01222021 WEEKEND

Friday, January 22, 2021

Weekend

photography art gardening history music fashion puzzles animals INAUGURAL FASHION REPORT Page 2

Bearing fruit Art and agriculture come together

pg 10

02 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, January 22, 2021

celebrity

The US Presidential Inauguration

With Karin Herig and Cara Hunt

SPLIT

HIT

SPLIT

HIT

HIT

Kamala Harris (wearing Christopher John Rogers)

Emma Emhoff (wearing Miu Miu)

Lady Gaga (wearing Schiaparelli Haute Couture)

Michelle Obama (wearing Sergio Hudson)

Jill Biden (wearing Alexandra O’Neill of Markarian)

Karin says: “This was perfect for Gaga and the occasion.

Slightly ridiculous (how big was that golden dove?), but still tasteful and unique. The milkmaid hairdo was also an interesting look, but that didn’t quite work for me.”

Cara says: “I loved it all, it was sooo obnoxious and gigantic, but she is Lady Gaga, so she can totally pull it off. All the ladies gave commentary with their fashion choice on Wednesday and the US needs a whole lot of peace right now – hence her oversized peace dove.”

Karin says: “Just in case we had forgotten how the former First Lady can slay a look, here she is looking absolutely fab. The belted burgundy coat and jumpsuit with the turtleneck are to die for.’

Cara says: “Mrs O wore ‘all her clothes’ to this inauguration. The internet was making comparisons with the boring look and nonchalant ponytail she had for the last inauguration compared to this iconic look she sported for her husband’s former Vice President. The outfit was perfection!”

Karin says: “Someone online compared the new First Lady to Elsa from ‘Frozen’. And sparkling like that in her teal ensemble, I’m sure she felt like a queen. I love that she went with a matching mask.”

Cara says: “I thought that Dr Biden looked stunning. The contrast of the velvet detailing at the cuffs and lapel with the sparkling tweed fabric just made her stand out. Her mask was a perfectly coordinated exclamation point.”

Karin says: “The new Vice President wore pearls and purple in tribute to Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman elected to the US Congress. I absolutely adore the colour, but wish the cut had been a bit more tailored to her waist. I’m not crazy about the almost empire style cut.”

Cara says: “I agree with Karin.

I wish the new VP had upped the glam factor a bit more.

The purple is sooo pretty on her, but I do wish she had worn maybe more noticeable pearls. It’s a lovely outfit, but one of the most sedate of the day.”

Karin says: “Kamala’s 22-yearold stepdaughter became the day’s unexpected style queen with this chic tartan coat with embellished shoulders and signature Miu Miu collar. Her curls and glasses were the cherry on top for this eclectic look. Loved it!”

Cara says: “It’s no surprise that Ella, who attends the Parsons School of Design as a Textile major would have one of the most talked about looks of the day. That coat was such a statement in and of itself. I loved the jewel accents and the way she paired it with the granny dress and chunky

The Tribune | Weekend | 03

Friday, January 22, 2021

Weekend Inside

My Perfect Bahamian Weekend Brian Beckford

Bodyguard, karate coach “Anything Italian, poolside. I am particularly fond of the outdoors, especially gardens with blooming flowers.”

Interview 4 – 5

Alexis Jade Hanna wants women to build and sustain wealth, and be more daring with their investments

Q: If you could be quarantined with any celebrity, who would it be and why?

Puzzles 6 Gardening 7

Veggies are going high-tech with new growing technique

Art 8-10

Q: What will you be binge-watching?

Taking a creative look at native fruits, plus the NAGB adapts to ‘new normal’ with new exciting features

“ ‘The Fast and the Furious’. It shows togetherness, even if it’s not by blood, they are still family…fast cars, beautiful girls and self-defence… pretty much sums up my life.”

Forgotten Facts 11

Is there a light of the end of the tunnel for national monuments?

Literary Lives 12 – 14

A one-of-a-kind entertainer who prevailed in the face of adversity

Q: How are you keeping busy?

Animals 15

Farewell to a long-distance friend, plus Pet of the Week

Music 16

Wendi says live your day as if it’s your ‘Last One’

12-14

Cover | iisaBahamianBey and Jace McKinney

THIS WEEKEND IN HISTORY January 22 • In 1901, Britain’s Queen Victoria died at age 81 after a reign of 63 years; she was succeeded by her eldest son, Edward VII. • In 1970, the first regularly scheduled commercial flight of the Boeing 747 began in New York and ended in London some 6 1/2 hours later.

• In 1973, the US Supreme Court, in its Roe v Wade decision, declared a nationwide constitutional right to abortion. Former President Lyndon B Johnson died at his Texas ranch at age 64.

Today’s birthdays: Actor Piper Laurie is 89. Movie director Jim Jarmusch is 68. Actor John Wesley Shipp is 66. Actor Linda Blair is 62.

Actor Diane Lane is 56. Actor and rap DJ Jazzy Jeff is 56. Celebrity chef Guy Fieri is 53. Rapper Logic is 31.

