'What is being hidden?' Curators say Vatican must give access to Indigenous artifacts

Artifacts are important to how Indigenous people see themselves and the world around them, said one renowned First Nations curator. Yet not many have ever laid their eyes on what's in the Vatican's vaults.

The renowned First Nations curator and artist says the artifacts are important to how Indigenous people see themselves and the world around them. Yet, he says, not many have ever laid their eyes on what's in the vaults.

"What is being hidden? Why is it being hidden?" McMaster pondered in a recent interview with The Canadian Press.

"Why (do) Indigenous people remain shut out whereas the vault will be open to other curators that are non-Indigenous, other European curators."

Indigenous delegates are to meet with Pope Francis at the Vatican the last week in March. The visit is to include a tour of the Anima Mundi Ethnological Museum, which contains an unknown number of Indigenous artifacts.