Mike Dangeli (born 1972) is a highly respected First Nations artist, carver, singer, and dancer from the Nisga'a, Tlingit, Tsetsaut, and Tsimshian Nations. He belongs to the Beaver Clan and carries the traditional names Goothl Ts'imilx ("Heart of the Beaver House") and Teettlien ("Big Wave"). Dangeli began training from a young age under family leaders to be the Simoget (hereditary chief) of his clan. He gained his professional artistic foundation through apprenticeships with Master Carvers like Randy Adams and David Boxley, and he is committed to continuing and expanding upon ancient art forms to reflect the identity and cultural influences of a 21st-century Indigenous person.
His extensive body of work includes masks, drums, regalia, paintings, limited edition silk-screened prints, and over twenty totem poles, in addition to a thirty-foot ocean-going canoe. Dangeli co-leads the internationally renowned Git Hayetsk Dancers—which means “people of the copper shield” in Sm'algya̱x—with his wife, Mique'l Dangeli. Through his studio, the House of Culture, he has organised programs to teach Northwest Coast art and culture to First Nations children, youth, and adults in Vancouver, B.C., while his art pieces are created for commissions, galleries, and ceremonial use within his community.
