Synopsis

Ten-year-old Dujuan is a child-healer, a good hunter, speaks two Aboriginal languages, but is ‘failing’ in school.

With little space in the Western system for Dujuan’s language and culture, his grandmother Carol is fighting a loving battle to give him a strong Arrernte education alongside his Western education, lest he become another statistic in juvenile detention or the welfare system.

We walk with him as he grapples this educational schism and somewhere in-between finds a space to dream, imagine and hope for his future self.

With the guidance of Arrernte Elders, In My Blood It Runs aims to creatively highlight the strengths and insights of Dujuan, his family, his community and through their story, First Nations families everywhere.

Through the eyes of children living in the Northern Territory, In My Blood It Runs is an observational documentary that examines the ways Aboriginal families, often under extreme circumstances, are striving to pass on cultural knowledge. It offers a chance to view education, learning and success, in a new light.

The film focuses on education in and beyond the classroom, and magnifies the profound successes that are rarely captured by mainstream narratives.

Everyone talks about making our children ready for school, but we have to make school ready for our children.

— Margaret Kemarre Turner OAM, Arrernte Elder and advisor