Bringing Home Indigenous Artifacts

 

When Prime Minister Trudeau of Canada took part in the recent G7 Conference in Italy he had a brief meeting with Pope Francis, who addressed the gathered leaders. Trudeau made a specific request that the Vatican return Indigenous artifacts, many considered sacred, to their communities. When an Indigenous delegation visited the Vatican prior to the Pope's Canadian visit they made a similar request, apparently to no avail. Vatican Museum authorities argue that these artifacts were gifts to the Roman Catholic Church but this is contested. 

We are currently on Haida Gwaii, the islands off the northern coast of British Columbia, an archipelago where the Haida people have been involved in lengthy and successful negotiations with the provincial and federal governments to reestablish sovereignty. The Haida, as with so many other Indigenous communities, have also worked to repatriate works, such as totem poles, which were pilfered by colonial governments over time. This is happening around the world. 

Will Prime Minister Trudeau's conversation make a difference? We can pray that it will.