January 23 • In 1973, President Richard Nixon announced an accord had been reached to end the Vietnam War, and would be formally signed four days later in Paris.

• In 1977, the TV mini-series “Roots,” based on the Alex Haley novel, began airing on ABC. • In 2020, Chinese state media said the city of Wuhan would be shutting

“Gardening, keeping my lawn manicured and adding new plants outside along with river rocks around my fountain.”

Q: What’s on your weekend menu?

down outbound flights and trains, trying to halt the spread of a new virus that had sickened hundreds of people and killed at least 17. The World Health Organisation said the viral illness in China was not yet a global health emergency, though the head of the UN health agency added that “it may yet become one.”

Today’s birthdays: Singer Anita Pointer is 73. Actor Richard Dean Anderson (“MacGyver”) is 71. Princess Caroline of Monaco is 64. Singer Anita Baker is 63. Reggae musician Earl Falconer (UB40) is 62. Actor Mariska Hargitay (“Law & Order”) is 57.

January 24 • In 1848, James W Marshall discovered a gold nugget at Sutter’s Mill in northern California, a discovery

“H.I.M. Selassie, if he was alive. But for a weekend it would definitely be Meagan Good. Her smile is what attracted me at first, but how broad her shoulders are and her chin upright as she walks depicts so much confidence.”

Q: If you could spend a COVIDfree weekend anywhere, where would it be and why?

“Long Island. Down north or up south. If you know, you know… enjoying fresh mutton while plaiting.”

that led to the gold rush of ‘49.

• In 1908, the Boy Scouts movement began in England under the aegis of Robert Baden-Powell.

• In 1984, Apple Computer began selling its first Macintosh model, which boasted a built-in 9-inch monochrome display, a clock rate of 8 megahertz and 128k of RAM.

Today’s birthdays: Singersongwriter Ray Stevens is 82. Singersongwriter Neil Diamond is 80. Actor Nastassja Kinski is 60. Actor Ed Helms is 47. Actor Tatyana Ali is 42. Actor Daveed Diggs (“Hamilton”) is 39. Actor Mischa Barton (“The OC”) is 35.

- The Associated Press

04 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, January 22, 2021

interview

Alexis Jade Hanna

From fashionista to ‘financialista’, this insurance advisor wants to help women not only build, but sustain wealth.

She tells Cara Hunt about encouraging her fellow sisters to look more into investing and to not automatically rely on their male partners when it comes to money matters.

The Tribune | Weekend | 05

Friday, January 22, 2021

Alexis Jade Hanna originally considered a career in fashion merchandising, however, after entering the financial services sector, she realised that her real passion was helping to empower other women take control of their money.

“Originally, I studied fashion merchandising,” she told Tribune Weekend. “But when I came home, Royal Bank of Canada was hiring and so I worked there in different capacities for ten years.”

One of the areas she was placed was in sales and lending.

“Lending always seemed a bit predatory to me, like you were encouraged to get people to take put loans.”

Her next career move was more in line of her desire to help others focus more on savings and building wealth.

“My father (Alpheus Finlayson) has worked at Colina for many, many years and I ended up working with him on a new project for succession planning, which the company implemented. I have been doing that since 2018,” she explained.

Alexis said her job has allowed her to see the many challenges women in particular face when it comes to saving and investing for their futures, and she realised she wanted to start a network to help women tackle these issues and improve their lives.

“Last year was when I decided that this was something I really wanted to go forward with.

“My initial idea was to have a happy hour styled event called ‘Wine and Wealth’ -because women love to drink wine. I wanted it to be an event where a group women could all sit down and share their stories.”

While the COVID-19 put a damper on plans for in-person gatherings, Alexis was able to fulfill her dream and start the W3 collective.

“The foundations of this movement are the three dimensions of wellness,” she said. For her it is important to focus on the emotional, the physical, as well as on the intellectual, the environmental, the spiritual, the financial, the occupational and the social aspects of life.

“We firmly believe that when you do the work in all of these areas, money has no choice but to follow you. The daily pursuit of excellence in these individual dimensions add up to a whole and competent woman.”

She describes a “whole woman” as one who is not only ready and able to take on the world to achieve the success she desires, but also someone who is able to sustain the wealth that derives from her efforts.

The initial W3 events had to be done virtually due to the pandemic, but Alexis said things ended up working out for the better this way.

“Originally, I wanted between 50 to 75 women to take part, but then I had to be realistic and understand that there was no way a group that size could fully engage and so we ended up with an intimate virtual group of about 15, which was a great size quality over quantity,” she said.

One of their first events was a vision board party.

“I know a lot of people do this in January, but we did it right before the holidays because I wanted them to go into that period with a plan of action.”

ALEXIS with her father, Alpheus Finlayson, a long-time Colina insurance provider.

“I think that men are more willing to take risks when it comes to investments, whereas some women see it as adverse (to their success). They may save for a particular thing like a college fund or a vacation, and they don’t want to jeopardise those funds.”

Alexis said one of the things she has found is that women are sometimes a bit timid when it comes to taking investment risks.

