Sunday Magazine - Sunday, February 10, 2019

February 10, 2019

TIMES BOLLYWOOD:

Ranveer Singh to train with Kapil Dev for Kabir Khan’s 83 Page 14

FREE DISTRIBUTION

2 Sunday Times Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

FEBRUARY 10, 2019

The History of Soca Music

S

oca, the Trinidadian popular music, developed in the 1970s and is closely related to Calypso. Used for dancing at Carnival and at fetes, Soca emphasises rhythmic energy and studio production — including synthesised sounds and electronically mixed ensemble effects — over storytelling, a quality more typical of Calypso songs, which are performed for seated audiences.

The term Soca (initially spelled Sokah) was coined in the 1970s by Trinidadian musician Lord Shorty (Garfield Blackman), who sang Calypso, a type of Afro-Trinidadian music characterised by storytelling and verbal wit. According to Lord Shorty, Lord Kitchener the new music was meant to be a fusion of Calypso with East Indian music, a reflection of Trinidad’s two dominant ethnic groups. Others, however, have explained the term Soca as a contraction of "Soul Calypso", emphasising the music’s connection to African American and Timeka Trinidadian traditions.

Marshall Although Soca is sometimes considered to be a subgenre of Calypso — owing to the historical relation between the musical styles and their common Adrian association with Carnival — the two Dutchin traditions differ in a number of notable respects. In practical terms, Soca functions primarily as music for participatory singing and Carnival dancing, while Calypso is more closely linked with performances for seated audiences in “tents”.

Indeed, the genre names Calypso and Soca formalise a distinction between tent and road (where Carnival dancers parade) that dates back to the 1910s, when dholak drum. Lord Shorty’s "Endless singers first began to perform for paying Vibrations" album in 1974, by contrast, audiences during the weeks leading up to clearly drew on Soul (or Rhythm-andBlues) music from the United States.

Carnival.

Lord Shorty’s 1973 song “Indrani” was By 1978, when the veteran calypone of the first songs to generate com- sonian Lord Kitchener (Aldwyn ments about the new genre of Soca, com- Roberts) jumped into the new genre ments that focused not just on musical with "Sugar Bum Bum", it was clear style but also on the portrayal in song that Soca was neither a one-man style of an interracial love. “Indrani” used nor a passing fad.

Soca’s innovations, while on one levIndian-sounding melodies, Hindi words, and Indian instruments, including the el an expression of Trinidadian modernity, were on another level a response to the

Allisom Hinds

internationArrow al success of reggae in the 1970s. Given Soca’s international orientation, it is not surprising that non-Trinidadian singers also became involved with the music. In 1983, singer Arrow (Alphonsus Cassell), from Montserrat Island in the Lesser Antilles, had a big Soca hit with the song “Hot Hot Hot”, even though as a foreigner he was not eligible to compete in Trinidad’s Carnival competitions. In the 1990s, singer Alison Hinds, from Barbados, and her band Square One rose to international Soca stardom, and they remained perennial performers at Carnival in Trinidad until they broke up in 2004.

Also in the 1990s, Trinidadian artiste Super Blue (Austin Lyons) sang the most popular road march (song for Carnival dancing in the streets) three years in a row, beginning with “Get Something and Wave” in 1991. With this song, Super Blue established a new model for Carnival music that featured a faster tempo, energetic rhythmic vocalisations, and lyrics that gave instructions to the dancers, such as “get something and wave”, “jump up”, “break away”, and “hands in the air”. Such lyrics came to constitute one of the most obvious differences between Calypso and Soca. Calypso songs for the tent privilege wordplay and message over danceability, and they have narrative in which a story unfolds across several verses. By con-

Big Red

Machel Montano

Lord Shorty

trast, S o c a songs are as important for their rhythmic drive, excitement, and physical impulse as they are for their meaning; moreover, they are usually built in short phrases, often presented in call-and-response form.

Soca has since its inception displayed an exceptional openness to stylistic innovation. This openness has been reflected in such hybrids as Chutney Soca (Chutney being an Indo-Trinidadian popular music) and Ragga Soca (Soca fused with the Jamaican style of Dancehall), which developed in the 1990s. Mainstream Soca artistes such as Machel Montano have also innovated aggressively, especially in their studio production, which has boosted the studio recording industry in Trinidad.

Some Soca musicians and fans have hoped that Soca’s incorporation of new ideas and styles would help Trinidadian music reach international markets in the way that Jamaican Reggae had done.

In Guyana, Soca music is one of the most popular genres and has widereaching influence on the kind of music made by local artistes. Every year, for Mashramani, the local music scene is flooded with new Soca music by the artistes as they compete for various prizes. Consistent among them are the likes of Adrian Dutchin, Jomo Primo, Big Red, Vanilla, Brandon Harding, and Ernesta Nelson. (Britannica)

guyanatimesgy.com

FEBRUARY 10, 2019

Sunday Times Magazine

3

Soca Artist

hen we think about Soca music in Guyana, we are immediately transported to the festivities around Mashramani time with the hosting of the Soca Monarch competition and when we think about local female Soca artistes, one name immediately comes to mind.

If you say Melissa Roberts, very few may recognise who

run with the boys. She would escape into the back dam and pick coconuts. You would find her swimming in the trenches until her skin colour changed, eyes became bloodshot and like every little child she had the remedy to conceal her supposed rule breaking. Sh and her friends would find the right kind of ‘bush’ to try and hide their wrongdoings.

To this day, she cherishes those memories.

the music scene in 2005, Vanilla has been a constant in every aspect. She is quite often referred to as the Road March Queen since she has copped the title more than any other female artiste.

