For Beatrice Ridsdale, a dispatcher for Diversified Transportation in Kitimat, a recent trip to the Vatican was more than a trip—it was a deeply emotional and healing experience rooted in art, history, and truth. An inter-generational survivor of Indian Residential Schools and the ’60s Scoop, Beatrice was part of an Indigenous delegation invited to explore the genesis of colonization through the lens of art history.
This extraordinary journey was spearheaded by Dr. Suzanne McLeod, an Indigenous professor at the University of Manitoba specializing in Native American Art History. Alongside Elder Kathy Daniels and Elder Pahan, the delegation aimed to interpret the narratives woven into historical artifacts and artwork, particularly from an Indigenous perspective.
Central to their experience was the exploration of Pinturicchio’s 1494 painting The Resurrection, believed to include the first artistic depiction of Indigenous peoples following Christopher Columbus’s arrival in the Americas. The painting and its context are tied directly to the Doctrine of Discovery, a papal decree that justified colonization and catastrophically altered the lives of Indigenous populations worldwide.
Romina Cometti of the Vatican’s Ethnological Collection Department played a pivotal role in trying to ensure the Indigenous displays reflected accurate and meaningful interpretations. Beatrice and her fellow delegates engaged in discussions about the lasting impacts of colonization, agreeing they could not speak for all Indigenous peoples but could share their individual truths and insights.
The trip held particular resonance for Beatrice, who had previously worked as an Indigenous guard during the Pope’s 2022 visit to Alberta. Witnessing the Pope don an Indigenous headdress was an emotionally charged moment for her and her fellow guards, many of whom found the act painful given the church’s role in the history of colonization and residential schools. Reflecting on that experience in the context of her Vatican visit, Beatrice found an opportunity to process and reconcile complex emotions.
“This trip was a healing journey for all of us involved,” Beatrice shared. “Truth and Reconciliation is at its humble beginnings, but there is hope.”
The delegation’s visit also highlighted the role of education and dialogue in bridging historical divides. Dr. McLeod and the elders facilitated discussions about the intersections of Indigenous history, art, and the church’s legacy. The group’s efforts underscore a growing commitment to truth-telling and reconciliation, offering a pathway toward understanding and healing.
“Here we were at the Borgia Apartments Room of the Mysteries in the Vatican – Six Indigenous women seeking to understand how art portrays our Indigenous People’s customs, sacred artifacts, history and languages. Our presence at the Vatican Museum helped to put some context regarding the displays of artifacts, especially the Pope’s Headdress, which was gifted during the Papal Visit to Canada in 2022. I worked as a Guard; there were 70 Indigenous Guards at Maskwacis and Lac Ste Anne. Romina, the assistant responsible for the Indigenous displays, understood the need for more context and was quite humble enough to ask for our opinion on the present displays. Thank God for Dr. Suzanne and Elder Pahan’s input. So blessed to be with this group.”
