YINTAH

Today, I would love to share with you more about this interesting and an eye opening beautiful documentary film “YINTAH ” that I attended at the Cornwall Public Library.

What an interesting film this was! I just loved how it captured the magic of real life through the lens of a documentary. It’s one of those stories that truly touches your heart and makes you feel connected — like you’re right there, walking alongside the people and experiencing their journey with them.

So, What is the meaning of “YINTAH”? “Yintah” means “land” in the Wetʼsuwetʼen language.

It is the title of a powerful, award-winning 2024 documentary film about the Wet’suwet’en nation’s struggle to protect their unceded territory from pipeline construction. The film highlights the Wetʼsuwetʼen people’s assertion of sovereignty, their resistance to the natural gas and oil industry and their fight for Indigenous rights and stewardship of their ancestral lands.

Corey (seen in the photo below) was there to answer questions and lead a conversation after the film.

Corey is a Mohawk artist from Akwesasne and a dedicated land defender. He was on the ground during the Wet’suwet’en resistance to the Coastal GasLink pipeline and was among those arrested in 2021 for standing with local defenders.

In 2024, he and others were found guilty of criminal contempt for peacefully opposing the pipeline, even as the courts later recognized that RCMP violated their Charter rights during the arrests.

As both an artist and a defender, Corey shared a powerful perspective on the events portrayed in Yintah and the ongoing fight for Indigenous sovereignty and environmental protection.

Filmed over more than a decade, Yintah is an intimate and emotionally charged chronicle of Indigenous land defense, state violence, and the courage it takes to stand for the future.

The film has received critical acclaim and multiple awards, including the Canadian Screen Award for Best Feature-length documentary, Audience Choice Award for Best Canadian Documentary at Hot Docs 2024 and the Colin Low Award for Best Canadian Documentary at DOXA.
For more information about the film, visit https://yintahfilm.com

Yaffa Goawily | Art Specialist / Art advisor – community development through art Yafa Arts & Crafts www.yaffa.ca