Once Were Warriors vs No Sugar

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Stage 2 English Studies                

To what extent do the two texts present similar or different criticisms of society?

Both No Sugar, written by Jack Davis and Once Were Warriors directed by Lee Tamohori use a number of different themes to present extensively similar criticisms of society. In the play No Sugar, an indigenous family depicts the injustices and problems they face with both the white man and themselves. Also, in Once Were Warriors we see a Maori family struggling to cope with the harsh life they face in their run-down community overrun by gangs and crime. In both texts, the audience sees colonialist policies in extreme poverty, substance abuse, racism, violence and the effects of disintegration of the family.

A major theme that is brought to light in Once Were Warriors and No Sugar is the effects of colonialism. In both texts, the characters endure racist policies and are exploited by the “white man laws” and as a consequence left disenfranchised from society. In Once Were Warriors, Tamohori contrasts Jake against Beth to illustrate how the loss of one’s pride and tradition ultimately leads to their downfall. Jake is described as a “slave” and is clearly a victim to the laws imposed from the white invasion, opposed to Beth, who knows of a better life, involving family culture and traditions rather than crime and alcoholism; the two key reasons leading to Jake’s demise. Similarly, in No Sugar, we see the effects of colonialism take its toll on the characters. Due to the paternalistic role cast upon the aboriginal people by those in authority such as A.O. Neville and the Chief Protector of Aboriginals, the characters resort to crime to get by. This is apparent when Jimmy is sent away to jail for months on end and being denied any communications between him and his family, brought about by the controlling laws cast upon the indigenous population at the time. Similarly, both texts present this criticism of society through demonstrating the affect these incidents have on all the characters.

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In No Sugar and Once Were Warriors, another criticism of the dominant society is its capacity to marginalize its native people. In No Sugar, this is evident in the majority of times the Aboriginal family is in contact with the local Sergeant and Constable. Jimmy: “Six months! I can do that on me fuckin’ head.” Sergeant: “I’ll see what I can do.” In this scene, Jimmy and Sam have been jailed in the Northam police station. This scene, and many like it which follow, demonstrates the injustices these characters face, and the paternalistic behavior of the government at the time. For this ...

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