The Tribune
Friday, November 4, 2016
art entertainment society culture film puzzles food fitness
Weekend
swim styles Pages 14&15
Taking flight Lift off for hip hop artist’s career
Music, page 13
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Friday, November 4, 2016
life through a lens PHOTOS/SHAWN HANNA
Social media causes issues for Red Cross
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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HILE the massive relief efforts in the wake of Hurricane Matthew continue to bring generous donations and welcome assistance to those affected and disadvantaged, mean-spirited misinformation posted on social media is causing unwelcome difficulties. Last weekend and earlier this week there were long queues at the Bahamas Red Cross headquarters on JFK Drive as people sought assistance with food parcels. But a rogue Whatsapp message suggesting each household could pick up not one but two boxes of food and that there was a variety of electrical appliances – from flatscreen TVs to washer, dryers and refrigerators – for anyone wanting them brought people in their droves According to Deputy Direc-
tor Diane Turnquest, the Red Cross could not accommodate everyone who sought assistance last Friday. They were told to return this week. However, the social media message caused around 200 people to show up to the site on Saturday, only for them to be turned away and told to come back on Monday, she said. Scores of people then flooded the Red Cross on Monday, causing confusion and anger. Police were called to help calm the crowd. Ms Turnquest said many people have been requesting food items from the non-profit organisation, and officials have been working hard to keep up with demand. A box of food can keep a family of four fed for three weeks. On a happier note, the Red Cross received two cheque donations on Monday totalling $100,000, from the Atlantis resort and the Mid-American Conference.
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Friday, November 4, 2016
Inside Weekend Interview 4 - 5 Jeffarah Gibson talks to National Youth Award winner Lincoln Deal about revolutionising the water sports industry Food 7 The Poop Deck offers up a spectacular view and Bahamian favourites
Society
8-9 YESI hosts its scarily good Vampire Ball
Art 10 Exhibition pays tribute to cultural icon Paul ‘Diamond’ Knowles
Film 11 ‘Doctor Strange’ dazzles with mindbending visuals Music 12 -13 Sherwood Rahming ‘revitalises’ R&B classics, plus ‘Island Girl’ Iris Stryx finds light in darkness Fashion 14 - 15 Minka Blue Swimwear is back with a new look Entertainment 17 ‘Blackout 2016’ promises 12-hour ‘Winter Wonderland’ party
Health and fitness 18 - 19 Regina Smith explains the benefits of small group training
Culture 20 - 21 Bahamian artists enjoy heightened exposure at BNT festival
Literary Lives 22 - 25 Rudyard Kipling – an imperious Imperialist story teller
Forgotten Facts 25 Paul Aranha explains how Oakes Field got its name
Animals 27 Keeping pets safe during fireworks season, plus Pet of the Week
Gardening 28 Jack Hardy talks favourite herbs
My perfect Bahamian weekend Leslie Ellis-Tynes Talk show host, actress
“Pass me something sweet and I’ll sip on that one glass most of the night.”
Now when I do, I keep things simple and easy and enjoy a Radler or two. If an event or occasion offers something else, however, is when my ‘sweet mout’ will have me asking for a drink the same way I enjoy my dessert – so pass me something sweet and I’ll sip on that one glass most of the night.” Q: Beach or sofa? “Oh, that’s easy. The sofa for the cooler months and the beach for the rest of the year.” Q: What could you not do without? “How many things can I mention? Naturally, I couldn’t survive without the love and support of family. Then I would have to say music. I have to have it in my life in some way, shape or form, whether it’s music I’ve downloaded, satellite radio, the music cable channels, internet radio or local radio. I’ve got to have it somehow.”
Q: Saturday breakfast or Sunday brunch? “For the most part my Sundays are a very chill and relaxed day, unlike the hustle and bustle of a Saturday that may involve work or running errands. So for me, being able to settle into a Sunday brunch with friends is the ideal formula to wrapping up a tough week, if I’d had one, and an even better way to set the right pace for the week ahead.”
Q: Weekend away: where would you go? “Exuma. I’d start with a Powerboat excursion, and if I could possibly cram in two-day adventure, a visit to Staniel Cay Yacht Club, the swimming pigs and Chat N’ Chill on Stocking Island, then I certainly would.”
Q: Wine, Kalik, rum or cocktail? Neither. Up until recently I didn’t consume alcohol at all.
Things 2 Do this weekend Friday • “Chosen Soldiers” CD release party Time: 7pm Venue: Kemp Road Ministries Join Don, 11, and Chaz, 7, Major as they release their first gospel rap CD featuring three new tracks.
Saturday • Run Dirty – Revenge of the Mud Time: 6am Venue: Fort Charlotte Mud warriors get ready for the Revenge of the Mud presented by Bahama Health. For pricing and to register visit www.BahamaHealth. com/RunDirty. • Solomon’s Super Centre 4th Annual Health Fair and 26th Anniversary Time: 10.30am - 4pm Venue: Old Trail Road There will be free health screenings, including blood pressure checks, glucose and cholesterol testing, flu shots and free skin analysis.
Solomon’s will also partner with vendors to distribute healthy food samples and display vitamin options available in store. A health and nutrition specialist will be on hand to provide a step-by-step guide for better living. Kids can enjoy face painting and create memories with their parents in the family photo booth. For customers wishing to donate blood, representatives from Friends of the Blood Bank will once again participate in the fair and collect much-needed donations for the PMH Blood Bank. • Kelly’s Toyland Opening Time: 12noon - 5pm Venue: Kelly’s House and Home Centre Santa and Snowbear make a special appearance from 12noon to 5pm, while other cartoon characters will be sticking around until 3pm. There will also be popcorn, cotton candy, games, bouncing castle, and a peformance by the Aquinas College marching band.
• A Passion for Pink – Flips for the Cure, Flips to Restore Time: 12noon Venue: Source River Complex (former Barcadi plant) Join the Bahamas Star Gymastics organisation for a unique performance to raise funds for cancer awareness and hurricane relief. Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for children. • Sundance Beach Party – Cooler Edition Time: 12noon - 6pm Venue: Nirvana Beach It’s all about sun, fun and rum at the latest edition of the Sundance Beach Party. • 6th Annual Oktoberfest at Green Parrot Time: 2pm Venue: Green Parrot on East Bay Street Enjoy craft beers from around the world as well as the Bahamas’ very own Pirate Republic brews.
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interview He is only in his mid-20s, but Lincoln Deal has already proven that tenaciousness and hard work pay off. The new recipient of a National Youth Award for Entrepreneurship tells Jeffarah Gibson all about his trials and tribulations, and how he intends to revolutionise the Bahamian water sports industry with his jetpack company.
Lincoln Deal II F or Lincoln Deal II, the National Youth Award he received last month in the category of Entrepreneurship is much more than just another accolade, much more than a plaque to hang on the wall. Rather, it signifies his triumph over adversity and the result for years-long persistence. It was exactly one year ago that Lincoln stood before a Supreme Court judge to hear whether his company, JetLink Adventures, would be granted a licence to operate. That appearance in court was the culmination of a three-year journey during which he approached 17 investors and two financial institutions for financing, only to be refused, and during which he was denied an operating licence from the local water sports regulatory body seven times. But Lincoln refused to give up, and last Fall his determination paid off when he was finally able to open a business which he envisions will change the water sports industry in this country forever. In just a short of space of time, JetLink Adventures has evolved into a flourishing business with two operating locations, on Cable Beach and Paradise Island, as well as two subsidiary companies. Today, Lincoln is the first and only commercial operator of a hydro-jetpack system in the Bahamas, which was financed 100 per cent by the Bahamas Entrepreneurial Venture Capital Fund. “I am deeply humbled by the (National Youth Award). It is really a great honour, especially because it marks the one-year anniversary that I was in court with
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Friday, November 4, 2016
Photos/Shawn Hanna
sweaty palms and a racing heart. That judge had the opportunity to say yea or nay towards this licence. That was a really rough time for me, because I would have put in three years of work, of time and energy into this. And one judge had the final decision to make concerning that,” he said. “All of this made my faith and belief in God even greater, because He was with me. I tell people don’t despise what you are going through, do not fight the process and believe in what it is you are doing, and you will come out victorious in the end.” Next month, JetLink will take its unique water sports to its new location on West Bay Street. During a JetLink session, water is propelled through a boat unit up a 60 feet hose that connects to a jetpack. Once the water comes through the holes in the jetpack, 1,000 gallons of water per minute are released through two nozzles that generate 420 pounds of thrust. Anyone from 80 to 450 pounds can be propelled 30 feet in the air. “My company strives to be an evolution of water sports in the Bahamas,” said Lincoln. “Every day we get customers from all around the world who experience our product. Although it took three years to get my company established, a highlight for me has been interacting with the guests and hearing them say after they come down from the adventure, ‘I love this experience’ or ‘This was awesome, I am going to tell my friends to come to the Bahamas’. For me, creating that experience for people is a highlight.” Coming up with fun business ideas is nothing new for Lincoln, who has sought to push the boundaries since he was young. For example, at the age of seven, he created houses and churches made out of popsicle sticks which he then sold to relatives and friends. “Then later I joined Junior Achievement and we started distributing products and selling them. That was when I realised that I had a knack for it,” he said. “So up to my last days in high school I carried around a mobile convenience store in the form of a gym bag that would have Skittles, snacks and other things I sold. The students patronised me and eventually teachers even supported by endeavours. So those years in high school really started something.” Lincoln’s next entrepreneurial
“As cliché as it might sound, pursue your dreams. If you a have a service or a business idea, pursue it, and pursue it with everything you have.”
