It's a story worthy of a western... with a heritage twist. With the upcoming move of the iconic Western Shop, established since 1990 on the Boulevard Adolphe Max, near La Monnaie and the Grand-Place in Brussels, Lyon is about to gain a true historical treasure. Its owner, François Chladiuk, 73 years old, will pass the torch to his son in 2027 to set up the shop in Dave, near Namur. But above all, he will entrust the Musée des Confluences with his private collection of items that belonged to the Lakota tribe.Sure! Here's the translation: .
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A unique Native American heritage in Europe
Stored at the Brussels store, this collection features clothing, accessories, and ritual objects that arrived in Belgium during the 1935 World Expo. François Chladiuk stumbled upon them in 2004 at an antique shop in Sablon. It was love at first sight! Since then, he has dedicated himself to preserving and documenting these treasures.
His amazing work was honored in 2018 with the prestigious Western Heritage Award, alongside Sam Elliott and family members of John Wayne>. A rare recognition: he remains the only European to have won this award to this day.
Lyon, a new haven for this unique treasure
Previously showcased in 2021 at the Musée des Confluences during the exhibition On the Trail of the Sioux, the collection attracted nearly 400,000 visitors. A huge success! Refusing to sell, despite its estimated value of several million euros, François Chladiuk prefers to preserve the historical integrity of the collection.
© Thierry Fournier - Métropole de Lyon
Result: Lyon is about to become one of the European hotspots for Native American memory. A new cultural gem for the city… and a wonderful proof that cowboy dreams can sometimes end up in museums.