Archie Roach documentary ‘Wash My Soul In The River’s Flow’
Image: Ruby Hunter & Archie Roach. Photo: Sandy Scheltema.
BY JARROD WOLHUTER
Wash My Soul In The River’s Flow is a music documentary by national treasure, Archie Roach. Through the quintessential concert, Kura Tungar – Songs From The River (2004), Archie and legendary First Nations singer-songwriter, Ruby Hunter work with the 22-piece Australian Art Orchestra. This acts as the perfect canvas for Roach to deliver a powerful backstory.
The documentary is very much a tale of two stories: the first is of love and companionship between the two First Nations musicians as they meet and navigate life together through homelessness, alcoholism, and finding artistic success in musical story and truth-telling. The second story is a tragic preamble to the duo’s challenges through Australia’s shameful Stolen Generations, where Aboriginal children were forcibly removed from their families – by government mandate – from years 1869 – 1969; when both Archie and Ruby were taken.
Images of river systems and country punctuate the film and are accompanied by soulful adages, analogies, and comparisons between First Nations people and country, and how bloodstreams are to First Nations people what river systems are to country. This narrative succeeds in demonstrating the deep spiritual connection First Nations people have with the Australian landscape.
Wash My Soul In The River’s Flow counter-balances these heavy themes with scenes of light-hearted banter and playful teasing between Archie and Ruby who’s love for each other is palpable and moving. It is these scenes that speaks to the character and determination of both musicians who admit that song-writing, and the ability to laugh and joke, are the tools used to help them overcome their traumas.
Beautiful, sad, hilarious, “a musical journey through love and country – tungar-indjeri pal-urmi tunkun-ambi wunyi ruwi”.
★★★★★
