Gilbert Whiteduck emphasizes the significance of repatriating Indigenous artifacts from the Vatican museum as a crucial step towards reconciliation. However, he stresses the importance of handling these items with utmost care and respect for their sacred nature.
Whiteduck, the education director for Kitigan Zibi Anishinābeg, pointed out that the process of repatriation should involve more than just physically relocating the objects from the Vatican archives. Depending on their nature, some items may hold deep sacred value and require ceremonial procedures before being returned to their original places.
The Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak recently announced discussions with the Vatican Museums to repatriate several First Nations artifacts. Progress is being made between the Canadian Catholic Church, the Vatican, and the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) towards returning the objects by the end of the year.
Whiteduck expressed frustration at the lack of official information regarding the discussions and a definitive list of items earmarked for potential return to his community. Cheyenne Lazore, manager of the Akwesasne Rights & Research Office, emphasized the need for transparency and proper identification of the artifacts to ensure they are rightfully returned to the respective First Nations.
The artifacts are expected to be handed over in a “church-to-church” donation process, a method that has raised concerns among Indigenous communities. The items will initially be returned to the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Quebec, where Indigenous representatives will collaborate with experts to determine their final destinations.
Indigenous groups have long been advocating for the repatriation of artifacts taken during the residential school era. A delegation of Indigenous leaders from Canada met with Pope Francis in 2022 and urged for the return of these culturally significant items. Whiteduck emphasized the need for understanding the historical context of Indigenous-Catholic Church relations and the importance of these artifacts beyond their physical presence.
Lazore acknowledged that while the return of these items may offer some solace, true reconciliation remains a distant goal, especially considering the traumatic legacy of the residential schools. The artifacts, including a human face mask from Haida Gwaii, a kayak from Inuvialuit, and beaded moccasins, were sent to the Vatican in the 1920s following a request by Pope Pius XI for donations from Catholic missions worldwide.
