Jack Davis No Sugar Analysis

Investigation-No Sugar by Jack Davis

Jack Davis is a renowned Indigenous man, famous for his playwriting, acting, poetry and Aboriginal activism. Born in Perth in 1917, Davis, The fourth child in a family of eleven, spent his upbringing in Yarloop and the Moore River Native Settlement, located approximately 96 kilometres South of his birthplace. His mother was taken from her tribe in Broome and raised by a white family; his father, William Davis, was also removed and cultivated by whites. Throughout his childhood, Davis had little knowledge of his cultural background; it was only while living on the Brookton Aboriginal Reserve he was introduced the language and culture of his people, the Nyoongah of the South-West of Western Australia. He
The most obvious example of this is the character of Mr. Neville. He states, with refined language, in Act One Scene Two, "if you provide the native the basic accouterments of civilization, you’re halfway to civilizing him." This reveals a belief that Whites are conclusively superior to the Australian Natives and that any previous Aboriginal civilization was irrelevant. The pretentious statement of the Whites is juxtaposed against the more crude and blunt comments of Aboriginal characters to show the audience the belief that whites are superior. The character of Jimmy is a drunken, aggressive, outspoken Aboriginal man with a disregard for the law; "Native Protector, couldn’t protect my dog from fleas" because of this, there is repeated conflict involving him. Through his disruptive and aggressive behavior he reveals views held by Aboriginals such as the injustice of the treatment of Aboriginals by white Australians. Gran is the link to the Aboriginal past, she proudly claims, "Isn't that the neatest belly button you seen?" and "I brought him into the world with me own two hands.” Act Two Scene Three. Her spirit has not been broken despite White attempts to do so. For this reason when she is juxtaposed against white characters, even those of authority she seems to get some respect from them, Matron: "You did a very good job granny." Billy is an example of the control whites had over
I was encouraged to respond to Aboriginal people in a positive way. By viewing Davis’ play I am more understanding of Aborigines and sympathetic towards them as the drama provided me with the opportunity to recognize a realistic portrayal of the daily lives and hardships of these people, especially the older generations of indigenous Australians. By comparing how I live to how the characters in the play, I realise I am extremely fortunate; such necessities as soap that I take for granted, they lived without, and ironically their ‘protectors’ saw this item as a luxury, yet denounced them based on an absence of cleanliness. I, as the audience, was encouraged to sympathise with the Aboriginal characters, and embrace a negative attitude towards characters such as Neville and the Sergeant. These two white Australian characters along with a multitude of others treated the Aboriginals with very little or no respect. This emphasizes the ignorance of white Australians. “The native’s entrance is around the back” this quote demonstrates the key issue of racism Davis raised in ‘No Sugar’. ‘No Sugar’ is a play that promotes many issues related to the treatment of Aborigines during the Depression but which also still exists in today’s society. By viewing plays such as ‘No Sugar’,