Emotional Repatriation of Cultural Artifacts
More than 60 Indigenous cultural artifacts, including a rare Inuvialuit sealskin kayak, have returned to Canada after over 100 years in the Vatican’s possession. The repatriation marks a historic and emotional moment for many Indigenous communities across Canada. These artifacts, considered cultural ancestors by Indigenous peoples, were received by Indigenous leaders on the snowy tarmac of Montreal’s Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport.
The artifacts had been held in the Vatican Museums and vaults since the 1925 Vatican Mission Exposition, an event that promoted the Church’s global influence. The Vatican claimed the items were gifts to Pope Pius XI, but Indigenous leaders argue the items were taken during a time of cultural erasure and colonial oppression.
Years of Advocacy and a Papal Pledge
The return follows a persistent three-year campaign by Indigenous leaders and was supported by Pope Francis before his death. His 2022 apology for abuses at Canada’s residential schools reignited calls for restitution. That year, a delegation of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis leaders traveled to Rome to urge the Vatican to repatriate sacred and cultural belongings.
Pope Leo, Francis’s successor, fulfilled the late pontiff’s promise by officially “gifting” the items back to Indigenous communities. This move was announced last month by the Holy See and the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Mixed Reactions and the Road Ahead
First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak called the return “an important and emotional moment,” but acknowledged reconciliation is ongoing. Critics, including historians like Cody Groat, argue that the notion of “gifting” by Indigenous people is questionable, given the context of forced assimilation during that period.
Although a complete public inventory has not been released, the 62 returned items represent only a fraction of the Vatican’s colonial-era collection. The artifacts will first be studied at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau before being distributed back to their communities.
Reviving Culture Through Ancestral Belongings
Indigenous leaders stress the spiritual and cultural importance of the artifacts. “These cultural ancestors are now able to rejoin our communities,” said Groat, “and help with the continuity and revitalization of our cultural practices.”
President of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, Natan Obed, emphasized the significance of this homecoming, saying Inuit leaders are eager to trace the origins of the pieces and share that knowledge with future generations.
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The Vatican returns sacred artifacts held for a century to their Indigenous owners
Photo by Matthias Mullie on Unsplash
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