“I think that men are more willing to take risks when it comes to investments, whereas some women see it as adverse (to their success). They may save for a particular thing like a college fund or a vacation, and they don’t want to jeopardise those funds.”

Additionally, she explained that women in relationships may be a little bit too content to allow

their partners to handle the finances, even if that partner may not be the most financially savvy or capable.

She encourages women to take a look at both their spending and saving habits so they can have a clear picture of what their “money story” is.

This year, the theme for the group is the “Rewrite”.

“Everyone has a story; our personal narrative plays a role in how we approach situations in life, other people and our own self-concept. Our story contains countless pieces of information, some random and some insignificant; others full of meaning,” she said.

“Although the facts of our history cannot change, the way we react to them and weave them into our personal narrative can. When we feel a need to make changes in our lives, we can rewrite or revise our story any time we like. It is an opportunity to reinvent ourselves, to start over and to behave in new and different ways.”

She added that January is the perfect time for this.

“The start of a new year is a great time to think about rewriting your story, by looking at your past and deciding what changes to make for the future.

But over here in this community we want to keep the same energy year-round.”

During 2021, she said, participants are encouraged to look all areas of their lives, determine what things are working and “rewrite” the ones which are not.

As for her own future, Alexis said she would love to become a financial therapist and she is expanding the W3 programme to include a spinoff network catered specifically to mothers and their unique financial needs.

Reservation; 22 Daughter6solving a clue A O E A P W I A Contested; endlessly7about a peer (5) R O Y B D C V E Advancement; 24 Ring that10 fellow in Friday, January 22, 2021 K D M N R N B G 11 Desperado; 14 Entrust; church (5) L L G M F N S E 16 Armada; 19 Spine; 21 Axe. E E Y E H Y H D

A N B H R Y M N M A R I A B

06 | The Tribune | Weekend

cr E l t o rE f

Sudoku is a number-placing puzzle based on a 9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers 1 to 9 in the empty squares so the each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. The difficulty level of the Conceptis Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday

● The Target uses words in the main body of Chambers 21st Century Dictionary (1999 edition)

HOW many words of four letters or more can you make from the letters shown here? in making a word, each letter may be used once only. Each must contain the centre letter and there must be at least one nine-letter word. no plurals or verb forms ending in “s”.

TODAY’S TARGET Good 18; very good 27; excellent 36 (or more). Solution tomorrow

Yesterday’s call 0907 181 2585 for today’s target solution Sudoku Answer

*Calls cost 80p per minute plus your telephone company’s network access charge.

BATTLESHIPS CRYPTIC PUZZLE Down 1 Lose to put it badly (8) 2 Reproduction of a man’s oil painting (4,4) 3 A list one may get from a waiter (4) 5 Gave loans and achieved progress (4,8) 6 Sound rule for bad weather (4) 7 General means to establish latitude (6) 8 Lorraine’s companion (6) 11 Commercial advantage in rebuilding in single plot (7,5) 15 Describing a boom in unusual coins? (5) 16 Hangs around it’s a grind (5) 18 Press reports for many who are too old (8) 19 Tie completely round (4,4) 21 Earlier reform movement (6) 22 It’s due for taxes (6) 26 A spot of trouble over a pupil? (4) 27 In certain charts it may indicate a mile (4)

Across 1 Italian city recalled in my reminiscences (6) 4 It’s always used up when needed (8) 9 The one bad thing is getting a leg broken (6) 10 Extreme irritation? (8) 12 She gets the same bit of luck twice (4) 13 State needs new taxes (5) 14 Mineral used to fill dental cavities (4) 17 Existing expenditure (4,2,6) 20 The best points of an attractive orchestration (7,5) 23 Work involved in making soup (4) 24 Annoyed by a haughty clique (5) 25 Clue found in a drawer (4) 28 Keep up support (8) 29 Kind of tank that is brought out for the new recruits (6) 30 Pays heed to details (8) 31 Menace of the Mad Hatter (6)

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Yesterday’s Easy Solution Across: 1 Maple, 4 Fretful, 8 Gin, 9 Slap-happy, 10 Achieve, 11 Usher, 13 Evince, 15 Static, 18 Piece, 19 Heathen, 21 Knock down, 23 Hue, 24 Relapse, 25 Loyal.

Down: 1 Magnate, 2 Punch line, 3 Ensue, 4 Flaxen, 5 Exhaust, 6 Fop, 7 Layer, 12 Hit the hay, 14 Check-up, 16 Congeal, 17 Throne, 18 Poker, 20 Annul, 22 Owl.

Yesterday’s Cryptic Solution Across: 1 Brash, 4 Pierces, 8 Nil, 9 Recounted, 10 Sincere, 11 Aspen, 13 Sadist, 15 Degree, 18 Greta, 19 Analyst, 21 Maladroit, 23 Inn, 24 Andante, 25 Crews.

Down: 1 Bonuses, 2 All on edge, 3 Horde, 4 Packet, 5 Educate, 6 Cut, 7 Sedan, 12 Party line, 14 Stand-in, 16 Extends, 17 Parole, 18 Gamma, 20 Antic, 22 Lid.

