Sunday Times June 23, 2018

June 23, 2019

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2 Sunday Times Magazine

JUNE 23, 2019

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Feature

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he term marriage, in the English context, was first was first seen in 1250-1300 CE but the idea of marriages predates this date with every culture having their version of the proverbial passage of life. The main goal of marriage, earlier on, was to act as an alliance between families.

Throughout history, and even today, families arranged marriages for couples. Most couples didn’t marry because they were in love, but for economic liaisons. The people involved didn’t have much to say about the decision then.

In our modern world, some marriages are by proxy, some involve a dowry (the bride’s family giving money or presents to the groom or his family,) and some require a bride price (the groom or his family giving money or a present to the bride’s family). Few may have any courtship or dating, but most have deep-rooted traditions.

Different periods of time and various cultures have very dissimilar histories when it comes to women. Ancient Egypt, in theory, gave women equal rights, but it wasn’t always practiced. Medieval women, on the other hand, faced dual responsibilities to religion and marriage.

One nearly universal marriage tradition is that of the engagement ring. This custom can be dated back to the an-

cient Romans. It is believed that the roundness of the ring represents eternity. Thus, the wearing of wedding rings symbolizes a union that is to last forever. In fact, it was once thought that a vein or nerve ran directly from the “ring” finger of the left hand to the heart.

During the Victorian era romantic love became viewed as the primary requirement for marriage and the rituals of courting became even more formal. An interested gentleman could not simply walk up to a young lady and begin a conversation. He had to be formally introduced and only after some time was considered appropriate for a man to speak to a lady or for a couple to be seen together.

Once formally introduced, if a gentleman wished to escort a lady home from a social function he would present his card to her and at the end of the evening the lady would review her options and chose who would be her escort! She would then notify the lucky gentleman by giving him her own card requesting that he escort her home.

Almost all courting took place in the girl’s home, always under the eye of watchful parents. If the courting progressed, the couple might advance to the front porch. It was also rare for couples to see each other without the presence of a chaperone, and marriage proposals were frequently

written.

As early as the 12th Century, Roman Catholic theologians and writers referred to marriage as a sacrament, a sacred ceremony tied to experiencing God’s presence.

However, it wasn’t until the Council of Trent in 1563 that marriage was officially deemed one of the seven sacraments, says Elizabeth Davies, of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales.

Marriage vows, as couples recite them today, date back to Thomas Cranmer, the architect of English Protestantism.

Cranmer laid out the purpose for marriage and scripted modern wedding vows nearly 500 years ago in his Book of Common Prayer.

Wedding cakes were initially thought of as a luxury item, as the refined sugars needed to make pure white frosting were very expensive. In fact, the term “royal icing” came about thanks to Queen Victoria and her extravagant, multitiered white-frosted wedding cake.

Today, weddings are very extravagant and the concept of marriage has evolved into something beyond the imagination. Traditional roles have been reversed with women being breadwinners in some cases and men being stay at home dads.

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JUNE 23, 2019

Sunday Times Magazine

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Feature

By Lakhram Bhagirat

T

heir love, even after 33 years of marriage, can be felt in the room. It is larger than their combined presences and so loud that it speaks to the great relationship they have cultivated. Their love is so infectious that it inspires you to achieve just that.

However, that love was not easily achieved, rather they were forced to walk a road paved with broken bottles just to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Today they can sit together and say that the struggles were all worth it.

They now have their answer to the many times they asked the question “Is all of this really worth it?”

Spending over three decades working on understanding someone else and loving them unconditionally only makes you a better person and that is exactly how Pastor Raphael Jackman and his wife Hazel see themselves. They see themselves as two young at

heart lovers but also as a couple who has been through more than their fair share of challenges as they navigate the often prickly path of marriage.

“Marriage is not about money, it is not totally wrapped up in love. It is a commitment made to each other with God being the soul. He is watching over to make sure that everything goes well. The promise you made in your vows must be upheld as the truth because you would be lying to man and God,” Pastor Raphael said when describing the institution of marriage.

His understanding of the institution comes after a lot of trials

and errors. In his own words, “the Raphael Jackman we see now and hear now is not the same person that met with Hazel Ann Forde thirty-something years ago”.

Their story is one that seems as though it was plucked from a script for television. It starts when Pastor Raphael was just a young boy entering the world of work. He got a job at the then Guyana Airways Corporation as an Office Assistant/ Messenger and Hazel was his coworker.

However, she was in some ways his boss since she was the Secretary to the General Manager.

Her position and the confidence she exuded some-

what intimidated Raphael but he already felt she was the one.

“While doing my duty as an Office Assistant I set eyes on this young lady and said ‘wow’ and I went home and told my cousins that I saw my wife. I did not say anything to her and my cousin asked where she was and I told him that she was working where I am working.”

A few months after that encounter, Raphael finally plucked up the courage to go and speak with Hazel about his attraction towards her. Because of their vastly different backgrounds, Hazel laughed at him since he was nothing she envisioned her boyfriend,

and possibly husband, to be like.

“She said something to me that made me a dreamer even to this day. She said ‘little boy you are dreaming’ and I said wow. Now today, thirty-something years later, I am still dreaming because she is here with me.”

For Hazel, it was not an immediate attraction, rather, it took some time.

“The first interaction I never thought that anything would develop out of the relationship because he was not the type of guy I was looking for. There was not anything in him to make me feel he would be my boyfriend and eventually husband but things developed after. Like he said, it caused some stirs in our family especially mine but deep down inside I felt that he is Mr Right,” she said.

Nevertheless, their unimaginable journey began with them coming together to overcome the countless barriers that life would throw their way. Their faith, patience and resistance were tested and sometimes they passed with flying colours but other times they would fail and learn from their mistakes. Initially, they did not get married and Hazel would give birth to their first son, Yaphet, and when she became pregnant again with their second son, Yohan, they decided that it was time to get married.