venture came while he was pursuing a degree in Economics and International Business at the Saint Leo University in Florida. He founded his first company, DealZone Bahamas, in the Summer of 2011. It was the first group coupon e-commerce website in the Bahamas. Unfortunately, Lincoln ran into many obstacles being a first-time businessman in a new industry. “It is not an easy thing running a business. You could have all these ideas, but it really takes a lot to get them off the ground, whether that be time, money or marketing. So still being a college student made it difficult for me to maintain it. It was, however,
my first real business,” he said. And while DealZone Bahamas was not a success for the young entrepreneur, JetLink Adventures is, even though that business, too, is not without its challenges. “No matter how good your business is, there are always challenges. There will always be operational challenges. For example, we may have a group of 10 ready to get on a jetpack, but it is not working, so we are always troubleshooting. And like we say, it is always an adventure at JetLink,” he said. Lincoln is also an entrepreneur with a heart who believes in helping others because he remembers what it was like to be forced to go without. He is the leader of the #HashtagLunchbag movement here in the Bahamas. #HashtagLunchbag is an international non-profit humanitarian service which got its start when a group of friends decided to buy groceries to feed the needy on Christmas Eve 2012 in an apartment in Los Angeles. Today, groups of volunteers come together and make sandwiches and pack lunch bags to be distributed to the hungry and less fortunate. Love messages and words of encouragement are written on the front of each paper bag. “I know what it is like to not have and I love being able to give back and reach out to those who might be in need in the community,” said Lincoln. Over the past year, the young businessman has also taken on numerous speaking engagements where he encourages budding entrepreneurs to pursue their goals. “I am happy just to be able to motivate young people interested in starting a business. When many of them hear the story of JetLink Adventures and what it took to get to this point, they are shocked,” he said. “There are lot of Bahamians who have great aspirations and great ideas, but they fear going out on a limb and actually pursuing their goals. Whether that be leaving something secure for something that is unsure, or the fear of going into a new industry. But as cliché as it might sound, pursue your dreams. If you a have a service or a business idea, pursue it, and pursue it with everything you have.” Lincoln said his dream to revolutionise the local water sports industry has taken him on the ride of his lifetime. And when that ride gets a bit stressful sometimes, all he has to do is strap on one of his jetpacks and soar high above the water to clear his mind.
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section
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food PHOTOS BY DANTE CARRER
Dinner on deck By ALESHA CADET Tribune Features Writer acadet@tribunemedia.net
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HE elevated view of Nassau Harbour available from the Poop Deck on East Bay Street is probably the restaurant’s most outstanding feature, and one that keeps guests coming back for more. What started out as a take-out restaurant more than 40 years ago has grown into a complete Caribbean dining experience by the water. “There were a few seats and just the bar area where you can just get your burgers, cracked conch and snacks,. But over the years it blossomed to what it is now, adding the deck,” said Dante Carrer, food and beverage manager at Poop Deck, East Bay. “The scenery is very casual and rustic, a nautical type place. There is a great view of the harbour and Paradise Island. We may have one of the best views of the harbour.” Mr Carrer also credits the owners’ hands-on approach and the welcoming staff with the restaurant’s ongoing success. “The owners are still very much involved, especially my mom, Donna Carrer. She is the managing partner here and she is in here five to six times a week and tries her very best to give our staff the tools they need to do their jobs to the best of their ability,” he said, And if the staff is happy, the customers are happy as well, he added. The fact that many staff members have been a part of the business for more than 20 years makes running the Poop Deck truly a family affair. One of those long-serving staff members is Miss Rosie, who now has one of the most sought-after food items on the dinner menu named after her – the fried “Rosie’s Chicken” smothered in her famous tomato and herb sauce. And Miss Rosie passed on her love for cooking and the Poop Deck to her
Grilled conch
Hog snapper
Pedro’s fish tacos
Cracked lobster
daughter, Chef Becky McKenzie, who now also works at the restaurant and enjoys making people smile with her food. “I started here in 1980 and at first I didn’t like cooking, but just coming out of school I just wanted to work. My mom was a chef here and I grew to like it after a while and stayed because it was good working along with my mom, Rosie. I started as a dish washer and moved on up to kitchen helper and now supervisor. From that time to now it has been a great experience, and it is better now because I grew to love cooking,” Chef Becky told Tribune Weekend. She describes her peas n’ rice side dish, which always garners praise from the patrons, as being made the “Becky
way” . “Just come in and ask for me if you want to discuss anything on the food menu. I don’t have a problem with doing that. I actually like doing that,” said Chef Becky. The Poop Deck lunch menu offers options like Pedro’s fish tacos, Miss D’s fried chicken, the Poop Deck burger, the fresh catch sandwich and more. The dinner menu includes seafood classics such as the grilled fisherman’s platter, seafood lover’s delight, grilled mahi-mahi, grilled Atlantic Salmon, Mama Mary’s steamed grouper, and dockside dishes like the Becky’s grilled conch and beef tip kebabs. Mr Carrer said during the slow season when most restaurants tend to not do very well, the Poop Deck East Bay
is happy to have a loyal local clientele that keeps the place going. “They love our fresh fish. We have guests that have not been here in over 20 years and they come back and the feedback is, ‘Oh my God, the peas n’ rice taste the same.’ So it’s consistent and relaxing,” he said. “Through the Winter season we are tweaking our menu a little bit, like the salads. Twenty years ago people were happy with lettuce and tomato, but now people want something more intricate and salads are becoming interesting. So we will be doing tweaks like that as well as introducing more nonseafood items and vegetarian friendly items, because that is also huge now; more continental and healthy.”
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society
A frightfully good time for a good cause
By JEFFARAH GIBSON Tribune Features Writer jgibson@tribunemedia.net
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hirsty vamps, scary ghouls and all manner of dark creatures came out en masse last Saturday to attend a unique Halloweenthemed fundraiser. “The Vampire Ball” at the Old Fort Bay Club attracted close to 400 guests who helped raise money for the Youth Empowerment Through Soccer International (YESI) organisation. The gala event featured a cocktail party, a champagne and beer reception, as well as an auction. According to Happy Hall, ball organiser and founder of YESI, the fancy dress party was a great success. “The event definitely surpassed our expectations this year. Every single person except for two were dressed as vampires, so people really bought into the theme,” he said. YESI, which has been around since 2011, believes that soccer has the ability to empower youth through sports. The organisation’s purpose is to create opportunities for kids in impoverished areas who may never have had a true experience with organised sports. In recent times, one of YESI’s main goals has been to enhance its scholar-
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PHOTOS/DEDE BROWN
ship programme that currently funds 15 YESI students so they can attend private school. “We were seeking to raise around $150,000 – our annual budget – which mostly funds the scholarship programme that we have been trying to push and accelerate,” said Mr Hall. “A lot of people view YESI as just another soccer club, however, we are a much larger organisation that is focused on using soccer as a tool to encourage kids to do well at school,” he said. “For kids to be members of our team they have to attend tutoring or homework sessions every day. The support that we have received is overwhelming and we appreciate the contributions made to the organisation. For more information, visit www.yesisoccer. com. Sponsors of the Vampire Ball included Sands Beer, Young’s Fine Wine, Bristol Wines & Spirits, Wild Flowers and Spectrum Light & Sounds. DJ Ignite provided entertainment throughout the night.
