VATICAN CITY — The Vatican is set to announce the return of several dozen artifacts to Indigenous communities in Canada. This decision is part of the Catholic Church's effort to address its historical role in suppressing Indigenous cultures in the Americas, officials stated on Wednesday. Among the items to be returned is an Inuit kayak, which is part of the Vatican Museum's ethnographic collection, known as the Anima Mundi museum. This collection has faced scrutiny amid ongoing discussions about the restitution of cultural artifacts taken from Indigenous peoples during colonial times.

Negotiations for the return of these items gained momentum after Pope Francis met with Indigenous leaders in 2022. During this meeting, the leaders received an apology for the Church's involvement in Canada's residential school system. They were shown various objects from the collection, including wampum belts, war clubs, and masks, and requested their return. Pope Francis expressed support for returning items on a case-by-case basis, stating, "In the case where you can return things, where it’s necessary to make a gesture, better to do it."

The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops announced that it has been collaborating with Indigenous groups to facilitate the return of these artifacts to their original communities. Vatican and Canadian officials anticipate an announcement regarding the return in the coming weeks, with the items potentially arriving in Canada by the end of the year.

Most of the artifacts in question were sent to Rome by Catholic missionaries for a 1925 exhibition in the Vatican gardens, which was a significant event during that year's Holy Year. The Vatican claims these items were "gifts" to Pope Pius XI, intended to showcase the Church's global outreach and the lives of Indigenous peoples. However, historians and Indigenous advocates have raised concerns about whether these items were truly given freely, considering the historical power dynamics at play during the era of Catholic missions.

During that time, Catholic religious orders were complicit in the Canadian government's policies aimed at eradicating Indigenous traditions, which the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada has labeled as "cultural genocide." The return of these artifacts will follow a "church-to-church" model, similar to the Vatican's 2023 transfer of the Parthenon Marbles to the Orthodox Christian Church in Greece. In this case, the Vatican is expected to transfer the items to the Canadian bishops' conference, with the understanding that the ultimate custodians will be the Indigenous communities.

Once returned, the artifacts will first go to the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Quebec. There, experts and Indigenous representatives will work to trace the origins of the items and determine their future handling. While the exact number of items under negotiation has not been disclosed, officials indicated that it totals "a few dozen."

The goal is to complete the return by the end of this year, coinciding with the 2025 Jubilee, which is a time for reflection and repentance. This year also marks the centenary of the controversial 1925 Holy Year and missionary exhibit, which has been largely overlooked by the Vatican in its anniversary celebrations.

The Assembly of First Nations noted that logistical details must be finalized before the artifacts can be returned, including the establishment of protocols. National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak emphasized the significance of these items, stating, "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."

Gloria Bell, an associate professor of art history at McGill University, remarked that the planned return signifies a crucial shift in recognizing Indigenous sovereignty and may represent the beginning of healing for affected communities.

This initiative reflects a broader movement towards addressing historical injustices and fostering reconciliation between the Catholic Church and Indigenous peoples in Canada.