Indigenous artifacts returned by the Vatican are now at a Canadian museum

OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — A selection of Inuit artifacts returned by the Vatican is now at the Canadian Museum of History, after First Nations, Inuit and Métis leaders for years called for the repatriation of Indigenous items.

Pope Leo XIV gave the artifacts — including a traditional Inuit kayak — and supporting documentation to the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, which said it would return the items to Indigenous communities “as soon as possible.”

The items — 62 in all — ultimately will be returned to their communities as part of the Catholic Church’s reckoning with its role in helping suppress Indigenous culture in the Americas.

First Nations, Inuit and Métis leaders welcomed the dozens of artifacts at Montreal’s airport on Saturday and Inuit leaders showed some of the returned items to a small group of Indigenous representatives and journalists Tuesday.

The Inuit kayak, elegantly hand-built from driftwood, sealskin and sinew, was one of the artifacts earmarked for repatriation.

Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami President Natan Obed said it’s not known h...