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art
“Diamond” art show pays tribute to cultural icon
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f it’s true that diamonds are forever, it’s no doubt that the artistic life and creative genius of the late Paul “Diamond” Knowles lives on through the artwork of his niece, Bahamian artist Kelley Knowles. To pay tribute to her late uncle, Ms Knowles last month hosted an art exhibition honouring the man who is considered a cultural icon for his pioneering contributions to Junkanoo – a status confirmed by accolades from artists both at home and abroad. Aptly titled “The Diamond Collection”, the exhibition showcased a body of work that is personal and significant to the relationship the Ms Knowles shared with her uncle, who passed away in 2014 following a battle with a debilitating illness that spanned two decades of his life. Family, friends and art enthusiasts were fascinated by 26 colourful and vibrant art pieces created from the innovative use of granulated wax and crayons, a medium that Ms Knowles has mastered, and one that allows her to carve out her own space on the Bahamian art scene. While it took her two months of physical and active studio work to complete the pieces on display during exhibition, the spiritual and emotional process began years ago, even before the Junkanoo legend completed his earthly parade. “I knew that I had the opportunity to become his vessel – my body, my hands – due to his disability, and that was an honour for me,” said Ms Knowles said. “As an artist, he taught me about the importance of systematic thinking in relation to art. More specifically, the relationship that art has to music, the relationship of pattern, shape, colour, negative versus positive space, music has to the people, the Junkanooers have to the viewers.” Several of Ms Knowles’ paintings were displayed in a panel-style series, suggesting an intelligent rhythm within the works. “This cadence is parallel to the beat of a drum, sound of trumpets, the cowbells ring, a Showtime dancer parading her ornamental ensemble,
“Every piece in a series fits together to symbolise the contagious and adoring impact with which (Paul ‘Diamond’ Knowles) endowed each and every one of us. Walking away with a piece of art from this show symbolises that we share a unique part of him and we can celebrate a fraction of his success within our community with style, grace and admiration.” and the unique nature of my uncle’s relationship with each and every one of us,” the artist said. “Every piece in a series fits together to symbolise the contagious and adoring impact with which he endowed each and every one of us. Walking away with a piece of art from this show symbolises that we share a unique part of him and we can celebrate a fraction of his success within our community with style, grace and admiration.” In addition to her uncle, Ms Knowles said her parents also greatly influenced her love of arts. “I am the child of Dr Ronald and Gwendolyn Knowles. Both supporters
A giant portrait of the late Paul “Diamond” Knowles using crayons and granulated wax.
(l-r) Health Minister Dr Perry Gomez, Sharon Cleare, artist Kelley Knowles, Campbell Cleare and Carmen Gomez at the opening of “The Diamond Collection.” and collectors of art in the Bahamas. I grew a great appreciation for art in my early years,” she said. Ms Knowles received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Sculpture from the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York, in 2008. Shortly after graduation, she began what she called “sculptural relief painting” done in crayon. “This work consisted of 40 pieces of work all created with crayon. A process based body of work in which I shaved, carved , grated, melted, cut and painted with the crayon in order to create a relationship and better understand the limits of the material itself,”
she said. Ms Knowles first officially introduced herself as a sculptor in 2010 by hosting her first major art exhibition called “No Oil, No Acrylic!” consisting of 50 pieces. “Creating art is a therapeutic release for me. It is never a job or task. This art is my passion. My art depends on me and me on it. It’s the greatest relationship I have,” she said. Ms Knowles also holds a Master’s degree in Art Therapy from the Long Island University. To view “The Diamond Collection”, contact knowleskelley@yahoo.com.
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film Disney/Marvel via AP
review
‘Doctor Strange’ dazzles with mindbending visuals doctor Strange running time: 115 mins
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Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange
The Ancient One (Tilda Swinton) and Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor) in “Doctor Strange” the mysterious Mordor (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and the Ancient One (Tilda Swinton), warriors who introduce him to magical powers and mystical realms. As a scientist, Strange dismisses their teachings (“I do not believe in fairytales about chakras”), but desperation — and a bizarre trip down a third-eye wormhole — make him a believer. Meanwhile, one of the Ancient One’s former students (Mads Mikkelsen, always an excellent villain)
has gone rogue, using the mystical teachings to connect with dark forces. He and his minions believe they’ll receive eternal life if they destroy the sanctums of the Ancient One’s power, which are conveniently located in New York, London and Hong Kong — all dynamic settings for destruction and mind-bending magic. Each of the city sequences look great, but the New York scenes are truly phenomenal. In the hands of
Photo by/ Maidment
o affinity for superheroes or familiarity with Marvel mythology is required to enjoy the visual spectacle that is “Doctor Strange.” Being open to mysticism and the possibility of parallel dimensions might help, though. Benedict Cumberbatch plays the title character in this origin story, where plot is secondary to dazzling special effects that invert gravity, reverse time and twist buildings like blocks in a Rubik’s Cube. It’s worth it to watch the film in 3-D, and on an IMAX screen if possible (as this critic did), for an immersive, almost psychedelic experience. Two spectacular action sequences in the third act are enough to justify the ticket price. Dr.Stephen Strange (Cumberbatch) is a brilliant, arrogant neurosurgeon. He’s a know-it-all about medicine and music; a materialist with an expansive apartment and a drawer full of designer watches. His commuter car is a Lamborghini, and he’s speeding around curves in it when he’s distracted by a text and flies off a cliff. He awakens from surgery to finds his hands shattered and held together with a series of metal pins. Despondent because he can’t work, Strange travels to Nepal, where he believes a healer may have cured someone from complete paralysis. He ends up at a palace where he meets
director Scott Derrickson and the special-effects artists who worked on “Guardians of the Galaxy,” the Big Apple becomes mesmerizingly Escheresque: a disjointed, gravity-ignorant collection of streets and buildings. While some of the magical elements may be far out (a levitating cape, for example), the Ancient One’s messages are grounded in contemporary pop psychology and spirituality. She says things like, “We never lose our demons, we only learn to live above them,” and “Silence your ego and your power will rise.” Coming from a bald Tilda Swinton, it sounds more insightful than preachy. The film addresses such sweeping concepts as death and time, but only to define the characters’ motives. Some of the messages may be worth contemplating, but “Doctor Strange” is not a message movie. It is a visual delight, where the spiritual notion that not all can be explained by science allows for an “Inception”-like unraveling of reality. Be sure to stay through the credits for two delicious Marvel “Easter eggs.” One involves a massive, selfrefilling beer and the other teases a possible “Strange” future. SANDY COHEN AP Entertainment Writer
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music “Today, with the internet, musicians anywhere in the world have more reach than ever before. As long as artists take the time to understand a bit of marketing, we can reach markets all over the world who will appreciate our music without even leaving our homes. Once we have to quality content, and we do, marketing will bring it to the world.”