Their wedding, however, was very unconventional at that time but it was everything they envisioned. Armed with two cases of rum, Raphael and Hazel made their way to the United States of America to get married. They would use the money from the rum to host their small wedding that was just family and close

friends.

About five years into their marriage was when Raphael began to delve deeper into his religion and from then, he said, their life has been constantly turning around for the better.

However, their marriage has not been without struggles.

“There were times when I wanted to know that I made the right decision or I tempted to walk but I stuck with the process and here we are today.

I would not trade my marriage for anything in this world.”

Raphael came from a broken family in any sense. His parents separated and he had the responsibility of his four sisters and one brother since he was the eldest son at the time. He took on the responsibility and began working at the age of 17 and functioned as a father figure for his siblings so going into his marriage, he was somewhat experienced in the field.

“So coming into marriage and having to address some of the things that I have seen in my family, it helped and it hurt because I had both sides of the spectrum to deal with and I decided that I will not raise a failed family like what I came out of.”

However, Hazel was sheltered from all of those things that her new husband went through but she was not without her own demons. She had a broken relationship with her father and chan-

nelled her frustrations from that on to Raphael but he never relented.

“It has been turmoil. Sometimes it was very hard not in terms of finances but the relationship. It was rough and I always chasing him, telling him to go and leave but he stayed. We had physical and verbal fights and all sorts of things we went through.

The journey was rough but as we grew older we decided that this is it, for better or worse, till death and we working and for the last ten, fifteen years have been like the best of our marriage,” Hazel said while smiling in the direction of her Raphael.

They both said that marriage requires forgiveness. Many times Hazel has had to forgive Raphael and vice versa but instead of calling it quits, they worked through their differences. They made sure that at the end of the day they were stronger than they began.

Today, they are both part of the Marriages and Counselling Division at the First Assembly of God Church in Wortmanville. They offer couples counselling post-marriage and continue to impart their wisdom on couples.

“If you spend time together you build that relationship. We invested in spending quality time together and we are honest and transparent with each other,” Raphael said while noting that their love story is far from over.

“Better is ahead.”

4

Sunday Times Magazine

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JUNE 23, 2019

Feature

By Mohanlall Suelall

W

hen Jagdeo Singh or Pandit Sugrim as he is known took the hands of Kuntie Singh on April 06, 1978 he made those seven sacred vows to her with God as his witness and she reciprocated them as well. Ever since that day he filled her maang (middle part of the hair) with sindoor (vermillion) Pandit Sugrim has been ensuring that he fulfils every vow he took.

Hailing from the Essequibo Coast, Pandit Sugrim got married when he was just 23 and has been with his wife ever since. He said that there are very few key things that lead to a happy and fulfilling marriage and noted that pure love and contentment trumps all.

"That day when I took that oath between my parents and God to make

With the first step, let us vow to share our food together With the second step, let us vow to be strong together With the third step, let us vow to be wealthy together With the fourth step, let us vow to be happy together With the fifth step, let us vow to have children together With the sixth step, let us vow to be comfortable with each other With the seven step, let us vow to be friends of each other.

Kuntie my better half and to start my own family I worked towards achieving my dreams. After marriage, my first goal was to find a

place to call home. I was living with my wife at my parents’ home in Anna Regina, but with hard work and dedication I was able to achieve

my first goal and that is to purchase a house lot in Richmond Housing Scheme where I built my home and started my family.”

The initial stages of their life were not easy but they worked tirelessly to ensure that every goal was achieved.

During his early life, Pandit Sugrim worked in the rice fields while Kuntie started a small business to supplement his income and take care of the family.

“Together we got three children, two daughters and one son. My daughters are now teachers and my son a policeman. Later on, I decided to follow my dream of becoming a Hindu priest (Pandit). My father taught me Hindi, the language that quickly helped me to study and become a Pandit.”

Every decision he made, his wife has been there. She would offer her advice and input so that they could build as a couple and be the kind of model that they envisioned. Never did Kuntie not support Pandit Sugrim’s dream and in return, he ensured that she was always happy.

After he would have completed his Pandit education, Sugrim built a mandir on his property and started to offer guidance to the residents of Richmond Housing Scheme.

“I saw the reason to build

the mandir so as to get them together and to help them to become better citizens. I also started Hindi and Musical classes with the children.

Over the years the Mandir grew from a four-post shed into a modern building and presently serving the community.”

Together with his wife, they offer Hindi classes as well as mainstream academic classes.

Additionally, they have set up a foundation to assist the residents in their time of need whether it is to deal with sickness or deaths.

The couple’s aim for the mandir is to get the young people fully involved in meaningful activities. Over the years the mandir has done many humanitarian services by assisting with medical fees locally and abroad, feeding programmers, as well as other charitable acts.

Pandit Sugrim believers that serving humanity is serving God. It is a belief shared by his wife and that has been the reason they have been able to have a successful and long marriage. They plan to spend the rest of their lives together assisting those in need and offering the relevant guidance.

guyanatimesgy.com

JUNE 23, 2019

Sunday Times Magazine 5

Feature

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raditionally, throughout the world, the month of June is associated with weddings and “June brides”. It is felt that if a marriage is consummated in June, it is perceived as a blessing and the chances of love and affection would unite couples into an everlasting bond.

Whether this is true or not, there are some Guyanese customs to which couples would adhere, regardless of the consequences: “Don’t look back while going up the aisle”; “jumping the broom”- a West African tradition; “don’t ever let a dog eat your wedding cake”; “don’t sweep one’s foot with a pointer broom prior to marriage”, are just a few.

The following are some true funny stories surrounding weddings in Guyana.

Cow itch powder or stinging nettle It is believed that a bride must be attired in: “Something old; something new; something borrowed; something blue”, for good luck, and no bad omen would befall the marriage.

However, at one Guyanese wedding, the bride borrowed a glove from her dear girlfriend, not realizing the friend had a crush on the groom.

The friend wilfully laced the glove with “cow-itch or stinging nettle” powder, – a powder that would induce intense itching.

At the wedding ceremony, before the exchange of vows, the problem began. The itching was very severe.