For Mashramani 2007, she recorded the song "Queen of the Band", which won the Road March competition beating the reigning Soca Monarch that year and 30 others. This was a significant achievement since that

we are talking about, but just whisper Vanilla and there is a frenzy.

Very few people can be immediately recognised by just one name so that in itself is an accomplishment for Vanilla. Quite often the word vanilla is associated with boring or just ordinary, but there is nothing ordinary or boring about Vanilla when she hits the stage.

The West Coast Berbice native was given the name Vanilla by her boyfriend a few years ago and like glue it stuck and followed her. It is a name she is now grateful for because it is associated with all her accomplishments as a multi-talented individual.

Being from the country, Vanilla was always active.

She was not the typical girl who would be at home playing with her dolls or playing dress up, rather she would

If someone asks for a single word to describe Vanilla, then without a doubt ‘multitalented’ comes to mind.

Before she ventured into singing, Vanilla had and still has a deep unexplainable connection with the drums and following her love for that she became a dancer.

An accomplished one to be exact. Additionally, she is a trained classical pianist.

“My musical style can be described as different.

Even though I sing Soca, it's always been unique.

I'm Guyanese to the marrow and because of that, my music will always be influenced by the Guyanese flavour. Of recent I have been working on a different cultural style influenced by an arranger from Belize and my Guyanese writers which seems to create a blend that people are connecting to,” she said.

Ever since she entered

was her first year in that competition. In 2009, she placed second at the annual Carib Soca Monarch competition with the song “Rude” and also regained her title as Queen of the Road.

In 2010, she once again placed second at the Soca Monarch competition and remained undefeated as the Queen of the Road, making her the only female artiste in Guyana to have won the title three times. After taking a break from the competition for a few years, she returned in 2014 and once again captured the Road March title. In 2017, her song “Mash Up De Place” ruled the road, making her queen once again.

This year, she is already burning up the local airwaves with the track "One Voice". According to her, "One Voice" was a reaction to the racial divide that our country experiences daily.

By Lakhram Bhagirat

W

Apart from singing and performing, Vanilla is also the Manager of the Kross Kolor Recording Studio.

She is also a fitness instructor and talented film maker. Over the years, she has produced more than 25 music videos. She graduated from the University of Guyana with a certificate in Television Production in 2009. In July 2011, she had written the best screenplay and graduated at the top of her class from the University of the West Indies Errol Barrow Centre for Creative Imagination in the field of Motion Picture Arts. Apart from directing and editing music videos, she became the second assistant director on a feature film and a sizzle reel filmed in Barbados titled “Sweet Bottom” and “Bajan Blue” respectively. In 2014, she became the production manager on the international film “A Bitter Lime” directed by Max De Bowen.

4

Sunday Times Magazine

FEBRUARY 10, 2019

guyanatimesgy.com

Soca Artist

By Lakhram Bhagirat

O

ne thing that is constant in our lives is that there is always going to be change and in order to be able to cope with those changes, we must learn to step out of our comfort zone. When we step out of our comfort zone, we are challenged by unfamiliar things and that is the only way we will be able to see what we can do and realise our true potential.

For Steven Ramphal, stepping out of his comfort zone is the only way he can effectively change what is going on around him and it is something he is more than willing to do. Pushing the boundaries of his abilities is what makes him exceptionally different from those around him. Whether it works in his favour or not, is a question that will be answered in time.

The 26-year-old is an exceptionally tal-

ented singer, but not only does he sing, he also has a passion for photography. He was so driven by that passion that he gave up music for some time and focused on developing his photography skills. He currently lives on the East Coast of Demerara and is considered one of the most energetic performers around.

This year, however, he is officially entering the Soca Monarch race to establish himself in that arena. At the age of seven, Steven started singing and he later began to take music classes from his uncle. He continued singing for a number of years, but only officially entered the professional singing world when he was 19. With a distinctive voice, he quickly became a favourite for those who saw him perform or listened to his music.

Eventually, he became the front man

for the most popular local band, The Shakti Strings International Band and was given a recording deal with the Shakti Strings Studio as well. Cementing his place in the local music industry was a journey Steven thoroughly enjoyed. His first hit single was “Gyul Please Go” and since then, he has been blazing the Chutney scene.

In 2017, Steven placed his music aside and picked up his long-awaited dream of being a photographer. He took that time to develop his skills and is now one of the recognised photographers on the local scene. For two years he has been out of the music industry, but it's 2019 and he is back, returning with two massive singles all recorded in

the Shakti Strings International Studio.

The two songs are his entries in the Chutney and Soca Monarch competitions as he hopes on being crowned the winner of both. The Soca track is called “Soca In Meh Vein” and the Chutney, “Rang Ke Bhare”.

“My inspiration behind the two songs is based on my strong vision for national unity, both Caribbean and country based. I want to let people know no matter what colour we are and wherever we’re from, it doesn’t matter, because, at the end of the day, we are all humans,” he said.

Steven said that this was just the beginning of great things to come and he could not wait to unleash his new music on the public.

guyanatimesgy.com

FEBRUARY 10, 2019

Sunday Times Magazine 5

Soca Artist

Ah tell dem is fete Is fete No I ain’t tired as yet I tell them is fete I bet you never wine pon a Guyanese yet Me represent me culture, any day!

Guyanese wine you can’t beat meh no day…

W

ith lyrics like that, it just goes to show that newcomer Shaima Muna is not to be taken lightly. The vibrant 21-year-old is now dipping her feet into the local music industry, but has been around music all her life. She comes from a musical family and has been singing for a number

of years.