Artist spotlight:
Sherwood Rahming ‘revitalises’ R&B classics By ALESHA CADET Tribune Features Writer acadet@tribunemedia.net
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eavily inspired by R&B music, Bahamian singer Sherwood Rahming has recreated six classic songs and made the tunes his own, calling the EP project “Revitalized”. It was one day while listening to Destiny’s Child’s “Say My Name”, that the thought of putting his own spin on the song came to mind, Sherwood told Tribune Weekend. Soon enough he found himself taking on songs by artists like Aaliyah, Stevie Wonder, Erykah Badu and Tamia, and found ways to make something new from well-known tunes. And this is only the beginning for the 22-year-old, who said he envisions himself being engaged in many aspects of music, from composing for film and television, to touring and producing for other artists, and even creating a record label to help other artists achieve their dreams. Sherwood’s official start in music came in early 2012, at the same time he also developed an interest in poetry and literature. But he recalls writing rap lyrics as far back as junior high school. “I grew a strong desire to write my thoughts. Soon enough I got into the production aspect because I wanted to create specific instrumentals to go perfectly with my writings. With time I also developed the basic skills to record my own music, and I’ve been writing, producing and recording my own material since then,” he said. In winter 2013, the singer released a record called “21st Century Slavery”, his first attempt at putting a project
Sherwood Rahming in his home studio together all by himself. “Since then I’ve grown to make songs I’m very proud of, most notably ‘Madness’, ‘Heaven Now’ and ‘Release’, aside from my most recent project, ‘Revitalized’,” he said. At this point in his career, Sherwood said he is all in and full time with his music. From recording, mixing, engineering and running his own studio, I U Home Studios, to being an artist and producer, he is doing it all. “I find myself busy with music in all parts of the spectrum. I’d like to spend the remainder of this year promoting ‘Revitalized’ by working on music videos for a few of the songs, which will certainly shine some new light on it,” he said. As far as inspiration for future projects goes, Sherwood said his mother always encourages him to follow his dreams, while his father always gives him a rational perspective and his brother is always around and involved in his creative processes. Sherwood said he also has a group of great friends who offer a lot of positive feedback. “Today, with the internet, musicians anywhere in the world have more reach than ever before. As long as artists take the time to understand a bit of marketing, we can reach markets all over the
world who will appreciate our music without even leaving our homes. Once we have to quality content, and we do, marketing will bring it to the world,” said Sherwood. Readers are encouraged to stay up-to-date with Sherwood’s musical journey via sherwoodrahmingmusic. com, and Facebook, SoundCloud and
YouTube. “The feedback is been mostly positive and it’s continuously growing. Now I have people messaging me with mixed emotions of excitement and anger when they found out I did a live performance but they didn’t know. I think people really resonate with the message I’m sending with my music,” said Sherwood
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music
Meet “Island Girl” Iris Stryx Hip hop artist finds light in darkness By JEFFARAH GIBSON Tribune Features Writer jgibson@tribunemedia.net
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REATIVITY can flow from even from life’s darkest moments. And one knows this better than Iris Saunders, a budding Bahamian artist who overcame a traumatic experience and is now ready to let her voice and thoughts be heard through her music. Known by her stage name “Iris Stryx”, she is a hip-hop artist, actress and songwriter. Her love for music goes as far back as age four, when she began taking classical piano lessons. Since being able to confidently verbalise her thoughts was not her strong suit at so young an age, Iris turned to pen and paper to get her message across. “I began writing creatively when I was eight. I attended boarding school in Canada before moving to the US as a teenager. It was in Miami that I fell in love with rap, being afforded the opportunity to work with some of the best producers at various top studios,” she told Tribune Weekend. Iris became even more deeply involved in music when she needed an outlet and safe place following a traumatic ordeal. “I had a violent encounter when I was 15, and it forced me into a corner where I felt like I couldn’t relate to other people. As a result, I began writing and composing songs on the piano as a means to get out what I was feeling and going through,” she said. This experience inspired her to write several songs, especially feel-good tunes to make listeners want to jump up and dance. Iris’ recent re-release, “Island Girl”, is one of these happy songs. The song hit music platforms like Youtube last year, but Iris and her team have since made a few tweaks and modifications to the final version of the song. The revamped track was released along with a
music video early last month. In the video, Iris jumps into her favorite blue hole, goes on an adventure through the Bahamian islands, all the while convincing listeners that all they really need is an “Island Girl”. When asked about the inspiration behind the song and the accompanying video, Iris said simply: “The Bahamas, of course”. “The creation of the song itself is what I love most. It had been a dream of mine for years to be able to work with a talented team in the studio. For me, it was a magical experience every night when we went to work. The producer (Tracksion) would create the beat, I’d then write my verses, a singer-songwriter (Zorenzo) did the hook, and the engineer would record us. ‘Island Girl’ was the first song we created together and we did it in one night,” she said. Iris’ skills also include screenwriting and acting, which have helped her in her musical career, even though she is exploring each passion individually as well. During her early college years, she
spent time perfecting those skills. Iris then graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Business from Barry University. She is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Filmmaking at the University of Miami. Additionally, she said she has learned a lot about production and behind-the-scenes work over the years, and this led to her make her own short film called “The Pirate Gypsies”. She is now in the
process of producing a feature length film. On top of that, Iris is currently finishing music for her upcoming album, while also doing collaborations with other artists and getting ready to shoot another music video. As for future aspirations, Iris said she is simply “enjoying the moment of being able to do what I love.”
16 | The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, November 4, 2016
fashion
23rd annual ELLE Women in Hollywood Awards
With Karin Herig and Cara Hunt
AP PHOTOS
The Weekend Fashion Report
HIT
SPLIT
FAIL
FAIL
SPLIT
Lupita Nyong’o “Queen of Katwe”
Bellamy Young “Scandal”
Vivica A Fox “Empire”
Chelsea Handler “Chelsea”
Brittany Snow “Pitch Perfect”
Karin says: “Absolutely gorgeous. She’s back on form! Love the metallic sheen and the turquoise and russet colour combo. The shape of the dress and the colours are something we don’t see often on the red carpet, so this is definitely an attentiongrabber.” Cara says: “Lupita could wear a brown paper bag and look amazing, I swear. I love the way these metallic prints pop against her skin. And I love when she rocks the short hair, but this bun is slaying it.”
Karin says: “I’m not a fan of too much embroidery, but alas it seems to be a new trend. This is cute, but like a I said, a few less stitches, a few less flowers, plants, butterflies... just less of the whole garden on her dress would have been better.” Cara says: “Aww, I am always ready to embrace the flower child within us all, and this is darling. Bellamy always looks so excited to be at the party. Love her smile.”
Karin says: “I think it’s the first thought we all had: Jolly Green Giant. The suit is tailored to perfection and she looks fab, but that shade of green just makes it seem like she’s auditioning for the role of the caterpillar in the next Alice in Wonderland film.” Cara says: “I know she was going for the jewel toned colour trend, but honestly, I can’t get past seeing the Jolly Green Giant with some roots at the top. The colour is just too much, the boobage is almost too much, and I am not in love with it.”
Karin says: “Not even the Duggars with their modest dress sense would accept this hideous wrinkly nightmare of a floral dress. I just don’t understand. Help me out here, Chelsea. Does this dress have sentimental value? Did you lose a bet? Something?” Cara says: “It’s Little House on the Prairie meets the discount bin rejects at the fabric store. I hate this entire look. It makes her look dowdy and stale. Also hate the slicked down hair.”
Karin says: “I love it! I hated it when I saw it from afar, but now I adore the cool stained glass pattern of the pants and the sheer white top with the black sleeves and bow. She looks like a beautiful Tiffany lamp. A very unique and pretty look.” Cara says: “Another classic case of some nice elements not working as a whole. The pants are cute, but they don’t go with the blouse and vice versa. Just too much of a mishmash for me.”
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Friday, November 4, 2016
entertainment
Step into a ‘Winter Wonderland’ for a 12-hour party ‘Basketball Wives’ DJ to perform By JEFFARAH GIBSON Tribune Features Writer jgibson@tribunemedia.net
N
ovember officially kicks off the festive season in the Bahamas. Revellers seeking to take advantage of every opportunity to celebrate this time of year at the numerous parties and events around town have just a few weeks left to select their perfect holiday wardrobe, get their finances in order, and get much needed rest before the party season kicks off in earnest. Among the countless events, not to mention private parties, scheduled to take place, one event is sure to serve up a generous helping of holiday fun: “Blackout: The Winter Wonderland” – a 12-hour party presented by KO Productions, Absolut & BTC on December 23 starting at 7pm. While last year’s unique party experience made guests glow in the dark, organisers promise that this year “the weatherman predicts snow”. “The theme for this year’s Blackout is ‘Winter Wonderland’, so expect to be wowed as you step into a dark winter fantasy. Indulge in your winter fantasy wonderland in any one of our lively and pulsating sections, general admission, VIP, and the exclusive all inclusive Elixir Black Lounge powered by Absolut,” said Princess Pratt, public relations officer for KO Productions. Staying true to the spirit of the holiday season, which for some translates into attending just about every holiday celebration there, this years event will have even the ardent revelers “partied out”. “We’ve decided to switch things up
a bit to really add the wonder in winter wonderland, and what’s a good and memorable Blackout without adding a new element. This year we’ve decided to extend the party to a 12-hour party. Yes, you read correctly, 12 hours. Imagine your favourite Christmas party turning into a breakfast fete, epic experience of partying both night and day,” she said. One of the aspects that make the Blackout experience unique is an intentional omission of musical performances throughout the event. “There won’t be any performances. Blackout prides itself on being a party that’s always been able to appeal to its patrons’ musical and dance senses without having to bring an artist to captivate the crowd,” said Ms Pratt. “Our patrons look forward to a party each year where they can let their hair down, mix, mingle and dance. Featuring an artist would take away from the party element and take on more of a concert element, which is not what Blackout is.” This year’s Blackout will feature for the first time an international female disc jockey, DJ Duffey, who has most recently been associated with the reality TV show “Basketball Wives LA”. “I don’t think we’ve ever had a female DJ before, especially not one as sexy and talented as DJ Duffey, so she’s expected to bring a different flavour and element of hype to this year’s event,” said Ms Pratt. “Lastly, each year we bring you the Ms Blackout competition where a number of beautiful women compete to be the face of the brand, as well as receive cash and prizes. This year we’ve decided to put a little spin on the competition by introducing for the first time ever a Mr Blackout competition. This promises to be exciting, especially for the ladies.” Ms Pratt said she wants to encourage people to come out and experience an event that is “guaranteed to have you dancing and feeling the true spirit of Christmas, a white winter wonderland Christmas at the darkest, sexiest party of the year.”
