The Children Came Back

In our exploration of narratives in music, we have listened to a range of music from various contexts and made our own songs in groups, reflecting on the stories we encountered and shared.

Continuing on from the legacy of Archie Roach's Took The Children Away, The Children Came Back commemorates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Australians who have triumphed despite the Australian Government's oppressive policies such as those resulting in the Stolen Generation, where children were removed from their families.

Briggs describes it as "a history lesson, a monologue, a celebration and an education in one song." It provides a positive perspective from which Australia can move forward towards a place of reconciliation.

This website contains the resources needed to learn and perform the first verse and chorus of this song. Be sure to answer the reflection questions after having performed the song, relating your experiences to your understanding of the song and the narrative it represents.