Indigenous artifacts returned by the Vatican are now at a Canadian museum

OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — A selection of Inuit artifacts returned by the Vatican is now at the Canadian Museum of History, after First Nations, Inuit and Métis leaders for years called for the repatriation of Indigenous items.

Pope Leo XIV gave the artifacts — including a traditional Inuit kayak — and supporting documentation to the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, which said it would return the items to Indigenous communities “as soon as possible.”

The items — 62 in all — ultimately will be returned to their communities as part of the Catholic Church’s reckoning with its role in helping suppress Indigenous culture in the Americas.

First Nations, Inuit and Métis leaders welcomed the dozens of artifacts at Montreal’s airport on Saturday and Inuit leaders showed some of the returned items to a small group of Indigenous representatives and journalists Tuesday.

The Inuit kayak, elegantly hand-built from driftwood, sealskin and sinew, was one of the artifacts earmarked for repatriation.

Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami President Natan Obed said it’s not known how the kayak, an essential item to the life of the community and likely used for beluga hunting, ended up in the Vatican.

Along with the kayak, the items on display Tuesday included a handful of smaller Inuit items, including a soup ladle, needle casings and an ulu knife.

Obed said the items will not be on public display anytime soon as a group of Inuit advisers works to trace each artifact back to its community of origin. The artifacts will be kept for now at the Canadian Museum of History in a secure facility with temperature controls.

For a century, the items were part of the Vatican Museums' ethnographic collection, known today as the Anima Mundi museum. The collection has been a source of controversy for the Vatican amid the broader debate over the restitution of cultural goods taken from Indigenous peoples during colonial periods.

Most of the items in the Vatican collection were sent to Rome by Catholic missionaries for a 1925 exhibition in the Vatican gardens. The Vatican insists the items were “gifts” to Pope Pius XI, who wanted to celebrate the church’s global reach, its missionaries and the lives of the Indigenous peoples they evangelized.

But historians, Indigenous groups and experts have long questioned whether the items could really have been offered freely, given the power imbalances at play in Catholic missions at the time.

During the display on Tuesday, Inuit leaders demonstrated for journalists how the items were made and how they would have been used. Onlookers were allowed to touch the objects as Paul Irngaut, acting president of Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., explained their cultural significance.

“I’m sure that there were some people who are curators who might have been quite aghast at us touching the item, lifting it up, handling the paddle,” Obed said, adding that returning the artifacts is "part of reconciliation."

Darrel Nasogaluak, Elder and Chair of Tuktoyaktuk Community Corp., left, and Duane Smith, Chair and CEO of the Inuvialuit Regional Corp., unveil a traditionally built Inuvialuit kayak at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Que., on Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. (Sean Kilpatrick /The Canadian Press via AP)

A selection of Inuit items are unveiled at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Que., on Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. (Sean Kilpatrick /The Canadian Press via AP)

Paul Irngaut, Acting President of Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., left to right, Darrel Nasogaluak, Elder and Chair of Tuktoyaktuk Community Corp., Duane Smith, Chair and CEO of the Inuvialuit Regional Corp., and Natan Obed, President of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami unveil a traditionally built Inuvialuit kayak and a selection of Inuit items at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Que., on Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. (Sean Kilpatrick /The Canadian Press via AP)

A selection of Inuit items are unveiled at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Que., on Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. (Sean Kilpatrick /The Canadian Press via AP)

Darrel Nasogaluak, Elder and Chair of Tuktoyaktuk Community Corp., middle, answers questions with Natan Obed, President of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, as a selection of Inuit items, including a traditionally built Inuvialuit kayak, are unveiled at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Que., on Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. (Sean Kilpatrick /The Canadian Press via AP)

A selection of Inuit items are unveiled at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Que., on Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. (Sean Kilpatrick /The Canadian Press via AP)

A selection of Inuit items are unveiled at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Que., on Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. (Sean Kilpatrick /The Canadian Press via AP)

A selection of Inuit items are unveiled at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Que., on Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. (Sean Kilpatrick /The Canadian Press via AP)

Natan Obed, President of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, left, stands with Adam van Koeverden, Secretary of State (Sport) and gold medal Olympic kayaker, as a selection of Inuit items, including a traditionally built Inuvialuit kayak and paddle, are unveiled at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Que., on Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. (Sean Kilpatrick /The Canadian Press via AP)

A selection of Inuit items are unveiled at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Que., on Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. (Sean Kilpatrick /The Canadian Press via AP)

Paul Irngaut, Acting President of Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., left to right, Duane Smith, Chair and CEO of the Inuvialuit Regional Corp., Darrel Nasogaluak, Elder and Chair of Tuktoyaktuk Community Corp., and Natan Obed, President of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami answer questions after the unveiling of a traditionally built Inuvialuit kayak and a selection of Inuit items at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Que., on Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. (Sean Kilpatrick /The Canadian Press via AP)

Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak, right, along with representatives from various First Nations receive a kayak and other indigenous artifacts at Trudeau Airport in Montreal, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, after they were returned by the Vatican. (Graham Hughes /The Canadian Press via AP)