Scenes from last year’s “Let’s Glow” Blackout party “Last year’s event was well attended, so much so the Black Lounge had a few minor difficulties due to its large capacity. We’ve amended things and will make it up to our patrons this year by adding more space as we’re expecting even larger numbers this year,” she said. Ms Pratt said what has contributed to Blackout’s longevity is the fact organisers are not afraid to switch things up and present a unique concept every
year. “Each year we aim to make each event better than the next. By asking our patrons what didn’t please them about the event and how to make it better, fuels our innovation and allows us to continuously create unique experiences, thus adding to the longevity,” she said. Ms Pratt added that there will be giveaways by BTC, Absolut and Stiletto Shoe Loft every half hour on the night.
18 | The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, November 4, 2016
health and fitness
The benefits of small group training By REGINA SMITH
W
hile some people may prefer one on one personal training, there are clients that prefer groups. Small group personal training is a fitness trend that is growing in popularity. For some, one-on-one personal training can be a bit intimidating. Small group training is a great way to get the benefit of a community and guided exercise programming. Small group training is comprised of two or four participants with similar goals or previously established relationships. Small group training offers participants an opportunity to receive more individualised attention at a fraction of the cost of personal training. This makes small group training a viable option for participants on a budget. Here are six reasons why you should consider small group training:
1. A motivating environment “They can do it, well, so can I.” The impact of group effort is often overlooked. Deadlifts that once looked so overwhelmingly heavy, pull-ups that once seemed so impossible are seemingly less difficult and more achievable. Each participant has their own individual goals which they are trying to achieve, but trainers can also set group goals which the whole team works together to achieve. This enhances the morale of the group and encourages focus on goal achievement. Let’s face it, workouts love company; group workouts enhance the experience for all the participants.
2. Accountability While you may have planned to ditch tonight’s session, knowing that a friend is counting on you to show up to class greatly influences your decision to make the effort. Accountability is a vital component
to longer-term exercise programme success. Accountability enhances commitment, and commitment to the programme is what produces results.
3. A supportive environment There’s a quote that reads, “Encourage, lift and strengthen one another. For the positive energy spread to one
will be felt by us all.” As a small group training coach I’ve seen the power of support within group training. What is also interesting about group training is its ability to produce supportive relationships outside of the exercise group. As relationships develop within the group, participants will begin to share their fitness journey, what form of training has worked for them, recipes,
“Group training provides a level of camaraderie that produces lifetime of positive ripple effects.”
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participants find that small group training fits into their budgets better while still giving them the amount of attention they need.
6. Variety and fun The right workout program done with friends can be fun. Because each participant has a different background, injury history and strength capacities, a well-trained fitness professional leading the group will design dynamic programmes to appropriately address individual needs of the participants. This means that you will be exposed to more exercises at the beginner, intermediate, advanced or modified level. You will be able to see progression by other team members which will inspire you to progress. Your workouts will change and evolve as you progress, which will in turn prevent plateaus and/ or boredom. As a small group coach, one of the most rewarding experiences has been observing the relationships that have developed through small group coaching. Not just between participants and myself, but also the relationships and camaraderie between group members. Before you know it, your training group becomes your team, your support group and then your extended family. If you are lucky enough to find the right group and the right coach, it can be a very enriching experience. As always, get fit, get healthy, grab a friend and stay active!
and even recovery tips. Group training provides a level of camaraderie that produces lifetime of positive ripple effects. The trainer and group participants are there to help you get through the exercises and other challenges in life.
4. Healthy competition and challenges Everyone on the team has their strengths. When you know what your strengths are, you want them to shine. You may see the person next to you complete 20 pushups and you’ve decided that you are going to push yourself today and complete 25. While fundamentally our focus should be on striving to be better and stronger than we were yesterday, healthy competition adds an element of challenge to the workout. Having a good challenge produces programme adherence, keeps the workout interesting and helps prevent participants plateauing.
5. Guided exercise training, but at a fraction of the cost While personal training provides the most personal attention and the greatest opportunity for success, some
Personal training in a small group can produce better exercise results and offer other real life benefits.
• Regina Smith is a certified personal trainer by the National Academy of Sports Medicine. She can be reached for personal training and consultations at regina.tonia.smith@ gmail.com. Follow her on instagram: ginag_cpt or her fitness tips and tweets on Twitter @ginagcpt.
20| The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, November 4, 2016
culture
Artists enjoy exposure at BNT festival By ALESHA CADET Tribune Features Writer acadet@tribunemedia.net
D
ESPITE a few rain showers throughout the day, Bahamians still came out to support the 26th annual Wine and Art Festival in great numbers last Saturday. Held at the Bahamas National Trust grounds on Village Road, the festival featured wine from Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Argentina, Chile, Italy, France and the United States; a special culinary demonstration by Chef Owen Bain of Cassava Grille, and a range of international dishes and live music. But as with every year, the highlight of the event was once again the diverse collection of Bahamian art on display. Raquel Rolle, administrative assistant at the BNT, said art enthusiasts are always very interested in purchasing pieces to showcase in their homes for the holidays, especially those living abroad who want to take a little bit of the Bahamas with them. “We have people that plan for this every year. They come with their pocket books and they are ready to buy. It is really good for the artists. The proceeds that we get from the gate and the registration with the artists we use to go back into maintaining the park systems here in the Bahamas,” said Ms Rolle. One of this year’s participating vendors, Imogene Walkine, said Bahamian talent is rich and varied, and it is great to have an opportunity like the festival to better acquaint the public with the work of local artists. “I have ceramic platters on display, some are decorative and wall-hung. Today I hope people will also be aware of the ceramic art form because it is not as popular as painting. I think that people will come to appreciate it more and be excited about its possibilities,” said Imogene. Just aside Imogene’s booth were artists Tia Sawyer and Mecko Gibson displaying some of their best drawings and paintings. “My artwork is lively. You see people walk around every day and you see these faces all the time, and you’re like, ‘I wonder what that story is.’ So for me I just take ideas and features and put
Friday, November 4, 2016
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PHOTOS/SHAWN HANNA
them together and dress and accessorise them, making them really fun. I like fashion as well so I try to design it as much as possible because I believe in designing every aspect of your life,” said Tia. Meanwhile Mecko’s art is geared more towards social issues; topics such as poverty, hurricanes, breast-feeding in public and everyday situations people have to face. Travelling from Grand Bahama and participating for the first time was fine artist Leo Devillers. Stepping into her pathway booth was like stepping into a world of blue. “Blue is my favourite colour, so there are a lot of blues visible here,” he said. “I love contrast and textures and I love painting water. Today I am showing soft pastels and acrylic paintings, mostly about my experience around the Bahamas and island-hopping,” she told Tribune Weekend. Leo said she visited the festival last year with a friend and fell in love with the atmosphere. “It is important to take part in these festivals to just make connections, because there are a lot of people that do not know we are here, and it is just so therapeutic. People buy art from stores abroad, but we have all Bahamian created things here so it is important to chouse your things from here,” she said. Like Leo, Native Son Woodworking representative Diana Roberts said events like the Wine and Art Festival are important to support local artists and keep the money at home. “My husband, Craig Roberts, does all kinds of woodwork from wood that has fallen as a result of tree trimming or natural disasters. He creates anything from bed posts, bedroom sets, bars, cutting boards and more,” said Mrs Roberts. “Today we have lamps, bar stools, signs and salad bowls. The business has grown so much where it is hard for us to keep up with the demand. Nothing is done with machines, most of it is done by hand, and we don’t want to get too big because we like to keep it personal and low-key. This is our fourth year at the festival, and after the hurricane my husband is completely worn out but we figured that we should still come and make our showing as we have been doing.” This year’s Wine and Art Festival was held in collaboration with the BNT and the National Art Gallery of the Bahamas. Major sponsors included the Ministry of Tourism, Scotiabank, JetBlue, Bahamas Waste and Bristol Wines & Spirits.
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Friday, November 4, 2016
literary lives rudyard kipling
An imperious Imperialist story teller
“Kipling does not write from the dominant viewpoint of a white man describing a colonial possession, but from the perspective of a massive colonial system whose economy, functioning and history have acquired its status almost as a fact of nature.”
Sir Christopher Ondaatje remembers the English novelist and poet best known for his stories set in India during the period of British rule
R
udyard Kipling was born in Bombay in 1865. His father, Lockwood Kipling, was a sculptor and the principal of the Sir Jamsetjee School of Art in Bombay. During his early years, Rudyard spoke Hindustani as his first language and had to be reminded by the servants to speak only English when with his parents. When he was five, he was sent to England with his three-year-old sister to be boarded with foster parents in Southsea, Portsmouth. There he
endured six terrible years of bullying and abuse, followed by four years at the United Services College in Devon. Lacking the academic ability to get a scholarship to Oxford, his father found the young Kipling an editorial job on the small local newspaper, The Civil and Military Gazette in Lahore, and he returned to India in 1882. He immediately felt at home in the sights and smells of the East. His unhappy years in England were forgotten although he later suggested that his harsh childhood taught him to survive and invent stories. He fell in love with journalism and
never again did anything other than writing for a living. His editor worked him hard but he revelled in his duties. He also visited the hill station Simla where the Viceroy of India spent six months of every year evading the heat of the low country. Kipling wrote 39 stories for the Gazette between November, 1886, and June, 1887. Most of these later appeared in “Plain Tales from the Hills”, his first prose collection, published in Calcutta in 1888, a month after his 22nd birthday. In November, 1887, he was transferred to the paper’s sister paper, The
Pioneer in Allahabad, where he worked as assistant editor from 1888 to 1889. In 1888, he published six collections of short stories, as well as contributing many sketches to The Pioneer. But in 1889 he was discharged after a controversial editorial dispute. Selling the rights to all his books for £250, and with six months’ termination salary, Kipling decided to make his way to London, then the literary centre of the world, via Rangoon, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan and San Francisco. He crossed the United States, continuing to contribute some articles to The Pioneer. He met Mark Twain, from whom he received the literary advice: “Get your facts first, and then you can distort ’em as much as you please.” His boat docked in England in October, 1889. Kipling received an enthusiastic
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The Kipling Bungalow in Mumbai, India, where the author was born in 1865. The home has since been rebuilt and restored, and today is part of the Sir JJ School of Art. reception in London and was hailed as the young literary genius from India. He had several articles published in magazines and a novel “The Light that Failed”, following which he had a nervous breakdown and, on the advice of his doctor, embarked on another sea voyage, visiting South Africa, Australia and New Zealand and, briefly, India. He also proposed marriage to Caroline “Carrie” Balestier – the sister of an American literary agent – and was accepted. They were married in London in 1892. Henry James gave the bride away. Kipling and his wife travelled to Brattleboro, Vermont, in the United States, and then on to Japan where they discovered that their bank, The New Oriental Banking Corporation, had failed. With this heartbreaking news they returned to Vermont and rented a small farm near Brattleboro for $10 a month. By this time Carrie was pregnant with their first child. With limited resources they furnished their house very simply, calling it “Bliss Cottage”. Their first daughter, Josephine, was
“India was the greatest, the most durable, and profitable of all British colonial possessions. From the time the first British expedition arrived there in 1608, until the last British Viceroy departed in 1947, India acquired an increasingly massive and influential role in British life, in commerce and trade, in industry, politics, ideology, war, and by the middle of the eighteenth century, in culture and the life of the imagination.” - Edward W Said, 1987
born on December 29, 1892. It was here in “Bliss Cottage” that Kipling wrote the two Jungle Books but the small house soon became too crowded and the Kiplings bought 10 acres of land on a rocky hillside overlooking the Connecticut River. They called the house “Naulakha” after the Naulakha Pavilion in Lahore Fort. Although Kipling had left India in 1889, never to live there again for any length of time, he lived on his memories. Seclusion in Vermont inspired his writing, and in four years he produced, in addition to the Jungle Books, a collection of short stories, a novel “Captains Courageous”, and a profusion of poetry including the volume “The Seven Seas”. The collection of “Barrack-Room Ballads” was published in 1892 and contained his poems “Mandalay” and “Gunga Din”. Kipling thrived on the outdoor life in Vermont. In February, 1896, Elsie Kipling was born, the couple’s second daughter. Unfortunately anti-British sentiment, and a family dispute with Carrie’s alcoholic brother, made life uncomfortable for the Kiplings and they left their beloved Vermont and returned to England in July, 1896. By September they had settled in a house in Torquay, Devon. Kipling by this time was a relatively famous man and their first son, John, was born in August, 1897. Although not entirely happy with life in Devon, Kipling’s writing was both inventive and productive. ‘Stalky & Co’, a collection of short stories based on his life at The United Services College, was published. Restless, the Kiplings moved from Torquay to Rottingdean in East Sussex, and then moved three more times before finding “Batemans”, a 1634 English mill house in which he lived until he died in 1936. Sadly, on a visit to the United States, both Kipling and his daughter Josephine caught pneumonia, from which she eventually died. Kipling barely survived himself. After this, Kipling retreated back into his writing and in the wake of his daughter’s death, collected material for what would eventually become the ‘Just So Stories for Little Children’. That work was published in 1902, the year after ‘Kim’. Although Kipling started work on ‘Kim’ in 1892 it was not published until 1901, when the story was serialised in McClure’s Magazine in the United States, and Cassell’s Magazine in England. The first book edition was
Continued on page 24
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Continued from page 23 published by Doubleday, Page & Co in New York and by Macmillan in England later that same year. ‘Kim’ is Kipling’s topical masterpiece, and its enchantment lies in the way he tells the boy’s double story as a spy in the “Great Game” (the political conflict between Russia and Great Britain in Central Asia) and as the disciple of an aged Tibetan Buddhist Lama searching for salvation. The story is told through an extraordinarily varied landscape evoking the people, culture and religions of India. Kimball O’Hara (Kim) is the orphaned son of an Irish soldier and Irish mother who have both died in poverty. Scavenging a vagabond existence in India under British Rule in the late 19th century, Kim survives by begging and running small errands. He is barely recognisable as a white child, being so untamed and sunburned. He finds casual work with a Pashtun horse trader, Mahbub Ali, who is employed by the British Secret Service, and who recruits Kim to carry a message to the Head of the British Intelligence outside the province. Throughout the novel Kipling maintains his conservative Imperialist attitude and his Indian characters typify the legitimacy of British Rule. Kipling does not write from the dominant viewpoint of a white man describing a colonial possession, but from the perspective of a massive colonial system whose economy, functioning and history have acquired its status almost as a fact of nature. ‘Kim’ was written at a particular time in the changing relationship between the British and the Indian people. The Congress Party had already been established in 1880, and important changes in attitude had occurred as a result of the 1857 Mutiny. The British and the Indians had thus evolved together and the complexity of Kim illuminates part of that history. ‘Kim’ is overwhelmingly a male story with two charismatic characters: a boy who grows into early manhood, and an old ascetic priest. There are few women in the novel, and those that are are somehow debased: prostitutes, elderly widows or lusty women like the “Woman of Shamlegh”. It is a book that works at three contrasting levels: it is a fictionalised account of Kipling’s childhood; a drama of a boy involved in the trials
Rudyard Kipling in his study at “Naulakha”, his home in Vermont named after the Naulakha Pavilion in Lahore Fort.
The cover of “The Jungle Book” first edition, 1894.
In 1998, the Modern Library ranked Kim No 78 on its list of the 100 best English-language novels of the 20th century.
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Forgotten facts Paul C Aranha of the “Great Game”; and an adventure story involving a mystical and religious voyage of discovery. Kim’s trip with the Lama along the Grand Trunk Road is the first part of the great adventure story. While making this journey Kim is identified by his late father’s regimental chaplain by the Masonic emblem which he wears around his neck. Forcibly separated from the Lama he is sent to a good school financed by the Lama. After three years of schooling Kim is given a government appointment to begin his role in the “Great Game”, but before this happens he makes another long trip to the Himalayas with the Lama where the espionage and religious threads of the story collide. In an intriguing chapter Kim obtains maps and important papers from the Russians, who are working to undermine British control of the region. Kim delivers these to his employer and at story’s end the reader is left to decide on Kim’s future. The artistic triumph of Kipling’s novel is that there is no resolution either to the story or the political conflict. Indeed Kipling considered India to be unhappily subservient to Imperialism, but that it was India’s best destiny to be ruled by England. ‘Kim’ is a master work of Imperialism by an author at the peak of his literary powers. Although controversial today, the story is not a political tract. Kipling’s choice of the novel form to express himself and to engage with an India that he loved but could never properly be part of is its powerful central strand. It is a document of historical moment and a signpost along the turbulent road to August 15, 1947, Partition, and an Independence from which there was no return. ‘Kim’ was completed in Sussex, where Kipling lived until his death in 1936. It won him great fame and a large following. In 1907, he won the Nobel Prize for Literature, the first English language recipient. After the First World War, during which his son John was killed, Kipling’s vision darkened. His bleak visionary stories of England and its future, coupled with his eccentric animal and quasi-theological tales, influenced his reputation. When he died he was accorded the honours reserved by Britain for its greatest writers. Buried in Westminster Abbey, he has remained an institution in English Letters - respected and canonised but also imperceptibly contentious. NEXT WEEK: The troubled Bronte overshadowed by his famous sisters • Sir Christopher Ondaatje is an adventurer and writer resident in the Bahamas. A Sri Lankan-born Canadian-Englishman, he is the author of several books, including “The Last Colonial”. He acknowledges that he has quoted liberally from Edward Said’s 1987 Introduction to Kim.
How Oakes Field landed its name
A
ccording to the Anglican priest at Bimini, the first airplane to come to the Bahamas landed in the sea there, on May 5, 1918. By 1929, Pan American Airways (PanAm, to those who remember) was operating scheduled flights between Miami and Nassau, using seaplanes and amphibians that landed in Nassau Harbour and docked at Pan American’s headquarters on Mathew Avenue, opposite the Eastern Parade. The building is still standing, but looking unloved and neglected, a part of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force base. In January, 1939, the British Government started to build the first land airport in the Bahamas, on a site about three miles south of the city of Nassau. After the first runway was built, the unfinished airfield was sold to Sir Harry Oakes on the understanding that he would complete the aerodrome and operate it solely for flying purposes, hence the name Oakes Field. Recently, when I sent someone to the office of Dupuch Publications, I said that it was located behind the Oakes Monument. I had to explain how to find the monument and why Sir Harry Oakes deserved one. The young man was surprised to hear that Oakes Field had been an airport. In fact, several other young Bahamians did not know that Oakes Field had been an airport and none of them knew who Sir Harry Oakes was, though a few did recognise the name. After the first runway had been completed, Captain Charlie Collar, flying the Bahamas Airways Douglas Dolphin amphibian, made the first landing on the new airfield. That was November 27, 1939, and his passengers were Harold Christie, Sidney Farrington, Aubrey Bethel, Sir Harry Oakes and Walter Foskett (Sir Harry’s lawyer). The following month Sir Harry bought the airfield from the Crown and, on December 13, Oakes Field was officially opened. The Mayor of Miami Springs
Ready for takeoff: the announcement of the plan to build the first land airport in the Bahamas from The Nassau Guardian, April 22, 1939. was the first dignitary to land on opening day, in a four-seater WACO, piloted by A C Wilson. Once there was a land airport, Pan American stopped their seaplanes into Nassau Harbour and, on June 2, 1941, made the first scheduled flight into Oakes Field, bringing 21 passengers on a DC-3A, including Jack Bills, of The Miami Herald, who suggested two improvements to encourage would-be visitors to use the new service. He compared the smoothness of the flight with the roughness of Nassau’s roads, the only means of getting to and from the new field. His taxi hit every bump and rock on the unpaved surface and he longed for the safety belts of the DC-3. He recommended taking a good look at Immigration and
Customs, which were tiresomely slow, taking all of 60 minutes ... while the flight had lasted only 70 minutes. On July 7, 1943, while the Duke of Windsor was Governor of the Bahamas, Sir Harry was murdered at his waterfront home and, before leaving the colony, the Duke appointed a committee to consider a memorial to the man who had been, arguably, its greatest benefactor. In 1958, in the presence of Lady Oakes, Miss Shirley Oakes, Mr Pitt Oakes and Mr Harry Oakes, Jr, surrounded by a host of admirers, Governor Sir William Murphy unveiled the Oakes Monument, built by Mr W V Eneas. • islandairman@gmail.com
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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.
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31
Yesterday’s Easy Solution
Down 1 Local tea place, Across: 1 Pitch, 4 Symptom, perhaps (8) 8 Own, 9 Biography, 10 Prattle, 2 See 12 Across 11 Cower, 13 Ruined, 15 Health, 18 Steer, 19 Inertia, 21 Ill at ease, 3 Amy’s out to get 23 Mow, 24 Fleeced, 25 Today. things to eat (4) Down: 1 Prosper, 2 Tantalise, 5 Act passionately, though 3 Habit, 4 Shower, 5 Miracle, dangerously (4,4,4) 6 Tip, 7 Mayor, 12 Well-timed, 6 Admits being in 14 Erratic, 16 Headway, possession (4) 17 Wizard, 18 Stiff, 20 Exert, 7 Fixed form 22 Lee. of denial (6) 8 Observe present and past in child’s play (6) 11 Nothing is gained when advances Yesterday’s Cryptic Solution are made thus (8-4) 15 Deck that is trouble to the Across: 1 Solve, 4 Bedroom, Royal Navy (5) 8 Lob, 9 Easy money, 10 Classic, 16 Stick one’s neck 11 Riser, 13 Naiads, 15 Stared, out (5) 18 Tenon, 19 Ingrate, 21 Electrify, 18 Suggestive of 23 Ice, 24 Strides, 25 Degas. financial aid Down: 1 Silicon, 2 Librarian, in rent (8) 3 Evens, 4 Bisect, 5 Demerit, 6 Own, 7 Mayor, 12 Streaming, 19 Married in the old14 Denoted, 16 Deepens, fashioned way (8) 17 Lilies, 18 Tress, 20 Guyed, 21 Enters the office 22 Ear. uninvited? (6) 22 Killing the upsurge of revolutionary spirit (6) 26 Hold up the post somehow (4) 27 I object to an average standard (4) Down Across 1 Neighbourhood 1 Lethal (6) (8) 4 Sudden 6 7 8 2 Self-government far-reaching (8) change (8) 3 Lie in ambush (4) 9 Large US rocket (6) 5 Take unnecessary risks (4,4,4) 10 A horse-drawn vehicle (8) 6 Deserve (4) 14 12 Status (4) 7 Practicable (6) 13 Symbol of 8 Loss of 16 kingship (5) progress (6) 14 Answer to 11 Thought out in indictment (4) advance (12) 18 19 17 An added 15 Audibly (5) difficulty (12) 16 Fine variety of 20 Manner of coffee (5) expression (4,2,6) 18 Declare to 23 Sarcastic (4) be a saint (8) 25 24 Cheerful (5) 19 Rashly intent (8) 25 Thwart (4) 27 21 Tactless (6) 28 To engineer (8) 22 Informal open-air 29 Having meal (6) an end (6) 26 A rigid 30 Wild adventure (8) support (4) 31 Turn upside 27 Indication (4) down (6)
EASY PUZZLE
you turn the pageeach upsid extr Yesterday’s HOW many words of four letters Yesterday’s Sudoku Answer Kakuro Answer Fu down. Solution tomorro or more can you make fromCallthe 0907 181 2585 for 0907 letters shown here? In makingtoday’s a Target solution Yesterday’s solutio *Calls c *Calls cost 80p per minute plus your your telephone company’s word, each letter may be used plusnetwork Black squares: 8, 9 netwo access charge. once only. Each must contain the 15, 17, 18, 19, 23, 25, centre letter and there must *SP: be Spokeat – Helpline29, 033333, 20238, 339040. PLAY Across: Pulls, Ahea least one nine-letter word. No Itchy, Doubles, Anal plurals or verb forms ending in “s”.
TODAY’S TARGET Good 15; very good 22; excellent 29 (or more). Solution tomorrow. YESTERDAY’S SOLUTION beck beckon BECKONING bonce coin coke coking cone coning conk conking gecko genic icon neck necking nice nick nock nocking nonce once
Awl, Bug, Squeeze, Futures, Major, Wors Civic. Down: Maxilla, Upon Specialist, Ploy, Assorted, Used, You Suck, Baguette, Mov Lumberjack, Gave, Glorify.
Extra letter clue
0907 181 256
(Deduct three minutes each extra clue letter he
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
Full solution
0907 181 255
*Calls cost 80p per min plus your telephone comp network access charg
PLAY MORE C
The Tribune | Weekend |27
Friday, November 4, 2016
animals Animal matters Kim Aranha
Sprightly Susan By The Bahamas Humane Society
Holidays and fireworks are upon us!