EASY PUZZLE

Across 1 Devastate (6) 4 Contemptuous (8) 9 Remote (3-3) 10 Overbearing (8) 12 Gather as harvest (4) 13 Heartless (5) 14 Avoid (4) 17 Conform (4,4,4) 20 Take undue risks (4,4,4) 23 Cease to occupy (4) 24 Northwest US state (5) 25 Portent (4) 28 Inopportune (3-5) 29 Crowd together (6) 30 La Gioconda (4,4) 31 Robbery at gunpoint (4-2)

Down 1 Rabble (8) 2 By word of mouth (8) 3 A special talent (4) 5 Full freedom of action (5,7) 6 Space (4) 7 Tastelessly showy (6) 8 Hidden (6) 11 Misery (12) 15 A misunderstanding (3-2) 16 To grind (5) 18 No longer in fashion (8) 19 Superficial (4-4) 21 Wriggle (6) 22 A stringed instrument (6) 26 Face of a clock (4) 27 Unarmed combat sport (4)

FIND where the fleet of ships shown is hidden in the grid. The numbers to the right of and below the grid indicate how many of the squares in that row are filled in with ships or parts of ships. The ships do not touch each other, even diagonally. Some squares have been filled in to start you off.

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F E O D B S

R Y E A G Z

THE ALPHABEATER

TARGET Best described as a number crossword, the task in Kakuro is to fill all of the empty squares, using numbers 1 to 9, so the sum of each horizontal block equals the number to its left, and the sum of each vertical block equals the number on its top. No number may be used in the same block more than once. The difficulty level of the Conceptis Kakuro increases from Monday to Sunday.

N I O Q I T

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A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

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The Tribune | Weekend | 07

Friday, January 22, 2021

gardening

Veggies have gone high-tech!

T

here is a new breed of tomato, pepper, melon, and cucumber in town, and they are here to rewrite the way that we grow high-yielding, longer-lasting, disease-resistant veggies. And I am here to shamelessly promote them this week as they will change the way some of us garden.

We are introducing a line of grafted vegetables that have been being used in commercial high-end growing operations for several years that are marketed under the brand name Mighty ‘Mato, Mighty Veggies and Mighty Melon. Mighty they are, and they are quickly becoming the superheroes of tomato, vegetable, and melon growing.

These super powered edibles are grafted by hand to give many benefits not available through traditional seed grown veggies. Grafting is a process that joins the top part of one plant (scion) to the root system of another plant without any genetic

modification. As tissues heal, the two plants fuse, combining the rootstock’s vigor and disease resistance for increased water and nutrient uptake and for higher yields—with the scion’s exceptional fruit quality and flavour. The proprietary rootstock protects against common garden issues, including but not limited to the following: corky root rot, Fusarium wilt races 1 & 2, Fusarium crown rot and root rot, Verticillium wilt, nematodes, and tomato mosaic virus.

Now, I know for a fact that many backyard gardeners have been and will continue to experience these issues in their vegetable garden. I am here to bring solutions! Keep a lookout for these super heroes of the garden, they will extend the growing season with stronger, more vigorous plant growth and yields. I ask those of you have experienced a rapid decline of tomatoes, peppers, melons and cucumbers especially, after they produce a few fruits to look into

trying a few of these, and also those of you who wish to extend the growing season further into the summer months, and who doesn’t want that?

On another note, there is a relatively new (to our islands) pest plant that has arrived on several islands seemingly since around the time of hurricane Dorian. The Chinese crown orchid, Eulophia graminea, “originates in the tropical and subtropical regions of Asia including Pakistan, India, Nepal, southern China, and the Ryuku

Islands of Japan. In its native habitat, this orchid grows in a wide range of conditions from open grasslands to beaches,” according to Treasure Coast News. (Here is another resource https://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/ plant-directory/eulophia-graminea/ These may seem attractive and easy to grow at first, but they will quickly turn into a pest and they are sprouting up all over the place, both in the wild and in cultivated areas.

I implore you to keep an eye out for them and to quickly remove and destroy any that are found. To my knowledge these have been found in Abaco, Eleuthera, and New Providence, and I am sure if they are that far spread that they will be present in Grand Bahama, and I’ll bet in Andros as well. They appear to be a bulb, with a crown on top out of which grows the foliage and flower spike. The flower is very similar in appearance to our natives. Please keep an eye out. One of my guys had recently planted a few of them thinking that he was doing a good thing, but as soon as I saw them, I put them in the dumpster. Do not put them in your compost or into the bush, as they will be popping up and spreading relentlessly for years to come.

Blossom end rot has been an issue for a few gardeners on tomatoes.

Blossom end rot is a physiological problem, not a disease. It is caused by infrequent, improper and irregular watering patterns and a lack of calcium available to the plant. It can also be due to high salt levels, root damage, excess nitrogen, or the wrong soil pH. Avoid fertilizing with high nitrogen, application of bone meal is one remediation method that can help to reverse the problem on tomato plants.

