‘Priceless’ Indian sculpture feared lost in Katrina finds a new home in Ocean Springs
Unlike his namesake in a famous Hank Williams song who “never went nowhere,” poor ol’ Kalija, a near 6-foot wooden Indian sculpture, has had a quite a journey in the last 14 years on the Coast.
Although its story isn’t well-known, the sculpture had a special place in the hearts of its owners who thought they would never sell Kalija. That’s until they the right person came along, who tried for years before Wayne Williams and Peter Webster finally let their sculpture go to a new home.
The old wooden, tobacco-store Indian stood for years in front of the Vieux Marche Antiques store in Biloxi where he greeted customers starting in 1999.
When Hurricane Katrina hit the Coast in 2005, the wooden Indian was swept away as the storm destroyed the antique store.
Williams and Webster owned the store and also lost their home in the storm. At first, they believed their Indian greeter was lost forever.
Three weeks later, they found out the American Legion had been storing the Indian after a member recognized it and rescued it from a pile of rubble down the street.
“He’d been through a lot so we had to name him,” Webster told the Sun Herald in 2006. “Poor old Kalija.”
“People say in the antique business everything is for sale, but he’s not. We were offered $5,000 and turned that down. He’s a true Biloxi Indian who stayed.”
Kalija was returned to Williams and Webster and continued to stand tall as the duo continued to own antique shops years after the storm.
That’s when Susan Hagan saw Kalija for the first time.
“The first time I saw Kaija was probably seven or six years ago,” Hagan said. “I was driving down the road on my way to do an errand for my husband when I saw an Indian. I pulled in and went into the store and talked to the two owners. I asked If it was for sale, but they told me no.”
Hagan is a proud “Fort Worthian” and grew up in Texas. Her husband, Randy, came to Ocean Springs after Katrina to help rebuild the area. He decided to open up a construction business and stay on the Coast and brought Susan over about 10 years ago.
Hagan owns Ocean Springs Mercantile on Government Street, which has been open for four years. When you walk into the shop, pieces from local artists, antique furniture, home and holiday decor line the walls.
“It’s a unique store,” Hagan said. “I kinda walk to the beat of a different drum. We’re a little different than the shops on the west side of Ocean Springs.”
“We mix old, new, everything together to make it work and I think it does.”
A few months later, Webster and Williams moved to a storefront on U.S. 90 in Ocean Springs and also worked estate sales. Hagan and her husband quickly became friends with the owners after opening her store.
“I asked them again if the Indian was for sale, but the answer was still no,” Hagan said.
Two weeks ago, after years of pining over “Poor Ol’ Kalija,” Hagan got her wish. The owners told her husband that they had decided to sell the Indian.
Hagan said Kalija is a piece that she immediately fell In love with. She loves his story and what he represents even more. She said she didn’t even know its story until they discussed the sale.
“The guys are native Biloxians, so it was special to them,” Hagan said. “I think he represents community and it represents the Coast.”
“I think about everything that this community went through, the homes and everything. He survived. It’s amazing. He’s resilient just like the people on the Coast.”
Hagan said that although Kalija has had quite the journey the past 14 years, she plans on making her store his permanent home.
“Here he is now in my store. He survived Katrina. We’re just glad he’s here. He is priceless and he isn’t for sale.”
This story was originally published December 6, 2019 at 5:00 AM.