First Nations artists Gina Williams and Guy Ghouse to bring emotive concert in Yamatji language to QPT

Perth-based First Nations artists Gina Williams and Guy Ghouse will be bringing their blend of Noongar and Yamatji language to contemporary music at the Queens Park Theatre next month with their show Koomba Kwobidak Moort (Big Beautiful Family). The two artists began working together in 2007, but it wasn’t until 2012 that the pair would realise singing in language was their bread and butter. “It took me a long time to come to a realisation that he was on to something,” Williams said. “We wrote an album, put it out — I thought we’d do it for six months and people would forget about us.” Williams is now coming up to her 11th year of making music in language. Nine years into their journey, Williams and Ghouse composed the first ever Noongar opera, which was performed with the WA Youth Orchestra, Noongar Children’s Choir and WA Young Voices at His Majesty’s Theatre in 2021. Their 2022 tour saw the two bring Indigenous language to life across the UK, stopping at Glasgow, Cornwall, Cardiff and Manchester before a tour of Australia’s eastern states this year. “It’s what we love. We love these. This is where our heart is, with writing and also helping community to unlock,” said Williams, a WAM-award winning musician. “There’s room for everybody in this, it’s not just a new journey. This is something that we want to bring everybody in on. And I think the more people that understand and know some words of the language of the land where they’re living, it helps us to heal and to walk together.” Their show, Koomba Kwobidak Moort, focuses on understanding family as much more than DNA. The performance honours shared experiences and common threads felt between people despite different geographical locations or timelines, acknowledging that love, joy, loss and heartbreak are universal feelings. Geraldton locals have been helping the duo write music in Yamatji language for their set list, which will also feature covers of contemporary songs rewritten in Noongar and existing music from their catalogue. The two made the decision to have tickets priced at however much patrons were willing to pay, whether that’s $5, $10 or $20. Williams grew up as a foster child and had limited accessibility to luxuries such as concerts and live music. Each performance is an emotional experience for the singer. “Audiences inevitably make me cry when we all sing together,” she said. “We just want people to be there, and we don’t want anyone who might be inspired by this to miss out because of money. The focus is community over economy.” Tickets for the Tuesday, June 6 performance are available at https://qpt.cgg.wa.gov.au/events/koomba-kwobidak-moort-(big-beautiful-family)/8979