Marika Sila facts for kids

Marika Sila is a Canadian actress, online content creator, and social activist. She is an Inuvialuk, which is one of the Indigenous Inuit peoples of Canada. She was born on March 18, 1992, in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. Her family was originally from Tuktoyaktuk, but they moved to Canmore, Alberta, when she was five.

Marika is also the younger sister of Jesse Cockney, who is an Olympic cross-country skier.

Acting Career

Marika Sila chooses acting roles that show Indigenous people in a positive and strong way. She has said that her acting career helps her "build a platform so I can speak about important Indigenous rights issues and climate issues."

Television and Film Roles

Her first big role was in a 2019 episode of the TV show The Twilight Zone. In the episode, called "A Traveler," she played an Inuk police officer. In 2020, she also played a police officer in four episodes of the Canadian TV series Tribal.

In 2022, she starred as an Inuk paramedic in the movie Ditched. Her performance was praised by critics. One reviewer said she was "reason enough to stick with the story."

The Amazing Race Canada

In 2022, Marika and her brother Jesse competed on the TV show The Amazing Race Canada 8. They traveled across the country, completed challenges, and finished in second place.

Documentary Project

In March 2022, Marika announced she was producing and directing a documentary. The film, called What's Next? On Canada's RedPath to Reconciliation, explores the reactions of Inuit elders and leaders to the discovery of children's graves at former residential schools in Canada.

Activism and Other Work

Besides acting, Marika uses her voice to teach people and support important causes.

Social Media Star

Marika is very popular on the social media app TikTok, where she has over 364,000 followers as of April 2023^[update]. She started posting videos in April 2020. Her content teaches people about Inuit culture and important social topics. She talks about issues like missing and murdered Indigenous women and the history of the Canadian Indian residential school system.

She also shares amazing stunt performances, like hoop dancing, fire spinning, and using different weapons in a skillful way.

Business and Podcasts

In 2021, Marika started a podcast called RedPath Radio. The podcast helps to save and share Indigenous stories and cultural knowledge. She also owns RedPath Talent, an agency that helps Indigenous performers find work in the entertainment industry.

Marika has also worked as a model. In 2022, she modeled for a special collection of winter coats for the brand Canada Goose. The collection was created by Inuk designer Victoria Kakuktinniq.

Filmography