Canada Unveils 62 Repatriated Indigenous Artifacts

Indigenous artifacts long held in the Vatican, including a rare traditional Inuvialuit kayak, were unveiled Tuesday at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Quebec, marking a significant step in Canada's reconciliation efforts with First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities.

The 62 items, repatriated from the Vatican's ethnographic collection, arrived in Canada on Saturday and were welcomed by Indigenous leaders at Montreal's airport. Officials from the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops received the artifacts, along with supporting documentation, on behalf of the Vatican. The objects, which include embroidered gloves, a baby-carrying sling and other cultural treasures, will eventually be returned to their communities of origin. Museum experts noted that the items require a period of acclimatization before full public access.

Governor General Mary Simon, the first Indigenous person to hold the position, described the return as historic during the unveiling ceremony. "For too long, these artifacts were separated from the Indigenous communities to whom they belong," she said in a statement, crediting Pope Leo XIV for fulfilling the commitment and expressing hope that it...