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Time to Mention the War : Towards a New Settlement single work   criticism  
Issue Details: First known date: 2018... 2018 Time to Mention the War : Towards a New Settlement
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AbstractHistoryArchive Description

'A royal 'visit' sounds innocuous. But Roach's song is about how, like innumerable Aboriginal clans before and since, his family were reminded the hard way that their traditional law, custom and land tenure meant nothing should the Queen 'visit'. 'Moving it on again' is Koori shorthand for becoming a refugee in your own country. The song goes on to tell of the Roach family's displacement onto the Framlingham mission, and of Uncle Archie's subsequent forced removal from his family and Aboriginal society. This child removal, an act that Roach sings 'hurts me to this very day', saw the singer slide into homelessness and alcoholism. Queen Elizabeth's 1954 visit, in short, precipitated events that badly damaged Roach's family and very nearly destroyed his life.' (Publication abstract)

Notes

  • Epigraph: The Queen? The Queen never been fuggin walk around here! -  Uncle Jimmy Pike, Walmajarri artist

Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of

  • Appears in:
    y separately published work icon Griffith Review Commonwealth Now no. 59 Julianne Schultz (editor), Jane Camens (editor), 2018 12263497 2018 periodical issue

    'At the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast in April, athletes from countries that were once a part of the British Empire will battle for gold—but is the Commonwealth of Nations more than a legacy of another age?

    'At a time of geopolitical uncertainty, the Commonwealth is poised to play a major role as a values-based network that represents a third of the world’s population. Whether this group can exercise real power and influence will be determined in 2018. The old empires are long gone but, in the wake of Brexit and the rise of China and India, the shape of a new world order remains unclear.

    'Commonwealth Now features writers from around the world who explore the contemporary experience of Commonwealth citizens: reconciling the past, confronting new challenges, and opening new exchanges to create a sustainable and equitable future.' (Publication summary)

         2018     pg. 13-25
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Last amended 18 Apr 2018 15:45:29
13-25 Time to Mention the War : Towards a New Settlementsmall AustLit logo Griffith Review
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