A little more than a decade after Chihuly Garden & Glass outmaneuvered a proposal for a Northwest Native Cultural Center at Seattle Center, today the museum unveiled a touching first land acknowledgment to the first people of Seattle that somehow still managed to be about how great Dale Chihuly is.
“The Chihuly Garden & Glass acknowledges that this inspirational, pricey, and perfect tourist attraction is on the historic, traditional lands of the Duwamish People,” said the new statement, boldly posted on a small sign near the entrance to the restrooms. “We honor with gratitude their care for this land, until such a time as it could reach its full potential as spacious housing for the magnificent works of glass artist Dale Chihuly.”
The for-profit museum, which opened in 2012 after successfully outbidding plans for a Northwest Native Cultural Center on the same site, held a media event this afternoon to announce the new statement.
“Chihuly Garden & Glass has long been on the forefront of acknowledging the existence of Native Americans,” said Head of Diversity and Dale Worship, Sandra Wilkinson. “We already have a whole room dedicated to a random mix of Native baskets and blankets which show how even non-glass art by non-white people can serve a greater purpose in inspiring a genius like Dale Chihuly.”
Upon remembering that Chihuly also named his glass school “Pilchuck” and that it might be a Native American word, the staff bowed their heads to contemplate all the amazing things that Dale Chihuly has done.
