Welcome to Season 2 of Songlines, an RTFM podcast shining a light on First Nations artists across WA. I'm Cezera Critti-Schnaars, an actor, writer, director, and lover of all things art. And over six episodes spanning the Noongar seasons, we will hear from artists across music, dance, theatre, and photography, and walk the emotional, historical, and spiritual paths which have shaped them into the creatives they are today.

It is so good to be back for another year of the CBAA award-winning series. We have such an incredible cast of Indigenous artists this year, and I am so excited to kick things off this Bunuru with musician and Noongar language champion, Gina Williams. Gina's work recognises one of the most beautiful and rare languages on the planet, the Noongar language of the southern coast of WA. Alongside her musical partner, Guy Ghouse, the three-time Grammy Award-winning duo have also taken their talents and knowledge to schools across the state, making it their mission to connect people to Noongar culture and rewrite historical narratives through song. She is an absolute musical and cultural gem of WA, and I cannot wait to share this chat with you. This is Gina Williams, and we're in Bunbury.

Cezera: And we are back. I'm so excited today to be joined in the studio by-she's going to hate it when I say this, but one of my absolute idols, Gina Wiliams. Ask anyone how much I like how I talk about you and they will, every single one will confirm that fact. But I tell you, I've been so excited to interview you.

Gina: Really? Oh my God.

Cezera: You are one of my favorite people. Every time I see you perform, I cry. And then I go and have a crisis to Dad or Kobe about it. Like, the very first time I saw you perform in Denmark, I was like, 'Kobe! Kobe, introduce me to her, please!

Gina: Oh, sweetie. You really need to get out more. I'm so unremarkable. I'm really not.
Spend all that time. Spend any amount of time with me. See how very, very ordinary I am.
Cezera: Well, like, everyone's ordinary, but it's the fact that, like, you've made this whole career out of performing in language and just working with language and you do it so beautifully and it's just...

 

Gina: Oh look at you.

Cezera: This podcast spans the Noongar seasons and today we find ourselves in Bunuru or in the second summer. It's a hot time of year and also a social time of year. What memories do you have of this season? What do you love about this season?

Gina: Oh, well, what I love about this season?

As a very, very little girl, we used to, we had no air conditioning in our house. And so mum and dad would put blankets and towels up against the windows, and they um, world series cricket had come to Australia and my parents were glued to the television and I was their remote control, yeah. And they'd watch the cricket during the day and I'd slowly go up the walls with boredom, but what was really beautiful was that at the end of the day, um, when the sea breeze would come in we would take, mum and dad would take the covers down from the windows and as the sun went down, they'd put a blanket out on the front lawn. And you know, we didn't have a lot.

 

To listen to the full podcast episode - Songlines on RTRFM: Gina Williams (Bururu) - in full visit RTRFM.com.au or stream wherever you get your podcasts.