Preparing for your Visit

Thank you for supporting the Unist’ot’en.

Please read the guide below before filling out the Supporter Registration.

Consent Guidelines

Consent is permission for something to happen or agreement to do something. When someone ignores or intentionally does anything towards another without an explicit agreement, that is a consent violation. These are the behavioural expectations at Unist’ot’en with regards to bodily consent:

Before: Your first step is filling out the online registration form, which involves questions regarding your history with consent violations. Please answer this as openly and honestly as possible. Second, we follow up with a phone interview to further explore your understanding of different types of consent. Please answer to the best of your abilities. Remember, it is not shameful or an immediate rejection if you require additional reading or education on the subject matter. Also, different cultural backgrounds come with different ideas of consent. We want to learn about your perspectives and teach you about how consent works at camp. 

If you withhold information relevant to camp members’ safety, the Unist’ot’en have grounds for your immediate dismissal. 

Any information you share during the registration process is kept completely confidential. Please note, these conversations are handled in a respectful way that ensures everyone’s personal safety. 

 

During: When you first arrive at camp, you participate in the Free Prior Informed Consent Protocol (FPIC), which is a centuries-old practice at the border of Unist’ot’en territory. This process honours the consent given by the keepers of this permitting you to be on their territory. By accepting the rules of camp leadership, you agree to uphold the autonomy of the land, people, and yourself. 

Should anything come up during your stay that makes you or another person feel uncomfortable or unsafe, Freda’s door is always open. If you are uncertain about speaking to Freda, please approach one of the other Unist’ot’en. They all wish to hear from you as soon as problems arise to avoid further damage and allow for necessary debriefing, intervention, or de-escalation.

There is literature available at camp about consent. We strongly advise you to seek it out. 

 

Ongoing: We are all learning and striving to grow our knowledge and understanding around this important subject matter.

Please review the Consent Resources page here to ensure you are well informed. 

Behaviour Guidelines:

  • The Unist’ot’en make all the decisions on their land – visitors will NOT argue or refuse to abide by their decisions.
  • Please DO NOT come to the camp if you’re sick or have parasites.
  • DO NOT bring drugs or alcohol of any kind, no cannabis/marijuana (for prescription pills you must bring the prescription)
  • DO NOT bring weapons of any kind.
  • Dogs (or any other pets) are NOT allowed to visit the camp.
  • Take everything you brought with you when you leave, and DO NOT take anything that is not yours.
  • DO NOT leave clothes, tents, and other non-essentials behind unless the camp hosts ask you to.
  • Public nudity is NOT permitted at any time.
  • NO physical contact of any kind without spoken consent.
  • NO picking, harvesting, or removal of any plants without express permission/request of hosts.
  • NO taking photos/videos/audio recording without asking permission.
  • DO NOT discriminate. People of all races, religions, nationalities, classes, genders, orientations, gender identifications, etc. are welcome to support the grassroots Wet’suwet’en people in defending their land. The hosts expect all volunteers to respect diverse views and seek common ground amongst themselves rather than bringing in conflict.
  • It is strongly suggested that you read Resources for Allyship and Solidarity.

Location

The camp is located on a forest road near Houston, BC, 1200 km (740 miles) north of Vancouver.

If you are driving, please see updated directions and road conditions.

What to Bring

  • Sturdy boots (work or snow boots if you have them)
  • Waterproof boots (could be same as above)
  • Slippers or inside shoes (for inside the Healing Center and bunkhouse)
  • Waterproof jacket and/or parka
  • Water resistant pants if you have them
  • Two pairs work gloves
  • Sun hat or cap 
  • Sleep system: tent, sleeping pad, sleeping bag
  • Towel
  • Battery powered or wind up alarm clock
  • Headlamp/flashlight
  • Goggles/work glasses
  • Personal bottle of hand sanitizer
  • 2 layer fabric mask with filter x 2, n95 mask x 4, or surgical mask x 7
  • Food to share with the camp* (see note below) 
  • Prescription medications (bring the prescription, too)
  • Water bottle and Travel mug
  • Spare batteries/rechargeable batteries and extra power cord for your devices
  • Book to read, hobbies, etc for down time
  • Pen/journal
  • Mosquito repellent (anytime after beginning of April)
  • Sunscreen
  • Also welcome: Donations of cash, home preserves, tobacco, and other useful items (See our list on the Wishlist/Needslist page)

*Please note: If you have any dietary preferences/restrictions (for example Vegan) that require specialty ingredients, please bring these to camp to give to the cooks to use in your food prep, as these supplies are sometimes neither stocked in the kitchen nor included in the food budget.

There is no cell service or WiFi on the Yintah. Take care of things before you head up the logging road. Download music, change your voicemail, set auto-reply on your email accounts, etc.

Conditions at the Camp

Unist'ot'en Camp Healing Center

A group of supporters works on construction of the Healing Center at the annual Spring Construction Camp.

Weather has been getting weirder and more changeable everywhere in the world as the climate changes – and north central British Columbia is no exception. There have been snow storms and thaws, nice crisp cold days and surprisingly mild ones.

A good idea before heading up is to check the current weather and forecast for Houston, the nearest town to the Camp. The Camp is at a higher elevation so adjust accordingly. It is often a little warmer in the day, and cooler at night than in Houston during the warmer months. In the winter expect cooler temperatures and more snow than in town.

What Will Happen During Your Visit?

***Due to the ongoing militarized invasion of the Unist’ot’en territory, some of this information changes weekly. These are general guidelines. ***

Prior to the armed invasion by RCMP, on behalf of TC Energy’s Coastal GasLink project, of Wet’suwet’en territories in February of 2020, the bridge over Wedzin Kwa (Morice River) was where the hosts greeted visitors with the Free, Prior, Informed Consent Protocol. Since CGL invaded, they and the RCMP continue to enter into the territory without consent. They have had the RCMP arrest people holding the checkpoint at the bridge. This has made holding the checkpoint dangerous and the hosts now meet their guests at the driveway to the Healing Centre.

Each person entering Unist’ot’en territory is asked where they are from, what skills they bring, whether they have worked for resource extraction companies, and other questions.

This is an action camp. The road leading into camp is not a public road and is not subject to laws of a public road. The camp is not breaking any laws, but there are regular threats and violence committed by the RCMP on behalf of the oil and gas industry. Currently, action at camp is focused on the protection and maintenance of the Healing Centre. Please be advised that the situation is both peaceful and under threat at all times.

Be prepared to support non-violent direct action to delay or prevent unauthorized entry to the territory.

No matter what the time of year there is always lots of work to be done. Priorities change with the seasons. Trapping, bucking and splitting wood for the stoves, cooking and cleaning are major activities in the winter in addition to maintaining the ongoing security of the Camp.

The hosts make all the decisions on their land. It is not the place of visitors to argue or refuse to abide by their decisions. The Unist’ot’en may ask you to leave at any time. Visitors who can’t get along at Unist’ot’en camp or who do not respect the camp hosts, the rules, the land, or the property of the camp qualify for a free ride to Houston BC. From there, you will be required to make your own travel plans. It is strongly suggested that you read Resources for Allyship and Solidarity.

 

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, there are additional protocols for coming to the Unist’ot’en Yintah.

Following Registration, folks will guide you through these precautions. Thank you for your support!