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The Unhappy Race Oodgeroo Noonuccal Essay

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Radio programme Good evening listeners and welcome to this week’s program of …. Today we will be exploring a new topic which focuses on the theme of marginalisation through the works of poets of indigenous descent. Last week we explored the sense of identity of migrants and refugees through the powerful and emotional poetry. This week we will be examining black Australian poetry which stems from a long tradition of opposition to the established order but that opposition takes many forms. The aboriginal poetry is very socially and politically significant because it’s reflects the black Australian world-view, highlights their pride in identity, their dignity and their survival in the face of loss. This poetry deals with the oppression of the …show more content…

In Australia, marginalised groups include the aboriginal people. The Aboriginal people have been marginalised since the British settlement in Australia. Marginalised people experience a complex, mutually reinforcing mix of economic, social, health and early-life disadvantage. In Australia, marginalised groups include the aboriginal people. A fine poem that deals with the theme of rejecting the white society is The Unhappy Race by Oodgeroo Noonuccal which was published in 1970. Oodgeroo Noonuccal was an aboriginal poet whose poems focused on her people who have been dispossessed of their land and their culture. The Unhappy Race is a powerful poem which explores the theme of criticising the white people or white civilization and also rejecting the white society and values. This poem clear and cleverly positions the reader to feel remorseful about their chosen lifestyle with phases such as you laugh at ‘poor black fellow’, you say we must be like you”. The poet criticizes how the white people live, think and behave. She looked at their life style and pities them. In this poem highlights and gives a positive perspective on the aboriginal race as they are seen as ‘poor fellow’. However, it positions the white people and Australian identity in a negative way and as a wasteful

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