In settler-colonial society, we constantly declare and acknowledge that we reside and gather on the “unceded territory” of Indigenous peoples. But do we ever stop to wonder if our declarations reflect our realities? As its rightful stewards, do Indigenous peoples decide the fate of the land?
Yintah, the Hot Docs 2024 Audience Award-winning documentary, exposes the undeniable dissonance between our empty words and the realities they attempt to conceal. Directors Jennifer Wickham, Brenda Michell, and Michael Toledano condense a decade-long struggle of the Wet’suwet’en people as they fiercely fight to protect their Yintah (the Wet’suwet’en word for land) from TC Energy’s Coastal Gaslink (CGL) pipeline project. The documentary follows the remarkable journey of Howilhkat (Freda) Huson and Sleydo’ (Molly) Wickham as they grow into formidable land defenders. Through the directors’ lens, we are faced with the hypocrisy of a capitalist, settler-colonial society that “acknowledges” colonialism on one hand while violating and undermining Indigenous sovereignty whenever settlers find Indigenous sovereignty inconvenient.
The film opens with breathtaking aerial shots of the Wet’suwet’en Yintah. Amplified by a powerful soundscape, the opening scene immediately captivates the viewer, evoking a sense of awe and reverence. We are taken on a journey with Howilhkat as she shares the centuries-deep bond between the Wet’suwet’en people and the Yintah; how the Yintah provides, and how they take care of it as it takes care of them. The relationship to the land is only reinforced by Sleydo’ as she proudly declares that “we are the land and the land is us.” Sleydo’ and her family make a life-altering decision to reclaim their heritage and embrace their roles as custodians of the Yintah.
The Indigenous struggle for autonomy and self determination has been ongoing since Canada’s inception. Despite significant legal victories, such as the Supreme Court’s 1997 Delgamuukw decision acknowledging Aboriginal title, the struggle persists. Yintah, a testament to this ongoing fight, centers the Wet’suwet’en Nation’s decade-long battle to protect the land from the environmental devastation of the CGL pipeline. This struggle tragically underscores the harsh reality that violence and human rights violations against Indigenous communities and nations are often tolerated, even encouraged, when vast financial gains are at stake.
In Yintah, the directors depict humanity in its rawest forms. We see greed in politicians, weakness in division, compassion in solidarity, strength in land defenders, violence in the police, pain in destruction, resilience in humour, honour in resistance, and hope that springs from future generations.
To Indigenous peoples, the land is not merely a resource to be exploited, but a living entity to be cherished and protected. To the Wet’suwet’en, the Wedzin Kwa (Morice river) is a sacred lifeline that nourishes the land and bears cultural memory. The CGL pipeline threatens to pollute the waterway. If the river is poisoned, it will poison even the deepest recesses of the Yintah, threatening access to clean water and food sources, disturbing wildlife, and irreversibly altering the ecosystem.
The documentary lays bare the clash between colonial Canadian law and ancestral Wet’suwet’en law. We witness Wet’suwet’en law invoked in the face of trespassers who fail to respect Indigenous sovereignty, culminating in the rise of the Gidimt’en checkpoint, a physical barrier regulating access to the territory and embodying Wet’suwet’en resistance. Nonetheless, the inherent right to self-governance is challenged by a settler-colonial court injunction that grants the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) authority to use brute force against land defenders, illustrating the response of colonial powers to iIndigenous calls for autonomy.
The film reaches its heart-wrenching climax as the RCMP violently raids and dismantles Gidimt’en checkpoint, and with it, any hopes of stopping the construction of the CGL pipeline. Adding insult to injury are the numerous arrests of land defenders and the unjust criminal charges against Dinï ze’ Dtsa’hyl, Sleydo’ Wickham, and Shaylynn Sampson. While Dinï ze’ Dtsa’hyl was sentenced to sixty days of house arrest on July 3, 2024, the trials of Sleydo’ and Shaylynn continue to be agonizingly postponed, trapping their families and whole community in anxious anticipation. Still, Chief Woss and his daughters, Jocey and Eve, as well as many other Wet’suwet’en, continue to occupy, steward, and protect their territories today.
Despite the devastating setbacks and the completion of the pipeline in late 2023, the spirit of the Wet’suwet’en people remains unbroken. They continue to reoccupy their lands, asserting their sovereignty, enforcing their laws, and reclaiming their ancestral ways of life.
Yintah exposes the violence inflicted upon land defenders by the RCMP, presenting scenes that are undeniably difficult to watch. Yet, the true extent of the physical and emotional trauma endured during these brutal raids remains largely unseen, left to the viewer’s imagination. While some may grasp the gravity of the situation, many will never fully comprehend the depths of suffering and the lasting scars left behind by the RCMP’s relentless crackdown.
The power of Yintah stems from Indigenous individuals reclaiming their narrative and telling their story in their own voices, unapologetically embracing their ancestral and traditional ways that are often labeled as “savagery” by the colonizer. While the Wet’suwet’en nations strongly adhere to their ancestral way of life, they demonstrate profound willingness to work towards a peaceful resolution, provided their right to self-determination is respected. Dinï ze’ (hereditary chief) Dtsa’hyl reveals that traditionally, trespassers on the land faced severe consequences, even elimination. However, the film consistently depicts the Wet’suwet’en people’s remarkable grace and respect in dealing with those who violate their laws and trespass on their territory. This compassionate approach contrasts with the stereotypical portrayals often imposed upon First Nations, showcasing a reality that challenges preconceived notions.
Yintah leaves you with a throbbing feeling of pain, overwhelm and despair that lingers long after the credits roll, a testament to the directors’ ability to evoke such powerful emotions. By doing so, it portrays the true essence of resistance and the sacrifices it demands. To move forward, we need to embrace the cost of resistance and the sorrows of loss, learn from the past, find solace in each other, and trust that future generations will accept and carry the spirit of Wet’suwet’en resilience.
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