King̱eestí David Katzeek died Oct. 28, 2020, according to an announcement from the Sealaska Heritage Institute. Katzeek was the clan leader of the Shangukeidi, the first president of Sealaska Heritage Foundation and an educator who championed Tlingit culture and language.
He was born in Klukwan in 1942 but spent most of his life in Juneau.
Katzeek helped establish the first Celebration in 1982. The biennial event in Juneau now draws thousands of Native people from Southeast Alaska and beyond for a multi-day cultural exchange.
Katzeek started working with the Juneau School District in the 1990s. He provided the vision and support for Tlingit culture language literacy programs, and helped develop K-12 curriculum in a variety of subjects.
In a Facebook post from Sealaska Heritage, Katzeek’s clan nephew Ricardo Worl wrote that Katzeek’s passing leaves an “unimaginable void for our culture and traditional leadership.” Worl said that while the pandemic impedes customs for grieving and memorial services, they will find a way to honor Katzeek in a safe manner.
Worl said he takes comfort in knowing his uncle also leaves behind a generation of young people who are fluent or proficient in the language and already teaching it to the next generation.
“That was David’s purpose in life — was to create this legacy of language learners, instructors and teaching our children to be proud of and appreciate the complexity of our culture,” Worl said.