The Vatican has transferred 62 cultural items linked to First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities to the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, framing the move as a “concrete sign of dialogue, respect and fraternity.” The items, which include an iconic Inuit kayak, masks, wampum belts and other ceremonial objects, are slated to arrive in Montreal on December 6 before being processed by the Canadian Museum of History for reunification with originating communitiesThe artefacts were originally gathered for a 1925 Vatican exhibition and later housed in the Vatican Museums’ ethnographic collection, drawing scrutiny amid global debates over restitution and the legacy of colonial-era collecting. Indigenous scholars and community leaders have questioned whether such objects were ever freely given, highlighting the broader context of forced assimilation policies and church-run residential schools in Canada.Under a church-to-church model, Pope Leo XIV “gifted” the items to Canada’s bishops, who say they will rapidly transfer them to National Indigenous Organisations and, ultimately, to their communities of origin. Items with uncertain provenance will be held in trust while Indigenous experts lead research to establish origins and rightful custodianship.Canada’s Foreign Minister Anita Anand welcomed the move as an important step toward truth, justice, and reconciliation. Some historians criticised the “gift” framing and urged a fuller accounting of what remains in Vatican vaults, noting thousands of Indigenous items are still held by the museums.Momentum accelerated after Pope Francis’s 2022 apology to Indigenous peoples and his support for case-by-case returns of cultural items. The Vatican also formally refused the “Doctrine of Discovery” in 2023, a landmark acknowledgement tied to efforts to address colonial-era harms.
