'Yintah': A Powerful Look at Indigenous Land Rights

'Yintah': A Powerful Look at Indigenous Land Rights

*Yintah* is a compelling documentary now streaming on Netflix that highlights the Wet’suwet’en tribe's struggle to protect their ancestral land from a government-backed pipeline project during the COVID-19 pandemic. Chronicling events from 2019 to 2020, the film captures the tribe’s fight to preserve their drinking water and salmon-bearing river, known as Widzin Kwah.

Directed by Jennifer Wickham, Brenda Michell, and Michael Toledano, *Yintah* features passionate leaders Howilhkat Freda Huson and Sleydo’ Molly Wickham, whose dedication to their culture and land is palpable. The documentary draws parallels to other significant environmental struggles, showcasing the ongoing resistance against colonization.

With powerful quotes like, “The ancestors said we are the land and the land is us,” the film underscores the deep connection between the Wet’suwet’en people and their territory.

While the film exposes the harsh realities of government and police actions against indigenous rights, it also emphasizes the importance of resilience. Although the pipeline was ultimately completed, the Wet’suwet’en resistance increased its costs significantly, proving that the fight for land and rights continues.

*Our Call: STREAM IT.* *Yintah* is an important documentary that serves as a rallying cry for indigenous rights and resistance everywhere.