Rivers Flow: Reflections on the Songs of Archie Roach and Ruby Hunter (curated by Kim Scott, ed by Casey Mulder, Fremantle)

Rivers Flow: Reflections on the Songs of Archie Roach and Ruby Hunter is a collection of writing as deeply personal and political as the music that inspired it. Curated and introduced by Noongar man Kim Scott and edited by Casey Mulder, the 23 contributions include poetry, fiction and nonfiction. The writing brims with admiration for Archie Roach and Ruby Hunter, while at the same time channelling the same notes of grief and strength that reverberate through their songs. While some contributors reflect on their connections to the musicians, others celebrate the music and tell stories of the impact of colonisation on First Nations peoples and Country. These writers are speaking directly to the songs they’ve chosen in a way that furthers the conversation and recognises the impact that Roach and Hunter have had, far beyond the realm of music alone. Highlights include Jazz Money’s stunning poem ‘The Same River Twice’, which opens the collection, and Claire G Coleman’s short story ‘Be Never Alone’, inspired by the song ‘Down City Streets’. Rivers Flow reads as a work of community and solidarity. Together, the First Nations writers featured demonstrate the strength of music and how it can connect, embolden and move us. This is a powerful read for music fans and anyone interested in how art can engage with trauma and intergenerational wounds as well as inspire people.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Ash Davida Jane is a writer, editor and reviewer from Aotearoa, currently living in Naarm. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

Books+Publishing pre-publication reviews are supported by the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund.

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