This article contains images and names of people who have died.
A new statue paying tribute to iconic musicians and cultural leaders Uncle Archie Roach and Aunty Ruby Hunter has been unveiled in Melbourne.
The sculpture, created by Naarm-based artist Darien Pullen, can be found in Atherton Gardens in Fitzroy.
Aunty Myrtle Roach, Uncle Archie Roach's sister, said the gardens are very special to her family, with Uncle Archie reuniting there with his family after being taken as part of the Stolen Generations.
“Atherton Gardens will always be a place for me and my family," she said.
"It’s only fitting my brother’s statue ... finds its permanent place there for all my people and the community to share.
"We as a family feel both a sense of sadness and excitement as we celebrate two legends and so much-loved members of the Roach and Hunter family," she said.
Aunty Ruby's brother, Uncle Jeffrey Hunter, spoke about the legacy they both left.
"I’m very proud of Ruby and our brother-in-law Archie for their beautiful music and sounds over the years," he said.
The Gunditjmara (Kirrae Whurrong/Djab Wurrung) and Bundjalung Elder and song man Uncle Archie passed away in 2022 at 66-years-old.
Aunty Ruby, a Ngarrindjeri, Kokatha and Pitjantjatjara Elder and singer/ songwriter passed away in 2010 at 54-years-old.
Engraved in the path leading to the statues are the footprints of Uncle Archie's and Aunty Ruby's totem's, including the pelican, black swan, wedge-tailed eagle and red-bellied black snake.
The Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation worked closely with the Roach and Hunter families on the statues.
"Wurundjeri Corporation is incredibly proud to have been involved in the development and installation of this beautiful memorial to two legendary First Nations Music Icons and advocates.
“It continues and builds upon the legacy of significance this area holds to not just Wurundjeri people but to many different mobs, including Uncle Archie Roach and Aunty Ruby Hunter, who are honoured here, that found family and connection to community in these streets," they said.
The statues not only celebrate Uncle Archie and Aunty Ruby’s legacy they left as musicians, but also their dedication to Indigenous rights, and the lasting impact they both left on the nation’s political and cultural landscape.