Representatives from various First Nations look on as a kayak and other indigenous artifacts arrive at Trudeau Airport in Montreal, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, after they were returned by the Vatican. (Graham Hughes /The Canadian Press via AP)

Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak places her hand on indigenous and cultural artifacts at Trudeau Airport in Montreal, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, after they were returned by the Vatican. (Graham Hughes /The Canadian Press via AP)

Katisha Paul of the Lil'wat and Tsartlip Nations, left, and Peyal Laceese of the Tsilhqot'in nation touch a crate containing indigenous artifacts and cultural items at Trudeau Airport in Montreal, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, after they were returned by the Vatican. (Graham Hughes /The Canadian Press via AP)

SURIN, Thailand (AP) — Renewed border fighting between Thailand and Cambodia showed no signs of abating Wednesday, leaving hundreds of thousands of displaced people in both countries living in strained conditions as more flooded into temporary shelters.

Associated Press reporters on the Thai side of the border heard sounds of outgoing, indirect fire Wednesday.

About 400,000 people have been evacuated from affected areas in Thailand and around 700 schools closed while fighting was ongoing in four border provinces, Thai military spokesperson Rear Adm. Surasant Kongsiri said Wednesday.

Cambodia evacuated more than 127,000 villagers and hundreds of schools closed, the defense ministry said.

Thailand’s military announced that casualties this week include five soldiers killed and dozens wounded. Cambodia said seven civilians died and 20 others were wounded, though it did not update those figures on Wednesday.

There is not yet a clear path to peace as Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul vowed to continue to fight and Cambodia’s powerful Senate President Hun Sen promised a fierce response.

A knock-on effect of the fighting and bad blood between the nations was Cambodia’s withdrawal of its entire team from the 33rd Southeast Asian Games, which began Tuesday in Thailand. A Wednesday announcement from the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia said it regretted the action but the families of competitors were concerned about their safety.

The new, widespread fighting followed a skirmish Sunday that wounded two Thai soldiers and derailed a ceasefire pushed by U.S. President Donald Trump that ended armed combat in July.

The five days of fighting over territorial disputes left dozens dead on both sides and forced the evacuation of thousands of civilians. The ceasefire was brokered by Malaysia and pushed through by pressure from Trump, who threatened to withhold trade privileges from the two nations unless they agreed.

Late Tuesday at a Pennsylvania political event, Trump said he would use his sway to end the renewed combat.

“Tomorrow I’ll have to make a phone call,” Trump said. “Who else could say, ‘I’m going to make a phone call and stop a war between two very powerful countries, Thailand and Cambodia?’”

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio earlier called on the two sides to live up to the commitments made at an October meeting in Malaysia that reaffirmed the July ceasefire and called for removing heavy weapons from the border, coordinating removal of land mines and other steps.

Thai foreign ministry spokesperson Nikorndej Balankura said Wednesday that there had not yet been any contact with the United States on the matter. He added that Thailand will not likely accept if another third party proposes to mediate since “the line has been crossed.”

The ceasefire was fragile from the start as both nations carried on a bitter propaganda war and minor incidents of cross-border violence continued.

Thailand deployed jet fighters to carry out airstrikes on what it says are military targets, while Cambodia's most fearsome weapons are BM-21 rocket launchers with a range of roughly 30-40 kilometers (19-25 miles). They are capable of firing salvos of 40 rockets at a time and mounted on trucks, making them less vulnerable to attack.

A Thai army statement said Cambodia on Tuesday launched approximately 125 salvos from BM-21 launchers totaling about 5,000 rockets and that some had hit civilian areas, though no casualties were reported.

Away from the battlefronts, anxious evacuees are the most visible sign of the crisis.

In a gymnasium in the northeastern Thai city of Surin, around 550 people are waiting out the combat, many having hurriedly fled after the first shots were fired Sunday.

Officials have provided food and diversions for children. The cooler, winter temperatures have kept the situation in the shelter bearable, but there is inevitable boredom and concern about what they left behind including homes, valuables and animals.

Thidarat Homhual, a 37-year-old farmer in the shelter with her family, said her mind is on cows, ducks, four dogs and nine cats left to fend for themselves.

“We are behind the front line. We can live like this. It’s OK,” she said. “But I want it to be over. I miss my pets. I really miss my pets, all the animals at home. I can’t really put it into words.”

Sopheng Cheang in Srei Snam, Cambodia, Wasamon Audjarint in Bangkok and Matthew Lee and Lou Kesten in Washington contributed to this report.

Thai residents who fled homes following the clashes between Thai and Cambodian soldiers, rest at an evacuation center in Surin province, Thailand, Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

Thai residents who fled homes following the clashes between Thai and Cambodian soldiers, rest at an evacuation center in Surin province, Thailand, Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

Thai residents who fled homes following the clashes between Thai and Cambodian soldiers, head to a shelter in Surin province, Thailand, Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn)

An wounded Thai soldier is carried to be transferred to a hospital, in Surin province, Thailand, Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025, following clashes between Thai and Cambodian soldiers. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

An wounded Thai soldier is carried to be transferred to a hospital, in Surin province, Thailand, Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025, following clashes between Thai and Cambodian soldiers. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)