The Tribune
Friday, July 22, 2016
art books pageants film fashion music charity food animals
Weekend
Creole cuisine Page7
Behind the lens Why every picture tells a story Interview, pages 4&5
02 | The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, July 22, 2016
life through a lens
Junkanoo Summer Festival heats up
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thrilling battle between the choreograph dancers from the major Junkanoo groups and a face-off between the Royal Bahamas Police and Defence Force bands drew hundreds of spectators to Arawak Cay last weekend for the second week of Junkanoo Summer Festival. Depicting the theme, “It’s Better in the Bahamas”, the choreographed dancers enthralled the crowd with their moves and stunts. Manager of the parade team Douglas Hanna said the judging for Junkanoo Summer Festival is different from the judging of Boxing Day and New Year’s festivals. “It is different because the focus is on a different event every week,” he explained. “The focus (on Saturday) was the dance.” Mr Douglas said the judges are also watching for crowd reaction. “One of the things that is quite different than the major parades is that the groups are not only appealing to the judges but they must appeal to the crowd,” he said. “This is billed as an international event. We expect not only a local crowd but an international crowd. (The judges) are dealing with crowd appeal, costume and precision.” Popular Bahamian chef Jamal Petty hosted a cooking demonstration, which attracted scores of people. His dish of choice was conch tortilla soup. Visitors and residents also got a chance to enter the pineapple, watermelon and corn eating competitions or the crab catching, conch cracking contests. For those who prefer arts and craft work, straw vendors and wood carvers gave participants a chance to learn their trades. This Saturday, festivities will once again kick off at 12noon at Arawak Cay, with a focus on costumes and the overall performance of the participating groups. The festival will continue every Saturday until the end of the month.
Have you taken a selection of photographs that might make a Life through a lens feature page? If so please submit it to weekend@ tribunemedia.net for consideration
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Friday, July 22, 2016
Inside Weekend
My perfect Bahamian weekend Joe Stubbs Stylist, image consultant
Interview
“I’m a beach lover, but a sun hater.”
4-5 Cara Hunt talks with fashion and Tribune photographer Shawn Hanna about documenting history and following one’s dreams.
Food 7 New Da Grio Shack restaurant serves up Creole cuisine
Entertainment 8 Sixty Bahamian and American dancers bring the ‘Tap Explosion’ to life
Pageants 9 Miss Universe Bahamas aims to transform pageantry
Art 10 - 11 Trevor Tucker opens solo exhibit and assists community service, plus Loxsley Bastian wants to take Junkanoo into the future
Music 12 - 13 ‘The Music Project’ encourages youth participation, plus the evolution of singer/ songwriter Rashad Leamount
Fashion 14 - 16 Miss World Bahamas contestants display elegance in evening gown segment, plus the Fashion Report Charity 17 Lanes for Learning bowling tournament to assist students in need
Film 20 -21 Bahamian filmmaker gears up for premiere of local gangster movie, plus “Star Trek Beyond” reviewed Literary Lives 22 - 25 The mysterious killing of Sir Harry Oakes
Forgotten Facts 25 Paul Aranha on exploring New Providence Animals 27 Kim Aranha on Bahamians’ love for animals vs animal cruelty
Gardening 28 Jack Hardy talks carambola and company
create and try new tastes.” Q: Beach or sofa? “The sofa has been the primary cause of my recent weight gain, so we have a love-hate relationship. I’ll have to go with beach, but after sunset. I’m a beach lover, but a sun hater.” Q: What could you not do without? “I could not do without my car. The thought of being at the mercy of late Bahamians would drive me up a wall. I’m a punctual person so I need my own transportation to ensure that I’m on time to all of my events.”
Q: Saturday breakfast or Sunday lunch? “Sunday lunch without a doubt. What would actually make Sunday lunch even better is having it served during church service. I’d never miss Sunday morning worship again.”
Q: Weekend away: where would you go? “Cat Island! Returning to the home of my parents and grandparents always lends me a greater appreciation of life and family. Besides the extra large mosquitos and the spirits trying to hide you, I absolutely love the food, music, rich culture, clear waters and down-home experience.”
Q: Wine, Kalik, rum or cocktail? “Wine gives me headaches; I’m afraid of getting a belly (so no beer), and rum just sounds like it’s for jonsers and hard drinkers, so I’ll stick with cocktails. I’m a creative person, so cocktails lend me the freedom to
Things 2 Do this weekend Friday • Bahamas Striping’s Day of Prayer for Businesses Time: 12noon Venue: Bible Truth Ministries, Fire Trail Road The six-year-old striping company, with a track record for hiring at-risk young men, is celebrating its second annual corporate prayer day for Bahamians businesses. The service is 90 minutes long. • Torchbearers Bonfire Night Time: 6pm -10pm Venue: Wood’s residence on West Bay Street Join the Free National Movement’s youth association for their bonfire night, their last special event leading up to the party’s convention next week. Tickets are $10. • Trevor Tucker’s “Nature’s Brush” Time: 6pm - 8pm Venue: Doongalik Studios Art Gallery Mr Tucker shows off his latest work focused primarily on capturing the movement, patterns and colour found in our natural environment. SEE PAGE 10 • Island Rock Concert Series Time: 9pm Venue: Hard Rock Café Hosted by Sawyerboy TV, this
weekend’s instalment features performances by Judah Tha Lion and Tebby. This six-month long concert series will culminate in the patrons’ favourite band winning a trip to an international Hard Rock to play live. Admission $10 at the door. Proceeds go to Royal Nassau Skate Park.
Saturday • Junkanoo Summer Festival Time: 12noon - midnight Venue: Arawak Cay The street festival designed to capture the competitiveness and excitement of Junkanoo every Saturday during the month of July. This week will feature Buddy Hield as a special guest and will focus on the costumes and overall performances of the participating groups. • Guinness In The Streets Basketball Tournament Time: 4pm Venue: Dumping Grounds Corner, Bain and Grants Town (simultaneously in Abaco at the Bayview Park located in Dundas Town and in Grand Bahama at the Pinedale Park) Enjoy Guinness deals and entertainment as the players battle it out to move on to the next round of the street basketball challenge. The tournament games take place every Saturday through August 13.
• Tap Explosion Time: 7pm for the mix and mingle; 8.30pm for show time Venue: National Centre for the Performing Arts, Shirley Street Bahamian and American dancers step into the limelight to show off what they have learned during a three-week workshop focused on tap dancing. The event will also feature live music and a professional production. Tickets are $20. SEE PAGE 8 • Kalik Briland Boat Cruise Time: 8pm for boarding; 9pm departure Venue: Potter’s Cay Dock West The North Eleuthera Regatta Association in conjunction with Kalik presents the Briland Boat Cruise on board the Sea Link. Enjoy music by DJ Hype, Selector Ty, Fadda Chippy, Selector Ian and Selector Jimbo. Tickets are $20.
Sunday • Miss Bahamas World Finale Time: 8pm Venue: Grand Ballroom, Meliá Nassau Beach Resort Tickets are available at Airbrush Junkies in the Mall at Marathon, or from any Miss Bahamas contestant. SEE PAGE 14/15
04 | The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, July 22, 2016
interview Tribune staff photographer Shawn Hanna recently had the chance to travel to Jamaica to study with one of the best photographers in the world. He tells Cara Hunt all about his experience, about finding the beauty in others and documenting history every day with his pictures.
Shawn Hanna S hawn Hanna sees the world through Nikon tinted lenses. The 20-year-old fashion and photojournalist is well-known and respected in photography circles. And he has been able to turn what started out as a simple interest in an American reality show into his own brand – Shawn T Hanna Photography. “My interest in photography was first sparked in junior high school. I used to love to watch ‘America’s Next Top Model’. I didn’t watch it for the models and I didn’t really care who got
eliminated each week, but I just loved to watch the photo shoots. I was just in awe of the creativity and the transformations that they did; it was my favourite part of the show. And that’s when I knew that I wanted to do fashion, lifestyle and beauty photography,” he told Tribune Weekend. He started by just taking lots of photos of any and everything in his environment. “My first camera was a Nikon point and shoot. I was allowed to take action shots at school and so I would take
photos of my friends at PE having fun. I took photos of my family and friends, and trees and flowers, and nature shots, insect and bees; just tons and tons of photos,” he said. Additionally, Shawn read everything he could about photography and watched YouTube videos to learn more about the craft. “I will never forget my first actual photo shoot,” he said. “I was in high school and it was with a plus size model. She wore this purple dress and we shot all over Yamacraw Beach. I had
her all over, doing all kind of poses. It was my first ‘professional’ shoot and I was just being extra. You couldn’t tell me that those pictures were not just the bomb, but when I look at them now I can see that they really weren’t that great.” What the photo shoot did accomplish, however, was to jump-start a much-needed portfolio. “When you are first starting out, no one knows you and you have to have photos that can show what you can do. You can’t expect people to pay for
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Friday, July 22, 2016
work when they can’t see examples of it. I spent a lot of time building a portfolio, taking pictures of people for little to nothing just to gain experience and get my name out there,” he said. Shawn also shadowed established photographers like Scharad Lightbourne to gain insight into the profession. “I can say that he taught me a lot about the ethics and professionalism that is required in the job; to be strict with yourself to manage your brand,” he said. Today, Shawn’s brand includes multiple fashion shoots and his own version of the show that first sparked his interest in photography. “I started ‘The Next Face’ reality show as my version of ‘America’s Next Top Model’,” he explained. “It is a venue for young, aspiring models to get some photos done and gain experience and exposure until they are eliminated from the competition. And many of the contestants who were on the show have gone on to success with modelling contracts and ad campaigns. We may do another season in December or early next year.” In addition to his own photography interests, Shawn has worked for The Tribune newspaper for the past three years. “I was really interested in photojournalism to see what it was about, and so I did a summer internship that was not paid but gave me tons of experience. Based on that experience they hired me the following year while I was in COB as a freelance photographer on the weekends. And then in October of 2014 I was hired full time,” he said. As a staff photographer, Shawn is at the forefront of documenting Bahamian history on a daily basis. “Shooting for The Tribune is an entirely different medium than shooting fashion shoots, portraits or weddings,” he said. “Photography is all about telling stories, but there is an immediacy in news that you don’t get in other shoots. If I am doing a photo shoot and the person blinks or I don’t like the shot, I can reset and we can go again. But in news, if you miss a shot, sometimes you miss the whole story and you can’t get it back. For news, I always have to be on my Ps and Qs.” Being a photographer also means constantly enhancing one’s skills and staying up-to-date with the newest technological developments. Last week, Shawn got the opportunity of a lifetime to travel to Jamaica to
Shawn with world-renowned fashion photographer Shamayim (far right)
Shawn with leading fashion photographer Shamayim (far right) and fellow workshop participants and models in Jamaica
“Photography is all about telling stories, but there is an immediacy in news that you don’t get in other shoots...you miss a shot, sometimes you miss the whole story and you can’t get it back.” study and shoot with Shamayim, who is considered one of the hottest fashion photographers in the world right now. Shamayim’s work has graced the pages of magazines and advertising campaigns in the United States, South Africa, the Caribbean, London and Paris. “He is someone I followed on Instagram and social media, and when the opportunity came to travel to Jamaica to work with him I jumped at it,” said Shawn. “It was definitely one of the best experiences I have had. I learned so much about choosing your models and getting the most out of them. I also learned about shooting in extreme sunlight , which is great for occasions when you may not have a reflector to use but still need the shoot, and just some personal tricks and tips. My only complaint is that I wish it had been a longer. Jamaica itself was beautiful and quite an experience.” Shawn plans to host a small exhibit with the images he took during the workshop with Shamayim in the near future. “It will be about 20 to 35 images that I hope can show people what the experience was like,” he said.
06 | The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, July 22, 2016
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Friday, July 22, 2016
food
Creole cuisine with a flair By CARA HUNT cbrennen@tribunemedia.net
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Photos/Shawn Hanna
he name Manje - Da Grio Shack is probably quite a mouthful for many, but the restaurant’s cooks make sure that it’s a delicious mouthful. The eatery opened up two weeks ago on Carmichael Road and is dedicated to serving up snacks with a special Creole flair. “My brother Lovy and I opened the restaurant because we wanted to provide something different for people to eat,” said co-owner Jeanette Jean. “We wanted to cater to the working lunch crowd, and there is a market for tasty Creole-inspired meals.” And while they both enjoy cooking, the brother and sister team leave the preparing of the meals at the restaurant to their chef. Ms Jean said they serve up traditional Creole favourites such as griot – deep fried seasoned pork served with fried plantain. “You have to use green plantains so that you get the chip-like texture,” she explained. The griot is served with pikliz, which is a spicy kind of coleslaw. The restaurant also serves up regular Bahamian favourites such as chicken and hamburger snacks. “At the moment our focus is on snack meals rather than dinners, but with every meal you order you have the option to add the fried green plantain or fries with your meal,” said Ms Jean. The restaurant is open Monday through Thursday, noon to 8.30pm, and on Friday sand Saturday from 11am to 9pm. As the business expands and grows, Ms Jean said they may also expand their menu to include full traditional Creole dinners.
08 | The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, July 22, 2016
entertainment
Ricardo Chri st and organiser ie, instructor of the tap wo rkshop.
Members of the award-winning Malone Studios Dance Academy out of Nashville will be participating in the Nassau show.
‘Tap Explosion’ offers multicultural dance performance A By CARA HUNT cbrennen@tribunemedia.net
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group of Bahamian and American dancers are gearing up to step into the limelight after completing a three-week workshop focused on tap dancing. The culmination of this workshop will take place with the Tap Explosion performance at the National Centre for the Performing Arts this evening. Ricardo Christie, who is the instructor and organiser of the workshop, explained that it will be a multicultural experience. “There was a similar workshop that was held many years ago that was designed to be a culture exchange between the US and the Bahamas, and this workshop is taken from that idea,” he said. Mr Christie, who has been a dancer himself for the past 20 years, said that he particularly wanted the focus to be on tap dance to help increase its popularity in the country. “We have a lot of students between the ages of 12 and 20 who
“We didn’t want it to be like your typical children’s dance recital. It is going to be something that is more like a really professional show.”
were free this summer and available to participate in the workshop, and they have been working hard to learn new material and improve their craft,” he said. Altogether, there are 60 dancers taking part in the workshop. Forty of them are Bahamians from several different dance schools in the country, including Yodephy, the National Dance School, Just Dance and the Bahamas Dance Theatre in Grand Bahama. “It’s important to mention that
they are all coming from different dance schools, where they are separate from the other dancers at other dance academies, but this workshop gives them a chance to all work together as one,” said Mr Christie. Joining the Bahamian students are 20 dancers from the Malone Studios Dance Academy in Nashville, Tennessee. One of the owners and main instructors at the Nashville school has ties to the Bahamas and was trained under legendary Bahamian dancer Shirley Hall-Bass, just as Mr Christie was. Mr Christie promises tonight’s event will offer amazing performances. “It will be an impressive evening. It will feature live music and vocals to provide a really organic feel. We didn’t want it to be like your typical children’s dance recital. It is going to be something that is more like a really professional show,” he said. The Tap Explosion begins at 7pm with a mix and mingle sponsored by Burns House. The curtain for the show goes up at 8.30pm. Tickets are $20.
n evening of jazz and cocktails
GREAT music accompan ied by refreshing cocktails will be the order of the evening during a specia l jazz event this Sunday. Music lovers can enjoy an interactive evening of exotic cockta ils and delicious dishes during “An Eveni ng of Jazz & Cocktails” at the Balm oral Club from 6pm to 9pm. The evening will featur e old school soul favourite jazz classics, s, soft rock and foot-tapping blues – all performed live by the Vice-Versa Band. According to event org anisers, “Jazz & Cocktails” will provide a safe and friendly environment to reconnec t with friends, network and make new acquaintances, or to just let your hair do wn and Song requests can be sen shake a leg. t to viceversa242@gmail.com for the “Live by Request” segment. For reservations or mo re information, call 302- 4230/1 or e-m ail theclub@balmoralbahamas.com.
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Friday, July 22, 2016
pageants
Transforming pageantry in the Bahamas Miss Universe 2016 contestants are unveiled By JEFFARAH GIBSON Tribune Features Writer jgibson@tribunemedia.net
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PHOTO/TIM CLARKE
ISS Universe Bahamas is back with a new mantra, new franchise owners and 10 new contestants who were unveiled during the glamorous “Toast the Queen” launch event last Friday. Held at the luxury resort Albany, guests met the enthusiastic Miss Universe Bahamas beauties who are vying for the chance to represent the Bahamas at the international pageant later on in the year. This year’s contestants are: Cherell Williamson, Alexandria Pinder, Selvenique Wright, Ashley Hanna, Whender LaFrance, Crsytal Stubbs, Erika Adderely, Chivvaun Smith, Danielle Pratt and Rokara Hepburn. During the event, guests heard from several past queens, as well as from the reigning Miss Bahamas Universe, Toria Nichole.
Ivy Lane Limited, a subsidiary of Tavistock Group, recently became the new licensee for the Miss Universe Bahamas franchise. A new management team was recruited to produce a world-class pageant and to hold preliminary events under the theme of “Living Beautifully” at Albany According to the pageant’s national director, Michelle Collie, who was also a Miss Bahamas Universe titleholder, Ivy Lane is seeking to completely transform the way pageantry is done here in the Bahamas. Ivy Lane is also looking to partner with other organisations to ensure a queen capable of competing on the world stage is cultivated from the pageant experience. “In a nutshell, our three goals for the first year are: to select, embrace, and train our 2016 Miss Universe Bahamas queen to be a phenomenal ambassador of our country as we send her off to the Miss Universe Pageant; to implement an enrichment programme under the theme of ‘Living Beautifully’ for the delegates and further into the communities of young Bahamian girls, to educate them on everything from aesthetics, healthy living, public speaking and self-value, and to establish a Miss Universe Bahamas Alumni Association as we engage past queens and the public to become a part of a movement to inspire and empower
young ladies,” Ms Collie told Tribune Weekend. Over the coming weeks, contestants will be kept busy with numerous activities that will prepare them for the big night when a winner is revealed. “We have a terrific line-up of partners and activities for the ladies that really seem endless. Albany is the sophisticated home base of the franchise and there are three major events on property open to the public,” she said. The next event to be held will be the National Costume Showcase at the Azul Pool on August 27 at 8pm. The 2016 Miss Universe Bahamas Pageant will then be held at Aviva at Albany on September 17. “We are sponsored for each of these events by Commonwealth Brewery, with a premium brand of champagne, further emphasising our desire to restore the prestige and glamour that was once associated with Miss Universe Bahamas,” said Ms Collie. “Additionally, we have received a commitment from Bahamas Experience to chauffer our delegates on a Top 10 Nassau city tour. This is a magnificent opportunity for the delegates to interact with the public and tourists in the city while brushing up on their knowledge of our nation’s first city. On the health and wellness front, Christine Carey of Liquid Nutrition has extended her expertise to educate
the ladies on the importance of fuelling their bodies with the nutrition and intellectual awareness that will result in a more balanced life. “Our high-energy official photographer, Scharad Lightbourne, gave the ladies a wonderfully informative session on branding and social media last week. and the cutting edge style icon Kedar Clarke will be meeting with the delegates this week to speak to us all about building your wardrobe and style identity.” Delegates will also receive stage training with runway coach, former Miss Universe Bahamas and Top Model winner Celeste Marshall. Now that the pageant has undergone a makeover, there is much more in store for future contestants and the general public, organisers said. “There a few things that I am aware of based on a significant amount of feedback from the public that they would like to see the new organization improve on,” said Ms Collie. “The public desires an elevated experience for both the delegates and the audience. Pageantry is about timeless and classic elegance. As a former queen, 1995/96, I was crowned during an era of pageantry in the Bahamas that was prestigious, revered and well supported. We seek to return to this standard of excellence and enhance it.”
The 2016 contestants with reigning Miss Bahamas Universe Toria Nichole (at centre): (l-r) Cherell Williamson, Alexandria Pinder, Selvenique Wright, Ashley Hanna, Whender LaFrance, Crsytal Stubbs, Erika Adderely, Chivvaun Smith, Danielle Pratt and Rokara Hepburn.
10 | The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, July 22, 2016
art
Capturing nature’s beauty Trevor Tucker opens exhibit and assists community service
Nature inspired artwork by Trevor Tucker
By JEFFARAH GIBSON Tribune Features Writer jgibson@tribunemedia.net
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REVOR Tucker’s vivid and expressive style of painting will be clearly on display tonight when the artist opens his latest solo exhibition in honour of nature’s beauty. The “Nature’s Brush” show will open tonight at the Doongalik Art Studio at 6pm. A full-time art teacher, husband and father of two, Mr Tucker has always been fascinated with aquatic and floral themes, which is the reason why those elements make up a majority of the work in the show. He said his work focuses primarily on capturing the movement, patterns and colours found in our natural environment. There will be over 20 paintings on display as well as a limited series of glass prints and ceramic work. “Mainly the inspiration for the show came about by trying to capture little glimpses of nature, whether it is the movement of water, plants and trees. I love to see those things on a regular day and they are always changing. So the idea of the show was to do a little capturing experience of elements around the island, of water, of the sea, and things that I like.
“My show is primarily nature based; mainly floral and aquatic images or anything that is underwater or found in the trees will be seen in the art pieces,” he said. The show also serves as the official launch of Mr Tucker’s custom art printing service that is geared towards producing art on glass, tiles and other materials such as metal. “Some of the ceramic and glass work featured will be pieces of work that people may have not seen because they came from earlier shows. This is a part of my new printing services that I am doing. Persons may have seen the glass prints before and there will only be a limited amount of those at the show,” he said.
Mr Tucker said he has always played around with painting on glass and tiles. And now he is offering his print services to other artisans who may need artwork for their businesses. During the art show there will also be a raffle and a door prize, which will be a custom printed eight-piece tile mural of St Anselm’s Parish on Bernard Road. The raffle is in aid of the Children’s Breakfast Programme, which is run at the church and provides a warm meal to children in the Fox Hill community before school. “Many of the kids would normally go without this simple yet important part of the day. So as many as possible who would like to assist are welcome,”
he said. “This is a continuous thing and they always need funds to help out with the breakfast programme that the church does throughout the year. So even in the summer they are saving funds for when school reopens to provide breakfast in the community. I pretty much donate to this cause with every show that I host.” The exhibit opening will also feature a live performance by the musical group Ubuntu. The general public is encouraged to come out and have a fun evening of art and music while helping assist a valuable community service. For more information, contact Trevor Tucker at 424-1878 or e-mail trevor.tucker@gmail.com.
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Friday, July 22, 2016
art
Taking Junkanoo into the future By JEFFARAH GIBSON Tribune Features Writer jgibson@tribunemedia.net
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EDICATING his work mainly to Junkanoo and all of its aspects came natural to Loxsley Bastian, a veteran artist who has always had a profound love for this form of Bahamian cultural expression. Mr Bastian, who for many years now has sought to tell the story of the Boxing Day, New Year’s and other parades, hopes that his newest paintings will inspire others to showcase Junkanoo in greater depth with their work. The visual artist has always been a Junkanoo enthusiast and enjoys the artistic aspect of it. After receiving some encouragement from those around him, he began to create a niche for himself in Junkanoo artistry. He began showcasing his work at the Central Bank art exhibitions where he gained an audience which was intrigued with his unique depiction of Junkanoo. In many of his Junkanoo-inspired paintings the artist uses modelling paste, acrylic or oil based paint, crepe paper, glitter, genuine goat skin and metals. The pieces he is currently working, he said, will “take Junkanoo into the 31st century”. “I will use crepe paper, sequins, rhinestones and much more. My vision for ‘taking Junkanoo into the 31st century’ is more lavish than it is done today. I am going to be extremely creative with these pieces,” he told Tribune Weekend. Mr Bastian hopes to exhibit his new paintings in upcoming shows around town. “What motivated me to start depicting Junkanoo in my work was in 1985 when a tourist saw one of pieces and purchased it because she thought it was so beautifully done. She carried it back home. And that was what really encouraged me,” he said. “I would like to see there be a greater level of respect for Junkanoo art. I think more artists should feature it as a main element in their work. It gives our culture the highlight it needs and takes it to the next level.” Mr Bastian presently works as an artist, designer and entrepreneur. He also does freelance work in a variety of design areas, including architecture, photography and theatre. He has exhibited at numerous local shows, including at the Central Bank, the British American Bank, the Ministry of Youth and Culture, the Ministry of Tourism, as well as abroad in Livingston, Alabama. His philosophy, he said, is: “It is that little extra effort that distinguishes mediocrity from excellence.”
“I would like to see there be a greater level of respect for Junkanoo art. I think more artists should feature it as a main element in their work. It gives our culture the highlight it needs and takes it to the next level.”
Painter Loxsley Bastian displays some of his Junkanoo-inspired work
12 | The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, July 22, 2016
music
‘The Music Project’ encourages youth participation in the arts
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he Music Project is the country’s newest community programme which promises to pair Bahamian music icons with high school musicians to create a fresh new sound. Following the collaboration between established and aspiring artists, the young musicians will then participate in a pop band competition set for February 2017. The project was founded by Bahamian recording artist and producer Andrew “Drew Harmony” Gardiner III, who said he is driven by a passion for the music industry and the uniqueness, history and culture of the Bahamian sound. He first had the idea for the project in 2015 after many conversations about how to combat social challenges within Bahamian youth populations, including underdevelopment of professional skills, violence and boredom. “Our biggest goal is that the Music Project provides a positive outlet for youth development through the arts. Not only is the programme designed
with dedicated practice, responsibility and teamwork in mind, but it provides a much needed platform for creative and gifted young people of the Bahamas,” he explained. Mr Gardiner is himself no stranger to creative opportunities. His parents, Andrew “Andy” Gardiner Jr and Kay Gardiner, own the Zamar Group, a leading audio-visual production company in the Bahamas which provided him with avenues to become a music producer, songwriter and performer. Mr Gardiner hopes to pay this opportunity forward to the next generation of talented musicians. The Music Project has as its main goal the growth and development of students by way of mentorship. By forging meaningful partnerships between accomplished Bahamian entertainers and amateur student bands, the programme seeks to incite a passion for performing and familiarise participants of the competition with industry standards and trade secrets. Wendi Lewis, a solo pop artist and vocalist for the band Visage, has already signed on
Music producer Drew Harmony and representatives of the Music Project recently promoted their initiative through a tour of local radio and TV stations.
in an advisory role for the competition. According to organisers, the Music Project’s high school band competition for all public and private school students is central to musicianship, spirited performance and pride of accomplishment. In the months leading up to the competition, students are expected to refine their skills in music, band image, and critical thinking before performing a selection of songs in a public arena comprised of peers, music masters, tourism and cultural ambassadors. On February 4, 2017, the competition will feature a panel of local and international judges from different sectors of the entertainment industry. Seasoned judges and an audience of students, parents, guardians, local musicians, community partners and the general public will help to decide which band reigns supreme. One winning group will receive the ultimate gift: a summer study abroad course concentrating on music performance and sound design at the world-renowned Berklee College of
Music in Boston, Massachusetts. Other cash prizes and an opportunity to professionally record music are additional awards of the competition. Kay-Andra Gardiner, chairman of the Music Project said: “Our team has been very careful to create a programme and event that is world-class and worthy of an international stage. We’re eager to see the Music Project’s vision of building spirited communities where cultural expression is encouraged and supported in an industry where infinite talents, hobbies and career opportunities exist come fruition next year.” Student registration for the Music Project will begin immediately following the reopening of schools in August. For more information on becoming a partner, mentor or participant of this inaugural event, visit www.tmpbahamas.com, call (242) 698-0140, or e-mail: info@tmpbahamas.com. Daily programme updates will be posted on the Music Project’s social media pages found on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube.
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Friday, July 22, 2016
music
Artist spotlight:
The evolution of Rashad Leamount By ALESHA CADET Tribune Features Writer acadet@tribunemedia.net
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ith a renewed confidence in his singing and songwriting abilities, Rashad Leamount, formerly known as Dash, is back with a new exciting sound. Writing and performing under the name Dash for about 11 years, the 29-year-old has entered and placed favourably in a number of writing competitions, had music featured on both local and international radio stations, has performed at international festivals, and has been profiled by online music blogs. By the age of 19, Rashad had come to public’s attention with songs like “Oh Shawty” and “The Greatest Show”, but in recent years he decided to withdraw from the music scene to truly focus on his art. “The past three years, however, have been a real metamorphosis for me. I’ve kind of tucked myself away from performing and being as social as I used to be,” he told Tribune Weekend. The artist decided to spend more time with the art and craft of making music; the type of music that reflects his personality. This prompted him to drop his stage name and present himself as Rashad Leamount. “I’m really thankful that I took a break from music and got my mind together. That hibernation has led to me to produce a better quality of work. Both as a songwriter and an artist. As a songwriter I recently wrote the song ‘Faded’ for local artist Keeya which I think is a beautifully tragic, urban love song. I’ve also been working closely with her camp to help craft some exciting new stuff for her. I’ve been working on songs that balance all the aspects of my personality in a way I’ve never been able to before,” said Rashad.
“I want to use my gift as a songwriter to help shape the sound of contemporary Bahamian music...I want to sing with rhythm and blues, to write with soul, to live in love.”
His music has now taken on an alternative R&B, neo-soul, hip hop essence that he is really proud of. Rashad’s official first single, titled “Aphrodite Addiction”, will be released later this month. He describes the song as an interesting, trap-influenced ballad that is really unexpected and different than what is currently being played on the airwaves. “It is a little reminiscent of a Frank Ocean record, but with a Travis Scott or A$AP Rocky new school hip hop edge. The vocals though are all Rashad Leamount; no denying it’s me,” he said. “I’ve really taken the time to craft out a space that is vocally just my own and I’m excited and a little bit nervous for people to finally hear it.” He gives credit to his mother who taught him invaluable life lessons. “I get my work ethic and my courage from her. She’s shown me by example that it’s OK to step out on
your own, even if you don’t initially have the support of others,” he said. Moving forward in his career, Rashad said it is all about reintroducing himself to the world and bringing his brand of R&B to all who will listen. He believes he has done a lot of growing both personally and musically in recent years, and he is eager for people to witness his development. “I’m hoping to create and put out the kind of music that new listeners can connect to and appreciate. I want to use my gift as a songwriter to help shape the sound of contemporary Bahamian music. And for my own work, I want to sing with rhythm and blues, to write with soul, to live in love,” said Rashad. To keep up with Rashad and his music, listeners can find him on various social media platforms by searching either Rashad Leamount or trapnovelisto.
16 | The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, July 22, 2016
fashion The Weekend Fashion Report VH1 Hip Hop Honours
FAIL
FAIL
SPLIT
FAIL
HIT
Lil Kim, rapper
Fantasia, singer
Phylicia Rashad, (“Psych”)
Kelly Rowland, singer
Karin says: “True to form, Lil Kim remains looking a hot mess. Forget the plastic surgery for a moment... what are those cheap and tacky strings of faux pearls? Hideous! The rest I can live with, if I must (although I hate the stockings), but that necklace is a deal-breaker.” Cara says: “Every time I see Lil Kim I just wonder, ‘Why?’ I mean, the outfit is not as bad as some she has worn, but I am just so mesmerised by the facial changes. I can’t focus on anything else. Sorry, Kim.”
Karin says: “Surely she grabbed this oversized suit jacket from a some homeless guy’s bench, right? Yes, it’s a trend that some stars have pulled off, but this is just all wrong: the size, the tailoring and the puke olive colour. And why did she think pairing it with a pink choker of all things would be a good idea?” Cara says: “Here we go with the half-naked men’s jacket look again. I just always feel like it’s meant to cover something up, like a lastminute wardrobe malfunction. But hey, she is showing off her leg and chest tats, so it seems there was a method to her madness. The choker is a bit 80s’ rocker, but it works and the hair as always is on point.”
Karin says: “Let’s not kid ourselves here, it’s basically just a silver muumuu. She looks good, but I don’t quite buy into this idea that women of a certain age need to cloth themselves in tents... fashionable, expensive, sparkly tents, but still. At least the silver with the matching necklace is beautiful. She was no doubt one of the better dressed on the red carpet at this event.” Cara says: “This is just elegant and gorgeous. Phylicia Rashad is just a beautiful woman and really has a great and classic style. This is very ageappropriate and stylish. I am sure that it was even more amazing and sparkly on the red carpet. I also love that she went with an orange lipstick, which really pops.”
Dascha Polanco, (“Orange is the New Black”) Karin says: “This is not an outfit, this is a crime. She has never had the best sense of style, but this is just awful. The cream colour is actually really pretty on her, and the cape/coat thing is quite nice. It might have looked good if it were not paired with this seethrough lace jumpsuit which shows off Dascha’s granny panties to full effect.” Cara says: “Dascha’s red carpet looks are always so weird. I can’t figure our her style. I mean, she wants to be trendy with the cape jacket thing, but she also wants to be sexy with the lacy sheer jumpsuit. I like both pieces individually, not together. But the thing that is killing this outfit is the granny panties and bra. They are not sexy and just a big eyesore.”
Karin says: “Finally, a winner. This a cute, elegant and sexy take on the little black dress. Kelly has been looking amazing in recent years. This is a perfect take on the prevailing sheer trend (will it ever leave us?). Love that she kept it simple with her hair and accessories so we can concentrate on all the cool details like the peplum and semi bow.” Cara says: “I like this dress a lot and think she looks sleek and elegant, yet sexy. Kelly always has a very ‘clean’ look, like she is wearing her clothes, not the other way round. She looks great, but you can tell she is comfy in the dress. The makeup is flawless as always.”
PHOTOS BY BRAD BARKET/INVISION/AP
With Karin Herig and Cara Hunt
The Tribune | Weekend | 17
Friday, July 22, 2016
charity
TEP hopes its second annual Lanes for Learning event will raise funds to purchase school supplies and assist students.
Bowling tournament to assist students in need By ALESHA CADET Tribune Features Writer acadet@tribunemedia.net
T
HE Timothy Education Programme (TEP) Bahamas is gearing up to host its second annual Lanes For Learning (L4L) event at Mario’s Bowling and Entertainment Palace on Saturday, August 6. Groups are invited to create teams, register and participate in the bowling tournament for a good cause, as TEP provides students from deserving homes with the support needed for the full six years of their high school education. For the programme’s director, Giavana Jones, it is an exciting and rewarding feeling to host yet another positive event under TEP umbrella. Any proceeds from the upcoming bowling event, she said, will go directly to the provision of resources like school uniforms, books, shoes, and more, and to directly assist students. The “Teppers”, as she calls the candidates and volunteers in the pro-
gramme, are seeking to make a difference in the lives of students by helping them to overcome financial, social and emotional challenges as they endeavour to successfully graduate from high school. “We will be at Mario’s Bowling where teams will be competing for trophies and bragging rights. More than anything else, it is an opportunity to have fun while giving back. We believe that education can serve as a tool to help these families lift themselves out of poverty. We are here to fill that gap as the Teppers move into their teens,” said Ms Jones. She said the idea for the L4L events came out of brainstorming session by the team members as they were trying to find ways to be creative, have fun, all the while engaging the wider community and ultimately making money. “I think the Lanes for Learning evolved from the idea surrounding a sporting tournament, but we needed something that would be family friendly in a space that would not cost us too much, as our entire organisational process and productivity is due to the efforts of awesome volunteers
“More than anything else, it is an opportunity to have fun while giving back. We believe that education can serve as a tool to help these families lift themselves out of poverty.”
and persons with generous hearts. We reached out to Mario’s about partnering with us for a bowling tournament. They excitedly agreed and the rest is history. Last year, it was actually serendipitous that the date selected was National Bowling Day. This year, we tried to keep it aligned as closely as possible to the previous date so that moving forward our participants can know when to look forward to the event,” said Ms Jones. Some of last year’s event was a full day of activities for the Teppers, with speakers and a mini-workshop all going on in the background while the teams were competing. This year, there are no other planned performances or speakers, but organisers are open to discussing performances from artists if they are suited to the mandate and goals of TEP Bahamas and the L4L event. “We want the event to continue to grow with more teams and possibly become strong enough to extend through the daytime hours into the night,” said Ms Jones. Visit the TEP Bahamas Facebook page for more information.
18 | The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, July 22, 2016
books
review
A
‘Secret Language of Stones’ is romantic ghost story
woman with the ability to communicate with the dead using gemstones finds love from an unexpected source in “The Secret Language of Stones,” MJ Rose’s latest novel. Opaline has a gift that she considers a curse. She works with jewelry, and some of the stones she works with enable her to receive messages from beyond the grave. Working in Paris during wartime, she tries to keep her abilities a secret. Those she has helped find closure spread the word about her skills, and one day a mother
comes in distraught over the loss of her journalist-son, Jean Luc. Though Opaline’s abilities are real, there are enough charlatans in Paris to prompt laws making it illegal to assist widows and parents in any spiritual manner. While Opaline works to find answers for the grieving mother, she receives a message directed at her. Soon she begins to have regular communications with this spirit who happens to be Jean Luc. As Opaline researches his life and talks to him, she slowly begins to realize that she’s falling in love. Can true love exist when one
person is alive and the other one is a ghost? Though the main idea might sound a bit strange, the story works, and readers will become emotionally involved with Opaline and her growing dilemma. Rose transports the reader 100 years into the past into a city known for romance but torn apart by war. The poetic writing and passion ooze off the page, making this Rose’s best novel to date. JEFF AYERS Associated Press
‘Twilight’ author writes spy thriller ‘The Chemist’ “Twilight” author Stephenie Meyer’s next novel is a thriller, without vampires. Little, Brown and Co announced Tuesday that “The Chemist” will be published November 15. The company says the book features a former
review
government agent living underground and forced to “take one more case to clear her name and save her life.” ‘’The Chemist” is Meyer’s second book for adults. In 2008, she wrote “The Host.” Meyer’s “Twilight” books
have sold more than 150 million copies and were made into a blockbuster film series starring Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart. In a statement released Tuesday, Meyer called her new book a union of “romantic sensibilities” and her “obsession with Jason Bourne/Aaron Cross.”
Author of Stephenie Meyer
Journalist uncovers mystery in ‘Woman in Cabin 10’
The Aurora, a boutique cruise liner, is small with only 10 cabins and luxurious with chandeliers and endless champagne. Journalists, a photographer, investors and even a model comprise the passenger list for the maiden voyage and among them we meet Lo Blacklock, a travel journalist with a withering love life and a vexing drinking problem. And so begins “The Woman in Cabin 10,” Ruth Ware’s snappy thriller set on the high seas. After a lavish welcome dinner, Lo is awakened by a scream from the room next door and the sound of what she believes
is a body hitting the water. But the head of security investigates and shows Lo that the room is empty. He suggests that she’s had too much to drink (which might be true) and dismisses her claims. Adding to the confusion: All of the passengers and staff are accounted for. As the ship continues its journey through the North Sea, Lo becomes desperate to solve the mystery. But while she presses on to uncover what happened, someone is determined to stop her. Ware shows that a classic plotline — one character claiming foul play while everyone else denies a victim ever existed
— still works. The cruise ship provides a claustrophobic setting complete with secret hallways, stairwells and passages, adding a delightfully eerie nature to every scene. Lo is a refreshingly textured investigator with no secret detective skills or props at her disposal other than journalism experience. To top it off, her drinking habit will leave readers wondering whom they can trust. The first chapter will grab your attention, force it against a wall and hold it there until the end. CHRISTINA LEDBETTER, Associated Press
NEW YORK Associated Press
The Tribune | Weekend | 19
Friday, July 22, 2016
society PHOTOS/SHAWN HANNA
Living in paradise
T
One Ocean VIP Grand Opening.
he new One Ocean development on Paradise Island celebrated its VIP grand opening last week. Guests were invited to tour the island’s tallest residential building and its amenities during a special reception featuring an open bar and hors d’oeuvres, as well as entertainment by singer Tebby. One Ocean features two- and three-bedroom apartments, a concierge desk, extensive landscaped entry with secured gates, an underground parking garage, an outdoor pool with cabanas, seating areas and water feature overlooking Nassau Harbour, a fully equipped fitness room, boat slips and opportunity for Ocean Club membership. Replay Resorts, which acquired the building in 2015, also added a new penthouse roof.
20 | The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, July 22, 2016
film
Bahamian-made gangster film set for cinema premiere in August By CARA HUNT cbrennen@tribunemedia.net
I Filmmaker Tony McCartney
t is a dream that has been a decade in the making, but now actor and screenwriter Tony McCartney is just a few short weeks away from the red carpet premiere of “This Life”, a full-length feature film he wrote, produced and stars in. “It only took me about three days to write this script, but getting funding, casting and getting it filmed and ready for distribution has been a 10-year journey, and to finally see the movie poster out and know that people are about to see it, it means a hell of a lot,” the excited actor told Tribune Weekend. Mr McCartney explained that the idea for “This Life” came from his love of the gangster genre; from films such Brian De Palma’s cult film “Scarface”. “ ‘This Life’ is about a young man who enters the world of drugs and crime after losing his job because he has to care for his mother who is blind. So he enters a life of crime in the hopes of making some fast money and the movie explains what happens. It is a tale of money and power gone wrong,” the filmmaker said. Production on “This Life” wrapped after five months of shooting. Mr McCartney plays the lead character and the movie also stars Patrick Deveaux, DeAngelo Brown, Nicole Gaitor and Jeffery Mackey. “The story was really easy for me to write, because this was something that I have always wanted to do. The delay was really in getting the funds to do it, because you know the film calls for a lot of highend props. But I was fortunate and able to get the funding to get it off the ground. I also wanted to do this project my way and be able to have it look a certain way and have control over the way it was done. I was able to launch my production compa-
Behind the scenes of “This Life” ny TMAC Productions, and ‘This Life’ is our first project, but I am looking forward to changing the scene of Bahamian films and do more projects in the future. I want to see Bahamian film go back to what it used to be, with lots of ongoing projects,” he said. Mr McCartney is no stranger to the Bahamian movie scene. Over the course of his career, he has starred in two dozen projects in less than five years, including stage plays, TV shows and films, most notably “Casino Royale” and “Into The Blue”. He also is well-known for his role as Keith Brooks in the first Bahamian soap opera “Gippie’s Kingdom”. “This Life” will have it’s red carpet premiere early next month at Galleria Cinemas and Mr Cartney said he is both anxious and excited to see people’s reactions. “I have no idea how it will be received, but I really hope that everyone likes it,” he said. Looking toward the future, Mr McCartney said he hopes to get his TMAC Productions up and running with more locally filmed productions, documentaries and investigative journalism pieces.
“I was fortunate and able to get the funding to get it off the ground. I also wanted to do this project my way and be able to have it look a certain way and have control over the way it was done...I want to see Bahamian film go back to what it used to be, with lots of ongoing projects.”
The Tribune | Weekend |21
Friday, July 22, 2016
film Kimberley French/Paramount Pictures via AP
review
A touch of humour invades ‘Star Trek Beyond’ star trek beyond running time: 122 mins
In the previous “Star Trek” instalment, Spock cried. In the latest, “Star Trek Beyond,” he laughs. And not just a little snicker, either, but a belly-full one. What bold explorations into the farthest reaches of the galaxy hold for Spock no one knows. A sigh? A hiccup? “Star Trek Beyond,” like most of the rebooted properties flying around our movie theatres, delights in nostalgically resurrecting iconic characters and tweaking them anew. The balance is a delicate one, as seen in the pre-release debate around this film revealing Sulu (John Cho but formerly played by LGBT icon George Takei) as gay. The scene in question turns out to be a mere moment, lightly handled, showing Sulu greeting his same-sex partner and their daughter after a long mission. It’s all expressed with just a few arms tenderly draped across shoulders. And it’s the kind of welcome touch that director Justin Lin, the “Fast & Furious” veteran who takes over for JJ Abrams, has brought to this pleasingly episode-like instalment. The film finds a bored Enterprise finishing up a five-year tour in deep space. The (albeit brief) change of pace is immediately appreciated. The last two beefed-up “Star Trek” movies, as if overcompensating for decades of Trekkie nerd-dome, threatened to make the once brainy “Star Trek” less distinct from other mega-sized sci-fi adventures — just another clothesline of CGI set pieces strung together. Like its recent predecessors, “Star Trek Beyond” is mostly an assortment of effects-heavy scenes with bits
The Enterprise turns into a trap set by the villain Krall, whose spectacular army of mechanical drones (“bees” he calls them) attack in an overwhelming swarm. In a galactic blitz, the Enterprise is torn to shreds and crashes down on a rocky planet where the ship’s scattered crew tries to gather, survive and understand Krall’s motives. A local becomes an essential guide for them: Jaylah (a nimble Sofia Boutella), a pale loner with black streaks running down her face who helps the crew discover the Federation’s history on the planet. The backstory, though, never quite gets filled out, and the plot serves as little more than a mechanism to test the efficient camaraderie of the Enterprise crew. Among them: Zoe Saldana’s Uhura, Simon Pegg’s Scotty, Karl Urban’s Bones and Chekov, played by the late Anton Yelchin, a fine actor who is disappointingly underused here. They’re an entertaining enough bunch meandering around, and screenwriters Doug Jung and Pegg (who, as the writer of “Spaced,” knows plenty about the intersection of comedy and science fiction) have injected some humour to the proceedings. The heart of the film, though, like the previous two, is the bromance between Kirk and Zachary Quinto’s Spock. They’re Felix and Oscar in outer space, and still the highlight of this batch of “Star Trek” films.
Karl Urban portrays “Bones”, left, and Zachary Quinto portrays Spock in a scene from “Star Trek Beyond”. of talking in between. But unlike the previous film, 2013’s bloated “Star Trek Into Darkness,” not everything is quite so much of a life-and-death issue (the exhausting de facto pitch of today’s summer blockbuster). The Starship Enterprise, led by Captain Kirk (Chris Pine, looking more natural in the role), is lured through a nebula where a would-be rescue mission
Chris Pine plays Captain James T Kirk for the third time.
JAKE COYLE AP Film Writer
22| The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, July 22, 2016
literary lives
The mysterious killing of Sir Harry Oakes Sir Christopher Ondaatje delves into the 1943 murder of the richest man in the Bahamas regarded as the greatest unsolved celebrity case of all time Sir Harry Oakes
T
he discovery of gold by Harry Oakes is one of the most incredible success stories in Canadian history. Although born in Maine in the United States and trained as a doctor, Oakes threw up everything to prospect for gold during the Klondike Gold Rush of 1897-98. For over ten years he toiled in paralysingly cold and blisteringly hot climates in Canada, Alaska, California and Australia before staking the richest half mile of gold in the world at Kirkland Lake in northern Ontario in 1912. Eventually his Lakeshore Mines became the most productive mining
company in the western hemisphere. By 1920, Oakes was one of the richest private citizens of Canada. But years of adversity had produced an abrasiveness in him that people found impossible to handle. In 1935, refusing to pay the exorbitant taxes levied on him by the Canadian government, he left the country and became a resident of the tax-free Bahamas. He also became a British subject and was created a baronet in 1939 for his philanthropic deeds. It is estimated that Oakes took more than $300m out of Canada when he left the country. On July 8, 1943, Oakes was brutally murdered in his Bahamian mansion, Westbourne. In what looked like a
ritual killing, he had been bludgeoned to death with an instrument that could have been an ice pick and his body partially burned and strewn with feathers. A sensational trial took place, but no one was found guilty of the murder. The true killer or killers of Sir Harry Oakes have never been conclusively identified to this day.The Oakes murder is widely regarded as the greatest unsolved celebrity murder of all time. In 2010, I had dinner at Mrs Sibilla Clark’s villa, Parco Flora, in the Lyford Cay Club. There were ten people at the table, including Lewis Lapham, the former editor of Harper’s Magazine, Princess Michael of Kent, Colin Callender, a resident Bahamian, and
“If Count Alfred de Marigny’s story that Sir Harry Oakes was shot, rather than bludgeoned to death, is true, then there should still be small calibre bullets in the skull of Oakes, which lies in a crypt of the East Dover Cemetery in Dover-Foxcroft, Maine.” Baron Alexander ‘Sasha’ von Hoyningen-Huene. Colin Callender, who died last December, was the son of the lawyer Ernest Callender who defended Count Alfred de Marigny, the man charged with killing Oakes in 1943, while Baron von Hoyningen-Huene is the son of Oakes’ daughter Nancy by her second husband. Her first husband was Count de Marigny. Thus it was inevitable that, at some point during the evening, the conversation would get around to the murder. The responsibility for investigating the crime fell on the Governor of the Bahamas. In 1943, he was the Duke of Windsor, the recently abdicated King Edward VIII. Refusing to use Scotland Yard detectives from England, which would have been the sensible decision, the Duke instead hired two Americans from the Miami Police Force. Almost immediately the two detectives arrested Oakes’ son-in-law, de Marigny, a twice-married playboy opportunist who had eloped with Oakes’ 18-year-old daughter, Nancy, creating a serious rift between the newly-married couple and Sir Harry and Lady Oakes.
The Tribune | Weekend | 23
Friday, July 22, 2016
The young Nancy de Marigny stood by her husband during the sensational trial despite a general concensus that the Count was guilty. Her evidence and dramatic counrtroom appearance played a great part in her husband’s acquittal, particularly as the incompetent American investigators, Captains Melcher and Barker, were exposed as having fabricated evidence against de Marigny. Nevertheless, the Count was deported from the Bahamas. He left New Providence for Cuba with his young wife to stay with his friend Ernest Hemingway. Three years later, Nancy left de Marigny and they were divorced in 1949. She married Baron von Hoyningen-Huene in 1952 and had a son, Alexander, who was my fellow guest at Sibilla Clark’s dinner. There have been numerous articles on the Oakes murder and a number of books speculating on a solution to the unsolved crime. Geoffrey Bocca’s ‘The Life and Death of Sir Harry Oakes’ and John Marquis’ ‘Blood and Fire’ are inconclusive, but point to the possibility that the Miami mafia, ruled by Meyer Lansky, might have been hired by the would-be assassin or assassins to kill Oakes. ‘King of Fools’ by John Parker theorises that associates of Lansky murdered Oakes because he had blocked plans to introduce casino gambling in the Bahamas. Charles Higham, in ‘The Duchess of Windsor: The Secret Life’, is convinced that African ritual specialists were sent to Nassau by Oakes’ real estate partner Harold Christie to kill him. There is no doubt that Oakes and Christie had fallen out over a land deal for a new Royal Air Force base in the Bahamas. There are other theories too. Sir Hiram Maxim, in ‘The Tale of Two Knights’, recalls that de Marigny, many years after his acquittal, claimed he had found one of the missing watchmen who were at the Oakes mansion on the night of the murder. The man had heard three or four gunshots and minutes later and seen flames coming from Sir Harry’s bedroom. Two men then left the house in a sedan car. The watchman fled in terror - but not before he had indentified a third man in the vehicle as Christie. As de Marigny explained, Christie paid the watchmen £100 each to leave Nassau and never return. A local harbour master who had witnessed the arrival of a mysterious boat at about midnight on the night of the murder was reported drowned in the harbour. If de Marigny’s story that
Oakes was shot, rather than bludgeoned to death, is true, then there should still be small calibre bullets in the skull of Oakes, which lies in a crypt of the East Dover Cemetery in Dover-Foxcroft, Maine. De Marigny also exposed the fact that Christie had avoided the investigation because any competent inquiry would have revealed that he, along with Oakes and the Duke of Windsor, had conspired to smuggle millions of dollars out
of the Bahamas in violation of currency regulations. As Maxim recounts, Oakes left a personal fortune valued at only $12m, not including his real estate assets. No satisfactory explanation has ever been given of what happened to the rest of his fortune, estimated to be something short of $300m. Certainly the Duke, as Governor of the Bahamas, had the power to reopen the investigation, but he never used it.
Kirk Wilson’s book, ‘Unsolved Crimes’, develops the mafia theory. Wilson theorises that Charles ‘Lucky’ Luciano and his associate, Lansky, masterminded the idea of developing casinos in the Bahamas. The islands’ three most prominent citizens - the Duke of Windsor, Sir Harry Oakes and Harold Christie - had the capacity to make or break the deal. When Oakes refused to take part in the enormous money-making scheme, Luciano and Lansky ordered his murder. Wilson even speculates that the Swedish industrial tycoon Axel Wenner-Gren and the Duke of Windsor became suspects in the Oakes murder after de Marigny was acquitted. Both Wenner-Gren and the Duke were suspected Nazi sympathisers. According to Wilson, Wenner-Gren may have had Oakes murdered becasuse he knew too much about a secret Bahamas-based spy operation on behalf of
Continued on page 24
Sir Harry Oakes’ Nassau mansion, Westbourne, where the murder occurred
The scene of the murder, Sir Harry Oakes’ bedroom in his Westbourne mansion
“In the 16 years following the Oakes murder, no fewer than 16 people were killed who were either directly or indirectly involved in the crime. One female reporter who came close to the truth and boasted about it refused to heed warnings and her body was found upside down in a banana hole.”
24| The Tribune | Weekend
Continued from page 23 Nazi Germany. Jason Bennett, a reporter for the Independent newspaper in England, revealed in 2006 that secret files kept by Scotland Yard released to the Independent show that a certain Walter Foskett was the man responsible for the Oakes killing. An explosively important document sent to Scotland Yard by Charles Bates, the legal attache at the American Embassy in London, on June 10, 1959, contained an FBI report of an interview with Fred Maloof, an art dealer from Maryland, who named Foskett as the man who arranged the murder. Foskett, a Mimai lawyer, had been hired by Oakes to keep his fortune out of the clutches of the taxman. The FBI report contends that the unscrupulous Foskett was almost certainly swindling Oakes and that Sir Harry was murdered in the wake of a stormy meeting in Miami when Oakes confronted Foskett. Furthermore, the files show that Nancy Oakes, now remarried with the title of Baroness von HoyningenHuene, tried and failed to get the case reopened. On May 25, 1959, in a letter to the Attorney General of the Bahamas, she stated: “At the time of my father’s death, it would appear that no investigation was in fact made, except around the personality of Alfred de Marigny.” On the morning after Sibilla Clark’s dinner I had a meeting in Old Fort Bay with Orjan Lindroth, the son of Arne Lindroth, who was Wenner-Gren’s manager in the Bahamas. “Impossible!” he said. “There has never been
Friday, July 22, 2016
a shred of evidence that Wenner-Gren was a Nazi sympathiser. ‘Call to Reason’, a book written by Wenner-Gren and published in Europe before the Oakes murder, was extremely critical of the events in Europe and the Nazi party. And there is no way he could have killed Oakes because he was in Mexico at the time of the murder.” As Lindroth explained, “WennerGren was first and foremost a capitalist. He had millions tied up in business in Europe. As you know, he was the founder of the Electrolux vacuum cleaner and refrigerator company. Europe in the early 1940s was in a mess and Wenner-Gren realised that the only haven for a capitalist like him was America. He was a major shareholder of the Bank of the Bahamas, which at that time was an off-shore holding company and not an operating bank. Later, when he was blacklisted and all his assets in the Bahamas were frozen, he moved to Mexico and acquired a bank. “The blacklisting eroded his personal fortune and, shortly after his death in 1960 from cancer, his estate became insolvent. In the aftermath, the Swedish government conducted a forensic audit of his affairs to try to understand where his money went. They found no evidence of any illegal money transfers. On the contrary, he was in debt to Swedish banks and had borrowed heavily to support his personal expenditure.” In Lindroth’s view, all of the books on the Oakes murder amount to nothing more than hearsay and speculation. “I don’t think any author did any kind of detailed research on the island. Perhaps de Marigny, or others, killed
Sir Harry Oakes (left) with the Duke of Windsor, the then Governor of the Bahamas
Count Alfred de Marigny, the man charged with and eventually acquitted of killing his father-in-law, Sir Harry Oakes, leaves the Central Police Station in Nassau in 1943. (Photo/therumelier.com)
Sir Harry Oakes and his wife Eunice in Toronto in the 1930s
The Tribune | Weekend | 25
Friday, July 22, 2016
Forgotten facts Paul C Aranha Oakes. Or perhaps the mob in Miami. But not WennerGren. There was no motive for him.” Two days after our dinner, I cornered Sasha von Hoyningen-Huene and asked him whether he could shed even a ray of new light on the murder. “Listen Christopher,” he finally said to me awkwardly. “The truth is that no one knows and no one will ever know the whole truth. But there are a few things that are seldom talked about. The first is that my grandfather was an important senior figure in MI6 during the war, working for the British cause. He was a real patriot. I was told this by Wing Commander Robert Carr. It is conceivable that my grandfather was killed because he knew something that would have exposed Nazi activity in the Bahamas and possibly north America. The Duke of Windsor is known to have had Nazi sympathies, as did his wife, the former Mrs Wallis Simpson. “Secondly, my mother tried very hard to get the case reopened in 1959. She was absolutely convinced that her former husband, Count Alfred de Marigny, was not her father’s murderer. However, what not many people know is that my grandfather had an elder sister, Gertrude, who had great faith in the young Oakes when he was prospecting for gold and who sent him a little bit of money from time to time whenever she could while she was in Washington working as a clerk in some government department. “After Oakes struck it rich at Kirkland Lake in 1912, it was Gertrude who looked after the administrative side of the mining operation. My grandfather totally trusted his sister. After all, it was a family business. It was only when she died tragically in an ocean liner collision off New York that the administrative nightmare of the Oakes empire really began. Somehow my mother, by then married to my father, learned about the dealings only a few days before he was killed. “One last piece of advice. This is not 1943, nor even the 1950s. But as you know, many people who have tried to dig up the truth about the Harry Oakes murder have come to a sticky end. In the 16 years following the Oakes murder, no fewer than 16 people were killed who were either directly or indirectly involved in the crime. One female reporter who came close to the truth and boasted about it refused to heed warnings and her body was found upside down in a banana hole. Other witnesses were threatened off the island. “The senior head of police in the Bahamas found out a little too much and was immediately transferred to Trinidad. He died years later, still refusing to say anything about what he had discovered. Books have been written as well as articles, but there is always the danger that some clever writer could put himself or herself in a position of knowing too much. Be careful what you say, and what you write.” As a long time visitor to the Bahamas, I know that the killing of Oakes on that stormy night of 1943 casts a dark shadow over these islands. Even as I try to piece together the extraordinary story, I cannot avoid a frisson of fear. Because of this brutal and bizarre unsolved murder, the idyllic atmosphere of the Bahamas continues to have a dark undercurrent of violence and mystery. • Sir Christopher Ondaatje is an adventurer and writer resident in the Bahamas. A Sri Lankan-born CanadianEnglishman, he is the author of several books, including “The Last Colonial - Curious Adventures and Stories from a Vanishing World” in 2011.