Shaima hails from the East Bank Essequibo village of Tuschen and is proud to represent Region Three (Essequibo Islands– West Demerara) wherever she goes. Shaima explains that her love for music started taking shape as she entered into her teenage years and discovered that she had a gift that could possibly lead her to doing what she loves for the rest of her life. Not one to be categorised as shy, Shaima took up the man-

tle and started pursuing her dreams of becoming a singer.

“I grew up with my mother who is a single parent and the sole breadwinner for me and my sister Silvanny. I started loving music at the age of 13 and that is when I started to develop more interest in improving my craft. My mother was also in music and she would take me to karaoke with her and all of her band practices,” she said.

About two years ago,

Shaima first entered the studio as an artiste and ever since she has been blazing a trail. However, this is the first time she is going to be performing publicly for a Guyanese audience. Her new track for the Soca Monarch competition "Nah Tired Yet" has already been creating a buzz in the country.

She said that she is more of a Groovy Soca artiste, and the song has already earned her the title of “Goddess of Soca”. Like many in the local music in-

dustry, one of the major challenges for Shaima is the hassle of getting airtime for her music as well as sponsorship to produce more music.

For now, she is working her way on establishing her music and building her name. She hopes to be able to showcase her talent not only locally but around the world and build a following. The main intention is to show that Guyanese are multifaceted and not to be taken for granted.

6 Sunday Times Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

FEBRUARY 10, 2019

Soca Artist

By Lakhram Bhagirat

O

ne of the most popular sayings in Guyana is "better late than never", and it is used in almost every situation for different purposes. For Collis Mc Donald, or "Real Proof" as he is known, that saying is one he holds dear to his heart for the purpose of gaining strength to persevere in a challenging industry.

Collis is 40 years old and now stepping out on the music scene, the local Soca music scene to be exact, and for someone his age, it means keeping up with the current millennial trends but also staying true to himself as an artiste. The local mu-

sic industry is no joke, and for someone to make it, they have to be relevant and appeal to the masses, since most Guyanese prefer to listen to music created outside of Guyana. They do this not because they are foreignminded, but because there are very few mechanisms in place for local artistes to showcase what they are capable of.

Most radio DJs and DJs in general prefer to hype up a Jamaican or Trinidadian artiste, since their music is what draws the crowds and in the end, it hurts our local artistes because quite often, they get very little exposure. Those are just some of the challenges identified by Collis as he seeks to make

his mark on the local industry.

Collis also notes that the local music industry is plagued by low financing, poor marketing, and lack of sponsorship for artistes. Over the years, however, the situation has somewhat improved with more businesses hiring local artistes to be part of their public relations campaigns, but the road to conquering the issues remains one that is very long. Coupled with the near-literal starvation of the industry, Guyana has very little legislation in place to protect the creations of artistes.

Collis hails from Wismar, Linden and says music played a big part of his life while growing up. From his early childhood, music was there to take him through some tough situations, since life was quite often not too kind to his family. His mother was the sole breadwinner of their family and that meant that just the basic necessities were available and though content, Collis always dreamt of a life where things were much easier. He saw his mother struggling to care for the family and could not wait for the day when he would be able to alleviate

that struggle.

For him, music always served as the escape from the harshness of reality. His family was very much into music as well, so it meant that they were always singing. He first started to sing in church where he learnt all the basics of controlling his voice and belting out when necessary. It was there, in the church, that Collis discovered himself and his talent. He describes his voice as anything but ordinary.

He feels that it is the instrument that was gifted to him to leave a lasting impression on the people he comes into

contact with.

At the age of 37, Collis decided that he wanted to take this music thing to another level and started to pen his own songs and voice them. He first started to write Reggae music and perform it with fellow artistes such as First Born – a local Reggae group; Diane Stephenson; Ras Shiloh and many others. “My voice is a gift from the Almighty and that is what inspired me to get deeper into music. I just love singing, because it is one way of getting over important messages to people and

it is totally fun for me. My style is simple and laid back.

I am a very humble person, who works hard for whatever I want to have in this life.

I give respect to everyone and my music is about that,� he notes.

This year, Collis is entering the Mash Soca Monarch competition with his song "Pushback". He is hoping to conquer the top spot and make his mark. The inspiration behind his song stems from the party scene. His song can be considered instructive as he clearly outlines the moves in the lyrics.

guyanatimesgy.com

FEBRUARY 10, 2019

Sunday Times Magazine 7

Soca Artist

By Lakhram Bhagirat

H

ardship, poverty and want are the best incentives and the best foundation for the success of anyone, and for Mohan Singh no one knows as much as he does about poverty, hardship and the drive to be successful.

Mohan is not your average 22-year-old nor does he consider himself above anyone.

He is the epitome of humbleness and is forever smiling.

I personally think he even smiles when he cries.

M a n y of us may know Mohan from Facebook as the funny guy who makes videos and posts them on his page "Laugh Till Yuh Kaka Rup". His ability to create unique videos while capturing his viewers is what makes him the best at that, and he has even unintentionally influenced a number of other creators since his style of video dominate the local comedy pages now.

However, behind the funny man is a whole story that makes people question how after facing so much, he could spread so much joy without so much as a hint of anything that went on in his life. At first, based on the way he presented himself on social media I too thought that Mohan had it all together in his life, because there were no signs of the fact that he experienced extreme poverty, was forced to drop out of school, and started working from a young age.

Growing up for Mohan was like fighting a battle every day.

His father left when he was five months old, leaving him in the care of his mother.

