OTTAWA — The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) is in discussions with the Vatican Museum regarding the repatriation of sacred items currently held in its collection. National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak announced on Tuesday that logistical challenges must be resolved before the items can be returned. These challenges include establishing protocols to ensure the safe transfer of the items.

The AFN stated that further details will be shared once plans are finalized with the Vatican. "For First Nations, these items are not artifacts. They are living, sacred pieces of our cultures and ceremonies and must be treated as the invaluable objects that they are," Woodhouse Nepinak said. She expressed gratitude for the collaborative efforts of all parties involved, emphasizing the importance of this work to First Nations.

For years, First Nations leaders have urged the Vatican to return Indigenous items in its possession. This issue was raised during a meeting with Pope Francis in Rome in 2022, where leaders discussed the legacy of church-run residential schools. This meeting followed the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation's announcement of potential unmarked graves at a former residential school in Kamloops, B.C., which ignited global outrage and a national call for reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples.

During their visit to the Vatican, First Nations delegates were given a private viewing of some items held by the church, including embroidered gloves, a kayak, and a sling for carrying a baby. Many of these artifacts had not been publicly displayed for decades. Although they left the Vatican without the items, the delegates returned with a renewed commitment to reclaim them.

Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, representing Inuit, and the Métis National Council have also called for the return of their sacred items from the Vatican. Following the death of Pope Francis in April, Woodhouse Nepinak praised his efforts in advancing the repatriation of these artifacts.

The Vatican has stated that some items in its collection were originally gifts to previous popes and to the church. In 2019, Pope Francis pledged to display more objects, including those from Indigenous cultures. Indigenous Peoples argue that many items in Vatican custody were taken improperly from their communities. The collection includes masks, wampum belts, pipes, and rugs, among other items from North American Indigenous communities. Many of these objects were seized after the Canadian government prohibited certain cultural practices through the Indian Act in 1876, leading to the sale, donation to museums, or destruction of ceremonial items and other significant objects.