Apparently the powder was

transferred and dispersed to certain discrete parts of the bride’s anatomy. The itching was very noticeable and created

today at 84.

friend – her maid of honour who was single – to throw the bouquet in her direction.

Somehow, the boyfriend of the maid of honour got wind of the plan. When the bouquet was released from the bride, the boyfriend intercepted and caught the bouquet.

The maid of honour was so upset she ranted and raved.

One month later, the boyfriend married someone else.

Dowry

It is customary at a Hindu wedding for the father of the bride to offer a satisfactory dowry to the groom. As long as the groom does not eat, the father has to continue offering possessions. At one such Hindu wedding, the groom was not satisfied with the house and land that were offered.

Not until he was prom-

the father-in-law never owned a house or any cattle in his entire life.

Marriage vows

During a wedding ceremony the preacher asked, “Does anyone know why these parties should not be joined together, speak now or forever hold your peace?”

One member of the wedding party shouted, “The groom is gay.”

Without any hesitation the bride blurted out, “So what? I know he is gay, he is always so joyful and happy.”

Rising up first

It is understood that when couples kneel at the altar to exchange their vows, it is thought that whoever gets up first will live longer than the other.

In the haste to get up first, the groom accidentally stood on the bride’s dress causing her to fall prostrate at the feet of the pastor.

Pigeons

an embarrassing scene.

The groom, unaware of the problem, and in disgust, disappeared from the altar and the wedding was called off.

Guess who was waiting outside the church to console him?

Wedding cake

It was also understood that if you are single and you place a very small piece of wedding cake behind your right ear, you would enhance and accelerate your chances of getting married.

A 65-year-old-man, who would remain nameless, attended a well-known Guyanese wedding ceremony.

In desperation he applied enormous amounts of wedding cake behind both ears. To make a long story short, he is still single

Catching of the bouquet

The custom where the person who catches the bouquet is believed to be the next to marry is very evident at weddings. Before one wedding reception, the bride made arrangements with her best

ised a number of cows and sheep did he eventually eat, which showed his acceptance.

After the wedding, he went to collect his dowry but was greeted with a severe beating by the family members. He then realized that

It is normal after the wedding ceremony to throw rice grains over the married couple for good luck as they leave the church.

The groom, clad in a white suit, and the bride, wearing a gorgeous white gown, were greeted with a huge amount of rice grains landing on their heads.

Suddenly, a drove of hungry pigeons appeared, stood on their heads, and had a feast.

Simultaneously the pigeons decided to release some droppings which landed all over the married couple, leaving a random polka dot design on the white apparel of the couple. ( By Edgar Henry.

Published in the Guyana Cultural Association of New York Inc. June 2012 Magazine)

6 Sunday Times Magazine

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JUNE 23, 2019

Preserving our literary heritage

By Petamber Persaud

(Extract of an interview with Dr. Ian McDonald, Georgetown, Guyana, March 2019.

McDonald has published eight collections of poetry, one award-winning novel, one award-winning play, three non-fiction works, and has written over 1,500 articles. He has won the Guyana Prize for Literature on three occasions, all in the poetry category.

Here, he talks about his latest poetry book, ‘New and Collected Poems’ which runs into 447 pages. His most recent publication is ‘An Abounding Joy: Essays on Sport’ is 558 pages long.)

PP: From ‘Selected Poems’, 1988, to ‘New and Collected Poems’, 2018, a lot has happened in your life, in fact, too much to discuss everything here. Your first love – poetry, sport, Mary, Mary’s garden?

IM: First of all, I love life. And of course, Mary, my wife, the great love of my life. But I know what you mean, you mean activities. I really can’t put which comes first because you live your life -24 hours- in a day and I have found so much in my life that is so fascinating, interesting, enlivening PP: Sustaining…

IM: Sustaining, yes, certainly including sport and my life in the sugar industry which I’ve always found to be very stimulating, very challenging, very interesting and very fulfilling. There was that and there was sport – I played sport when I was twelve or thirteen until I was a veteran in my 50s, also I played competitive sport – tennis and squash –

and I loved that. I still love sport, I love watching it, I love cricket all my life, it is such a great game, I watch it all the time. I still have heart failure with the West Indies. Sport has been and still is very big in my life.

But you’re right about poetry from ever since I was a schoolboy – it has been a big part, a very important part of my life throughout.

PP: I think this book, ‘New and Collected Poetry’, will illustrate poetry in your life, throughout your life because it includes ‘Mercy Ward’, ‘Essequibo’, ‘Jaffo The Calysonian’, ‘Between Silence and Silence’, ‘The Comfort of all things’, ‘Selected Poems’, and ‘River

Dancer’. A huge book without an introduction so it behooves you to introduce to us this huge book.

IM: Well, Petamber, what I am hoping is that people like you, and other critics and other literary people will themselves write about a book like this so I wouldn’t have to do it myself.

You’re right, it is a compendium, it is a collected work of poems going back to the first poems published, going back to when I was a schoolboy, when I wrote my first poem over 70 years ago…one of the early poems was published in a wonderful magazine, the Kyk-overAl, which was edited by A.

J. Seymour from 1945 to 1961….What I am really saying: there are poems in this book going back to 60 to 70 years. And at intervals in my life, I published poetry – I think you mentioned six or seven collections there.

Also there is a big section of new poetry, about 170 poems, which is in essence two books.

PP: Wow IM: In addition to that ‘River Dancer’ is really a set of new poems because the poems in ‘River Dancer’ were written in 2014 and that’s only five years ago. So I could say that all the poems in this book from ‘River Dancer’ onwards are new poems – ‘River Dancer’ has about 70/75 poems and the final section has about 170, so there are about 250 poems that are very new, going back only five or six years, so you could see in this latest phrase of my life, I have written a lot of poetry, in fact, when I look back, I probably wrote more poetry in that time span than in any other similar time span in the rest of my life. This book does go back all the way….

PP: Beginnings, let’s talk beginnings….