Mohan attended the Saraswat P r i m a r y School at De Willem on the West Coast of Demerara and for him, it was an uphill battle. Many days he went to school on an empty stomach and came home half day, since there was nothing to sustain him while he attended classes. Additionally, he had to come home to take care of his baby sister while their mother went to work.

All this while dealing with earlier trauma: When he was two years old, needing his mother more than anything else, life dealt Mohan

a blow that he remembers to this day. Surviving became so hard for their family that his mother was forced to give him up and left him at an orphanage. It is an experience that he talks very little about, but vividly remembers. He says that his mother’s hands were tied, because she had no one to care for him and she needed to work because the family needed to be maintained.

However, after about seven months, his mother returned and took him out of the orphanage.

After he wrote the National Grade Six Assessment, Mohan was awarded a place at the Leonora Secondary School, but unfortunately, he was unable to attend after his mother sold everything and moved to Venezuela. He moved with her and there he spent one year before returning home. After he returned, he tried to get into Leonora Secondary to complete his education, but was refused the opportunity, after which he settled for the primary top of the Saraswat Primary School.

“I started working at that same age as a handyman/ gardener that would usually assist persons with tending to their gardens, paint as well as various other domestic work. I would usually go to school and work on the weekends. I also worked at a shop before going to school in the morning. Name any simple domestic job, and I did it, just to be able to earn myself and my family some extra money. I would usually have to wake up at 4:30 every morning to go to the store I worked at to ensure that it was cleaned and to parcel and weigh out items for sale during the day. I'd usually finish by 8 am.”

During that time he lived at Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo, and after sitting the National Grade Nine Examination, he was awarded a place at Zeeburg Secondary to complete his

secondary education. After completing classes at 3 pm daily, Mohan would go back to work until around 10 pm just to ensure that the family was provided for.

“It was especially hard knowing that it was six of us siblings and just our mother taking care of us. I'm the second of the six, so I took up the responsibility of looking after the others. Even though we had a step-father, he was not supportive. At points, I even worked hand in hand with her (my mother), cleaning the school (Saraswat Primary) and taking care of about 180 dogs belonging to a lady in the neighbourhood.

“I stopped after a while because I was beginning to get sick. I had developed a fungal infection on my feet.

I managed to go to school up to Grade Nine, but I had to

drop out because I couldn't afford it any longer. I managed to go to the Technical Institute in Leonora, on the other hand, where I was able to receive a certificate in metal work engineering as well as welding. My mom worked in the interior for a period, leaving me to take care of my siblings. I had to cook and clean before going to the Institute, getting home most evenings at 11pm,” he tells me.

He, nevertheless, persisted and overcame. Now, Mohan is operating his own business and though it is now in its startup phase, it is already attracting attention. When I asked him whether he was always business oriented, Mohan said that he never dreamt that he would be in business not because he felt it was out of his reach, but because

he had very little interest in it. He credits his struggles during his formative years which led him to become a go-getter and that resulted in the establishment of Mohan’s Corner.

Mohan's Corner is not unique in its operations but it is much needed in the location at Lot 24 Public Road, East Meten-Meer-Zorg, West Coast Demerara. It allows for affordable and easy access to Internet browsing and calls, all stationery, gift items, snacks and beverages, all under one roof.

Patrons don't have to look far to fulfil their needs and do not have to go to various locations because at Mohan's Corner, it's a onestop shop.

He said that starting up was very challenging for him, but he is grateful for the support of the amazing people around him. He is hopeful that his business venture will succeed.

Mohan is an exceptionally talented young man and despite his challenges and tough life, he continues to positively impact the lives of those around him. He is actively involved in charitable work where he uses his passion for acting and amazing voice. Additionally, he plays the jaal with the Dynamic Tassa Troupe.

“I believe that the reward for hard work is more hard work, so in five years, I do see my success but I also see myself working to ensure that my business is in a state of self-sustainability such that it can provide for both myself and my family.

I see myself enhancing my talents and doing more for my community and the people around me, and I see myself playing a role in the success of others.”

8

Sunday Times Magazine

February 10, 2019

guyanatimesgy.com

guyanatimesgy.com

FEBRUARY 10, 2019

Sunday Times Magazine

9

10 Sunday Times Magazine

FEBRUARY 10, 2019

guyanatimesgy.com

Travel & Tourism

The Windmill House on Hogg Island in the Essequibo River

N

ot often are we afforded the opportunity to see what Guyana back in the day looked like. All we have to do is to rely on the stories of our parents and their grandparents or some of us may be luck to view a few photos from their collections. So here are a few photos from our archives that gives you a little taste of British Guiana.

Anna Regina Estate, Boiling House, BG

Looking southwards along Camp street from the intersection of Camp & Regent at St Mary's RC Church circa 1890

Mahaicony Railway bridge, BG

Interior of St Mary's RC Church looking towards the mainly timber altar at the east end

Victoria Hotel, 7 and 18 High Street, Georgetown, BG

Old Mahaicony Railway Bridge that was shifted to preserve its historic value (Bryan Maxx photo)

guyanatimesgy.com

FEBRUARY 10, 2019

Sunday Times Magazine 11

Feature

by

Petamber Persaud

Preserving our literary heritage

Ivan Van Sertima

Beryl Gilroy

Jan Carew of the world, published while yet in his 20s was one such significant feature of his contribution to society.

Jan Carew

T

here are as many ways to celebrate as there are appropriate ways to celebrate. The tenor of Black History Month should be celebrated with books. Here’s a short (but by no way a comprehensive) list of Guyanese works and their authors which could be used to commemorate the above.

