The argument that led a singer to the truth about her family

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Gina Williams grew up being told her family were Malay or Indian, in fact, they were Aboriginal Australian but years of discrimination drove them to hide their ancestry. They also held another secret — it was aged eighteen, during a row, that Gina found out she was adopted. Her search for her birth mother led her to find her Noongar Balladong community but also revealed how like many other indigenous people of their time, Gina’s mother and grandmother were separated from their families and had their Noongar language beaten out of them. Determined to break the cycle Gina went to Noongar evening classes, learnt her language and put it to music. She’s since written four albums and two operas and also re-taught Noongar to her Mum. Gina and her musical partner Guy Ghouse recently won the Indigenous Act of the Year at the 2022 West Australian Music Industry Awards. Get in touch: [email protected] Presenter: Emily Webb Producers: Andrea Kennedy (Photo: Gina Williams. Credit: Owen Gregory)