Q’orianka Kilcher and Atz Kilcher are both well-known celebrities in their own right. Q’orianka is an award-winning actress who has starred in films such as The New World, Princess Kaiulani, and Yellowstone. Atz is a musician, TV star, writer, and presenter who is famous as the oldest star of the show Alaska: The Last Frontier, which follows his family’s life on a homestead in Homer, Alaska. But are these two stars related to each other? And if so, how?
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The Kilcher Family History
To answer this question, we need to go back to the origins of the Kilcher family. According to Wikipedia, the Kilchers are descendants of Swiss immigrants who settled in Alaska in the 1940s. The patriarch of the family was Yule F. Kilcher, who was born in 1913 in Laufen, Switzerland. He was a farmer, teacher, journalist, and politician who served as a delegate to the Alaska Constitutional Convention and as a state senator.
Yule married Ruth Weber, a nurse from Switzerland, in 1936. They had eight children: Wurtilla, Fay, Catkin, Stellavera, Mossy, Sunrise, Otto, and Atz. The family lived on a 160-acre homestead near Kachemak Bay, where they grew their own food and raised livestock. They also faced many challenges and hardships, such as harsh weather, isolation, and lack of modern amenities.
The Kilcher children were homeschooled by their mother until they reached their teens. They also learned various skills from their father, such as farming, hunting, fishing, carpentry, and music. Some of the children left the homestead to pursue their own careers and interests, while others stayed and continued the family tradition.
The Connection Between Q’orianka and Atz
So where does Q’orianka fit into this picture? Well, she is actually a first cousin once removed of Atz. Her father is Ray Kilcher, who is the son of Yule’s brother Edwin Kilcher. Edwin also immigrated to Alaska from Switzerland with his wife Norma and their four children: Ray, Linda, Mairiis, and Edwin Jr.
Ray Kilcher married Saskia Carolin Reitzug in 1989. They had one daughter: Q’orianka Waira Qoiana Kilcher, who was born in 1990 in Germany. Her name means “Golden Eagle” in Quechua, the language of her father’s indigenous ancestors from Peru. When Q’orianka was two years old, she and her mother moved to Hawaii, where her brother Kainoa was born.
Q’orianka showed an early talent for performing arts. She started dancing at the age of five and singing at the age of six. She also studied martial arts and stunts. She made her acting debut at the age of ten in How the Grinch Stole Christmas. She rose to fame at the age of 15 when she played Pocahontas in The New World opposite Colin Farrell and Christian Bale.
Q’orianka has since appeared in many other films and TV shows, such as Sons of Anarchy, Dora and the Lost City of Gold, Te Ata, Running Deer, and Yellowstone. She is also a human rights and environmental activist who has spoken at various events and supported several causes.
The Kilcher Family Legacy
Q’orianka and Atz are not the only members of the Kilcher family who have achieved fame and success. Atz’s daughter Jewel is a Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter who has sold over 30 million albums worldwide. She left the homestead at a young age and pursued her musical career in California. She has also written books, starred in movies, and hosted TV shows.
Atz’s sons Shane and Atz Lee also appear on Alaska: The Last Frontier with him and his brother Otto. They work on the homestead and face various challenges and adventures along with their wives and children. The show has won several awards and has been running for 10 seasons.
The Kilcher family has a rich history and a diverse heritage that spans across continents and cultures. They have also contributed to the arts, politics, education, and conservation of Alaska. Q’orianka and Atz are both proud representatives of their family legacy and share a bond that goes beyond blood.