Ivan Van Sertima

‘They Came Before Columbus: The African Presence in Ancient America’, written by Ivan Van Sertima, published 1977, was one of those controversial books that stabbed at misconceptions about Africans. Van Sertima knew what he was doing when he set out on that scholarship ‘many people feel a certain kind of happiness when they read my book. A certain kind of shadow lifts.

The psyche of blacks is raised.

No man who believes his history began with slavery can be a healthy man. If you lift that shadow, you help repair that damage’.

Educator, researcher, critic, writer, poet, Ivan Van Sertima was born in 1935, in Kitty Village, British Guiana.

He competed his early schooling in Guyana and entered the world of work as a Press and Broadcasting Officer, Government Information Office. For higher education, Van Sertima attended the London School of Oriental and African Studies, London, England, where he studied African languages and literature and during which time he also he learned to speak Swahili and Hungarian fluently.

activist and social reformer, Norman Eustace Cameron was born in New Amsterdam, Berbice, in 1903, not far from the birthplaces of Edgar Mittleholzer and Wilson Harris. Although Cameron was blessed with a ‘light but pleasant tenor voice’, he was a trailblazer, pioneer and pacesetter. All of this due in no small way to the fact that his father’s great thirst for knowledge rubbed off on him and his mother’s wonderful organising ability grounded in religious tenets was foisted on him.

As a trailblazer, pioneer and pacesetter, Cameron did what had to be done, filling the lacuna in many areas. His magnum opus The Evolution of the Negro a subject shunned by thinkers on the British colonial portion

‘The Gentle Revolutionary: Essays in Honour of Jan Carew’ edited by Joy Gleason Carew and Hazel Waters is the book paying tribute to a man who lived and worked in O. R. Dathorne

for her novel, ‘Black Teacher’.

In part two, we would take a look at the works of contemporary Guyanese writers of African ancestry who are still at work.

Responses to this author please telephone 226-0065 of email: oraltradition2002@yahoo.com

Poem A free bird leaps on the back of the wind and floats downstream till the current ends and dips his wing in the orange sun rays and dares to claim the sky.

many places, with the singular fixation to right wrongs of discrimination, marginalisa-

of Change’; setting history right, contrary to Eurocentric bias designs previously forced upon us.

O. R. Dathorne

Dathorne is better known for his novels ‘Dumplings in the Soup’, and ‘The ScholarMan’, describing the academic world in Africa but he also published academic works including the following: ‘The Black Mind: A History of African Literature’, University of Minnesota Press, 1974.

‘African Literature in the Twentieth Century’, University of Minnesota Press, 1976.

‘Dark Ancestor: The Literature of the Black Man in the Caribbean’, Louisiana State University Press, 1981.

Beryl Gilroy

Norman E. Cameron

Educationist, mathematician, historian, poet, dramatist, sportsman, cultural

tion and even gender inequity, fighting the ‘same cause’ by re-writing and righting history.

Carew is best known for his novel ‘Black Midas’, first published 1958. As a cultural historian, he wrote ‘Rape of Paradise’, ‘Moscow is not my Mecca’, ‘Ghosts in my Blood’, ‘Grenada, the Hour will Strike Again’ and ‘Fulcrums

teacher in Britain.

Beryl Gilroy who gained her doctorate in counselling and ethno-psychology wrote two historical fiction books ‘Steadman and Joanna’(1991) explored the history of the Caribbean and the African Diaspora in the period of slavery and ‘Inkle and Yarico’ 1996. Gilroy is better known

Norman E. Cameron

Writer and educator, Beryl Gilroy was born in 1924, in Springlands, Berbice, Guyana, later becoming the first black head

But a bird that stalks down his narrow cage can seldom see through his bars of rage his wings are clipped and his feet are tied so he opens his throat to sing.

The caged bird sings with a fearful trill of things unknown but longed for still and his tune is heard on the distant hill for the caged bird sings of freedom.

The free bird thinks of another breeze and the trade winds soft through the sighing trees and the fat worms waiting on a dawn bright lawn and he names the sky his own But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream his wings are clipped and his feet are tied so he opens his throat to sing.

The caged bird sings with a fearful trill of things unknown but longed for still and his tune is heard on the distant hill for the caged bird sings of freedom.

By Maya Angelou

12 Sunday Times Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

FEBRUARY 10, 2019

Puzzles

ACROSS

91 Cheer on 1 Sand bars

92 Dalai Lama's city 7 Lingerie purchase 94 Spring 12 Utter chaos

95 Sundance Kid's wife 17 High desert of Asia 96 Muscular 21 Forklift platform 97 Practically forever 22 Nest on a crag

98 Ugly old woman 23 Greek marketplace 99 Col. superior 24 Pharaoh's god 100 Pits 25 Win over

101 Emu cousin 26 Prehistoric plant-eaters (var.)102 Augured 28 Sit around

104 In sync 29 Telepathy

107 Vendetta 30 Finger-painting

108 Dues payer, briefly 32 Sonic-boom makers 109 Yellow parts 33 Seven-veil dancer 113 Erudite person 35 Wife of Mr. Dithers 114 Funny Imogene -37 As long as

