This was published 4 months ago
Lowanna Grant stayed living with mum Karla into her 30s. Here’s why
Journalist Karla Grant, 58, is the presenter of Living Black on SBS. Her daughter, Lowanna Grant, 36, is a producer and presenter on NITV Radio, making them colleagues as well as best friends.
Lowanna and Karla Grant. “We’re more like sisters or best friends, with a very strong bond,” says Lowanna.Credit: Louie Douvis
Karla: Lowanna has pretty much lived with me all her life. She only moved out last year. I guess that’s a good thing, that she actually likes being around me. I see her nearly every day, either at work or at the gym, or we go for runs or to the movies or dinner.
Lowanna was our only child for about seven years [Karla was married to journalist Stan Grant for 16 years, until 2000], so she ruled the roost. But she also loved the two boys when they came along. Stan has another son [with second wife Tracey Holmes] and Lowanna is a good big sister to all three brothers.
After the divorce, Lowanna stayed with me and the boys lived with Stan for a couple of years when he went to work overseas. She was in high school by then and had been at Abbotsleigh [on Sydney’s upper north shore] from Year 3, and we didn’t want her to have that disruption. It strengthened our connection and she had the best of both worlds: consistency but also spending holidays overseas with Stan.
Lowanna is very in touch with the Indigenous side of her family. I didn’t grow up speaking my language [Western Arrernte], but she has studied Wiradjuri. I get teary-eyed when I hear her doing welcomes [to country]. As far as I know, she didn’t face racism at school like I did. The “brown girls”, as they called themselves – mostly Indian girls – gravitated towards each other, but she had friends from all different nationalities.
She has always been very close to Stan’s parents. They live on Wiradjuri country now, near Narrandera, and Lowanna went to spend time with them at the start of COVID-19. Her pop [Stan Grant snr] had a bad fall during that trip and we thought we were going to lose him. Lowanna gave up her life here to become their primary carer for the next two years.
‘I didn’t feel wanted or welcome in my own country and Lowanna felt the same. I retreated, took leave, but she had to go on air. I was so proud of her.’
Karla Grant
We’re on the phone several times a day. She pretty much tells me everything and has to start from the beginning and include every step. I’m like, “Yeah, yeah, yep, right, and then what happened?” But there’s no short version. If I say I have to go to a meeting, she’ll call later and pick up where she left off. She’s a big storyteller, that’s for sure. She’s in the right business.
Now that we’re both working in the same media space, I think she understands why I’ve been upset at times over the years. On the night of the [Voice] referendum, I was working and Lowanna was at home. As soon as the result was clear, she rang and we were both in tears. It took us a while to comprehend that so many people had voted no. She said, “Mum, I don’t know how I’m going to be able to present my program on Monday.” I was the same: how to keep going? I reminded her how our ancestors had had to fight for everything; they hadn’t given up. But for weeks and weeks, we were devastated. I didn’t feel wanted or welcome in my own country and Lowanna felt the same. I retreated, took leave, but she had to go on air. I was so proud of her.
She’s a beautiful girl inside and out. The only thing I’d change is maybe not telling all those great big long stories. Give us the cut-down version, as they say.
Karla Grant on Lowanna: “She’s a big storyteller, that’s for sure. She’s in the right business.” Credit: Louie Douvis
Lowanna: We’re more like sisters or best friends, with a very strong bond. We like doing a lot of the same things, although she’s into extreme sports, like whitewater rafting and that zip-line thing, and I’m not. She loves the adrenaline, but I’m afraid of heights and scared of capsizing and drowning.
She’s very spontaneous. If I say, “Why don’t we go get a tattoo? , she’ll say, “OK.” She’s got about four now. We’ve both got one that says “Dazza”. My mum’s sister [Darrilene] passed away a few years ago. She was her only sibling and Mum cared for her all through the cancer. The tattoo was a way to honour her and have her close. Mum’s a very spiritual person and reads a lot of spiritual books, books on health and wellbeing. She’s a firm believer her sister is still around and guiding her.
‘She was probably wondering when I was going to move out. I think I miss her more than she misses me.’
Lowanna Grant
She’s very proud of her Indigenous heritage, but when she was young, there was racism in the schoolyard and she was teased and called names. That stays with you. A few years ago, she was on a work trip with a colleague in the Northern Territory and they went to a bottle shop. There were two police outside. She got asked for her ID, but her colleague, who wasn’t First Nations, didn’t. They wouldn’t serve her. It brought that feeling back.
With the referendum, everyone had an opinion; it was like you were under a microscope. Carrying that load took a toll and Mum needed time to get her strength back. She has overcome many things in her life. She managed being a single mum – with Dad’s help, obviously – and always put us first. Work can be quite tough, the things she reports on, the stories she hears. Somehow, she always comes out the other side and stays positive. She’s also a very independent person. She’s fine going away on a holiday by herself.
My mum and dad have a good relationship and come together on occasions like big birthdays. My oldest brother, John, is a musician and had a gig recently. My mum was there, my dad, my stepmum, my brothers, and we all sat together. We all went to the rally at the ABC last year in support of Dad and other First Nations journalists after he resigned.
She was probably wondering when I was going to move out. I think I miss her more than she misses me. At first, I’d be like, “Do you want to come over for dinner?” We see each other every day when we’re in the office and I live not far away. I don’t worry we’re too close. Some of my friends don’t have that deep connection.
She does have an annoying habit of falling asleep when we’re watching TV. One minute she’s watching and we’re like, “Oh my gosh, look what just happened.” Two seconds later I’ll be like, “Hello, are you awake?” She’ll say, “I’m not asleep. I’m just resting my eyes.”
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