If you were lucky enough to stand in the audience at The Espy’s famed Gershwin Room in Melbourne’s St Kilda to watch Archie Roach play songs from
Koorie 1988 and yarn about his days living in the beachside suburb, then you know you witnessed a once-in-a-lifetime, historic performance.
Back in the lead-up to the 1988 bicentennial, Archie was angry. Australia was gearing up to celebrate the bicentennial of 200-years of violence perpetrated against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Living in a flat behind St Kilda’s famed Village Belle Hotel, Archie was recovering from giving up the drink, but instead of picking up a bottle, he picked up a pen and paper.