115 Slicked up 38 Stack

117 Brubeck of jazz 39 Peak performer?

118 Clavell best-seller (hyph.)

40 Indo-Chinese people 119 Drive- -- window 42 "Yo!"

120 Relieved 43 Leaf source

122 Scottish river 44 Composted

123 Large lot 45 Black cattle

124 ISS experience (2 wds.)

47 Designer label

127 Safes 48 Massive

129 Peril 49 Murky

130 Garment cut (hyph.)

52 Pleased sigh

131 Multiplex offering 53 Appearance

132 Antenna user 54 Light sources

133 Brit's bye (hyph.)

55 Labels

134 Wades through 59 Empties a house 135 Suit material 61 Lower in esteem 136 Crow's-nest cry (2 wds.)

62 Ballpark figures DOWN 63 Uncertain

1 Talk 64 Hops stems

2 Central Park sight 65 Wingspread

3 Vet (2 wds.)

66 Planets, to poets 4 Pub order 67 Burrowing rodent 5 Conduct 68 Hippie happening (hyph.)

6 -- in the wind

69 Barks shrilly

7 Purr-fect pets?

70 Diameter halves 8 In a spooky way

72 Iran's language

9 Male honeybee

73 Fabric meas.

10 Minor dent

74 Inventory

11 To date

75 Added brandy 12 Headache

76 Demure

13 Rock tumbler stone 77 Time to celebrate 14 You, to Yves

80 Salts away

15 Puckster Bobby - 82 Cracks in volcanoes 16 Priests' attire

83 Kind of muffin

17 Bireme or trireme

84 Reebok rival

18 "Becket" star

85 Rackets

19 Smiled broadly

87 Present

20 Deduce

88 Art colony town

27 Basket willow

89 Barely discernible 31 Yeah (hyph.)

90 Round dwellings 34 Call it -- -

KATHLEEN SAXE

WORD GAME

TODAY'S WORD -- SKIRMISHES (SKIRMISHES: SKUR-mish-es: Small conflicts or disputes.)

Average mark 26 words Time limit 45 minutes Can you find 37 or more words in SKIRMISHES?

seism semi sheik shier shies shim shire shirk shriek shrike sire skier skies

skim skirmish smirk kiss kisser iris remiss rime rise risk mesh mess mire

mirk miser miss heir hers hike hiker hire hiss hisser emir

RULES OF THE GAME: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of "s," such as "bats" or "dies," are not allowed. 3. Additional words made by adding a "d" or an "s" may not be used. For example, if "bake" is used, "baked" or "bakes" are not allowed, but "bake" and "baking" are admissible. 4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.

36 38 39 41 43 44 46 47 48 49 50 51 53 54 55 56 57 58 60 61 63 65 66

Literary collection

Opposite of supine Pound sounds

Tiny bugs Rail connectors Down in the --

Invisible substance

Ms. Fossey Thumper's friend Musical Boone Vine-covered 1960s fashion

Exec degrees Like the tabloids

Advice

Actually succeeding

Go right Leb. neighbor

Ten decades (abbr.)

Dr.'s visit Campus building

Get fresh Poet's tributes

67 Narrow the gap 69 Puppy plaints 70 Diatribe 71 Not delay 72 Monks' titles 74 Wine sediments 75 Portsider 76 South Seas canoe 78 Lombardi of coaching 79 Moth- -81 Is, in Avila 82 Strads 83 Kind of drum 84 Sports org.

85 PBS "Science Guy" 86 Softball event 87 Hurt at Pamplona 88 Blue Nile source 89 Stick-in-the-mud 91 Pencil-box item 92 Hawaii red flower 93 Whacked weeds 94 Shoulder enhancer

96 Gold strikes 98 Snug 100 Luau number 101 Happen again 102 Secured a rock climber 103 Pentagon grp.

104 Gum arabic source 105 Parched feeling 106 Midwest capital 107 Smithies 108 "Uncle --" Berle 110 Served soup 111 Complain 112 Deals with (2 wds.)

113 Involuntary jump 114 Cheech's partner 115 Uniform color 116 Fix eggs 119 Musical ensemble 120 Declare solemnly 121 Elcar or Carvey See Solution 125 Building extension on page 126 CPA's sum 14 128 Admiral's org.

guyanatimesgy.com

FEBRUARY 10, 2019

Sunday Times Magazine 13

Home & Cooking

C

Filling • 12 oz Corned Beef • 2 whole scallion, finely chopped • ½ onion, chopped • 4 cloves garlic, minced • 10 sprigs thyme, leaves removed and chopped • ¼ tsp black pepper • 1 tsp parsley, finely chopped • 1 tbsp canola oil + enough to fry bake • 1 tbsp butter Bake • 3 cups all purpose flour • 1 tbsp baking powder • 1/3 cup sugar • 4 tbsp butter • pinch of salt

Directions 1. Mix flour, baking powder, salt and sugar together in a bowl. With a fork, or using your hand (quick method) rub butter into flour mixture. Add water to make a firm dough, but not stiff. Dough should be easy to roll. Let dough sit, covered for at least half an hour.

2. Meanwhile place a large frying pan on the stove over medium heat. Add oil and butter. When butter has melted add onion and sautee until soft, for about 3 minutes.

Add garlic and thyme and cook for an additional 30 seconds, stirring frequently.

3. Add corned beef and using a large spoon, break into smaller pieces. Add scallion and pepper and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside to cool.

4. At this point the dough should be ready. Now on a floured surface, roll the dough to ½ inch thickness and cut with a 5 inch round cutter. A drinking glass will also do the trick.

5. Place the circle of dough in you palm then take a spoonful of the cooled corned beef and place it in the middle.

6. Pinch the edges of the dough to form a seal around the corned beef mixture, forming a ball. Place on a floured surface and flatten gently with you palm. Do this slowly to ensure that the stuffing doesn’t burst through the dough.

