Ten Canoes is a 2006 Australian film set in Arnhem Land over 1000 years ago, before European contact. It tells a story within a story. In the present, Minygululu tells Dayindi a cautionary tale from the past about Ridjimiraril, whose second wife Nowalingu vanishes. Ridjimiraril suspects a visiting stranger and kills a man from a neighboring tribe by mistake. Tribal law dictates Ridjimiraril allow himself to be speared as punishment. He is hit but survives long enough to learn Nowalingu has returned, having been kidnapped by a different tribe. She mourns Ridjimiraril, while Dayindi learns the responsibilities of husband and elder from

1. Ten Canoes
Year 7 Literacy

2. Cast
• Crusoe Kurddal – Ridjimiraril
• Jamie Gulpilil – Dayindi/Yeeralparil
• Richard Birrinbirrin – Birrinbirrin
• Peter Minygululu – Minygululu
• Frances Djulibing – Banalandju
• David Gulpilil – The Storyteller
• Sonia Djarrabalminym – Nowalingu
• Cassandra Malangarri Baker –
Munandjarra
• Philip Gudthaykudthay – The Sorcerer
• Peter Djigirr – Canoeist/The
Victim/Warrior
• Michael Dawu – Canoeist/The Stranger
• Bobby Bunungurr – Canoeist/Uncle
• Johnny Buniyira – Canoeist/Warrior
• Gil Birmingham – Canoeist/Warrior
• Steven Wilinydjanu Maliburr –
Canoeist/Warrior

3. Plot
Ten Canoes is a 2006 Australian period drama film set in Arnhem Land, over a thousand years ago in a
time before western (European) contact. The film tells two stories, one within the other, with a
cautionary tale about desiring your brother’s wife. It is the distant past, tribal times. Dayindi desires one
of the wives of his older brother. To teach him the proper way, he is told a story from the mythical
past, a story of wrong love, kidnapping, sorcery, bungling mayhem and revenge gone wrong.
It is the first ever movie entirely filmed in Australian Aboriginal languages. All protagonists speak in
indigenous languages, with subtitles. The film is narrated in English by David Gulpilil.
Note: The modern day scenes featuring the hunt are in black and white, while shots set in distant past
are in colour. Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Vzf9BAVGZc

4. Plot
The film tells the story of a group of ten men hunting goose eggs. The leader of the group, Minygululu, tells the
young Dayindi a story about another young man even further back in time who, like Dayindi, coveted his elder
brother's youngest wife. Minygululu tells a story of the great warrior Ridjimiraril, who suspects a visiting stranger of
kidnapping his second wife. In a case of mistaken identity, Ridjimiraril kills a member of a neighbouring tribe. To
prevent all-out war, tribal laws dictate that the offending tribe allow the offender to be speared from a distance by
the tribe of the slain man. The offender is allowed to be accompanied by a companion, and he takes his younger
brother. Whenever one of the two is hit, the spear-throwers will stop, and justice will have been served. Ridjimiraril
is hit and mortally wounded but survives long enough to return to his camp, where he is tended to by his eldest wife.
After he finally succumbs, the elder brother's kidnapped second wife finds her way back to the camp. She reveals
that she had been kidnapped by a different tribe, much farther away and had taken this long to return. She mourns
her lost husband, who had attacked the wrong tribe, though now she and the elder wife take his younger brother as
their new husband. The younger brother, who was only interested in the youngest of the three wives, now has to
care for all of them, and satisfying their many and constant demands is much more than he bargained for.
Minygululu tells this story in the hope that Dayindi learns of the added responsibilities of a husband and elder
statesman in the tribe, and in the end we see Dayindi withdrawing from his pursuit of Minygululu's young wife.

5. Arnhem Land
Arnhem Land is one of the five
regions of the Northern Territory
of Australia. It is located in the
north-eastern corner of the territory
and is around 500 km from the
territory capital Darwin.

6. Still confused?
Visit this website for a detailed, yet clear,
synopsis of the film
http://wwwmcc.murdoch.edu.au/readingroom/film/dbase/2007/t
en.html

7. Responding #1
1. Write a detailed plot summary.
2. What did you like/dislike about the film? (PMI chart)
3. Identify key themes; messages; ideas; morals from the story.
4. List techniques used to help tell/enhance the story eg.
colour/black and white

8. Responding #2
Film technique used Scene description - Impact of
technique/reason used
Characters involved
Draw this table in your workbook and reflect on the film. Complete the table by
identifying the film techniques that were used and their impact. If needed, refer to notes
in your workbook, Quizlet and Language Toolkit for an overview of film techniques.

9. Responding #3
1. 'Mingygululu learns that Dayindi, on his first
goose egg hunt expedition, has taken a fancy to
Mingygululu’s third and youngest wife. Tribal law
is in danger of being broken.'
• What tribal law do you think was in danger of
being broken?
• Why would this be a serious matter?
2. 'Nowalingu (Ridjimiaril's second wife) vanishes
with no trace. He is convinced his beloved second
wife was taken by the stranger, but the consensus is
that she simply ran away because she was jealous.
• Are you surprised with the people's reactions to
the stranger? Explain
• How does the filmmaker create a 'mythical'
element to this story?
Choose one of the two prompts about the film and
respond in a detailed paragraph:

10. Interpreting Camera Stills
1. What is happening in this image?
2. Where and when is this image taken from?
3. What is happening in that place at that time?
4. Who are the people in the image?
5. What, if anything, does the image suggest
about the following?
skills; attitudes; values; laws; social organisation
6. Do you think this image is good evidence
about indigenous culture in Australia?
Explain

11. Interpreting Camera Stills
1. What is happening in this image?
2. What was being discussed during this period
of the film?
3. Why do you think they were having this
discussion?
4. What value do you think ‘elders’ have in an
aboriginal community?
5. Why was/is oral traditions so important to
aboriginal culture?
6. What responsibility do you think the elder
has in this situation?

12. Aspects of Indigenous Culture
There are/were many elements to the Australian
Indigenous Lifestyle which make it a truly unique culture.
Using the table on the next slide, write a brief summary
of each of the aspects of their culture, using evidence from
the film where possible. Use your own words and research
to help you.

13. Aspects of indigenous culture Summary Evidence from film
Law, rules and justice
Skills
Values
Gender roles
Social organisation
Technology- Tools and Weapons
Spiritual Life
Relationship to the environment
Power and Authority
Daily Life

14. Responding #4
Choose ONE of these writing tasks. Complete in your workbook:
1. Write your own story/script based on your knowledge of indigenous
culture/traditions that could be interpreted into a film such as ten canoes. Include
all relevant detail.
2. Essay response: Co-director Peter Djigirr said the community wanted to make Ten
Canoes 'so our children can grow up so they know where we are coming from'. What do you
think Peter meant in this statement?
3. Research a range of other aboriginal traditions. Are there any that you can find
that relate to any European traditions? Why/Why not.

15. Homework
1. Scootle task – choose ‘Lights, Camera, Action – camera’ WVDAVY
2. Quizlet – film metalanguage (practice and test)