JASON SETNYK
A cultural artifact belonging to Akwesasne is returning home after years in the Vatican Museums archive. First Nations leaders gathered recently at the Canadian Museum of History for a formal uncrating ceremony held in partnership with the Assembly of First Nations. The event welcomed home sacred belongings repatriated from the Vatican Museums.
Many Akwesasró:non attended the ceremony to witness the return of an artifact that rightfully belongs to their community. The process was supported by leadership from the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne and the Akwesasne Rights and Research Office, whose representatives worked to ensure the item could be safely brought home. Representing Akwesasne were Grand Chief Leonard Lazore, District Chiefs Tesha Rourke, Scott Peters, Teresa Oakes and Tom Thomas, along with Cheyenne Lazore and Adam Jacobs of the Akwesasne Rights and Research Office. The ceremony began with a welcoming reception and opening prayer, followed by remarks from First Nations leadership. The sacred bundle and artifacts were then formally uncrated. This was followed by a closing prayer and a Haudenosaunee Round Dance performed by the Akwesasne Men’s Singers. “These are not simply objects. They carry our stories, our teachings, and the voices of our ancestors. They connect us to who we are and where we come from,” said Grand Chief Leonard Lazore. He noted that when such belongings were taken from Indigenous communities, relationships and cultural understandings were also disrupted. “When these items were removed, we lost more than possessions, we lost connections,” Lazore added, describing repatriation as important towards restoring those ties. The return represents part of a broader effort between First Nations and international institutions to repatriate cultural belongings through dialogue and mutual respect. For Akwesasne, the moment goes beyond symbolism. Community leaders say the artifact will be honoured, and its teachings will be carried forward for future generations.
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