7. Place a deep saucepan over a medium fire.

8. When oil is hot, carefully place bake into the oil and fry until golden brown, flipping once to brown both sides.

offee table styling is a bit of an art. Since coffee tables usually have prominent places in living rooms, it's important that they look good, but it's equally important that they function in the way they're supposed to. Fortunately, coffee table styling is easy to master as long as you keep certain guidelines in mind. Here are some pro styling tips…

Keep it Balanced Balance is an important component of any coffee table display, and one of the easiest ways to achieve balance is with symmetry. A central object grounds the display while smaller displays of equal visual weight on either side round it out.

Size Matters When it comes to coffee table styling it's important to use items that are the right size. Items should have enough visual weight that they don't get lost, but they should never be so big that they overwhelm the space or disrupt the functionality of the table.

Ingredients 3 large eggs 2 tbsp milk Salt and pepper to taste ½ tbsp butter ¼ cup sharp cheddar cheese Directions Crack eggs into a small bowl. Add milk, salt and pepper and beat with a fork. In a small non stick pan, add butter over medium heat. When the butter has melted and is foaming, turn the heat down to low and add eggs. Let the eggs sit for about a minute then using a wooden spoon, gently stir the eggs; stir eggs every 20 seconds or so. When the eggs thicken and begin to set, sprinkle cheese and stir. Let eggs cook for an additional 30 seconds, then turn off heat. The eggs should be still a bit wet on the top.

Remove from the pan and place onto a plate. Let sit for about a minute or so, the heat from the eggs will continue to cook the eggs. If desired, sprinkle with fresh herbs then serve!

• • • • •

Ingredients • 2 cups milk • 2 tbsp banana flour • 4 tbsp water • 1/2 cup quick oats • 1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk • 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract • dash of nutmeg Directions Over medium fire, heat milk. Place banana flour in a small bowl and add water gradually to the banana flour while stirring.

Add mixture to pot while stirring. Add oatmeal, stir. Cook for 5 min. Porridge will thicken. Remove from heat and stir in sweetened condensed milk, vanilla and nutmeg. Serve immediately.

Work With the Room Coffee table displays don't exist in isolation. They need to work with the other items in the room. In this transitional living room, the coffee table styling mimics some of the rustic undertones of the rest of the space.

14 Sunday Times Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

FEBRUARY 10, 2019

Bollywood/Hollywood

W

…film will recreate iconic moment at Lord’s

ith Gully Boy all set to release on February 14, looks like it is time for Ranveer Singh to plunge headlong into his next project, Kabir Khan’s directorial ’83. He will begin his intense preparation and training for the ’83, under the ace guidance of cricketing great Kapil Dev. Ranveer, who plays Kapil in the film, will head for Punjab and will train with the legend for three weeks. Ranveer will learn his unique bowling style and absorb as much as he can.

Speaking about it, Ranveer said, “I am looking forward to spending time with Kapil sir. I feel like that time spent would be integral to my process of transforming myself into him. I want to absorb as much as I can from him. His story, his experiences, his thoughts, his feelings, his expressions and his energy.”

It may be recalled that Kapil galvanised a bunch of cricketers, mostly written off even before the commencement of the World Cup in 1983, to become world beaters.

Elaborating further about training with Kapil, Ranveer said, “I’m keen on getting tips on my bowling and batting from the man himself. His achievements

A

ctor Madhuri Dixit is currently gearing up for her upcoming comedy, Total Dhamaal.

Post which, she would be seen in Karan Johar’s production Kalank, which features an ensemble cast of Varun Dhawan, Alia Bhatt, Sanjay Dutt, Sonakshi Sinha, Aditya Roy Kapur.

Originally, Sridevi was meant to do the film, be-

are extraordinary. He is the quintessential underdog who became a champion through perseverance, selfbelief, hard-work and a positive mindset. I am extremely inspired by him. I want to pour myself fully into this exciting character.”

What’s more the makers of the film also intend to shoot at London’s Lord’s cricket stadium, much the way events unfolded years ago. This will include the iconic moment when Kapil lifted the World Cup trophy at the Lords balcony.

A source said, “All preparations are under way to shoot at the iconic Lords cricket ground. The World Cup win is an iconic and most cherished memory in the hearts and the minds of

fore she died in February last year. The role eventually went to Madhuri. The 51-year-old actor said she took time to “digest” that Sridevi was no more.

“What took time was to digest the whole thing that had happened. It was so shocking, I was like ‘you want me to do this role?’ because even they (filmmakers) were stuck. They had

all Indians and the moment will be recreated in ’83.

Ranveer as the legend Kapil Dev will be seen lifting the World Cup at Lord’s.”

“The team is looking at pulling off the impossible but the moment is too iconic to not shoot at Lords. It is a history making, emotional chapter in the lives of every Indian and started a journey of India’s domination in world cricket. The team is pumped to shoot this moment at Lords,” the source added. ’83 documents the journey of a bunch of Indian cricketers who attempted and succeeded in achieving the impossible — beat the undisputed champions West Indies in a World Cup final.

(Hindustan Times)

to go on. As a person it was hard to deal. As an actor, you know the role, the script. It’s a different matter altogether. But to accept the truth was very difficult,” she added.

She also talked about the #MeToo movement, saying that she was shocked to read names of Alok Nath and filmmaker Soumik Sen, people she has previously worked with, as she was not privy to this side of their personalities. In the #MeToo movement, which hit Bollywood in August last year, Nath was accused of rape by writer-director Vinta Nanda. Sen, who directed Madhuri in Gulaab Gang, has been accused of inappropriate behaviour by three women. (Hindustan Times)

…as first ever mid-range film to cross Rs 200 cr mark

V

icky Kaushal’s war drama, Uri: The Surgical Strike, has crossed the Rs 200 crore mark at the domestic box office, becoming the first ever ‘mid-range’ film to achieve this feat. The film took less than a month to make Rs 200 crore at the box office, considered a new benchmark for success after the dilution of the Rs 100 crore mark.

