This week Australia lost Archie Roach, a A Gunditjmara-Bundjalung senior elder, community worker, extraordinary story teller, father, and musician that was part of the cultural fabric of this country. It was the kind of news that made everyone I know sigh sadly, even if his music was sometimes too hard to listen to - themes of dispossion, racism and colonialism form part of his body of work. Whilst it may be hard to listen to sometimes, for Australia it's essential to pay attention to these songs of the heart when politics can sometimes - often - ignore it. Traditionally, this nation has had a habit of sweeping it's atrocities under the carpet. Archie Roach didn't sweep anything away - he told his nation's story in poignant detail.
If there's any song that defined the trauma and hope of Australia's First Nation stolen generations, it's Archie Roach's 'They took the children away'. If you're not aware of the stolen generation, it was one of the worst things in our history and part of a larger atrocity committed against the First Nation people since Europeons settled here. The violence of the fronter wars transformed into a 'protection' era where the state was in control of Indigenous people - every single aspect of their lives. Where they worked, who they married, where they lived. Children were often removed and placed with white families.
In 1989, he performed his response to this with Paul Kelly and the Messengers, and it continued to take everyone's breath away every time he performed it. Apparently at this performance the audience were stunned to silence and Roach thought they'd hated it - turned out they were just gathering their applause.1. Apparently people were just sobbing. I challenge you to listen to this song and not shed a tear yourself.
“The welfare and the policeman said you’ve got to understand - we’ll give them what you can’t give. Teach them how to really live. Teach them how to live, they said. Humiliated them instead. Taught them that and taught them this. And others taught them prejudice. You took the children away.”
This one always seemed to be on mainstream radio. He wrote autobiography of his life titled the same, which I'd like to read - it recieved much acclaim.
Archie Roach was part of the stolen generation himself, who was taken at 4 from his ancestral lands not far from where I live in SW Victoria. One of seven kids, he was taken by force by welfare officers and put into foster care and later adoption, where his adoptive parents were told that his parents had died in a house fire.
Roach set off in search of his siblings at 15 when he received a letter from a sister who told him his birth Mum had died, and he never saw his adoptive parents again. Whilst in Adelaide at the Salvation Army, he met Ruby Hunter, also a teen of the stolen generations. I always admired their deep love for one another, having children together, suffering homelessness and alcholism, and singing and performing together.
Singing in his big, resonant voice, Archie sings of both heartache and hope. In later life he reclaimed his lost identity, becoming a hero of his people and much loved by many Australians. Music is truth for us all, crossing the divide between cultures and attempting to heal wounds. I'm sure his voice will continue to do so for many years to come.
Ruby and Archie
I love what writer Jack Latimore says of him:
a life of weathered terrain imbued with a 65,000-year backstory. An ancient wisdom travelling at once forward and throughout the songlines and blowing along the streets. A message from the Old People to us: “Remember well what we have told you. Oh, don’t forget where you come from.”2
This was written for Three Tune Tuesday, run by @ablaze, but is largely an inadequate tribute for a man who I greatly admire, even though I didn't listen to him a lot. As the wattles come out in South West Victoria I imagine this land infused with a little of his spirit, even though his body is no longer with us. Thanks Archie Roach for all that you were and who you became - a true hero of your people and a bridge builder between worlds, making this great southern earth richer. May you walk in the land of your ancestors - your dreaming place - with your beautiful Ruby.
With Love,
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wow what an amazing short story. How sad to hear one more story, where man has believed himself to be God and has destroyed and mistreated his own fellow man. I am on the other side of the world (Venezuela) and I had never heard of Archie. Right now I'm listening to your song but I don't speak English but I let my thoughtful thoughts flow into your words to the sound of music.
Without a doubt, he left a great mark and at the same time a legacy. Very valuable your publication and tribute friend @riverflows 🌸😥
It was incredibly brutal, what colonisers did to the First Australians, and there is much trauma that still needs to be healed. For the first time we have more indigenous voices in parliament which hopefully will help address their needs and work toward genuine reconciliation and equality. Glad you enjoyed.
Great that those voices are heard. Unfortunately, world history repeats itself a lot. That is why each one of us must put his grain of to be a different person
This is the message that keeps us striving for greatness in our different locations yet never forgetting where we came from, who we're and with this energy we conquer and return home with great fortune. Thanks to the legendary impacts won't be forgotten in a hurry.
He certainly will live on in the hearts and minds of both nations, and sung his country to being.
People of impact never dies.
Oh my! What a talent. I just listened to some of his songs which you shared and his style of song is something I always love. He is gone but his memory cannot and thank you for sharing this because as strange as it sounds, this is the first time I am hearing about him and thank you for bringing him my way. I'm definitely off to listen to more of his songs. I love his style and the way he carve words open with care and intentionality. What a way to start the month.
Happy new month.
I'm glad you enjoyed it. He's not known much outside of this country but was part of our cultural musical fabric. He certainly knew how to sing with love and pride tensioned with sorrow and grief for a traumatised culture.
His style of music...that's what I really like. Thank you for showing this to us... 🤗🤗🤗 I love your taste.
I don't know if it's just because of the era, but it really sounds similar to certain South African artists, beautiful tribute, I didn't know about Archie Roach, a really rich music.
That is sad news to hear.
I actually watched Wash My Soul in the River's Flow last month, absolutely fascinating. It is vital we don't forget our history, our past and the atrocities we commit but learn and stop doing them again.
🤩🎶🤩🎶✨🤩
I met him so many times in my "other life" as an Aussie musician's wife. First time I heard him play was in a bar in The Alice though, on a girls road trip... 😁
I saw clips of him online just before his transition and was shocked - I think his spirit started to withdraw when Ruby moved on.
Grateful for the music... it lives on with his memory and his spirt. x
Oh it always broke my heart how he talked about missing Ruby. They certainly seemed meant for each other. Certainly many doffed their caps and willed his spirit fly well when the news came.
Wow, I was completely unaware of all of this. Archie Roach is an amazing human and what a greay way to tell his story and what happened to his people. It will for ever live on in song and the truth will be known.
100%, Archie was some man from what you tell us about him here. Thanks so much for sharing these tunes and the story behind them, I doubt I am alone in only learning of Archie now, may he rest in peace upstairs with all his loved ones.
Isn't it funny how someone so well known in a country can be unknown to the rest of the world? Glad you enjoyed learning about him. Will try to come up with a #ttt for today!