More than sixty cultural items belonging to First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities are on their way back to Canada after being held in Vatican museums and vaults for a century. Negotiations spanning three years culminated in the arrival of these artifacts at Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport on Saturday.
During a news conference in Montreal, Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak, the national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, emphasized that while this marks a significant milestone, it is just the beginning of the journey to repatriate all cultural items. The majority of the items are unidentified, with 14 confirmed to be of Inuit origin, including an Inuvialuit kayak for hunting beluga whales, one Métis item, and the rest attributed to various First Nations groups across Canada.
A delegation comprising elders, knowledge keepers, and residential school survivors from the AFN recently traveled to Rome to conduct ceremonies as the items were prepared for transport. The artifacts were transported from Vatican City to Montreal via Frankfurt, Germany, accompanied by a group of First Nations youth, including Katisha Paul representing the W̱ JOȽEȽP (Tsartlip First Nation) and Lil’wat Nation.
Upon their return, Katisha Paul expressed the community’s anticipation of reconnecting the artifacts with their lands and heritage, emphasizing their cultural significance as more than mere objects. Representatives from various Indigenous organizations, including the AFN, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, and Métis National Council, welcomed the items at the airport, underscoring the historic nature of this repatriation.
Natan Obed, president of ITK, highlighted the importance of the returning artifacts, such as the rare Inuvialuit kayak, in preserving and reviving cultural practices like kayak-making. The artifacts were initially sent to Rome for an exhibition in the 1920s by Catholic missionaries, and negotiations for repatriation began in 2022, eventually involving a partnership between ITK, AFN, and the Métis National Council.
Victoria Pruden, president of the Métis National Council, emphasized the symbolic significance of the repatriation process, acknowledging the need for ongoing examination and collaboration to fully honor Indigenous heritage. Despite the positive steps taken, David Chartrand from the Manitoba Métis Federation noted that more work remains, especially concerning the vast number of Indigenous items still held by the Vatican.
The artifacts will be temporarily housed at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Quebec, where they will undergo acclimatization before being unpacked and examined. Woodhouse Nepinak stressed the importance of community involvement and a careful approach to repatriation, emphasizing the need to uphold Indigenous rights and traditions throughout the process.
