Published 11/23/2007

Native American culture on display at Needful Native Things

by Beckye Randall

It’s rare to experience emotional healing in a gift shop, but visitors to Robert Monger’s Needful Native Things may find more than just native art and handcrafts inside the nondescript building at 705 Marine Drive in Tulalip.

Monger, whose native name is Whaa-ka-dup, is much more than a shopkeeper. He has traveled his own winding road in life and shares his wisdom as a spiritual adviser freely.

“I’ve been clean and sober for 13 years,” said Monger, but his early years were filled with addictions and run-ins with the law. He even “died” a few years ago during a diving accident.

These days, Monger volunteers at least three times a month at the Monroe Correctional Complex, helping inmates recognize their inner strength through sweat lodge ceremonies, drum circles and pipe ceremonies. Each ritual attracts 40 to 60 Native American inmates.

Back on the reservation, Monger is a ceremonial Eagle Dancer, part of a special group of Native Americans who help keep the ancient culture alive. He also lends his services for Indian weddings and funerals, and for any other special event.

Needful Native Things is filled with exceptional handmade articles by local native artists. From hand-woven cedar baskets to carved wooden totem poles, the art of coastal Indians is well represented in the shop. Monger also carries art by Cherokee and Navajo tribal members and evocative prints of Edward Curtis’ historic photos.

Beading has always been important to the Coastal Salish tribes, and Monger’s inventory includes a large selection of hand-beaded jewelry, belts and other accessories.

Some of the items on display are made by inmates at Monroe or other correctional facilities. But many of the objects are Monger’s own creations.

Traditional drums topped with the skins of deer, elk, bear or moose are among the items Monger makes for the store. The drums resonate with the voice of ancient winds as Whaa-ka-dup sings a canoe song accompanied by a rhythmic tribal beat.

“The drums give the deer new life,” he said.

Monger is pragmatic and straightforward. “I died once,” he said. “And it made me a stronger person.”

His death occurred just a few years ago. A geoduck diver, he was involved in an accident that tangled his air line and trapped him underwater. “When they pulled me into the boat, I was blue,” he said. “I died, but then I came back.”

The sincerity with which Monger speaks may be a result of his own rocky road. He readily admits he was “messed up” when he was younger, living his life dulled by the effects of drugs, alcohol and violence.

It’s hard to imagine the gentle man with the eagle feather in his hand as dangerous. Those days are far behind him now, and he credits much of his turnaround with the rediscovery of his native culture.

While an aromatic mixture of cedar and sage smoldered in a pottery dish, Monger explained about smudging. “The smoke purifies the room, cleanses the spirit,” he said. He passed the eagle feather around me as the smoke burned, tapping the air at crucial intervals. “Now you’ve been blessed,” he said simply.

He talked openly about the demons faced by Native Americans on reservations. “For us, drinking, drugs and violence was a way of life. We tried to hide the hurt of abuse, the loss of identity.”

With the 1978 Freedom of Religion Act, Native Americans were able to begin healing. Traditional ceremonies, languages and customs that had nearly died out began to make a slow comeback. Monger’s aunt, Harriett Dover, was instrumental in reinstating the Tulalip First Salmon ceremony, and the resurgence in the teaching of Lushootseed, the Tulalip native language, has helped the younger members of the tribe connect to their ancient heritage.

The beautiful works of art and unique handicrafts on display at Needful Native Things reflect the proud culture of the Tulalip Tribes and other Native American artisans. When you stop in, be sure to spend a few minutes talking with Robert Monger while shopping. You’ll feel blessed.

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