
Ensemble,
Sasha Butterfly,
Tina Malia, Shakina, and others.
She has shared the stage with
Dezarie,
Mystic Reavelers,
Hamsa Lila,
Makana,
THC,
Ras
Gabriel and 4-Word,
Fanna
Fi Allah, and others.
Currently Manaka is traveling around the West coast working with amazing
musicians
that are helping her forward and spread healing concious music.