Alexander Herman: If the Vatican has traditional and ceremonial belongings from Indigenous peoples in its collections, then repatriating them could indeed accord with the aims of reconciliation, coming from an institution that ran most of the residential schools in Canada.
But estimates of the magnitude of the collections held in the Vatican Museums and Libraries run to more than two million objects; no comprehensive catalogue is publicly available.
It is no surprise that the Vatican collections are opaque. But institutional conservatism is colliding with the transformative figure of Pope Francis, who has said he is in favour of repatriation. So how exactly can repatriation be achieved?
The Pope has good intentions, but the Vatican as an institution will need to introduce a clear policy and procedure on repatriation in order to ensure consistency across decisions that extend beyond the pontifical prerogative. And, much like it did with the Hebrew manuscripts, it must invest in greater research in collaboration with communities.
Fully pursuing these initiatives would put the Vatican in line with global trends in repatriation. But if it doesn’t, promises of return may look more like an empty gesture – and exacerbate an already fraught relationship.
