Ten CanoesYear 7 Literacy

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

PlotTen 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

PlotThe 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.

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.

Still confused?

Visit this website for a detailed, yet clear, synopsis of the film

http://wwwmcc.murdoch.edu.au/readingroom/film/dbase/2007/ten.html

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

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.

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:

Interpreting Camera Stills1. 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

Interpreting Camera Stills1. 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?

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.

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    

Contacts with others    

Responding #4Choose 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.

Homework1. Scootle task – choose ‘Lights, Camera, Action – camera’

WVDAVY

2. Quizlet – film metalanguage (practice and test)