Gina Williams and Guy Ghouse to bring their uplifting Kalyakoorl, Ngalak Warangka performance to Harvey

A special performance will take over the Harvey Recreation and Cultural Centre as ancient language mixes with contemporary music. Balladong woman Gina Williams and guitarist Guy Ghouse will bring their Kalyakoorl, Ngalak Warangka (Forever, We Sing) show to town on August 12 as the pair take the audience through a musical storytelling experience. The show will be based upon four principles which have guided the pair’s work over the last decade: koort (heart), moort (family and community), boodja (land and connection to country) and koorlangka (children and legacy). Williams said the performance’s title had a close connection to their work of writing and performing songs in Noongar language. “I love the notion that, in spite of what has happened to Noongar people, we continue to pick ourselves up and keep moving forward,” she said. “Just a couple of generations ago, Noongar people were punished for speaking language. Now we embrace and celebrate it. I think it’s a wonderful thing to bring communities together and to bring healing to this part of the world.” Williams is an award-winning singer-songwriter and former journalist with three decades of experience sharing stories and writing songs for her community. She will lead the performance with her amazing vocals and storytelling, with Ghouse putting his family’s century-old musical pedigree to the test on the guitar. Williams believes the music in the show is an extension of Noongar people sharing their culture. “It feels good to sing the language of this land, a language that was once reduced to a whisper,” she said. “It combines my two passions, singing and Noongar language — something I’d never take for granted.” Williams said her and Ghouse’s work was all about what brought people together as a community. “I know Harvey has a beautiful, close community and this show celebrates exactly that,” she said. “We take audiences on a journey . . . (and) we hope audiences walk away feeling nourished and smiling.” Both dinner and show tickets, along with general admission entry, can be bought at the Harvey Recreation and Cultural Centre or online at harveyrec.com.