IM: Poetry is in my genes. Remember my great, great, great grandfather was a poet back in England and published poetry in the 19th c., my great uncle was a poet and published a book of poems out of Antigua, my grandmother, Hilda McDonald, my father’s mother, published two books of verse out of Antigua. So I always say in me there is a poetry gene that emerged in me as well. So I have always known about poetry.

Also, my parents had a very good library including lots of books on poetry…

PP: Important influence that….

IM: I remember reading poets like Tennyson, Keats, and Shelly and Wordsworth when I was quite young.

Very formative was my English Teacher at Queen’s Royal College in Trinidad.

A man I can remember now - I wrote a poem about him called ‘John Hodge’ – he inculcated a love for poetry in me, not just text book poetry but poetry from all over the world, from poets we weren’t studying at school…he said that we must remember that there is lots of wonderful poetry well beyond our syllabus. He was very important in my life.

Then I have a distinct memory of someone putting in my hand a very small collection, almost a pamphlet of poems written by a young West Indian called Derek Walcott, and it was his first collection when he was about eighteen or nineteen and it was called very simply ‘Twenty-five Poems’ by Derek Walcott….I remember reading it and, Petamber,

I am going back more 70 years, I remember reading it and saying this poetry is so good and it is affecting me so much, and it was by a West Indian, not an Englishman, or a Frenchman in translation, or anyone else, it was by a West Indian.

A West Indian writing poetry like this - this is marvelous. And I think, from then I realize why not, why not try writing poetry myself. (to be

continued) Responses to this author please telephone 226-0065 of email: oraltradition2002@yahoo.com What’s happening: Coming soon: A new book by Ameena Gafoor: ‘The Evolution of Writing in English By and About East Indians of Guyana, 1838 – 2018’.

My Rose Never Faded While walking through seventeen I picked a bright red rose.

I was living wild and reckless; it changed my life, I suppose.

A blue ribbon winner with its brilliant flare.

Siesta

Its beauty was enchanting like a breath of mountain air.

I kept it near my heart, red velvet all aglow.

Why God gave me this gift I guess I'll never know.

Withstanding troubled times and a heartbreak now and then, But the rose never wilted amazing me once again.

Roses bloom in their season then die and fall apart.

My rose kept on living, rooted deep within my heart.

My days are growing short now; I have lived a fulfilled life.

The rose I picked when I was young is my fateful loving wife.

She gave me three sons and they filled my bouquet.

Pride and pleasure overflowed to see them blossom day by day.

We have grown old together and my heart is still elated after all the years gone by.

My rose never faded.

By Lewis Beesinger

guyanatimesgy.com

JUNE 23, 2019

Sunday Times Magazine 7

Feature

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uite often we take our teachers for granted, we know they are there to impart knowledge and their presence is all but appreciated. As students, the happiest times in school almost always occurred when our teachers missed a class or were busy doing some form

professions, and how they nurtured us not only intellectually but emotionally as well. Teachers are really the heroes of the world and the true creators of every other profession.

Without teachers, we would all be illiterate

of administrative work.

We only truly realise how much our teachers are undervalued when we enter the world as learned adults and have an outside view of how much they sacrificed, how much they went above and beyond the call of their

and ignorant. Our critical thinking skills would remain underdeveloped and creativity stifled. It is their nurturing that affords many of us the opportunity to become whatever we aim to. They inspire us to be our authentic selves.

Realising the impact their Visual Arts teacher made in their lives, some students of the Vreed en Hoop Secondary School decided to put pen to paper and express their deep appreciation for the nurturing and guidance.

Miss Halcyon Doris is more than just a teacher to her students. She is the embodiment of something far greater. She nurtures them, mothers, them and is the executor of tough love when the need arises. For

that, her students greatly value her input and advice as they battle their way through secondary school and life in general.

Her shoulder is always

available and her ears are always willing.

In a move that not only surprised Doris but also brought her to tears, the outgoing students wrote her small letters detailing how she impacted their

lives.

T h e change she helped them foster and guidance

she provided.

Christian Graham wrote “Dear Miss Doris…I particularly enjoyed our discussions about the impact of schooling on young people and about using technology to forge closer relations

with clients…”

“Dear M i s s Halcyon Doris, when I first walked into the school I had no idea what I should expect from you… you taught me to be open and to take a stand. You taught me that there is no such thing as weakness…you showed me that my past does not define me,” Mokeba Best wrote.

Doris’s personality is larger than life and it transcends to the work she does. Persons around her describe her as bubbly, passionate, fierce and all so important, confident.

Apart from being daddy’s little girl, she drew strength from her mother because of the level of passion and drive she possesses and is trying to inspire her students to channel their efforts towards realising their true potentials.

For her students, Ms Doris is the best teacher they could ask for since her classes are not only about being taught rather it involves the holistic experience of learning in an environment that is comfortable. She affords each of her students individualised attention so that they are prepared when it comes time for them to sit their examination.

8 Sunday Times Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

JUNE 23, 2019

Feature

I

t is always thrilling to see one of these in the wild, especially while driving through the rainforest trails in Guyana. Many travelers claim to have seen these big cats chilling on the LindenLethem trail.

The jaguar is one of the largest carnivorous mammals in Central or North America and the largest cat in South America.

Jaguars vary in color but generally they are tawny yellow with black rosettes all over their body.

They usually have a white underbelly, the throat, outer surface of the legs and lower flanks are also white. Some jaguars vary from reddish brown to black.

As for the black jaguars, their rosettes are visible at certain angles. Rosettes may include one or several dots and are great for camouflage in the forest.

Jaguars normally weigh about 123 to 212 pounds and the females are usually 10 to 20 percent smaller than the males. The smallest female weigh about 79 pounds while the larger males weigh as much as 348 pounds. Their length varies from 5.3 to 6

ft.

The jaguar’s legs are short but this is not entirely a disadvantage since their short legs helps them to perfectly adapt to climbing, swimming, crawling to capture their preys. When compared to a small tiger or lion in a similar weight range their legs are considerably shorter but the advantage is that it is thick and powerful.

