Indigenous Artifacts Return to Canada After Century in Vatican

Indigenous leaders celebrated a significant milestone on March 9, 2024, as over 60 cultural artifacts, including a rare Inuit sealskin kayak, returned to Canada after being held in the Vatican for more than a century. The artifacts, which were taken from First Nations, Inuit, and Méti communities, were transported to Montreal’s Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport, marking a momentous homecoming for Indigenous communities across the nation.

The repatriation of these items is the culmination of a three-year campaign led by Indigenous representatives, which received support from the late Pope Francis. His endorsement followed his historic apology for the abuses committed against Indigenous peoples in Canada at church-run residential schools. The return of the artifacts reflects a growing trend among museums worldwide to return items acquired through unethical means to their rightful communities.

First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak expressed the emotional significance of the artifacts’ return during a press conference. “This is an important and emotional moment for many First Nations across the country,” she stated, while also acknowledging the ongoing challenges in the reconciliation process. “We’ve come a long way, and we have a long way to go.”

Controversial Origins

While the repatriated artifacts represent a small fraction of the thousands of colonial-era Indigenous objects held by the Vatican, their origins are disputed. Among the 62 items is the Inuvialuit sealskin kayak, which was the last artifact to be unloaded from the plane. These items were initially brought to Rome for the 1925 Vatican Mission Exposition, an exhibit aimed at showcasing the Church’s global influence.

The Vatican has maintained that the artifacts were gifted to Pope Pius XI, who led the Church from 1922. However, this assertion has been challenged by Indigenous groups in Canada, who argue that the items were taken during a time when Indigenous identity was systematically suppressed through legislation and the forced attendance of children at residential schools designed to erase their cultures.

Cody Groat, an Assistant Professor of History and Indigenous Studies at Canada’s Western University, noted the complexity of the term “gifting” in this context. “Given the historical backdrop, it’s highly contestable that this was a meaningful ‘gifting’ of items,” he explained in an email.

Calls for repatriation intensified in 2022 when a delegation of First Nations, Inuit, and Méti representatives visited Rome to discuss historical injustices with Pope Francis. This trip was followed by the Pope’s penitential pilgrimage to Canada, during which he apologized for the Church’s role in the suffering of Indigenous peoples. The late pontiff pledged to return the artifacts, with the responsibility ultimately falling to his successor, Pope Leo.

A New Chapter

In February 2024, the Holy See and the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops announced that the artifacts, along with their documentation, would be returned to Indigenous communities. This decision was framed as the conclusion of a journey initiated by Pope Francis. Groat expressed optimism regarding Pope Leo’s early actions in his papacy, suggesting it may foster improved relationships between the Catholic Church and Indigenous peoples in Canada and beyond.

The artifacts are currently at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Quebec, near Ottawa. Indigenous leaders are now tasked with determining new homes for these significant cultural items. Natan Obed, President of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, expressed eagerness for this next phase. “We are looking forward to being able to unbox the items in the coming days and to have Inuit leadership and Inuit experts understand exactly where these items come from in each of our communities,” he said during a press conference.

The return of these artifacts is not merely an act of repatriation; it resonates deeply within Indigenous communities, where such objects are regarded as “cultural ancestors with a sentience or life of their own.” Groat emphasized the importance of these items in revitalizing cultural practices, stating, “These cultural ancestors are now able to rejoin our communities and help with the continuity and revitalization of our cultural practices.”

As these artifacts find their way home, the journey towards reconciliation and acknowledgment of historical injustices continues, highlighting the need for ongoing dialogue and understanding between Indigenous peoples and institutions like the Catholic Church.