After landing on a snowy runway in Montreal on Saturday, a selection of Inuit artifacts, part of the 62 Indigenous cultural pieces repatriated from the Vatican, were revealed at the Canadian Museum of History on Tuesday. These items had been housed in Vatican museums and storage for a century until efforts to return them to their original communities gained momentum following Pope Francis’s 2022 visit to Canada.
The objects were initially sent to Rome between 1923 and 1925 for an international exhibition organized by Pope Pius XI, which showcased around 100,000 relics from Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Oceania. Among the artifacts unveiled in Gatineau, Que., was an Inuvialuit kayak used for hunting beluga whales. This kayak, crafted from driftwood, sealskin, and sinew, is a rare piece with only five such kayaks known to exist, as stated by Natan Obed, president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami.
Obed highlighted the significance of the kayak, emphasizing its role in the Inuit community as a vital tool for hunters. He mentioned that it will take time for Indigenous elders and experts to study and trace the origins of these items. The Canadian Museum of History has pledged to securely store the artifacts during this examination process.
The manner in which these artifacts, including the kayak, came into the possession of the Vatican remains unclear. Obed noted that the return of these items marked a significant step in the ongoing repatriation efforts, indicating that the process will continue beyond this event.
Indigenous leaders expressed gratitude for the return of the artifacts but stressed that the journey of reconciliation is ongoing and requires continued commitment, humility, and a willingness to listen from all parties involved.