Ten Canoes

Once upon a time, in a land far, far away...

No, not like that. I'm only joking.

But I am going to tell you a story.

It's not your story...

it's my story...

... a story like you've never seen before.

But you want a proper story, eh?

Then I must tell you some things

of my people, and my land.

Then you can see this story, and know it.

This land began in the beginning.

Yurlunggur, that Great Water Goanna,

he travelled here.

Yurlunggur made all this land then.

He made this water...

... and he made this swamp,

that stretches long and gives us life.

I come from a waterhole

in this land Yurlunggur made.

I looked like a little fish

in my waterhole.

Then my father came near my waterhole.

I asked him for my mother.

I wanted to be born.

My father pointed out one of his wives.

That's your mother, he told me.

I waited until the right time...

... and I went just like that, into her vagina.

Then my father had a dream.

That dream let him know she had

a little one inside her.

That little one was me.

When I die, I will go back to my waterhole.

I'll be waiting there, like a little fish...

... waiting to be born again.

You didn't know all that, did you?

But it's a true thing.

It's always like that for my people.

Now we have to find where this story is,

this story I'm going to tell you.

We have to go back longtime...

... back to the time of my ancestors.

...

Ssshhhhhh... listen now...

... I can hear them coming,

my ancestors.

This wise looking one is Minygululu.

Then his younger brother Dayindi,

and then the other ones.

Too many names to remember.

Everyone stop!

That one is Djigirr.

Djigirr talks too much,

but maybe he heard something.

I refuse to walk at the end.

Someone ahead keeps farting.

- Not me! Not me!

- It's you again!

- Not me! Not me!

- You're always so silent!

- Silent but deadly!

- You're always so silent!

- Admit it!

- All right... it's me.

- You're rotten inside!

- I'm rotten inside.

- You're rotten inside!

You get to the end of the line.

C'mon let's go.

The ancestors are making canoes

for goose egg hunting.

They cut the barks off the trees

and they talk about women,

like always.

How did he go with her?

Did they do it?

- She doesn't want him!

- You must be blind!

- She doesn't want him!

They make fun of Dayindi.

They know Dayindi likes the young wife

of his brother Minygululu.

This is first time

Dayindi hunts the magpie geese.

There are many things

Dayindi hasn't seen before...

... and there is much for him to learn

on this hunt.

- Let me show you.

- I can manage.

- Let me show you.

- Sure.

- Who was that man?

Never mind him...

...some sort of sorcerer.

I hear...

...you're keen

on my wife?

The young one?

Roll it this way...

...carefully.

Minygululu knows it's true

about his young brother's wrong feelings.

I'm going to tell you a story

from long ago

and I want you to listen

very carefully.

The men will carry the barks

to the swamp.

Minygululu will tell Dayindi that story...

... to help him live the proper way.

It is Minygululu's story

for Dayindi back then.

And it is my story for you now.

It is a good story bu yo gotta listen ha?

Maybe this story will help you live

the proper way, eh?

And here is that story.

It is a long, long time ago.

Dayindi is still a little fish in his waterhole.

All the ancestors, that Minygululu, and Djigirr

and even the old sorcerer,

all of them, little fish in their waterholes.

All their fathers, and their fathers before that,

are still little fish in their waterholes,

all over this land, waiting to be born.

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