Jack Davis (playwright)
Encyclopedia
Jack Davis was a notable Australia
n 20th Century playwright
and poet
, also an Indigenous
rights campaigner. He was born in Western Australia
, in the small town of Yarloop
, and lived in Fremantle
towards the end of his life. He was of the Aboriginal
Noongar
people, and much of his work dealt with the Australian Aboriginal experience. He has been referred to as the 20th Century's Aboriginal Poet Laureate, and many of his plays are on Australian school syllabuses.
Davis was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire
(MBE) in 1976, and a Member of the Order of Australia
(AM) in 1985.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n 20th Century playwright
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
and poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
, also an Indigenous
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
rights campaigner. He was born in Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
, in the small town of Yarloop
Yarloop, Western Australia
Yarloop is a town located in the South West of Western Australia along the South Western Highway, between Waroona and Harvey. At the 2006 census, Yarloop had a population of 545.-History:...
, and lived in Fremantle
Fremantle, Western Australia
Fremantle is a city in Western Australia, located at the mouth of the Swan River. Fremantle Harbour serves as the port of Perth, the state capital. Fremantle was the first area settled by the Swan River colonists in 1829...
towards the end of his life. He was of the Aboriginal
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
Noongar
Noongar
The Noongar are an indigenous Australian people who live in the south-west corner of Western Australia from Geraldton on the west coast to Esperance on the south coast...
people, and much of his work dealt with the Australian Aboriginal experience. He has been referred to as the 20th Century's Aboriginal Poet Laureate, and many of his plays are on Australian school syllabuses.
Davis was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(MBE) in 1976, and a Member of the Order of Australia
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
(AM) in 1985.
Plays
- Kullark (1972)
- The DreamersThe Dreamers (play)The Dreamers is a play written by Jack Davis. The play is set in Western Australia. The story takes place over a period of six months in the home of the Wallitch family. It was first performed on 2 February 1982 by the Swan River Stage Company at the Dolphin Theatre, Perth...
(1982) - No SugarNo Sugar (play)No Sugar is a play written by Jack Davis which is intended to expose Australian racism. It is a story set during the Great Depression, in Northam, Western Australia, Moore River Native Settlement and Perth...
(1985) - Honeyspot (1985)
- Moorli and the Leprechaun (1986)
- Burungin (1988)
- Plays from Black Australia (1989)
- In yOur Town (1990)
- death of a tree
Poetry
- The First-born and other poems (1970)
- Jagardoo : Poems from Aboriginal AustraliaJagardoo : Poems from Aboriginal AustraliaJagardoo: Poems from Aboriginal Australia, published in 1978, is the second collection of poems by Noongar playwright and poet Jack Davis, often referred to as the 20th Century's Aboriginal Poet Laureate....
(1978) - John Pat and Other Poems (1988) Publisher Dent Australia ISBN 0 86770 079 3
- Black Life : poems (1992)
Other works
- Jack Davis : A life-story (1988)
- A Boy's Life (1991)
- Paperbark : A Collection of Black Australian Writings (1992)