Who was Archie Roach?
Archie Roach was an Aboriginal Australian singer-songwriter, a Gunditjmara and Bundjalung man, best known for Took the Children Away, a powerful song about the Stolen Generations released in 1990.
Born in 1956 at Mooroopna in Victoria, Roach was taken from his family as a young child and placed in foster homes. He did not learn about his family until he was a teenager.
Took the Children Away, from his debut album Charcoal Lane, told the story of forced removals from his own experience. It won a Human Rights Achievement Award, the first time a song had received it.
Partnership with Ruby Hunter
Roach's partner, singer Ruby Hunter, was also a respected musician, and they often performed together until her death in 2010.
He was named Victorian Australian of the Year in 2020 and was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in the same year. His memoir, Tell Me Why, was published in 2019.
Roach died in 2022, and he was honoured with a state memorial service. His songs remain central to discussions of reconciliation and healing in Australia.
Did You Know?
Charcoal Lane was named after a street in Fitzroy, Melbourne, that was a meeting place for Aboriginal people.