10 Canoes

10 Canoes

Ralph De Heer

 

De Heer explores the idea of the dream-time and the history of our great land by following the Aboriginal population into the past.

 

Again De Heer, as always is brave in style and structure. The film takes on a character of traditional storytelling, which is central to the aboriginal population to tell their stories about how a tribe works. The film opens onto a tribe before the Engish influence came to Australia. They then start telling stories of their ancesrtors far into the past. The story within the story structure works as the film slips in and out of balck and white to colour depending on when the story is set.

                                                                                                        

I think the most interesting part of the film is just seeing how the aboriginal life was before we invaded. It also shows the wonderful humour the tribes had and still have today, as opposed to the tragic tales of the stolen generation and attempted assimilation which we generally see when there are films about the aboriginal population.

 

By the end of the film you understand a lot more about the Aboriginal character, their understanding of life, time and the importance of the land compared to our busy time run lives where heritage, stories and faith seem to be put aside for “work” and “play”. The film is a nice way to see how the country would have been like.

 

Although it is a little strange, it is a good film, it pushes boundaries and goes places, tells stories and toys with the audience to explore the Aboriginal culture in their terms.