Things are always progressing in something as ancient as gardening, and the challenges will continue to present themselves. Be persistent, be dedicated, and be patient, gardening is a joy that can be shared by many, and as I mentioned last week, it is always a combination of science, art, and community. As always, I wish you happy gardening!

• Adam Boorman is the nursery manager at the Fox Hill Nursery.

You can contact him with any questions you may have, or topics you would like to see discussed, at gardening242@gmail.com.

10 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, January 22, 2021

art

New collaboration celebrates native fruit

By JEFFARAH GIBSON | Tribune Features Writer | Jgibson@tribunemedia.net

F

ew Bahamians who enjoy the delicious fleshiness of a guinep fruit, the smooth sweetness of a sugar apple, or the tartness of a juju, probably ever stop to consider what health benefits these native fruits may offer them. The fruit is enjoyed mainly for its taste and any benefits are just a bonus.

But now two Bahamian creative entities have made it their business to spread the knowledge of just how good these fruits are for your physical well-being.

Local brand iisaBahamianBey and freelance illustrator Jace McKinney recently joined forces on a creative project that highlights popular Bahamian fruits in art. iisaBahamianBey is a brand that aims to honour Bahamian culture by preserving the past, educating on the present and building the future. It is a community that celebrates Bahamian people, dialect and culture through its social media platform and clothing line.

Its aim is to tell the untold stories of Bahamian people, share the culture with the world and inspire a sense of pride in being Bahamian every day.

Teaming up with Jace for this project was a great way to put on spotlight on all things truly Bahamian but in a unique fashion, said the brand’s founder, Kaché Knowles.

Launched digitally on the iisaBahamianBey social media channels, the project aims to spotlight Bahamian food.

“When I was planning my content for November, I had always decided that the theme would be Bahamian food. When I create content all the posts, photos and videos I use are centered around that theme. Jace reached out about doing illustrations on Bahamian food and the timeline couldn’t be more perfect. We both choose five Bahamian fruits, so we ended up with a collection of 10 in total,” she said.

While Jace worked on the illustrations Kaché chose the text to accompany the artwork.

“It gained so much traction that we are now going to have the prints available for purchase. We are releasing two fruit combinations periodically and persons interested can collect them all —as they are released,” she said.

As for his part, Jace said he was farming in his backyard and the thought came to him that there was very limited knowledge of native fruit trees.

“I knew that I could not do this project alone as doing the illustrations and researching the information would have been overwhelming for me at the time. I reached out to the iisaBahamianBey team about the project because I admired the

work that they were doing in sharing knowledge about the Bahamas and what it is like to be a Bahamian, and it turned out to be a great fit as Kaché mentioned that what I was proposing about Bahamian fruit trees was in line with their theme for the month on which was about Bahamian food,” he said.

The process was quite simple, he said, and well coordinated.

“I did the illustrations and graphic work while the iisaBahamianBey team researched and put together the information on the various fruit trees.

We had several online meetings to make sure we were on the same page and in agreement with what was being produced,” he said.

There were a few things Jace would like their audience to take away from the project.

“I want them to get greater knowledge and interest in valuing and wanting to learn more about our native fruit trees. I also want the audience to be entertained while learning something of value within our culture,” he said.

And ultimately, Jace said he hopes his collaboration with the brand inspires other artists to join forces and do what they do best: create.

“I wanted them to see this small but successful collaboration between Bahamian creatives and I wanted this project to be something to encourage other Bahamian creatives to create something great together. Often as creatives, we stay in our own worlds, working alone, but now more than ever before we live in an age where collaboration is important for the mutual benefit and edification of each other,” he said.

The Tribune | Weekend | 11

Friday, January 22, 2021

history

PAUL ARANHA FORGOTTEN FACTS

Light at the end of the tunnel?

A

report in The Tribune of December 10, 2020 (the anniversary of King Edward VIII’s abdication) revealed that the government “has given the go-ahead to a Bahamian investor group aiming to generate $1.5bn in revenues by transforming Nassau’s key heritage sites”.

The Prime Minister’s senior policy adviser, Joshua Sears, said that the Cabinet’s National Economic Council gave their blessing to the Bahamian group’s multimillion

dollar proposal to restore Fort Charlotte, Fort Fincastle and Fort Montagu (which does not have an ‘e’ at the end) plus ‘The 66 Steps (the Queen’s Staircase), the Water Tower and the Pompey Museum.

This sounds like very good news and anyone interested in preserving our history must find it very encouraging, as I do, though I wonder why ‘we the people’ were not told the names of members of all the PPIL group, who plan to take over ‘our’ heritage sites. We know only that the

group is headed by Dr Nigel Lewis (its chairman) and Olvin Rees.

This is not the first time that attempts were made to convert historic sites into profit-making attractions, but it is probably the first time that private enterprise has stepped up. Sadly, the previous attempts seem to have failed. I hope that this latest plan can be a huge success.

As far as I can see, the Clifton Heritage Site has been the biggest failure. A lot of time and money must have been spent to create a tourist attraction that spouts false tales about the site’s history. It seems as if the creators were fooled into inventing history - the most obvious example being the stories told to visitors about the so called ‘pirate steps’.

