Mimi Kwa tells her family’s saga, featuring her dad — the thirty-second child of a wealthy Chinese silk trader, and her mum, who survived decades of undiagnosed schizophrenia, and Mimi's glamorous other life in the intoxicating hubbub of Hong Kong. (CW: Discussion of mental illness and suicide attempt) Mimi presented the news on ABC and Channel Nine, and worked in the newsroom for more than 20 years. Today she has four children with her loving husband, John. This is all a long way from Mimi’s early life in Perth, where she managed backpackers’ rent and cleaning toilets at her father’s sprawling youth hostel from the age of eight. Then she would shuttle over to her grandparents’ house in the suburbs, where her mum, who lived with chronic schizophrenia, would do her best to love Mimi, despite her paranoia. Mimi had yet another life, in Hong Kong, where she would visit her relatives, and stay with her loving, steady, glamorous Aunty Theresa, who adored her. Mimi had to synthesise all these parts to grow herself up and become what she had always wanted to be: on telly, reading the news. And once she succeeded in her dream of journalism, she would need all the strength she could get when she unknowingly ambushed Russell Crowe at the airport. Further information Help is always available. You can call Lifeline on 13 11 14, text on 0477 13 11 14, chat online, or speak to an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Crisis Supporter at 13 YARN (13 92 76). House of Kwa is published by HarperCollins ABC Books. This episode was made on Gadigal country. It was produced by Alice Moldovan. The Executive Producer was Nicola Harrison. It covers Hong Kong, World War II, Japanese occupation, occupation, Perth, Mandarin Gardens, racism, trauma, grandparent carers, mental health ward, ECT, big age gap, Channel Nine, cadetship, Russel Crowe, Gladiator, Romper Stomper, contested will, inheritance, suing family, reconciliation, forgiveness and gratitude. To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you’ll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.
