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Rhythm Activism - OKA Polka

from OKA by RHYTHM ACTIVISM

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Track 2 on Side B of a cassette released by the band, Rhythm Activism, in Tiohtià:ke / Montréal, Québec. Long out of print, now digitalized to mark the 30th anniversary of this event.

This was a benefit album for the Mohawk Defence Fund during the 'Canadian crisis at OKA,' in 1990 – a 78 day standoff between local Mohawks and thousands of heavily armed Canadian soldiers, backed by tanks, APCs, rocket launchers, jet fighters and more. Mohawks of Kanesatake, supported by Mohawks from Kahnawake, wanted their treaty rights respected & to protect their sacred land from a golf course expansion and condo development pushed by the town mayor of Oka, Quebec.They were protesting peacefully, when the mayor called in the police. They staged an armed assault. Then Canada sent in the army at the request of the Quebec provincial government. To this day, the land rights issues are still not resolved & Mohawks continue to suffer.

credits

from OKA, track released September 1, 1990
Recorded & mixed by the 'cabaret rock'n'roll band/rebel news orchestra, 'Rhythm Activism. Words/Paroles: Norman Nawrocki. Music/Musique: Sylvain Côté.

Text typed on a 1945 manual Smith-Cornona old time typewriter, laid out by hand with Letraset & a hand-held waxer.

Rhythm Activism (RA) was a Montreal-based ‘cabaret rock ‘n’ roll band / rebel news orchestra’ co-founded in 1985 by Sylvain Côté & Norman Nawrocki. They grew from a spoken word & music duo to a full scale band, & had a side project as ‘The Flaming Perogies’ – an East European flavoured dance band. During their 15 year career RA toured North America & Europe, released 15 albums plus dozens of compilations, wrote & performed several ‘community cabarets’ & theatre musicals & shared the stage with acts as diverse as Linton Kwisi Johnson, Fred Frith, The Ex, Mecca Normal, the Dog Faced Hermans, Trench Mouth, etc. They are the subject of a documentary film, ‘This is the way we tie our shoes,’ and were commissioned to do soundtracks for national radio & TV. They were often compared to Fugazi, Chumbawamba, The Ex & even Tom Waits ‘with a butcher knife.’

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Norman Nawrocki image

Norman Nawrocki Montreal, Québec

Norman Nawrocki is a Canadian Polish/Ukrainian violinist & composer based in Montreal, Quebec. A veteran of the city’s underground music scene & also tours internationally. Since 1986, he's released 33 albums (solo & with his many bands like Rhythm Activism, DaZoque!, Bakunin’s Bum, SANN, Wild Plains, Crocodile!) & has 35 compilations. He's also an author & a playwright. ... more

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