Indigenous creativity takes the spotlight at Seattle’s newest gallery
Tidelands is a showcase for Native art, language and culture. #k5evening
Author: Jim Dever, KING 5 Evening (KING 5)
Published: 7:53 PM PST November 7, 2024
SEATTLE — It’s called Tidelands, a nod to what this waterfront neighborhood used to be, and to the people who lived here first.
“By Indigenous people, for Indigenous people,” said Matika Wilbur, a photographer of Swinomish and Tulalip heritage.
Wilbur launched the new gallery, production studio and boutique shop.
“We are a creative hub for Indigenous storytelling,” Wilbur said.
Work from Native artists lights up the ground level while, upstairs, production hums along on audio and video projects, like Wilbur’s podcast, “All My Relations.”
“We’re close to four million downloads,” Wilbur said.
That’s just the beginning.
“We’ll be speaking and learning Twulshootseed here,” Wilbur said. “We’re doing a wellness retreat. We’re teaching yoga in the language,” she said.
Seattle’s Coast Salish community is vibrant, diverse, and ready to be heard.
“This elder told me recently, ‘We don’t need the stories to be told perfectly. We need the stories to be told,'” Wilbur said.
Those stories live here at Tidelands.
“There’s no charge for admission,” Wilbur said, laughing. “But please do exit through the gift shop.”
Tidelands is open Wednesday through Sunday, from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (5:00 p.m. Friday). It’s located at 55 University Street near Pioneer Square and the Seattle Waterfront.