The Vatican Museums returns Indigenous artifacts to Canadian communities

The Vatican has taken a major step in reconciliation by preparing to return several dozen culturally significant artifacts to Indigenous communities in Canada. Items include an Inuit kayak, war clubs, masks, wampum belts and more, all part of the Anima Mundi ethnographic collection.

These objects were originally collected—often under colonial conditions—by missionaries and brought to Rome beginning in 1925 for a Vatican exhibition. Acknowledging the power imbalance of that time, the Vatican’s move is being framed as a “church-to-church” donation, first passed to the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops and then to Indigenous communities, showing a shift toward community-led stewardship.

Indigenous leaders emphasize that these items are living, sacred pieces of their cultural and ceremonial heritage—not simply museum artifacts. The return is seen as a meaningful gesture of respect, restoration and healing.