Ten Canoes Page #5

See his foot move too?

That's to show he is listening,

to show he's going to die

and is telling all his people.

Now he is lying there.

His heart is still beating,

but he is already dead.

Look, look...

The old grandfather

has gone into his heart,

to help get his soul out of there.

Even his heart is still now,

but he wants them to

keep singing a bit longer,

to help him find his ancestors.

Then they must prepare him

for his journey...

They are painting the design

of his waterhole on him.

That means his spirit can find

its way back to its waterhole.

It will wait there to be born again.

Now they are chasing his soul away

because sometimes it doesn't want to leave.

And there it goes, on its journey.

And that's the end of the story.

Wait, that's not the end of the story.

Dayindi is learning an important thing.

He is learning to be patient.

But you're impatient to see

the rest of this story, eh?

I know that.

So I'll tell you what happened.

Ridjimiraril's soul had just gone

to his waterhole...

Melp!

I'm here!

Somebody... where are you?

Mere I am... anybody!

Someone!

Not Ridjimiraril's second wife?

That's the one.

After all that time missing

she walked into the camp

just like that!

She'd run away and come back.

Wait. Wait. Wait.

It was not the stranger who took Nowalingu,

and she did not run away.

It was the cross-river mob that took her.

They traded her to a desert tribe,

far away.

She escaped from them

and took nearly a season

to walk all the way back.

And now her husband was dead.

The men had to show they were warriors.

They made much noise about going to war

against the cross-river mob.

But deep down,

their feelings were different.

They were happy when Birrinbirrin

came to speak to them.

Forget it.

Don't think about it.

This is where we stop.

We've already lost Ridjimiraril

and this is where we stop.

There were days and months

of ceremony of the dead.

All the proper things were done.

At last the spirit of the dead man

was back where it properly belonged.

The men are getting close to home.

Dayindi knows the story

is nearly at its end.

Some of the men

go back to their own tribe.

Maybe they'll meet again next ceremony,

or maybe next season

of goose egg gathering.

Finally Yeeralparil could be with

Munandjarra.

Finally, I can be with my girl.

Come with me.

This way to my shelter.

No I'm going... I want...

I'm your first wife. You're with me.

- No way.

- Me's my husband.

Hey! Stop arguing!

He's my husband too!

Where's the honey?

And finally Dayindi had the end of the story.

It was not what he expected.

And they all lived happily ever after...

No, I don't know what happened.

Maybe that Dayindi found a wife.

Maybe he didn't.

It was like that for my people.

But now you've seen my story.

It's a good story.

Not like your story,

but a good story all the same.

...

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes