Ten Canoes takes place a thousand years ago among the indigenous people of northern Australia, and consists primarily of one long story told by old tribesman Minygululu to younger man Dayindi. Dayindi has eyes for one of Minygululu's wives, so in order to keep the young man from breaking tribal law, Minygululu tells him a story that takes place in mythical times, and which has direct relevance to the men's current situation. The fable takes days to tell; there's a framing story in which we follow the tribesmen on their goose egg hunting expedition (a days-long journey giving Minygululu the time he needs with Dayindi).
The story Minygululu tells has components as exciting as any Hollywood action movie, and the relationships are as compelling as the best melodrama. Ten Canoes is loaded with humor, while the behavior at the movie's core is universal.
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