The grave of the Rev Na A Panza in the Western poleon Cemetery
The ‘Flamingo roundabout’ at the foot of New Providence’s highest hill off Gladstone Road
Look for the flamingo to find the highest point
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bout 60 years ago, the front page of a local newspaper featured six photos of six people and their answers to the ‘Question of the Day’. One question was “What is the longest trip you ever made?” The answers included “When my family moved from Crooked Island to Nassau”. Another said “Nassau to Miami and back”. The one that had the greatest impact was from a 17-yearold girl: “Last week, I went to Adelaide”. The straight-line distance from Rawson Square to Adelaide is a little less than 11 miles. By road it’s less than 15 miles. I wonder how many of today’s Nassuvians have never been to Adelaide Settlement and, perhaps, do not know where it is. Even Google Earth shows it in the wrong place. My siblings and I had the good fortune of having a father whose duties as Crown Lands Officer took him all over New
Providence and he took us along, for the ride. We became familiar with every road on the island. Our father loved the Pine Barrens and we knew every inch of Carmichael Road, Adelaide Road and South West Bay Road, all of which look so totally different now. My father, who died in 1947, would probably feel lost. When we drove along Carmichael Road it was quite usual to not see another motor car. On those days when we did, it was usually the car of the Rev Napoleon Panza (1874-1960), on his way to or from the Leper Hospital by Carmichael Village. What little I knew about leprosy came from reading the Bible and I was terrified that Panza might stop to chat. My father liked to come back to town via Gladstone Road, which was lined with trees and in a perfectly straight line, until it reached the spot where it had to climb uphill. Today, you can drive straight to the roundabout with the Flamingo statue, but
until not too long ago, Gladstone Road made a sweeping turn toward the west, curving eastward before one got to the top of the hill. There used to be a military ‘machine-gun nest’, where the turn started, but I never understood what it was intended to defend. If Hitler’s troops had got that far inland, there would not have been much of anything to protect. At the top of the hill, there was a mandatory stop at what my father said was the highest point on New Providence so we could enjoy the view. Cable Beach had no high-rise buildings blocking our spectacular view of the ocean. There was nothing blocking anything - in any direction - and I think it was from this spot that I learned to love this island. I was horrified, therefore, when I saw that this landmark hill is being bulldozed away. The highest hill is to the right of the flamingo. • islandairman@gmail.com
L Y A TARGETE DTHE N
26 | The Tribune | Weekend
Chambers Friday, July 22, 2016
Fri 6th May - Sun 8th May 10am - 4pm
Open Weekend Dorset New Homes To View From £205,000 to £245,000
Best described as a number crossword, the task in Kakuro is to fill all of the empty squares, using numbers 1 to 9, so the sum of each horizontal block equals the number to its left, and the sum of each vertical block equals the number on its top. No number may be used in the same block more than once. The difficulty level of the Conceptis Kakuro increases from Monday to Sunday.
Sudoku is a number-placing puzzle based on a 9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers 1 to 9 in the empty squares so the each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. The difficulty level of the Conceptis Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday
w w w. b e r k e l e y p a r k s . c o . u k
4pm
set w ,000 CRYPTIC PUZZLE Across 1 Nose to nose perhaps and ready (2,4,4) 6 Audible fault in circuitry (4) 10 Is inclined to stop in the backstreet (5) 11 Chicken and fish a problem in the kitchen (9) 12 Having no worries about being negligent (8) 13 Prepared to fight (3-2) 15 Slips by the Spanish church features (7) 17 Made ends meet sailorfashion? (7) 19 Running away for security reasons (7) 21 A new car coat? (7) 22 Identify Lincoln in 50-50 split (5) 24 Caution had Simon dithering (8) 27 It brings down the tone when depressed (4,5) 28 Saying little about trees being chopped (5) 29 Ordinary appeal for help and love (2-2) 30 Sort of lady we hate to go before (4,3,3)
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Down 1 Decides to stop for a change (4) 2 A vain fool in futile guise (2,2,5) 3 Some golden suet pudding to follow (5) 4 Watches teachers marking correctly? (7) 5 Dispenses with apologies (7) 7 A bit on the side? (5) 8 They’re defined in educational terms (10) 9 Comes to grips with the opposition (8) 14 They supply simple remedies (10) 16 Where to enjoy the fun of the slippery path? (3,5) 18 Means to get at the drink (9) 20 VIP is enraged by exchange of letters (7) 21 Meandered taking a stroll in the road (7) 23 Uses Polish enthusiasts (5) 25 Make a score (5) 26 Extremely inventive signalman (4)
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Yesterday’s Easy Solution Across: 1 Jupiter, 5 Hades, 8 Well-being, 9 Sum, 10 Love, 12 Measured, 14 Maroon, 15 Laxity, 17 Hold good, 18 Snub, 21 Own, 22 Harbinger, 24 Great, 25 Defence. Down: 1 Jewel, 2 Pal, 3 Tuba, 4 Ruined, 5 High seas, 6 Desertion, 7 Someday, 11 Virulence, 13 Long shot, 14 Mahjong, 16 Torrid, 19 Barge, 20 Biff, 23 Gun.
Yesterday’s Cryptic Solution Across: 1 Culprit, 5 Cedar, 8 Clampdown, 9 Tip, 10 Abbe, 12 Seaports, 14 Taurus, 15 Braise, 17 Bewilder, 18 Herd, 21 Tea, 22 Execution, 24 Niece, 25 Descend. Down: 1 Cocoa, 2 Lea, 3 Rapt, 4 Trowel, 5 Conspire, 6 Determine, 7 Riposte, 11 Blue whale, 13 Bull’s-eye, 14 Tibetan, 16 Legend, 19 Dined, 20 Cues, 23 Ice.
EASY PUZZLE
Across 1 Ready ability to make money (5,5) 6 Illustrious warrior (4) 10 Mother-ofpearl (5) 11 Small sweet orange (9) 12 Sobriquet (8) 13 Occurrence (5) 15 Denied (7) 17 Seek after (7) 19 Ready to help (7) 21 Country of southeast Asia (7) 22 Insipid (5) 24 Event marking a turning-point (8) 27 Cognizance (9) 28 Unravel (5) 29 Sharp (4) 30 Ready for any eventuality (2,4,4)
Down 1 A thick brown fur (4) 2 Duplicitous (9) 3 To utter (5) 4 Apparent (7) 5 Admit to (7) 7 Select group (5) 8 Individually (3,2,1,4) 9 Military wake-up call (8) 14 Achieve no result (4,1,5) 16 Con man (8) 18 Lowest female singing voice (9) 20 16th century warship developed in Spain (7) 21 Deer’s flesh as food (7) 23 Astound (5) 25 Hebrew prophet and lawgiver (5) 26 Ancient Greek supreme god (4)
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21st Century Dictionary (1999 edition)
many words of four letters TheHOW CANmake you crack A orTarget more can you from the the letters shown here? In making a Yeste Alphabeater? Each grid uses word, each letter may be used B Black number represents oncein only. Each must contain thea letter 9, 11, 12 words centre letter and beAs at in 32, 35 C – orthere black must square. Acros one nine-letter word. No theleast main Points plurals or verbAlphapuzzle, forms endingevery in “s”. letter of D Jocun body of the alphabet is used. But Scarf, TODAY’S TARGET E Chambers Good 29; very you good 43; to excellent have complete the Quaint Overse 57 (or more). Solution tomorrow. Down: 21st grid too! Use the given Names F YESTERDAY’S SOLUTION Compi letters and black squares Century cling clog coiling coming Apertu G COMPILING coping gimp below the gridglop to start. TheScream Dictionary gnomic icing liming limping ling Extr gridloping is ‘rotationally H lingo logic long moping (1999 090 ogmic oiling piling ping pingo symmetrical’ – in other (Dedu policing poling pong I edition) words, it looks the same if each ex
JF you turn the page upside Yesterday’s Yesterday’s HOW many words of four letters Call 0907 181 2585 for 090 down.Answer Solution Answer Kakuro Target solutiontomorrow. *Calls K or moreSudoku can you make from thetoday’s *Calls cost 80p per minute plus you plus your telephone company’s letters shown here? In making a networkYesterday’s solution netw access charge. L word, each letter may be used Black squares: 2, 7, 8, M *SP:the Spoke – Helpline PLA once only. Each must contain 9, 11, 0333 12, 14,202 18,3390 21, 30, 31, N 32, 35, 37. centre letter and there must be at Across: Vantage, least one nine-letter word. No O Points, Bonkers, plurals or verb forms ending in “s”. P TODAY’S TARGET Good 29; very good 43; excellent 57 (or more). Solution tomorrow. YESTERDAY’S SOLUTION cling clog coiling coming COMPILING coping gimp glop gnomic icing liming limping ling lingo logic long loping moping ogmic oiling piling ping pingo policing poling pong
Call 0907 181 2585 for today’s Target solution *Calls cost 80p per minute plus your telephone company’s network access charge.