Their tail is the shortest of any big cat and it is about 45 to 75 cm in length. As for the jaguar’s head, it is sturdy and their jaw is extremely powerful having the third highest bite force of all felids.

Compared to a leopard, the jaguar’s head is rounder and their limbs are shorter and stockier just as it is when compared to the lion and

tiger.

D i e t and Prey of the Jaguar Jaguars are carnivores, feeding only on meat. They are the top predators in the forest and savannahs and instead of chasing their prey they stalk them. A unique technique for the jaguars is to use their powerful jaw and canine teeth to pierce the skull of their prey – it pierces directly through the temporal bones of the skull between the ears of the prey, piercing the brain. It’s very useful for cracking the shells of turtles, one of their favorite prey.

The jaguar may leap onto the back of the prey and sever the cervical vertebrae, immobilizing the target.

They also have the deep throat-bite

and suffocation technique for killing preys.

O t h e r preys enjoyed by the jaguars a r e armadillos, monkeys, fish, deer, capybaras, tapirs, peccaries, anacondas. They prey on small species such as birds, mice and frogs and in areas where people live, the jaguars will also prey on domestic animals such as dogs and cattle.

Reproduction of the Jaguar Jaguars can live up to 12 years in the wild. Usually the females reach sexual maturity at about 2 to 2 ½ years. Their pregnancy lasts to about 90 to 110 days and their litter size vary from about 1 to 4 young.

The kittens stay with their mother from 1 to 1 ½ years and breed-

ing may occur y e a r round.

The black jaguars may produce either black or spotted cubs, but a pair of spotted jaguars can only produce spotted cubs.

Habitat of the Jaguar They usually live in the rainforests. The jaguar likes to live by swamps, rivers and in dense rainforest with thick cover for stalking prey.

To honour these amazing animals June 11 is dedicated as Day of the Jaguar.

guyanatimesgy.com

JUNE 23, 2019

Sunday Times Magazine

9

Health

O

steoporosis causes bones to become weak and brittle — so brittle that a fall or even mild stresses such as bending over or coughing can cause a fracture.

you're young, your body makes new bone faster than it breaks down old bone and your bone mass increases. Most people reach their peak bone mass by their early 20s. As people age,

have a higher risk because they may have less bone mass to draw from as they age.

Complications

Bone fractures, partic-

factors for bone loss and falls.

For both men and wom-

Osteoporosis-related fractures most commonly occur in the hip, wrist or spine.

Bone is living tissue that is constantly being broken down and replaced.

Osteoporosis occurs when the creation of new bone doesn't keep up with the removal of old bone.

Osteoporosis affects men and women of all races. But white and Asian women — especially older women who are past menopause — are at highest risk.

Medications, healthy diet and weight-bearing exercise can help prevent bone loss or strengthen already weak bones.

Symptoms

There typically are no symptoms in the early stages of bone loss. But once your bones have been weakened by osteoporosis, you may have signs and symptoms that include: • Back pain, caused by a fractured or collapsed vertebra • Loss of height over time • A stooped posture • A bone fracture that occurs much more easily than expected

Causes

Your bones are in a constant state of renewal — new bone is made and old bone is broken down. When

bone mass is lost faster than it's created.

How likely you are to develop osteoporosis depends partly on how much bone mass you attained in your youth. The higher your peak bone mass, the more bone you have "in the bank" and the less likely you are to develop osteoporosis as you age.

Risk factors

A number of factors can increase the likelihood that you'll develop osteoporosis — including your age, race, lifestyle choices, and medical conditions and treatments.

Unchangeable risks Some risk factors for osteoporosis are out of your control, including: • Your sex. Women are much more likely to develop osteoporosis than are men.

• Age. The older you get, the greater your risk of osteoporosis.

• Race. You're at greatest risk of osteoporosis if you're white or of Asian descent.

• Family history.

Having a parent or sibling with osteoporosis puts you at greater risk, especially if your mother or father experienced a hip fracture.

• Body frame size.

Men and women who have small body frames tend to

ularly in the spine or hip, are the most serious complication of osteoporosis. Hip fractures often are caused by a fall and can result in disability and even an increased risk of death within the first year after the injury.

In some cases, spinal fractures can occur even if you haven't fallen. The bones that make up your spine (vertebrae) can weaken to the point that they may crumple, which can result in back pain, lost height and a hunched forward posture.

Diagnosis

Your bone density can be measured by a machine that uses low levels of X-rays to determine the proportion of mineral in your bones.

During this painless test, you lie on a padded table as a scanner passes over your body. In most cases, only a few bones are checked — usually in the hip, wrist and spine.

Treatment

Treatment recommendations are often based on an estimate of your risk of breaking a bone in the next 10 years using information such as the bone density test. If the risk is not high, treatment might not include medication and might focus instead on modifying risk

en at increased risk of fracture, the most widely prescribed osteoporosis

medications are bisphosphonates. (Mayo Clinic)

10 Sunday Times Magazine Feature

JUNE 23, 2019

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Sunday Times Magazine 11

Home & Cooking

Father’s Day Recipes

Y

ou don't have to wait to degunk and degrime your home. These tried-and-true methods from the Good Housekeeping Institute Cleaning Lab will get your pots, pans, linens, floors, appliances, and, well, pretty much everything pristine, one proven tip at a time.

Ingredients •

• • • • • • •

• • •

•

2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) fireroasted diced tomatoes, undrained 1 medium onion, chopped 1/2 cup water 2 tablespoons canola oil 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 teaspoons smoked paprika 1/2 teaspoon sugar 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 1/4 cup tomato paste 4 large eggs 1/4 cup shredded Manchego or Monterey Jack cheese 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Directions

1. Place the first 8 ingredients in a pan and cook for 10 minutes on medium heat.

Add tomato paste; simmer, uncovered, until mixture is slightly thickened, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Home décor

Revive cloudy glasses

R

emove built-up film from hard-water minerals by soaking stemware in white vinegar for five minutes. Then rinse by hand and dry with a microfiber cloth.

