THE sounds of Noongar language filled the damp night air to a backdrop of flickering lightning when award-winning Indigenous duo Gina Williams and Guy Ghouse played for an audience of more than 200 people in Balingup on Thursday February 26.
Local Noongar Elder Sandra Hill gave a welcome to country before the show.
“This is special, because it’s the first time in a long time we’re going to be hearing Noongar language floating on the breeze,” Ms Hill told the audience. “Welcome to Wardandi country.”
Local musician Ben Pushman opened the show with a dynamic didgeridoo set, which MC Mike Armstrong described as painting pictures and making movies with sound.
He was followed by folk artist Rory Faithfield, who charmed the audience with stories about Ireland and songs about Western Australia.
Mr Armstrong then introduced headliners Gina Williams and Guy Ghouse, whom he said had had a stellar year. Their achievements included winning the 2013 and 2014 Indigenous Act of the Year, Artist of the Year at NAIDOC, touring with Archie Roach and performing with the WA Symphony Orchestra. They are set to perform with Macy Gray and John Butler later this year.
“Gina’s voice is made in heaven and just superb,” he said.
A crowd of local children, who had learned a welcome song with Williams and Ghouse earlier in the day at their schools, joined the duo for the first song of their set, a Noongar welcome song.
The duo’s set took the form of a journey through four principles Williams said she had been taught to live by as a child: the heart, family and children, or the legacy left behind.
The emotional, heartfelt performance journeyed through William’s life and through indigenous history as the singer laid her inner self bare for the spellbound audience.
When she sang about language, Williams said she had only learned to speak Noongar as an adult, so while her words might be imperfect, she was passionate about it. “My heart is towards it and I am deeply and desperately in love with it,” she said.
The audience gave a standing ovation at the end of the night, wrapped up in the magic of the music and the feeling that something very special had taken place in Balingup.
A whole tour was built around the concert, which was organised by Balingup’s Carole Winfield and sponsored by Wesfarmers, the Balingup Small Farm Field Day, the Balingup Medieval Carnival, the Shire of Donnybrook-Balingup and DJW Sound and Light.