One day, while I was standing at the top of the steps, explaining to a Yale professor that the steps had been cut in 1918, we saw a guide leading a dozen tourists to the steps, giving them his spiel about the steps having been cut by slaves (obviously before 1834). He went on to explain how the steps had been cut by slaves (in 1918?), so slave ships could

land their human cargoes and sell them (must have been before 1834); that they had been used by pirates (before 1718 when Woodes Rogers chased the pirates away), who anchored their ships at Clifton, walked up the steps and then walked to Gambier and/or Adelaide, to change out of their ‘pirate clothes’, before walking to Nassau – because the people in Nassau didn’t like to see people walking around the town in ‘pirate clothes’. This ignores the facts that Nassau functioned as a ‘Pirate Republic’ and nobody could tell pirates how to dress. It also ignores the fact that Gambier and Adelaide did not exist during Nassau’s pirate era.

The Ministry of Tourism used to run a ‘Bahamahost’ programme that did an excellent job of teaching people in the tourist industry about the real history, geography, etcetera of these islands. If this still exists it could help avoid potential inaccuracies in any guided tours of Adelaide, Fox Hill and Gambier.

• For questions and comments, send an e-mail to islandairman@ gmail.com

12 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, January 22, 2021

literary lives - Sammy Davis Jr

‘The only Black, Puerto Rican, one-eyed, Jewish entertainer in the world’

DAVIS began his career in vaudeville at age three.

DAVIS found his first succes with The Will Mastin Trio.

Sir Christopher Ondaatje remembers the American singer, musician, dancer, actor, comedian and activist who was known as the greatest entertainer ever to appear on the American stage.

Sammy Davis was born on December 8, 1925 in Harlem, New York, the son of Sammy Davis Sr, an African-American entertainer and stage performer. His mother, Elvera Sanchez, was a tap dancer of Afro-Cuban and Spanish descent.

Davis’s parents were both vaudeville dancers.

When he was a little child he was looked after by his paternal grandmother. He was three years old when his parents separated. Not wanting to lose custody of his son, his father took him on tour with him. He, together with Will Mastin - a fellow dancer -taught the young boy to dance.

They became The Will Mastin Trio. Even after he became famous, Davis always included “The Will Mastin Trio” in his billing.

“You name it and I’ve done it. I’d like to say I did it my way. But that line, I’m afraid, belongs to someone else.”

- Sammy Davis Jr

- Sammy Davis Jr

“I travelled ten states and played over fifty cities by the time I was four.”

When he was seven he played the title role in the 1932 film Rufus Jones for President singing and dancing with Ethel Waters, and hoofing and

singing at Izzy’s Bar and Grille in Boston’s South End. Davis was shielded from the prevalent racism in the United States by his father and Will Mastin who said that race-based comments were merely jealous snubs, but when he joined the Army during World War II he was exposed to virulent prejudice.

“Overnight the world looked different. It wasn’t one colour any more. I could see the protection I’d gotten all my life from my father and Will. I appreciated their ... hope that I’d never need to know about prejudice and hate, but they were wrong.

It was as if I’d walked through a swinging door for eighteen years, a door which they had always secretly held open.”

- Sammy Davis Jr Davis was drafted into the Army in 1943. He was frequently abused and fought with white soldiers from the South. His nose was broken several times and permanently flattened. Eventually he

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Friday, January 22, 2021

DAVIS wed his first wife, dancer Loray White, in 1958, after being threatened by Columbia Pictures and the Mob to break off his relationship with actress Kim Novak.

DAVIS and Dr Martin Luther King Jr laughing together backstage at the Majestic Theater in 1965. was reassigned to the Army’s Special Services branch that entertained the troops. He was discharged in 1945, still with the rank of Private, but with an American Campaign Medal and with a World War II Victory Medal.

“I learned a lot in the Army. I knew that above all things in the world I had to become so big, so strong, that people and their hatred could never touch me.”

- Sammy Davis Jr After he was discharged from the Army he rejoined The Will Mastin Trio and played in clubs around Portland, Oregon. He also recorded some blues songs for Capitol Records.

On March 23, 1951, The Will Mastin Trio appeared at Ciro’s in New York as the opening act for Janis Paige. They were to perform for twenty minutes. However, the adulation and enthusiasm from the celebrity-filled audience was so rapturous, particularly when Davis launched into his impressions, that they were on stage for over an hour, and Paige insisted that the order of the show be changed so that the Trio become the headline act.

Following this, when Davis was 26, he started to get gigs on his own and to get recording contracts.

“My talent was the weapon, the power, the way for me to fight. It was the one way I might hope to affect a man’s thinking.”

- Sammy Davis Jr In 1953, he was given his own ABC television show, Three for the Road – with The Will Mastin Trio. The show was to include Frances Davis – the first black ballerina to perform for the Paris Opera, actresses Ruth Attaway and Jane White, and Frederick O’Neal who founded the American Negro Theatre. Unfortunately, the network could not get a sponsor and so the show was never aired.

