Album by ‘rebel wordsmith’ to benefit migrant workers
‘Rebel wordsmith’ Nawrocki comes to aid of migrant workers
Norman Nawrocki may be bandaged and bruised, but nothing will stop him from launching his latest CD of spoken word and music, Displaced/Misplaced, Feb. 10 at Casa del Popolo on the Main. All funds raised from the sale of the CD will benefit two groups close to Nawrocki’s heart: Solidarity Across Borders and the Immigrant Workers Centre.
The launch had been in the works months before Nawrocki was diagnosed with skin cancer. The bandages on his upper lip and elsewhere as a result of the treatment may make it look like he was in a boxing bout gone the other way, but then again, the image works: the man is a fighter — invariably for the underdog.
Nawrocki is special. Born to Polish/Ukrainian parents in Vancouver (and calling himself a “Puke” as a consequence), he moved to Montreal 35 years ago to become a publicist. He gave up the job within a year, but not the city.
Now he is a singer, songwriter, violinist, poet, cabaret performer, composer, comedian, actor, artist and social activist. He has performed with an array of highly diverse local bands: Rhythm Activism, DaZoque!, Bakunin’s Bum, the Flaming Perogies, the Bagg Street Klezmer Band, Crocodile!, Wild Plains and Mousekii.
Nawrocki describes himself as a “prolific rebel wordsmith.” No question about that. Displaced/ Misplaced is his 29th CD in 30 years, and he has written 14 books over the same period. He is also considered a perogy-creating king and vodka connoisseur by local aficionados. He’s championing a new cause these days: protection with sunscreen, especially for the fair-skinned. “I’m a shadow activist now,” he jokes.
As for the “rebel” part, Nawrocki is also an anarchist of sorts, although he preaches nonviolence and must be the most soft-spoken and genial anarchist around — even in light of recent developments.
Long before Nawrocki cut his latest disc, he was abundantly aware of the mistreatment of immigrants and bigotry around these parts. He felt gutted upon hearing of the mosque killings in Quebec City. But he saw it coming. Some Quebecers and Canadians may have said such an event could only occur elsewhere, and the election of Donald Trump may have emboldened some people with twisted views, but Nawrocki had noticed the seeds of hate sprouting here years earlier.
“Sadly, this (tragedy in Quebec City) is no surprise. We’ve been creating those conditions for years, especially in Quebec,” Nawrocki says over a cup of hot milk (which he must drink with a straw because of his bandaged lip).
He is of the opinion that the alleged Quebec City killer “is a product of the last 10 years of Islamophobia, of hatred and contempt, promoted by some factions in this province who have been fanning the flames. He may have pulled the trigger, but it’s racist and supremacist ideas that are responsible for creating that mentality and that kid.
“Unfortunately, we live in a land that’s not all milk and honey. Ask anyone who is First Nations or black or (another) visible minority. They know the truth. And it’s more a nightmare than ever before, because Trump is in power and his ideas are being promoted everywhere. We have Trump wannabes in Canada (seeking to lead the Conservatives).”
But Nawrocki sees a sort of silver lining. People are protesting and holding vigils. He was taken aback by the turnout Monday in Park Extension, where thousands showed up to pay tribute to those murdered in Quebec City and to express solidarity with the Muslim community.
“There were rallies and vigils taking place all over the province and country, and even outside the country,” he says. “The irony is that Trump is bringing together a totally unlikely coalition of women and Muslims and all kinds of people, who before would have never said anything. We’ve got people as diverse as the Pope and Dick Cheney condemning what Trump stands for with regard to his executive order on banning (certain) refugees.
“So, hopefully we will build some broad-base coalition to fight the hatred, the violence, the racism and the Islamophobia. There is resistance coming from even mainstream politicians in the U.S. And Trump can’t fire them all.”
When Nawrocki started writing the lyrics for his new CD, prior to the rise of Trump, he had no idea they would be so timely. Many of the cuts on the disc call for solidarity and resistance of hatred and violence.
“Displaced/Misplaced is like a continuum of my last disc,
Cazzarola!, which was about Roma refugees battling neo-Fascists in Italy,” says Nawrocki, who is now working on a Cazzarola! screenplay. “The fight really hasn’t changed. Sadly, we’re still creating monsters.”
On Displaced/Misplaced — which he produced with the aid of a Canada Council grant — Nawrocki’s focus is on the deportation and mistreatment of migrant workers in this country.
“We hear all this talk from our politicians about what a wonderful, generous country Canada is, but the deportations continue. We bring workers in to pick our berries and catch our chickens, then we deport them. Look at the case of the 15 Guatemalans who say they were swindled out of their work permits and money here before facing deportation.
“The situation is so deplorable. Domestics come to work here and have no rights. They are exploited and threatened if they complain. I interviewed dozens of people for this album, and the stories I heard were just so shocking. These are strong people who left their countries because of war, poverty and climate chaos to seek a better life here. But often they end up isolated here.”
Some of the testimonies of these migrant workers can be heard on Displaced/Misplaced. Nawrocki’s hope is that the album will bring greater awareness to their issues.
“It never occurred to me at first this would turn into a benefit album, but as I was doing the research and interviewing people, I was so moved by the work done by Solidarity Across Borders and the Immigrant Workers Centre. They don’t have much money, but they do so much. The Solidarity group fights deportations. And the Immigrant Workers Centre organizes the unorganized workers — those who nobody else will organize — and fights for their rights.”