they aren't weak but if they aren't designed for attaching racks you're kind of limited as to what you can attach to the bike. For example the same bike with a steel fork could tolerate crude p-clamps holding a front rack of some sorts, low rider or mini-platform.
Getting some weight off the rear wheel onto the stronger front wheel will help handling and potential rear wheel damage. I think the bike itself is fine for it, if you aren't 200lbs trying to carry 30lbs. If you're 150lbs thinking of carrying 20lbs it's perfectly doable. The angles and dimesions on your bike are more forgiving than a racing bike.
What I would discourage is getting large panniers and piling up a heavy rear load. See what the largest tires you can fit comfortably, if you can't fit fenders then don't use them opting for larger tire over protection from wet roads.
If you're close to 200lbs and fixated on tent, cookware, and it's not light I'd get a stronger rear wheel. Whatever load you put together see if you can get 5lbs into a compressed sack and strapped under the handlebars, not cantilevered way out in front of the handlebars. The challenge is finding an attachment that allows for hand positions on the tops. I used to have some medium sized handlebar bags that were held by straps on the hoods and drops that allowed room around the bars for grip.
You'll have a lot more fun riding if you can reduce your gear to fit the bike than loading your bike to fit whatever stock mondo panniers exist out there that are better suited to 26"x 1.75 or heavy 700c wheels.