Canada Unveils Repatriated Indigenous Artifacts, Calls for Vatican to Return More

A groundbreaking event took place in Canada on Tuesday as 62 Indigenous artifacts, including a rare traditional Inuvialuit kayak, were unveiled at a Canadian museum. These repatriated items were taken from Canada by Catholic missionaries and had been in the Vatican's possession for over a century. The return of these artifacts marks a significant step towards reconciliation between Indigenous communities and the Catholic Church. The repatriation process began about a decade ago, following the release of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's report, which highlighted the Catholic Church's involvement in the abuse of Indigenous children in residential schools. During a 2022 "penitential pilgrimage" across Canada, Pope Francis apologized for the Church's role in these abuses, calling them "genocide.