PET OF THE WEEK
PHOTO BY LINDA GILL-ARANHA
F
inally the weather is getting cooler, which is a nice change and is especially good for those poor people (and their pets) who still have no electricity after Hurricane Matthew. I know that my dogs love to be in the air-conditioning or to lie in front of the fans (or under the ceiling fan). Cool tiles come in handy in the heat, too. This cool weather heralds the arrival of the holiday season. We have just had Halloween, with little witches, ninjas and Hillary/Trump masks galore. And a few firecrackers in my neighbourhood, but nothing too exaggerated. However, the next day of celebration coming up is Guy Fawkes Day, and we all know that is a very big fireworks event, especially in the eastern end of New Providence. Oh my, I can already imagine the posts on Facebook of people looking for their pets who got spooked by the noise of the fireworks and ran off into the night in total and utter terror. We can scarce afford to have any more dogs (and if the truth be told, cats too), running away from their homes. The downed fences, broken walls and badly damaged gates due to Hurricane Matthew have contributed to a huge population of “found” dogs at the Bahamas Humane Society shelter. There are big and small dogs, young and old, all sitting in our shelter waiting for their owners to come and pick them up. Actually, where are those owners? If they had owners before the storm and are wearing a collar, are well fed and cared for, it makes you think somebody out there must have cared at some time? So we are about to have the “perfect storm” in animal abandonment, or loss,
S
This holiday season, make sure to secure your pets before the fireworks start. or surrender, or just don’t care. Guy Fawkes then feeds into Thanksgiving, and even though Thanksgiving is supposed to be all about family – and aren’t those pets supposed to be part of your family – there are still people who feel the need to set off fireworks. Once Thanksgiving is safely behind us, we enter the Christmas season – funny lights, loud carolling, fireworks and lots of change and disruption for pets.
ix-month-old Susan was very sick and somewhat mangy when she first arrived at the Bahamas Humane Society. It was touch-and-go for a while, but Susan rallied. Now, with loving care and medical attention, she has become a quiet, loving dog who is friendly with both humans and dogs alike. In fact, it was difficult to separate her from her kennelmates for the photo. Susan also has a playful side to her which she looks forward to showing her new owners. Do you have a place in your heart
More animals will go missing because their owners are just not going to be careful enough. If you own a pet and you know there will be lots of fireworks, and you, quite naturally, want to be part of the fun, then please do not leave Fido in the yard. Those big bangs will freak him out, he will bolt in panic – up, over, through, under, you name it. So settle Fido in your garage or wash house. Make sure he has a comfy, safe space. Make sure the door is secure and then go out. You will enjoy your evening more because
for Susan? If so, please come in to the BHS to meet her, or call 323-5138 for more information. Adoption hours are 11am to 4pm, Monday to Friday, and from 10am to 4pm on Saturday. Susan looks forward to meeting you! • BHS 2016 raffle tickets are now available at the shelter. Tickets are $2 each or a book of 54 for $100. The grand prize is $10,000 worth of groceries from SuperValue. The draw will take place on December 30 at the Mall at Marathon. you will not have need to worry, and your dog will be very grateful for the consideration you have shown him. Just stop and think for a minute: you know what those big bright bangs in the sky are, and those weird, popping, noises too, but does your dog? Who knows what he is thinking. He is probably convinced that the world is coming to an end and is more than terrified. His fear is well justified. Let’s face it, there are lots of small children who are afraid of fireworks, so why shouldn’t your pets be scared as well?
28| The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, November 4, 2016
gardening
Herbs Be it pepper, thyme or basil – Jack Hardy highlights the importance of herbs to our traditional Bahamian cuisine and to some of our most popular adopted dishes.
I
t is almost unthinkable to grow a vegetable garden without also having herbs to flavour our produce. That said, it is usually dishes including fish and meats that benefit most from the addition of herbs. The national cuisines of the world have their own sets of herbs and spices, and the Bahamas is no exception. Try cooking Bahamian meals for a week without using black pepper, thyme, hot pepper and lime juice. Thyme is definitely the favourite herb of the islands and fresh is much preferred over dried. Old dried thyme has the smell of the crypt about it while fresh is spring-like and subtle. We Bahamians do not mind picking thyme stalks from our peas and rice because it shows we have the real thing. Every yard should have several thyme plants available for the chef of the house because nothing beats fresh. I have often said that the only information on a seed package that is
Thymus serpyllum
Flowering Breckland thyme, also known as creeping thyme. relevant to growing vegetables in the Bahamas is the depth of planting. Our maritime sub-tropical conditions are very different from any planting zone in the US with the possible exception of Florida close to Key West. Depth of planting is vitally important for thyme seeds because they need light ion order to germinate and are best sprinkled on the surface of the soil in flats and then watered. Apply water using a mist spray every day until the seedlings are rooted and established, then transplant to the herb garden or a container. You will need to demonstrate self-control in the early days because you should not cut or pick any thyme branches until the main stems have developed brown bark and look woody. The advice from old timers is to clip the thyme stalks you need from the outside portion of the plant, not the middle. Thyme needs only a short while to impart its flavour so in soups and stews it can be added 15 to 20 minutes from the end of cooking. Throw in whole branches and when the meal is cooked you can remove the stalks, which by this time will have cast their leaves. One of the most used herbs in Europe and North America is parsley, probably because it is a universal garnish and more gets left on a plate than ever seasons a pot. The stronger straight-leaf Italian parsley is most used in cooking while the milder curly-
leaf varieties are used for garnishing. But if your recipe calls for a finishing sprinkle of chopped parsley, by all means use curly parsley. It is made for chopping while Italian parsley is awkward to deal with. As for thyme, throw whole stalks into soups and stews. They impart their flavour but remain whole, easy to fish out before serving. In the old days we were advised to tie herbs and bay leaves together with string or cotton thread into a “bouquet garni”, but that practice has become rather quaint. Parsley gives a background depth of flavour to soups and stews yet becomes quite strong and flavoursome when chopped and added to a béchamel sauce. Parsley is easily grown and reaches the usable stage quite quickly. Plant parsley around your rose bushes. The love affair between the two is intense and each seems to benefit from the presence of the other. The popularity of Mediterranean dishes has led to basil becoming one of our most used culinary herbs. I do not have to give you instructions on how to grow basil because it has all the qualities of a weed. Open a packet and throw the seeds here and there; they’ll grow. When the plants reach the flowering stage it is wise to pick off the stalks before seeds form as this will lengthen the leaf harvesting season. When the leaves start to grow back
smaller it is time to let the plant run to seed. In short order you will have a miniature forest of basil plants. The glory of basil is pesto. If are thinking of eating spaghetti for supper tonight, make some pesto this morning and let it sit at room temperature until supper time. I have been told that real Italian pesto absolutely must be made in a mortar and ground with a pestle. I tried that once and gave up after about half an hour and dumped my makings into a food processer. Two seconds after adding the virgin olive oil my pesto was made. One tip I would recommend: always lightly roast the pine nuts in a dry (preferably cast iron) pan before adding to the mix. That does highlight the flavour. If you are into Mexican food you will need to grow fresh cilantro. The herb has a very short life, often less than two weeks before it bolts and becomes inedible except for the coriander seeds that are produced after flowering. If you really need cilantro on a regular basis you will have to sow the seeds every two weeks. If you only use cilantro now and then I would recommend making a modified pesto with the leaves (and a food processer) and omit the pine nuts. Make a lot and freeze the concoction in usable quantities. A quick light meal? Bahamians often turn to pizza these days. Blessed are they that can turn out good pizza dough and bake their own...thin crust please. No pizza sauce? Mix tomato paste with a little water and add some herbs. Among the herbs must be oregano for it is oregano that gives that unique pizza smell. You will find, however, that the artisanal pizza makers of Napoli do not use fresh oregano but dried. Some green leaves may be scattered on top of the pizza but the required intensity of flavour demands the use of dried herbs. If you are a gifted pizza maker (extra anchovies please) then tie oregano stalks with twine and hang them where they receive a breeze but no direct sun. Look for Greek varieties of oregano if you want a strong taste. If you use green leaves for egg dishes and “fine herbes”, I suggest you grow marjoram, similar but not as coarse in flavour as oregano. Be careful not to overwater oregano and marjoram if you grow the plants in containers.
• For comments and questions, e-mail j.hardy@coralwave.com