*SP: Spoke – Helpline 0333 202 3390
Jocund, Chapter, Lynx, Scarf, Helm, Awesome, Quaint, Drastic, Frozen, Oversee. Down: Lizard, Nobody, Namesake, Stung, Compile, Another, Quirk, Aperture, Lancet, Scream.
Q R S T U V Extra letter clues W 0907 181 2560 X (Deduct three minutes for Y each extra clue letter heard) Z Full solution
0907 181 2558
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*Calls cost 80p per minute 21 plus your telephone company’s network access charge.
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PLAY MORE CROS
The Tribune | Weekend | 27
Friday, July 22, 2016
animals Animal matters Kim Aranha
PET OF THE WEEK
A country of opposites
By The Bahamas Humane Society
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PATRICIA VAZQUEZ
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s we work our way through summer and we follow some of the animal stories that surface on Facebook and in the papers, it hits home that we are absolutely a country of opposites. First we saw and marvelled at the amazing video clips posted all over Facebook of the most incredible hammerhead shark “cruising” around the eastern end of Nassau Harbour. The first footage showed this mammoth magnificent shark of 16 feet literally “taking a stroll” off the Montagu ramp. The person filming the animal sounded excited and amazed; he sounded as if he realised that he was lucky to see such a splendid creature. The second video clip showed the same huge hammerhead over by the Hurricane Hole marina. At least a dozen swimmers jumped in with masks and swam very close to this symbol of the sea and the shark never even bothered to look at them. What a treat for those swimmers to get so close to that which God has created for our seas! Alas, in the Bahamas nothing can stay perfect or idyllic for long. In very short order there were reports that a single-engine boat with two men armed with spears went out to kill this incredible creature. From there the reports were mixed and a bit confused: the shark was hit by the spears; the shark was not hit....and so it went. These rash and violent actions were taken by people who have no respect for the law of our country which protects all sharks, and in particular hammerheads who are on the international endangered species list. We do not know if that shark was killed. We do not know if it was injured and suffered, and then was attacked and eaten whilst dying. We do know that an old and splendid 16-foot hammerhead shark, known affectionately as “Dockmaster” to all the sailors in Nassau Harbour and featured in newspapers all over the world, is no longer with us. And how did we react to this
Charming Terri
magnificence? Kill it! It is important to point out how very important the hammerhead shark is to the health and survival or the conch population of the Bahamas. The hammerhead hunts and eats the rays who eat the juvenile conch. If we lose the hammerhead with his appetite for the ray, the ray population will balloon and they will literally wipe out the juvenile conch population. And we know that juvenile conchs grow up to be big conchs who in turn fill the conch salad bowls and make money for the Bahamian fisherman and entrepreneurs. Last week, a large female green turtle sought refuge on Lyford Cay
erri was brought in to the Bahamas Humane Society by a caring animal advocate who found him wandering the street. His initial shyness is gradually fading and he has turned out to be quite the ladies’ man, loving to socialise with the female dogs. Terri needs a warm, loving home with people who are willing to give him the time he needs to begin to trust and care again, and a lady dog in the pack wouldn’t be unwelcome. He’s probably a year old, and like all BHS adoption animals, will be neutered before adoption. Are you the patient soul Terri seeks? If so, come to the BHS to meet him, or call 323-5138 for more information. Adoption hours are 11am to 4pm, Monday to Friday, and 10am to 4pm on Saturday. Terri looks forward to meeting you (bring treats)!
beach after being attacked by sharks. One flipper was bitten off and she had large teeth marks across her very large 200lbs shell. The staff of the Lyford Cay Club jumped into action, contacting the Bahamas Humane Society. My son, Scott Aranha, went immediately to the beach, and together with several members of the Lyford Cay staff carried the injured turtle to the back of his truck, where she was covered with a wet beach towel to protect her from the broiling in summer sun. She was driven very carefully to Atlantis where the marine support team awaited her. It was assessed by her size that she was of a good age, and that possibly she was Hammerhead sharks are vital to the health and survival or the conch population of the Bahamas.
blind which may explain how she was attacked. The Atlantis team put her on an IV drip to try and stabilise her. She had lost a considerable amount of blood and was in shock. Dr Val Grant was called to perform a surgery on her, but alas, on his way to Paradise Island he received the call none of us wanted to hear: the turtle had passed away; her shell was cracked and her respiratory system was dangerously compromised. She slipped away peacefully. The shark was only doing what nature requires of it to survive. Days after the attempted rescue at Lyford Cay we read of an illegal slaughter of a large turtle in San Salvador. Incidentally, the turtle is nature’s undersea lawn mower; cutting the sea grass to the right height to harbour and protect juvenile grouper so they can grow into large healthy groupers who will bring in money for the Bahamian fisherman. But what a funny country we are. People moving heaven and earth to save an injured turtle on one hand, and one the other a magnificent shark ruthlessly pursued and attacked. It is a sad and sorry situation, and we all need to do something to help educate people on the importance of these sea creatures and that amazing, fascinating circle of life.
28 | The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, July 22, 2016
gardening
Carambola and company Jack Hardy explains why the tropical fruits that ripen in late summer and autumn are among the most interesting of the year.
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op of the list of interesting fruits are the late season mangoes such as Keitt. The finest jams in Europe come from the northern countries such as Scotland, Scandinavia, Germany and Poland where the long summer days bring fruits such as plums, blackberries, blackcurrants and lingonberries to perfection. Much the same happens to late mangoes; the extra length of time hanging on the tree brings about depth and complexity of flavour. I have said this before many times: If you have a garden, plant a carambola tree. No other tropical fruit tree bears for as long – over six months – and is so amenable to pruning to keep it at a manageable size. The first fruits ripen in July and there is a double harvest that leaves fruits on the tree in January. That period, of course, is hurricane season and even a moderate tropical storm could remove all the fruits; hurricanes invariably do so. Also known as star fruit, carambolas are relatively new to the Bahamas. The fruits tend to bear five flutes but sometimes you will find (rather like seas stars) individual fruits with three,
four, and six or more flutes. There are two ways of cutting carambolas. The classic way is to slice them horizontally into star-shape slices, but the handiest is to cut off the flutes and eat them as fruit sticks. Carambolas are well known sliced as garnishes for food and drinks but can become part of the meal if cut thick and lightly sautéed in butter and olive oil. An acquaintance of mine slices and freezes carambola and uses the slices as ice cubes for her vodka cocktails. When her drink is finished she has a macerated fruit salad to enjoy before pouring another libation. Care must be taken with carambolas and very young children. The fruits contain oxalic acid in crystal form when they are unripe and this could lead to choking. If you buy a carambola tree from your favourite nursery and plant it this month you may get some fruits next year. You will certainly have a harvest in the second year. Carambola trees are heavy bearers and usually produce more fruits than the average family can keep up with. Your personal wealth advisor could not come up with a better investment. Golden Star is the most popular variety of carambola, but Arkin – a slightly lighter bearer – has handsome large flutes and is sweeter. Many people say the best tasting is Fuang Tung but are put off by the relatively compact size of the fruits and the fact that the edging to the flutes remains green even when the fruits are fully ripe. The annonas as a group are very rewarding. Soursop has a long season and will keep producing fruit well into autumn, all the better to make soursop ice cream. Sugar apples are delicious when fully ripe and falling apart while perhaps the best tasting are cherimoya and atemoya. Pond apple can be found in damp areas near fresh or slightly brackish water and the fruits will ripen in early autumn. Pond apple trees have become invasive in some areas of the world, particularly Queensland, Australia. Our lack of rivers makes
Carambolas, often sliced as garnishes for food and drinks, are relatively new to the Bahamas infestation very unlikely. August is the main month for guava production in the Bahamas. Guava trees produce fruits on and off throughout the year but in August they bear heavily and allow us to make guava duff and jam to our heart’s content. Passion fruit has always seemed to me like a bonus addition to the fruit orchard. It needs no room because it is planted at the foot of trees and the vine climbs into the branches and establishes itself in short order. I grow my passion fruit vines in guava and mango trees. When a fruit is ripe it drops from the tree but is unharmed because of the leathery exterior. The skin of fully ripe passion fruits is wrinkled and can be opened into two halves with one’s thumb nails and the pulp can be slurped on the spot – a wonderful appetizer before breakfast. There are lots of aril-covered applesized seeds in the pulp but these are perfectly edible. If you are wary of them, they can be removed by using a food mill. To make a drink, add a little sugar to the juice, then four parts water. For adventurous cooks, a cheesecake made with sweetened seedless pulp is both delightful and different. You will never become thirsty if you have a pocketful of guineps. These refreshingly tart morsels inspire your mouth to water as you chew the flesh from the seed. If you come across what
Passion fruit growing on vines appears to be a single seed but is in fact divided into two halves, there is a very good chance these separate hemispherical seeds will produce trees with similar fruiting characteristics when planted and nurtured. It should also be noted that guinep trees can be male, female, and undecided. Plant several to guarantee fruit production. You may not have seagrape trees in your yard but there are plenty down by the shore. The fruits hang in grape-like clusters but unlike grapes they ripen at different times. This means you can wind your way through trees with a bucket and pick plenty, then repeat the identical route two or three days later. Seagrape jelly is wonderful. Seagrapes have a powerful aroma and this is captured when jelly is made properly, using a jelly bag.
• j.hardy@coralwave.com