2. With the back of a spoon, make 4 wells in sauce. Break an egg into each well; sprinkle with cheese. Cover and simmer until egg whites are completely set and yolks begin to thicken but are not hard, 8-10 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley.

Re-season rusty cast iron

O

ver-scrubbing cast iron with metal scouring pads can remove the seasoning from your trusty skillet. To restore the finish, use a scrub sponge to remove any rust, clean with a bit of mild dish soap, then rinse and dry well.

Coat the inside and outside with vegetable oil and bake upside down in the oven at 350 degrees for one hour. Let cool and remove excess grease with a paper towel.

• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese • 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce • 3 garlic cloves, minced • 3 teaspoons pepper • 4 pounds ground chicken • 3 tablespoons olive oil • 16 hamburger buns, split • Optional toppings: Tomato slices, lettuce leaves, sliced red onion, sliced cucumber, sliced avocado and ranch dip

Directions

Ingredients • •

3/4 cup ranch salad dressing 3/4 cup panko (Japanese) bread crumbs

Ingredients •

• • • •

15 cups cubed watermelon (seeded – about 5 pounds) 1 6oz can orange juice concentrate 1/4 cup lemon juice 2 cups sparkling grape juice 1 cup ginger ale

Directions

Process watermelon in batches in a food processor until smooth. Press through a finemesh strainer into a bowl; discard pulp. Pour juice into a large pitcher or punch bowl. Stir in juice concentrate and lemon juice. Refrigerate until chilled. Stir in grape juice and ginger ale before serving. Serve over ice with additional watermelon.

1. In a large bowl, mix the first 6 ingredients. Add chicken; mix lightly but thoroughly. Shape mixture into sixteen 1/2-in. thick patties.

Brush both sides with oil; refrigerate, covered, 15 minutes to allow patties to firm up.

2. Grill burgers, covered, over medium heat or broil 3-4 inches from heat 5-6 minutes on each side or until a thermometer reads 165°. Serve on buns with desired toppings.

Restore your shower pressure

U

nclog your shower head by mixing equal parts white vinegar and water and pouring it into a plastic bag. Tie the bag around the shower head to immerse the holes in the solution and secure with a twist tie. Let soak up to an hour, then remove and wipe away the loosened deposits.

Clear a slow drain

W

hen you notice your drain is starting to clog, pour a 1/2 cup of baking soda down it, followed by a 1/2 cup of vinegar. Cover with a wet cloth to contain the science fair-like effects. Wait five minutes and then flush with hot water.

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Puzzles

ACROSS

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97 Resin source Brief summary

98 Coco -- of perfume Jacques, in song

99 To boot Buddy 101 Globe On the fritz

102 Ready to eat J.R.’s mama 103 Carrot-top Discourage

104 Gardener, often Winter warmer

105 Pub orders Single-handed

106 Nature outing Round gem

107 Meadow murmur Volcanic output

108 35mm cameras Amusing satire

109 “Nick of Time” singer Minstrels

111 Stare rudely Kelly the clown

112 -- & Young Downhill ski run

114 Dust collector Part of MIT 117 Utmost Not condensed

118 After midnight Hypocrisy (2 wds.)

119 A honey of a job?

Steelers player Swann

124 Upright Mouse alert 126 Skip Psst!

128 Daunt Go-getters

130 Fall or winter Festoon

131 “Heavy” music Planet’s course

132 Clover leaves Breathe hard

134 All kidding -Earlier, in combos

136 “Phantom of the --” -- -kneed (timid) 137 Harden Film terrier

138 Turn inside out Between ports

139 Knight’s mount Fellow feeling 140 Raises corn Heavy hydrogen discoverer 141 Candle Make compost

142 Joy Adamson’s pet Flutist Herbie - 143 Bathrobe fabric Scrooge’s partner

144 Nylons shade Trickle

Water softener Fine, to an astronaut (hyph.)

DOWN Where Florence is

1 Drive away Mardi Gras follower

2 Fragrant resin Zenith opposite

3 Device that grips “Song of Hiawatha” tribe (var.)

4 Buenos -Even as we speak

5 Threw snowballs Billiard sticks

6 Rx monitor Cheese portion

7 Acquire oxygen Large herring

8 Moral codes Prairie state

9 Ms. Witherspoon Largest mammal

10 Lead-in for while Kindly

11 Vaccine amts.

River islets 12 Daydreaming Devoutness

13 Storrs coll.

Stoic founder 14 Lows Square root of IX

15 Japanese theater “Parks and Recreation” town 16 Mr. Greenspan Opposite of malo

17 Glider’s place Place for flowers

18 Not deserved Inclined

19 Easily irritated Numerical prefix

KATHLEEN SAXE

WORD GAME TODAY'S WORD -- PROCURED

(PROCURED: pro-KYOORD: Obtained; acquired.)

Average mark 38 words Time limit 60 minutes Can you find 56 or more words in PROCURED? TODAY'S WORD -- PROCURED pore pour pourer prod produce producer proud prouder prude puce pure purer purr record

recoup recur redo repro rode rope roue rude ruder rued order ordure cero code

coed cope coper cord core corer coup coupe credo crop croup crude cruder cued

curd cure curer updo ecru euro decor doer dope dour drop drupe duce dupe

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.

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Type of wife Broncos great John -Extremely Wild ox of Tibet Auction site Percolate Muppet grouch Soft lid June sign Powerful explosive Stretch out Become tiresome Formal court order Cliffside abode Volvo rival Sufficient, in verse “My Way” composer Josephine of mystery Coffee dispensers Be evasive Sandra and Ruby Poorly San -- Obispo Groovy!

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102 Exasperates -- alai 103 Foul-smelling Ms. Lupino 106 Elev.

