The century-old kayak has spent decades locked away in the vaults of the Vatican Museums, its driftwood frame still holding together, though the fragile sealskin cover is partly tattered.
Out of sight for generations, the vessel carries the stories of Western Arctic communities, its sleek, delicate form a witness to Inuvialuit hunts of seals, walrus and whales — and now, to a long-awaited act of reconciliation between the Roman Catholic Church and Indigenous communities in Canada.
After complex negotiations, the kayak and other Indigenous artifacts are finally set to return home, a powerful symbol for communities whose children suffered in Catholic-run residential schools.
Sources tell CBC the Vatican and the Canadian Catholic Church are making good progress toward a
Continue Reading on CBC News
This preview shows approximately 15% of the article. Read the full story on the publisher's website to support quality journalism.