Ten Canoes is a movie about the lives of Aboriginal tribesmen. It was made in 2006, and was mostly an independent film project directed and written by Rolf de Heer. This film is interesting for a few reasons, mainly how it incorporates two different narratives. The movie opens with a narration from David Gulpilil, a present-day aboriginal. He talks about aboriginal folklore, how all life emerged from the water, and how his ancestors lived. The movie then cuts to a tribe of men marching through the woods to find bark to make canoes. Among them are Minygululu, the head of the tribe, and his younger brother, Dayindi. Minygululu is suspicious that Dayindi might try to steal one of his wives. While the brothers and the tribesmen are making the …show more content…
Ridjimiralil also has a younger brother named Yeerilparil who has interest in his third wife. Life is normal for the tribe, until one day, a mysterious stranger comes to trade with them, raising suspicion with Ridjimiralil’s people. Soon after, Ridjimiralil’s second wife, Nowalingu, has disappeared. After a few days, the tribe’s people are adamant that the stranger has kidnapped her. Ridjimiralil is pushed to his breaking point, and spears who he believes is the stranger in the woods. The person who was speared turned out to be the stranger’s brother, who challenges him and Yeerilparil to survive a barrage of spears. Ridjimiralil gets impaled in his side, but doesn’t die immediately. Feeling he’s returned the favor, the stranger lets them leave, insisting that Nowalingu isn’t with them. When Ridjimiralil returns to his tribe, he is examined by a witch doctor, believing that the dark magic from the spear has infected his body, and that he won’t live for much longer. A ritual is performed that night to prepare Ridjimiralil for his next life, where he does his own death dance. He later dies in the night, just as Nowalingu returns to them, escaping from a different unknown tribe. Tradition leaves Yeerilparil with his brother’s three wives, and the story ends on the three fighting over who sleeps with him first. Minygululu tells his brother this story over the course of a few days to teach Dayindi patience. At the same time he is also trying to dissuade Dayindi from stealing his