A Century Later: Métis Ancestral Sled Returns from Vatican

GATINEAU, QC – February 25, 2026 – In a quiet, powerful ceremony, a piece of Métis history, separated from its people for over a century, was finally welcomed home. A rare, intricately crafted model of a Métis dog sled, held within the Vatican Museums’ Anima Mundi collection since the 1920s, was unboxed today before leaders of the Métis National Council (MNC), Governor General Mary Simon, and other dignitaries at the Canadian Museum of History.

The moment marked a profound step in a long journey of repatriation and reconciliation. The model sled is one of 62 Indigenous cultural belongings returned to Canada from the Vatican, an initiative facilitated by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops to mark the Jubilee of Hope announced by Pope Francis. For the Métis Nation, its return is not merely the reception of an object, but the reclamation of a story.

“This moment represents more than the return of an object,” said Métis National Council President Victoria Pruden. “It represents the return of story, memory, and the lived experiences of our ancestors. This model carries teachings about how our people moved across the land, how we built relationships, and how we sustained our communities.”

A Witness to History and Ingenuity

Though small in scale, the model sled, which preliminary research dates to 1920, carries the immense weight of Métis history. Made of leather, wood, and glass beads, it is described by cultural experts as an exceptionally rare representation of the dog teams that were the lifeblood of Métis communities for centuries. From the 18th century through the fur trade era and into the early 20th century, these teams were essential for survival and commerce across the vast, snow-covered landscapes of the Homeland.

Dog sleds, known in two basic designs as the open 'sledge' and the enclosed 'cariole', were feats of engineering and artistry. They transported goods for the Hudson’s Bay Company and North West Company, carried mail, facilitated trapping, and ferried dignitaries between remote posts. But they were far from purely utilitarian. Métis artisans adorned their sleds and dog harnesses with vibrant floral beadwork, colourful wool pom-poms, ribbons, and bells, transforming essential tools into powerful expressions of cultural identity and pride. The returned model is a silent witness to this blend of function and beauty, reflecting a people deeply connected to their land and their traditions.

Its journey to Rome is believed to have begun as a donation for the Vatican Missionary Exhibition of 1924-1925, an event that gathered some 100,000 items from Indigenous peoples worldwide. Now, housed temporarily at the Canadian Museum of History, its journey enters a new phase of rediscovery as Métis experts work to uncover its specific origins and the story of the artist who created it.

The Path from Rome to Reconciliation

The sled's return is a direct result of sustained dialogue between Indigenous leadership and the Holy See, a process that gained critical momentum during the historic Indigenous delegation to Rome in 2022. During that visit, First Nations, Inuit, and Métis leaders met with Pope Francis to seek a formal apology for the Catholic Church's role in the devastating residential school system. The Pope delivered that historic apology, expressing “shame, pain and embarrassment” for the abuses and disrespect of Indigenous culture.

That visit also included private viewings of Indigenous belongings held in the Vatican’s ethnological museum. For the delegates, seeing these items—some of which had not been viewed publicly in decades—was a deeply moving experience that intensified calls for their return. Following the meetings, Pope Francis signaled his commitment to repatriation, paving the way for the formal transfer.

However, the process has not been without complexity. The Vatican has long maintained that many of the items in its collection were “gifts” from missionaries or Indigenous communities. This narrative is contested by many Indigenous leaders and historians, who question the nature of consent in the oppressive colonial context of the time. The repatriation of these 62 items, transferred from the Pope to the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops and then to Indigenous representatives, follows a “church-to-church” model. While it achieves the goal of bringing the items home, some observers note it frames the return as a gift rather than a fundamental act of restitution.

More Than an Artifact, A Living Relative

Underscoring the deep significance of the return, the ceremony in Gatineau was one of reverence, not exhibition. Unlike a typical museum unveiling, the model sled was not placed behind glass. Instead, a Métis elder smudged the item with sacred smoke, and community members were able to be physically close to it, re-establishing a tangible connection lost for generations.

As President Pruden explained, these are “not artifacts in the Western sense. These are carriers of memory… They hold the imprint of the hands that made them, and the communities who once knew them.”

The Métis National Council has been clear that it is acting as a steward in this process, not an endpoint. The MNC will serve as an interlocutor, facilitating careful research in partnership with experts and Métis governments to determine the sled's exact provenance. Guided by Métis laws and cultural protocols, the ultimate goal is to return the ancestral item to the specific community from which it originated, ensuring it rests where it rightfully belongs.

This repatriation is seen as a foundational step in a renewed relationship with national institutions. “This is only the beginning of our partnership with the Museum,” Pruden stated, looking toward future collaborations. “We look forward to continued collaboration to advance further repatriations and ensure these items are returned home safely.” The event affirms the resilience of the Métis Nation and a growing understanding that restoring cultural belongings is an essential part of restoring relationships between community and culture, and between story and place.