Dove shelter

107 Livestock source “-- a good time?”

110 Moose feature Transmit 111 Gabby Hayes films Fleming of 007 fame 112 More uncanny Never, to Wolfgang

113 Vex (2 wds.)

Brandish

114 Pay by mail “Breathless” star

115 Rodeo venue Big name in trains

116 Outfit (hyph.)

One-dimensional

118 Grounds for a suit Returns

119 Stitch loosely Tows

120 Of the Vatican Writer -- Grey

121 Grenoble’s river Nile creator god 122 Benchmarks Guthrie of folk music

123 Grind, as teeth Sensible

125 Feel concern Jaunty hat

127 Change address Omigosh!

129 Do horoscopes Prof’s degree 133 RR terminal Cheerleading yells

135 Ben & Jerry rival Means of escape Walleyed fish Desists See Solution Ex-Bruin Bobby -on page 14

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Amazon launches its first inexpensive Fire TV televisions

A

mazon and its manufacturer partners have been selling inexpensive 4K TVs with Fire TV software built in for a few years now. On Thursday, Amazon announced the first model that includes support for Dolby Vision. The Toshiba-branded set will be sold exclusively by Amazon and Best Buy. A 55-inch model ($449.99) is on sale immediately, and 43-inch ($329.99) and 50-inch ($379.99) models will be available later this month on June 30th.

Dolby Vision is an HDR format that offers a wider color palette and brighter highlights than TVs that lack HDR. It’s also seen as superior to HDR10 since adjustments to picture quality can be made scene by scene, whereas HDR10 applies one set of parameters to an entire show or movie.

Dolby Vision and Atmos are widely available in premiumpriced smart TVs, but are still trickling down to entry-level sets. Amazon isn’t disclosing peak brightness levels for the Toshiba sets, but you can bet it’s a significant step down compared to Thursday’s $1,000 TVs. “We worked closely with Best Buy and Dolby to build an amazing TV,” said Sandeep Gupta, Amazon’s VP of Fire TV development.

The Fire TV Edition with Dolby Vision was a necessary step for Amazon to better square off with the lineup of Roku TVs on the market like those from TCL, which already offer Dolby Vision output. Amazon says it has launched more than 20 models of Fire TV Edition smart TVs since last June. Best Buy plays a major role in this initiative since it’s the exclusive retailer in the US and Canada; even when you’re buying the TVs off of Amazon, it’s through Best Buy as a third-party seller.

Fire TV has over 34 million active monthly users, Amazon announced recently. “In launching our products over the last year, we’ve wanted to make sure they follow our philosophy: simpler and smarter,” Gupta said. The company currently offers the Fire TV Stick, Fire TV Stick 4K, and Fire TV Cube. The Fire TV Stick 4K supports Dolby Vision, while the Cube offers Dolby Atmos audio but not the visual side.

Amazon has continued to iterate on the Fire TV software to embrace Alexa voice controls — you can say “watch NBC” and Fire TV will automatically tune to either your OTA antenna tuner or an OTT service like PlayStation Vue, based on whatever you usually watch with. Fire TV Edition sets can be powered on and controlled with any Echo speaker in your home.

The news comes as Amazon prepares to open an installation at the Dolby experiential space in New York City’s Soho neighborhood, where the companies are showcasing the content and immersive, theater-like viewing experience you’ll get with Dolby’s audio and visual technologies on recent Fire TV hardware. That’s assuming you’ve got a TV capable of doing it justice, but as Amazon is trying to show, that barrier of entry continues to drop lower and lower. (The Verge)

JUNE 23, 2019

Sunday Times Magazine 13

Tech

14 Sunday Times Magazine

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Bollywood/Hollywood

A

ctor Jaaved Jaaferi’s son Meezaan has revealed that Sanjay Leela Bhansai’s Malaal maybe his first role in a film but this is not the first time he appeared on the silver screen.

He has worked as a body double for actor Ranveer Singh in Bhansali’s Padmaavat.

A Mumbai Mirror report

claimed that Meezaan made the revelation on Zoom’s chat show,

By Invite Only. “I was assisting Sanjay sir on Padmaavat. One day, they were discussing how difficult it would be to shoot certain scenes as Ranveer was unavailable. To my surprise, Sanjay sir said that I should do it. The next day, I was asked to memorise all Ranveer’s

gestures and lines,” Meezaan was quoted as saying.

Padmaavat also starred Deepika Padukone and Shahid Kapoor. It told the story of Queen Padmavati, based on a poem called Padmaavat. The film went on to become the top grosser of the year.

Ranveer played an anti-hero in the film, he essayed the role of Afghan

B

ollywood actor Kareena Kapoor, who is currently in London with her family, may soon join husband and actor Saif Ali Khan on sets of his upcoming film as well - she is reportedly playing a cameo in Jawaani Jaaneman where he essays the role of a father.

A Deccan Chronicle report claimed that Kareena is playing Saif’s ex-girlfriend in the film that marks the Bollywood debut of Pooja Bedi’s daughter Alaia Furniturewala. “It has not been a happy ending for Saif and Kareena together in their films. People have rejected the pair together. Pata nahin (don’t know), why there is this obsession to cast them together. Agreed that it makes news, but it does not make sense for the trade. The film business gets excited only when the couple have given hits together,” the report quoted a trade source

C

as saying.

Kareena and Saif have worked together in films like Kurbaani, Agent Vinod and Tashan but none of the films worked at the box office.

Alaia, who plays Saif’s daughter in the film, said about her preparations in

ANNES — Shonda Rhimes received uproarious applause when she reminded an audience that women are a force to be reckoned with.

“I think the first thing we have to start pushing against is, stop allowing other people to define us,” said 49-yearold Rhimes during a Cannes Lions discussion on Thursday to an excited room.

“I also think that giving people an opportunity to see themselves putting people in more positions of power.

“You have to remember that we’ve been in a society that’s been male-led for a very long time and [a project like this] didn’t happen, so as women began to take positions of power, things began to happen.”

