Oodgeroo Noonuccal's Then And Now

Oodgeroo Noonuccal's poem "Then and Now" represents the European settlement of Australia as an intruding and deleterious experience for the Aboriginal people. As soon as the European settlers arrived in Australia, they suddenly constrained Aboriginal people to become civilised, even though Aboriginals despised/loathed civilisation. Aboriginal people had no rights or freedom as they were racially discriminated. The quote "'Isn't she lucky to have a good job!' Better when I had only a dillybag. Better when I had nothing but happiness." demonstrates that European settlers were not aware that obliging Aboriginal people to be civilised was immensely abhorred. Aboriginal people's traditional lifestyle including their culture, language and traditional
practices, which lasted for over 60 000 years were all eradicated/obliterated due to the European civilisation. The quote reiterates the words "Better when I had…", which is an effective use of repetition. This poetic device helps draw the reader in and strongly reinforces the central theme of the dramatic effects Aboriginal people faced as a result of the European settlement and civilisation in Australia.

vividly reveals the relentless suffering and marginalisation Aboriginal people suffered as a result of the European settlement in Australia. This poem unveils how the European settlement of Australia destructively damaged Aboriginal people's lives, and the lives of future generations. Aboriginal people's enjoyable lives were completely ruined and were forced to live a life that was much hated. Thus, for Aboriginal people, the European settlement of Australia was extremely devastating and catastrophic.