The Children Came Back: New song celebrates Indigenous heroism ahead of NAIDOC

A social commentary song released Friday ahead of NAIDOC, which tributes musician great Archie Roach AM’s They Took the Children Away, celebrates the strength of Australia’s First Peoples.

Three-year-old Samara Muir who recently experienced racism embraces her friend in Briggs' new single (Supplied) Source: Supplied

Maverick hip-hop artist Briggs released a song Friday titled 'The Children Came Back' that laudes the championship of Australia's First Peoples.

The song commemorates Indigenous Australians who have triumphed despite the Australian Government's oppressive policies such as cultural assimilation ones that removed children from their families.

Briggs said it encouraged the effort towards reconciliation between First Peoples and non-Indigneous Australians.

"This is a history lesson, a monologue, a celebration and an education in one song," he said.

The single comes ahead of NAIDOC Week, held between 5 and 12 July, a time dedicated to celebrating the cultures and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of Australia, and embraces heroes such as Jimmy Little, Cathy Freeman and Adam Goodes.

It also features 3-year-old Samara Muir who recently appeared in Australian media after her mother brought her encounter with racial abuse from a similar-aged child to the country's attention.

The song is a sequel to Archie Roach's They Took the Children Away, produced 25 years ago for his Charcoal Lane album that pays homage to the generation of Indigenous children who were removed from their families.

It has been released with his blessing. "I love Briggs' song," said Mr Roach. "It's about our Indigenous heroes. Using a part of my song, where it says 'the children came back' is really what the song is about.

This is a history lesson, a monologue, a celebration and an education in one song

"I feel proud to be a part of what Briggs hopes to achieve and I really love that he used young children to play the heroes because they are our future heroes."

Briggs' song originally featured in Triple J’s 'Like Version' segment, which invites musicians to play a song of their own and one that they love by another musician.

The song was produced by Briggs' Golden Era Records and Skinnyfish Music with support from Reconciliation Australia.

The Children Came Back lyrics

I'm Fitzroy where the stars be

I'm Wanganeen in '93

I'm Mundine, I'm Cathy Free-

-man, that fire inside a me

I'm Adam Goodes, and Adam should

Be applauded when he stand up

You can look to us when that time stop

Im Patty Mills with the last shot

I'm Gurrumul, I'm Archie

I'm everything you ask me

I'm everything you can't be

I'm the dead hearts, heart beat

 

I'm Doug Nicholls, I'm jimmy little

With a royal telephone

I'm the world champ in '68

Boy I'm Lionel Rose

I'm William Cooper, I take a stand

When no one even knows

I'm the walk off, I'm the sound of

The children coming home

I'm Gurrumul, I'm Archie

I'm everything you ask me

I'm everything you can't be

I'm the dead hearts, heart beat

 

Let me take it home, I'm Rumba

I'm the sand hills on Cummera

I'm Les Briggs, I'm Paul Briggs

I'm Uncle Ringo with all them kids

Im Uncle Buddy - everybody love me

Ain't none below, ain't none above me

Im the carvings outta every scar tree

Im those flats that birthed Archie

Now Mr abbott, think about it - me and you we feel the same 

That might sound strange, I'm just saying, 

We both unsettled when the boats came

I'm Gurrumul, I'm Archie

I'm everything you ask me

I'm everything you can’t be

I'm the dead hearts, heart beat