Jack Davis No Sugar Pdf Updated May 2026

Jack Davis’s play No Sugar is a seminal work of Australian post-colonial theatre that exposes the systematic oppression of Aboriginal people during the Great Depression. First performed in 1985, the play is the first part of Davis’s First Born trilogy, which traces Nyoongah history in Western Australia. Historical Context and Plot Summary

Set between 1929 and 1934, the story follows the Millimurra-Munday family in Northam, Western Australia. Amidst the global economic crisis of the Great Depression , the family is subjected to the racist "protectionist" policies of the Australian government. jack davis no sugar pdf

: The central conflict arises when the family is forcibly moved from their home in Northam to the Moore River Native Settlement . This move was a political maneuver by Chief Protector A.O. Neville—a real historical figure—to clear Aboriginal people from Northam to appease white residents. Jack Davis’s play No Sugar is a seminal

: At the settlement, the family faces the brutal authority of Superintendent Mr. Neal and Matron Neal. The play climaxes during an Australia Day 1934 celebration, where Neville's patronizing speech is parodied and challenged by Jimmy Munday. Jack Davis, No Sugar – The Meaning in a Nutshell Amidst the global economic crisis of the Great