Sir John A: Acts of a Gentrified Ojibway Rebellion, the play written by Drew Hayden Taylor, uncovers the underlying issues faced by Indigenous peoples throughout history. The smart, humorous production, accompanied with satire and musical performances, all come together to bring fourth the issues of the Indigenous relations, discrimination, and injustice. The play switches back and fourth between two eras: the first being the era of the drunken Sir John A. Macdonald, and the second being the modern 21st century, where the main characters Bobby, Hugh and Anya currently live. The name of Sir John A. Macdonald has come up many times in the media over the past few months. The question as to whether he should be honoured or criticized has sparked many fiery debates across the country. The play begins with Sir John A talking about his relationship with Indians, his hopes for Canada, and of course, some witty commentary on his own drinking habits. The play then jumps to a scene in which Bobby …show more content…
All these events still cause pain and sorrow to Indigenous people today, which is evident though the actions and persona of Bobby’s character in the play. Taylor creates a thought-provoking graveyard scene at the end of the play; however, there is no real resolution, nor can there be. John A. Macdonald was a powerful individual whom we are still trying to figure out, piece by piece. In Hugh’s epilogue at the very end of the play, he suggests that “It’s never about punishment, its about restoring harmony” . Bobby says to Sir John A: “We survived you” , one of the most important lines of the play. This line brings out the strength and power in Indigenous people to “survive” all that they have been through, and use this power to let go of the past, thus bringing them one step closer the restoration of