Still, The Will Mastin Trio continued to get bookings. Davis was hired in 1954 to sing the title song for the film Six Bridges to Cross. That year Davis was involved in a near fatal automobile accident in San Bernardino, Califonia, while returning from Las Vegas to Los Angeles. The accident happened on US Route 66. Davis lost his left eye and wore a black patch for the next six months. He was later fitted with a glass eye which he wore for the rest of his life. In hospital his friend Eddie Cantor talked to Davis about the similarities between the Jewish and black cultures. Davis, who had been born to a Catholic mother and a Baptist father, began studying the history of Jews. He converted to Judaism in 1961. Curiously, the accident was a turning point in Davis’s career, taking him from a well-known entertainer to a national celebrity.

In 1956, Davis starred in the Broadway musical Mr Wonderful – an enormous hit.

“Being a star has made it possible for me to get insulted in places where the Negro could never go and get insulted.”

- Sammy Davis Jr In 1957, Davis became involved romantically with actress Kim Novak who, at the time, was under contract to Columbia Pictures. Because Novak was white, Harry Cohn, the president of Columbia, worried that racist backlash would hurt the studio. Davis, according to Hollywood history, was threatened by organised crime close to Cohn. He was told to stop seeing Novak and was threatened with the loss of his other eye if he did not marry a black woman within two days. Davis therefore married black dancer Loray White in 1958 to protect himself from Mob violence. He paid her $25,000 to engage in a marriage that would be dissolved before the end of the year. The couple never lived together and commenced divorce proceedings in September 1958. They were divorced in April 1959 – the year Davis became a member of the Rat Pack, led by his friend Frank Sinatra, which included fellow performers Dean Martin, Joey Bishop and Peter Lawford. The group performed together and helped each other appearing in many television and other variety shows.

The success of the Rat Pack was due to camaraderie ... Guys who work together, and kid each other, and love each other.”

14 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, January 22, 2021

New Jersey – and he continued to perform.

“Alcohol gives you infinite patience for stupidity.”

- Sammy Davis Jr

SECOND wife May Britt with Davis and their children (from left) Mark Davis and Tracey DAVIS and his last wife, dancer Altovise Davis, 1962 Gore

- Sammy Davis Jr In 1960, Davis was involved in another racially charged controversy when he married white Swedish-born actress May Britt in a ceremony officiated by Rabbi William Kramer at the Temple of Israel of Hollywood.

A registered Democrat, Davis supported John F Kennedy’s 1960 election campaign – when he courted support from the Rat Pack and Hollywood. However, Kennedy refused to allow Davis to perform at his inauguration in the White House because of his marriage to a white woman – May Britt. Although interracial marriage had been legal in California since 1948, anti-miscegenation laws in the United States still stood in 23 states.

Davis continued to receive racist hate mail well into the time that he was appearing in Golden Boy on Broadway (1961-1966), in which his character, in a relationship with a white woman, paralleled his own.

Only in 1967, after the musical had closed, were anti-miscegenation laws in all states ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court of the United States.

“May was young and beautiful.

We were legally married, but she was caught in the prison of my skin.”

- Sammy Davis Jr Davis and Britt had one daughter, Tracey, and adopted two sons, Mark and Jeff. Davis performed continuously and spent little time with his wife. They divorced in 1968 after Davis had an affair with singer and dancer Lola Falana. When the marriage ended Davis increased his alcohol addiction and turned to drugs – particularly cocaine and amyl nitrite.

“The manic pursuit of success cost me everything I could love: My wife, my three children, some friends I would have liked to grow old with.”

- Sammy Davis Jr Davis then found romance with Altovise Gore – a dancer in Golden Boy. They were married by the Reverend Jesse Jackson on May 11, 1970, and remained married until Davis died in 1990.

The Rat Pack group around Sinatra made several movies together, including Oceans 11 (1960), Sergeants 3 (1962), and Robin and the 7 Hoods (1964).

They performed on stage in Las Vegas for many years. Davis was also a headliner at the Frontier Casino in Las Vegas. He loved performing.

“Once I get outside my house in the morning, I’m on.”

- Sammy Davis Jr Even when he was starring in Golden Boy at night, he was shooting his own talk show during the day. When he got a day off from the theatre, he recorded songs or performed at charity events in Chicago, Miami or Las Vegas. He appeared in TV specials in Los Angeles. He knew he was neglecting his family but he was addicted to the adulation and couldn’t stay still for very long.

His musical career declined in the late 1960s but he had a hit with “I’ve Gotta Be Me” in 1969, and an unexpected No 1 hit with “The Candy Man” in 1972. He didn’t like the song, but it revitalised his career. He made appearances on TV shows: The Rifleman, I Dream of Jeannie, All in the Family, and Charlie’s Angels (with his wife Altovise Davis). He also hosted (with Monty Hall) the first annual Highway Safety Telethon in 1973.

He appeared in a Japanese commercial for Suntory Whisky. He worked hard and played hard.

