Drew Hayden Taylor’s Sir John A: Acts of a Gentrified Ojibway Rebellion, tells the history of Canada’s Indigenous People. The play shows how Canadian Confederation created a lot of resentment and mistreatment for Indigenous people which is still felt today. The play is divided between two different eras; 19th century Canada with Sir John A MacDonald and present day where the characters debate MacDonald’s legacy and the impact of his policies. MacDonald’s character describes important historical events his monologues highlight that his focus and duty as prime minister was to ensure national unity and promote patriotism but this cost Indigenous people their land and sovereignty. The different eras demonstrate that attitudes change over time and
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However, Taylor also shows that Bobby has his own biases and his play centres around the theme of understanding the other person and the importance of context. It is only by talking and listening to other people that one will become more open-minded and aware of how and why other people think differently. The play shows how even though the past mistreatment of Indigenous people continues to affect them present day the government’s past errors are not an excuse to commit immoral acts in the name of justice. The play has four characters; Bobby and Hugh are two middle aged Indigenous men who are on a quest to Kingston, along the way they meet Anya a young university aged woman who has just left her partner and needs to return home to Kingston to start over. Finally, there is Sir John A MacDonald who narrates past events which helps put Bobby and Hugh’s quest into perspective. Bobby promised his late grandfather, who raised him, that he would ensure that his medicine bundle was returned. Bobby tracks down the medicine bundle after months of research but he is unable to secure its release from a British museum; his inability to reacquire the medicine bundle prompts him to take a road trip with his best …show more content…
The graveyard scene illustrates what happens when neither party is willing to yield on their position and listen to another person, instead of listening to one another Bobby and MacDonald yell at each other and try and talk over the other party. Taylor’s play centres on showing how Canada’s Indigenous people have been subjected to unfair treatment since the European settlers arrived in North America. Sir John A MacDonald is viewed as a father of Confederation and is a prominent and celebrated historical figure but the other side of him (which is usually omitted from history books) shows how he was an alcoholic and racist man who tried to eliminate the Indigenous population. As the play progresses the audience sees MacDonald’s love of alcohol, he even gives a monologue dedicated to describing the different types of drinks he enjoys, for instance wine is fine and gin makes him grin. In addition to seeing his dependence on alcohol the audience sees how MacDonald implemented strict polices against Indigenous people arguing that they needed to be ‘civilized’ which followed European behavioral thinking. These policies subjected Indigenous people to generations of neglect and explains why people such as Bobby continue to resent white people (especially ones in authoritative positions) because of their
However, Taylor also shows that Bobby has his own biases and his play centres around the theme of understanding the other person and the importance of context. It is only by talking and listening to other people that one will become more open-minded and aware of how and why other people think differently. The play shows how even though the past mistreatment of Indigenous people continues to affect them present day the government’s past errors are not an excuse to commit immoral acts in the name of justice. The play has four characters; Bobby and Hugh are two middle aged Indigenous men who are on a quest to Kingston, along the way they meet Anya a young university aged woman who has just left her partner and needs to return home to Kingston to start over. Finally, there is Sir John A MacDonald who narrates past events which helps put Bobby and Hugh’s quest into perspective. Bobby promised his late grandfather, who raised him, that he would ensure that his medicine bundle was returned. Bobby tracks down the medicine bundle after months of research but he is unable to secure its release from a British museum; his inability to reacquire the medicine bundle prompts him to take a road trip with his best …show more content…
The graveyard scene illustrates what happens when neither party is willing to yield on their position and listen to another person, instead of listening to one another Bobby and MacDonald yell at each other and try and talk over the other party. Taylor’s play centres on showing how Canada’s Indigenous people have been subjected to unfair treatment since the European settlers arrived in North America. Sir John A MacDonald is viewed as a father of Confederation and is a prominent and celebrated historical figure but the other side of him (which is usually omitted from history books) shows how he was an alcoholic and racist man who tried to eliminate the Indigenous population. As the play progresses the audience sees MacDonald’s love of alcohol, he even gives a monologue dedicated to describing the different types of drinks he enjoys, for instance wine is fine and gin makes him grin. In addition to seeing his dependence on alcohol the audience sees how MacDonald implemented strict polices against Indigenous people arguing that they needed to be ‘civilized’ which followed European behavioral thinking. These policies subjected Indigenous people to generations of neglect and explains why people such as Bobby continue to resent white people (especially ones in authoritative positions) because of their