Racism in Deadly Unna by Phillip Gwynne

Deadly Unna

"Deadly Unna" is the story of Garry Blacks realization of racism and discrimination in the port where he lives. When everyone else seems do nothing to prevent the discrimination Blacky a young boy steps up to the plate and has the guts to say no against racism towards the local Aborigines. Blacky is beginning to realize that the people he looks up to as role models might not be such good examples as most of them including his father his footy coach and even the pub custodian all accept racism as a normal way of life and Blacky begins to realize this and tries to make them aware.

At the beginning Blacky becomes aware of the apartheid of white and black first in the players at the local footy team, the white players (Goonyas) all got changed at one end of the club change rooms while the Aboriginal (Nunga) players got changed at the opposite end ?Usually the nungas got changed at one end us goonyas got changed at the other? pg. 21. This is when Blacky begins to realize that even though he sees everyone as equal the rest of the town does not necessarily feel the same. Even Blackys friend Pickles encourages in a way Blacky not to be Dumbys friend, Blacky goes along with it but eventually admits to his friendship with Dumby red, ? Mate of yours now is he? (Pickles) No way not him I hate his guts (Blacky)?pg. 25 after he said this he spat on the ground to prove to Pickles that he meant it Blacky had not realized that his friend were so racist and had previously gone along with any racist slurs they made. His suspicions were confirmed when, at the grand final presentation Mark ?Arks? won the Mcrae medal instead of Dumby red. Dumby had been the heart and soul of the team all season and deserved to win h...

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...rn because he specifically told Blacky that he was to go fishing with him and nowhere else. Despite his strong feelings for Cathy Blacky even misses out on going to Kathy barbie on her last day in the port this is (to the best of blackys knowledge) the last chance he will have to tell her how he feels about her, despite this he gets up at dawn and walks for three hours to reach the mission.

In conclusion Black?s quest to make people aware of racism in the port got him into a lot of strife but he did manage to show people that he did not in any way condone this kind of discrimination and took a stand against the way the entire town thought forcing them to think about their actions. in the end the people that Garry most affected were his brothers and sisters , he may not have changed the whole towns attitude but he taught his siblings a priceless life lesson.