The “Grey’s Anatomy” creator was talking about Dove’s project in partnership with Getty Images and Girlgaze, titled #ShowUs, which is a collection of more than 5,000 unedited photos of women around the world. Rhimes, who first

an interview to Mid Day, “It’s daunting, but it makes every cell in my body dance.

I’m one of those who love to over-prepare, and am hence leaving for London a week in advance.

I want to get into the skin of my character and study the script better. I’m

partnered with Dove in 2017, said the only way to truly affect change is for women to continue to rise in the corporate world so that they can elevate even more people.

“I do think that as you climb a ladder you bring

invader Alaud-din Khilji and Deepika played the queen Khilji desired. Shahid essayed the role of Deepika’s onscreen husband.

Meezaan is awaiting the release of Bhansali-produced Malaal that will also mark the debut of the filmmaker’s niece, Sharmin. Malaal is about the love-hate relationship between the debutants, Shiva

working with established artistes who I admire, so I’m understandably nervous.”

Kareena is currently shooting for her portion in Irrfan Khan’s film, Angrezi Medium where she is reportedly playing the role of a cop. The film will mark Irrfan’s return after an year-long treatment that he underwent in England.

Kareena has just completed the shoot of Akshay Kumar, Diljit Dosanjh’s Good News and will begin work on Karan Johar’s Takht. The film also stars Alia Bhatt, Ranveer Singh, Vicky Kaushal, Bhumi Pednekar, Anil Kapoor and Janhvi Kapoor.

Saif, on the other hand, has begun shooting Jawaani Jaaneman and will soon be seen in season 2 of Sacred Games. He received wide acclaim for playing a cop’s role in the first season of the popular Netflix show.

(Hindustan Times)

people with you,” she explained. “…

You have to have more critics who are women. You have to bring other people along so that their voices are heard.

“The more people in the mix, the more people who have opinions, the less it’s about somebody telling you that you’re niche because there’s nothing niche about being 51 percent of the population.”

Although Rhimes spoke minimally in comparison to the rest of the allfemale panel, which included bosses such as Girlgaze founder Amanda de Cadenet, Dove Global Vice President Sophie Galvani and Creative Insights Director at Getty Images Dr. Rebecca Smith, the Shondaland founder continuously had the crowd cheering for her pro-feminine stance.

Rhimes also praised the #ShowUs movement because she wants her three daughters to grow up in a visually inclusive world.

“I don’t want them growing up thinking there’s only one way they can look,” she said. (Page Six)

S

(Meezaan) and Astha (Sharmin), who hail from contrasting backgrounds but fall in love. Directed

by Mangesh Hadawale, the film is produced by Bhansali along with Bhushan Kumar, Mahaveer Jain and Krishan Kumar. It is set to hit theatres on June 28. (Hindustan

Times)

hahid Kapoor’s upcoming film Kabir Singh has been awarded an A certificate by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), with a few changes. An official remake of Telugu hit Arjun Reddy, Kabir Singh also stars Kiara Advani and is slated to hit theatres on June 21.

Apart from inserting warning on all drug scenes, the CBFC has sought modification in a scene where a character will be seen snorting drugs – it has been changed from front to side angle shot. A disclaimer against ragging has also been added in the movie.

The CBFC also muted the cuss words.

Talking about the film, Shahid had recently told PTI, “Nobody else had the guts to play these characters. Maybe because I am my

father’s (Pankaj Kapur) son, I felt the need to play such flawed characters. Acting has made a man of me. You have to learn to take failure on your chin, to take responsibility for your actions, to deal with the very public rejection and failure. You’ve to learn to believe in yourself when no one else does.”

He had also defended the film against allegations of chauvinism and said, “Kabir Singh is a phase in everyone’s life. We all (become) self-destructive when we feel like we’ve fallen apart.

(One may feel) empathy for him because, in all his misgivings, he is vulnerable.

It’s a cathartic journey of a man, and a cautionary tale.

It made me feel that I never want to become this person.”

The film is directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga.

(Hindustan Times)

Crossword Solution

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JUNE 23, 2019

Sunday Times Magazine 15

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JUNE 23, 2019

Fun Times

Archie

A hidden agenda will be revealed.

Don’t be afraid to (March 21do your own thing, regardApril 19) less of others’ choices. An opportunity is present, and your persistence will be rewarded.

ARIES

Try something new. Look TAURUS for people or projects that mo(April 20- tivate you to make improveMay 20) ments to your appearance and skill set. Reconnect with someone from your past.

Emotional matters will esGEMINI calate if someone is withhold(MAY 28- ing information or using maJune 20) nipulative tactics to get his or her way. Cut to the chase and make what you want transparent.

CANCER (June 21July 22)

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

Dilbert

Question anything that doesn’t appear to be right.

Getting the lowdown will put your mind at ease and allow you to concentrate on what’s important.

You’ll draw attention as well as compliments if you invest in yourself or your home. The changes you make will boost your confidence and bring you joy.

Romance is highlighted.

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

Have confidence in your ability to make the right decision and get things done.

Remain practical, even if someone close to you is trying to talk you into something extravagant.

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

Do something creative or take time for personal pampering. Ease your stress by taking care of your needs and interacting with a loved one.

Walk away from discord.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22)

Peanuts SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23Dec. 21)

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19)

Calvin and Hobbes

Participate in activities and events that offer knowledge about something you’d like to try or pursue. The people you encounter will provide intriguing options. A partnership looks promising.

Take steps to rectify a situation that is causing emotional discord. You may need to distance yourself from someone who is taking advantage of you. Don’t share your secrets.

Friends and relatives will be glad to pitch in and help you if you ask. Offer incentives if it makes you feel better. Home improvements and personal relationships are favored.

Don’t let the changes AQUARIUS made by others bother you.

(Jan. 20- Do your own thing and stick Feb. 19) to a budget you can afford.

Personal improvements will lift your spirits. Love is highlighted.

PISCES (Feb. 20Mar. 20)

Think big, but live within your means. Offering to help others will be eye-opening and will help you realize what you should do to avoid ending up with certain problems.