After spending many years hidden in the archives of the Vatican Museums, a century-old kayak is set to return to its Indigenous community in the Western Arctic of Canada. The kayak, along with other valuable Indigenous artifacts, will be handed over to the Canadian Museum of History for assessment and eventual placement in their rightful communities.
Negotiations between the Vatican and the Canadian Catholic Church have progressed well, with plans to return the artifacts facilitated by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB). The return is seen as a significant step towards reconciliation with Indigenous communities, particularly those affected by the traumatic history of Catholic-run residential schools.
The handover process is structured as a “church-to-church” donation, allowing the Vatican to avoid directly returning cultural objects to nations or communities. This approach was previously used when returning fragments of the Parthenon Marbles to Greece in 2023.
The artifacts, including the rare kayak, were initially sent to Rome in 1925 for a global exhibition organized by Pope Pius XI. Most of these objects were acquired from Indigenous communities during a troubling period of forced conversion and cultural suppression.
The pending return of these artifacts is viewed as a crucial part of the healing journey for residential school survivors and Indigenous communities. The move towards repatriation comes after years of advocacy from Indigenous leaders and pressure from Canadian officials during meetings with the Vatican.
The return of the kayak and other items signifies not only a physical homecoming but also a meaningful response to the cultural losses endured by Indigenous communities over the years.