Puyallup Artist Is Transforming the Face of the Tacoma Dome

A striking new Coast Salish mural now stretches across the south exterior of the Tacoma Dome’s Exhibition Hall, bringing a story of Puyallup lineage and continuity to one of Tacoma’s most visible landmarks.

The mural is titled x̌əčulb, pronounced “hutch-ulb.” The Lushootseed word means “to tell the story of one’s lineage”—and the imagery created by Puyallup Tribal member and Coast Salish artist Anthony Duenas was designed to do exactly that.

The artwork depicts a young person looking toward the generations ahead and an elder facing both the mountain and the youth. At its center, a Thunderbird takes flight above two people traveling by canoe toward the viewer.

Together, the figures represent the past, present and continuing journey into the future.

The project was created through a partnership between Tacoma Venues & Events and the Puyallup Tribe of Indians, with consultation from the City of Tacoma’s Arts and Cultural Vitality division. Duenas was selected by the Tribe’s Heritage Division following a competitive process that began in summer 2025.

For a building that welcomes hundreds of thousands of visitors each year, the mural provides a prominent reminder that the Tacoma Dome stands on the traditional lands of the Puyallup people—and that the Tribe’s culture and presence belong not only to Tacoma’s history, but also to its present and future.

Duenas combines traditional Coast Salish symbolism and sacred storytelling with an urban artistic style. The result is intended to be more than decoration: It gives visitors an opportunity to consider the people, land and history connected to the place where they have gathered.

The Puyallup Tribe will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony and tribal blessing at 10 a.m. Wednesday, September 16, on the Tacoma Dome’s Northwest Plaza. The ceremony is open to the community.

The mural can already be seen outside the Dome. But understanding the story it tells may change the way Tacomans see it.