David Katzeek

David G. Katzeek (1942 - 2020, ) A member of the Shangukeidí; (Thunderbird) clan, part of the Eagle moiety, Katzeek grew up in Juneau, Alaska. He remembered federal anthropologists coming to Juneau, asking questions and attempting to document the Tlingit culture, customs, and people. He attended Griswald Business College. He also worked as a gillnetter and was made leader of his Shangukeidí clan, in Klukwan.

Sealaska and Tlingit language advocacy Katzeek ran for the Sealaska board of directors in 1976 as a dissident candidate, alongside Albert Kookesh. Running under the banner "Operation David and Goliath", Katzeek withdrew at the last minute to avoid splitting the vote and Kookesh, guarenteeing him a spot. He ran again in 1977, this time successfully, under the banner "Operation Joshua and Caleb".

When the Sealaska Corporation created the Sealaska Heritage Institute in 1981, Katzeek was appointed as the institute's first president. He worked as their president for twelve years; He also taught Tlingit and language culture classes at the University of Alaska Southeast.

When Juneau-Douglas High School was renamed in 2019, Katzeek took part in coming up with the new name: (transl. "beautiful (mountain) face"). When the Yaxté totem pole was burnt in 1992, he and his clan announced they would perform at a fundraiser to repair the totem pole.

Death and funeral Katzeek died on October 28, 2020. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Katzeek's memorial service could not be held in person, but rather online, over Zoom. Over 2,000 people attended, including people from California and New Mexico. and worked on repatriating Tlingit at.óow. Marks, Chester, and the Dauenhauers had previously released an illustrated version of the same legend in 2004, also published by Sealaska, and with an audio book narrated by Katzeek.