The film has made over Rs 300 crore worldwide.

Bollywood’s Rs 200 crore-plus club is dominated by films starring Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan and Aamir Khan, with the exceptions being Sanju, starring Ranbir Kapoor, Simmba, starring Ranveer Singh, and Krrish 3, starring Hrithik Roshan.

Trade analyst Taran Adarsh tweeted the news on Thursday. Uri has made more than Rs 25 crore in its fourth week of release. According to Adarsh, the film crossed the Rs 75 crore mark on its eighth day of release, the Rs 100 crore mark on day 10, Rs 125 crore on day 13, Rs 150 crore on day 17, Rs 175 crore on day 23 and Rs 200 crore on day 28. The film registered the highest ever day 23 and 24 totals, beating the previous records, set by Baahubali: The Conclusion, one of the biggest hits the country has ever seen.

The film is based on the Indian Army’s

A

riana Grande has fired back at Grammys producer Ken Ehrlich’s claims that she’s not performing at the ceremony because they felt it was “too late for her to pull something together.”

“I’ve kept my mouth shut but now you’re lying about me,” Grande tweeted on Thursday. “I can pull together a performance over night and you know that, Ken. It was when my creativity & self-expression was stifled by you that I decided not to attend. I hope the show is exactly what you want it to be and more.”

“I offered 3 different songs,” she went on. “It’s about collaboration. It’s about feeling supported. It’s about art and honesty. Not politics. Not doing favors or playing games. It’s just a game y’all…and I’m sorry but that’s not what music is to me.”

Grande was responding specifically to an Associated Press article published on Thursday, which quotes Ehrlich as saying, “As it turned out when we finally got the point where we thought maybe it would work, she felt it was too late for her to pull something to-

2016 surgical strike in Pakistan. Its tagline, ‘How’s the josh’ has already entered the pop-culture lexicon, with everyone from Vicky’s Bollywood contemporaries to PM Narendra Modi invoking it.

Director Aditya Dhar in an interview to PTI spoke about the origins of the tagline. “I had some friends from Defence background, so with them I used to go to a lot of Army clubs.

There was one in Delhi where we used to go for Christmas or New Year parties.

There used to be a retired Brigadier who would line up all the kids in front of him and have a chocolate in his hand,” he said.

“He would say ‘How’s the josh?’ and we were to respond with ‘high sir!’ The kid who was the loudest got the chocolate. Being a foodie, I used to be the loudest and always got the chocolate.”

Uri fended off competition from Kangana Ranaut’s historical epic, Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi, which has made Rs 80 crore in India, and Sonam Kapoor’s samesex romance, Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga, which flopped with Rs 17 crore.

(Hindustan Times)

gether for sure. And it’s too bad. She’s a great artist.

And I’d love to get her in the show this year.”

Variety previously reported that Grande wouldn’t perform or even attend the ceremony due to a disagreement with producers over which songs would be featured. Insiders said Grande, who has an album debuting on Friday, felt “insulted” that producers didn’t want

her to perform her “7 Rings.”

While they reached a compromise in which “7 Rings” would be part of a medley, producers insisted that the second song would be their choice, which caused Grande to pull out altogether.

Grande is up for two Grammys on Sunday: pop solo performance for “God Is a Woman” and pop vocal album for “Sweetener.”

(Variety)

Crossword Solution

guyanatimesgy.com

FEBRUARY 10, 2019

Sunday Times Magazine 15

16 Sunday Times Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

FEBRUARY 10, 2019

Fun Times

Archie

Look for opportunities to discover something you (March 21enjoy doing. Sign up for a April 19) course, or practice a skill you would like to use to earn extra cash.

ARIES

Visit someone who always TAURUS offers good advice. Personal (April 20- changes can be made if you May 20) set the wheels in motion. A physical improvement will give you the incentive to try something new.

GEMINI (MAY 28June 20)

Don't be too vocal about your plans. Research the possibility of making a move that will allow you to earn more, lower your overhead or start the next chapter of your life.

Don't be a follower. It doesn't matter what other (June 21- people do; you have to follow July 22) your heart and do what's best for yourself. Charm will help when dealing with a loved one.

CANCER

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

Dilbert

Peanuts

If you make a promise, follow through. Your reputation will be at stake if you talk big and do little. If you set an example, you will position yourself to excel.

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

Someone you are close to won't be happy with the choices or plans you make.

Don't miss out on an opportunity because someone is being manipulative.

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

You may feel you need to make a change, but it won't be as easy as you think. Listen to good advice before you get involved in something risky.

Get together with peoSCORPIO ple who share your interests.

(Oct. 24- Someone you meet while travNov. 22) eling will offer a tempting suggestion. Gather facts and consider the possibilities.

An idea you have should be SAGITTARIUS considered carefully. A change (Nov. 23Dec. 21) that will affect the people you love will be met with opposition. Offer incentives that are too good to resist.

Calvin and Hobbes

Sit tight and see what unCAPRICORN folds. Time is on your side, (Dec. 22- and keeping your distance Jan. 19) from any sort of disruption is in your best interest.

Concentrate on personal improvements.

Learn from experience AQUARIUS to avoid getting involved in (Jan. 20- issues that can be costly fiFeb. 19) nancially or emotionally.

How you treat others will make a difference when you want something in return.

Don't let your desire PISCES (Feb. 20- to please others cost you Mar. 20) emotionally or financially.

Someone will take advantage of you if you are too accommodating. Only offer what's feasible.