Eechdaa (Dave Ketah)
Hinyaa Tlingit · Artist · Teacher · Culture Bearer
Lingít artist keeping ancestral traditions alive through Formline design, wood carving, and community education. Carrying tradition forward — one cut, one word, one student at a time.
About
Born and raised in Ketchikan, Alaska, Dave Ketah Jr. was given his Tlingit name — Eechdaa — by his paternal grandmother, Eva Ketah. She spoke Lingít to him as a child and immersed him in Hinyaa culture. After 32 years in Portland, the pandemic awakened a journey home — through his great-grandfather Walter Ketah’s carving legacy, through Lingít language study at the University of Alaska Southeast, and through the ancient art of Formline design.
Featured Work
Artist · Teacher · Culture Bearer
Eechdaa walks three paths — each one strengthening the others.
🎭
Artist
Masks, drums, rattles, and carvings rooted in Tlingit Formline tradition. Represented by Stonington Gallery, Seattle.
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Teacher
Building Construction instructor at Benson Polytechnic. Formline workshops at Sheldon Jackson Museum and community centers.
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Culture Bearer
Apprentice to master carver Lee Wallace on the Kootéeyaa Deiyí Totem Pole Trail. Carrying Tlingit tradition forward.
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