MIKE DANGELI (Nisga’a, Tlingit, Tsetsaut, and Tsimshian)

Mike Dangeli is of the Nisga’a, Tlingit, Tsetsaut, and Tsimshian Nations. He is a carver and artist whose work continues and expands upon ancient art forms in order to challenge commonly held assertions concerning aboriginal art and identity. His work reflects his position as a 21st Century First Nations person and all the cultural influences, mainstream and otherwise, that make up his lived experience as a person who is heavily involved in his people’s ceremonies. Working as primarily a commissioned based artist, Mike has created his art for commissions, galleries, and ceremonial pieces for his community. Mike’s works include masks, drums, regalia, paintings, and limited edition silk-screened prints. Mike has completed twenty totem poles and a thirty-foot ocean-going canoe.

Mike is also an accomplished singer, songwriter, and dancer. In partnership with his wife Mique’l Dangeli, he leads the Git Hayetsk, an internationally renowned First Nations dance group based in Vancouver, BC. Mike and Mique’l has performed, held lectures, workshops, and carving demonstrations in Alaska, Washington, Idaho, Indiana, Ohio, Florida, Wisconsin, British Columbia, Ontario, Yukon, Manitoba, Austria, Malaysia, Germany, and Japan. Mike has carved over 30 of the masks performed by their group. Their focus is to share the songs and dances of their ancestors as well as compose and choreograph new ones to reflect the challenges and victories of their experiences as First Nations people today.