Sadly, years of hard drinking and smoking finally caught up with him and he was diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver. He announced his sponsorship of the Sammy Davis Jr National Liver Institute in Newark,

In August 1989, while on tour with Frank Sinatra and Liza Minelli, “The Ultimate Event”, he complained of a tickle in his throat and an inability to taste food.

Doctors found a tumour in Davis’s throat and he was diagnosed with throat cancer. Initially he refused to have surgery saying that he would rather have his voice. However, when the cancer recurred, doctors removed his larynx. He was released from hospital on March 13, 1990, but died of complications from throat cancer two months later on May 16, 1990 at his home in Beverly Hills, California. He was 64 years old. Two days later, the lights of Las Vegas strip were darkened for ten minutes as a tribute to the great entertainer.

Sammy Davis Jr left the bulk of his estate – estimated to be more than $4 million, to his widow Altovise Davis. However, he owed the Internal Revenue Service $5.2 million. His widow became liable for his debt as she had co-signed his tax returns. She was forced to auction his personal possessions and real estate – and friends in the industry participated in a fund-raising concert at the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas to help out. Eventually Altovise Davis and the IRS reached a settlement.

NEXT WEEK: The story of a young woman whose 1836 best-seller exposed the systematic abuse of nuns by Montreal priests.

• Sir Christopher Ondaatje is the author of The Last Colonial. He acknowledges that he has quoted liberally from Wikipedia; In Black and White: The Life of Sammy Davis Junior (2003) by Will Haygood: and Yes, I Can: The Story of Sammy Davis Jr. (1990) by Jane and Burt Boyar.

The Tribune | Weekend | 15

Friday, January 22, 2021

animals

Archie, the long distance friend

By KIM ARANHA Animal Matters

A

s you all know, I spend a reasonable amount of time keeping up with what is going on in the animal world near and far. Facebook is a terrific tool to do this.

I am a member of a wonderful, supportive, worldwide group called “iheartseniordogs”. I am the proud owner of five senior dogs so I fit right in.

Over the years I have gotten to know quite a few of the regulars who post cute things and happy moments with their beloved elderly friends.

There is, sadly, but naturally, a large amount of tributes posted to dogs who have recently passed away, and the very sad family member having a hard time coping.

One wonderful dog in particular called Archie lived in Australia and loved playing in the mud, was on there frequently. He was a splendid yellow Labrador with a delightful smile and a “mum” who wrote about him regularly. She also took time out to comfort those who were experiencing loss.

I knew that Archie has not been 100 percent himself for the past couple of weeks, but I cannot begin to tell you my dismay and shock when scrolling down “iheartsernordogs” I saw Archie’s “obituary” written by his devastated mum.

Apparently Archie went downhill very fast. The last few days were very difficult for him and he had been having serious seizures. Sadly, they eventually took away his ability to walk. During the days leading up to this catastrophe, Archie had been in and out of the clinic, undergoing countless tests. He had moments of being in an awful lot of pain.

Archie’s mum and his doctor did everything they could for him, but eventually they helped him on his way to the rainbow bridge (where pets go when they pass away and they wait for their humans to join them).

Archie had a bunch of really cute nicknames, as his passion was mud.

He had what he liked to think of as his “mud crater” at the bottom of the garden and was at his happiest getting seriously muddy playing with balls in the mud. He would pick them up, take them out of the “crater”, only to let them roll back into the mud, much to his delight.

This exercise could be repeated over and over with a sincere expression of concentration, which was totally apparent in the video clip I saw.

Another thing Archie liked to do was play with footballs, and sometimes he even popped them. There were some adorable posts over the years of a somewhat contrite Archie holding a deflated soccer ball in his mouth with a post explaining that he had got hold of his “sidekick’s” ball and “Oops, it popped”.

Archie’s posts were peppered with humour and funny photos of him either covered in mud or allowing his human to dress him up in an outfit appropriate for the season.

The dress-up photos showed a very sweet and tolerant Archie submitting to costume time because he loved his human so much that he wanted to humour her. If it made her happy, then Archie was game.

ARCHIE, the Australian ‘mud buddy’ Archie became a sort of pen pal friend for my Chief and they would exchange stories and experiences thanks to their humans who wrote in the chats with their voices. Some people may have thought it was a bit nutty, but Archie and Chief (and Buddy) became long distance best buds.

pet of the week

By THE BAHAMAS HUMANE SOCIETY

N

We all miss you Archie.

is quite friendly with other dogs.

Helen would love to find a yard to call her own, perhaps with another dog or two to keep her company.

She’d also like to find someone patient who will help her come out of her shell and learn to be brave.

Do you have that patience? Do you need some beauty in your life? Then call the Bahamas Humane Society at 323-5138 to find out more about Helen. You’ll be happy you did!

Is this the face that launched a thousand ships?

ot Helen of Troy, but Helen of Nassau, and just as beautiful. Helen is a blonde potcake about a year and a half old. She’s a bit shy with humans but

Archie loved getting wet in the mud. Chief couldn’t comprehend getting wet, the best Chief would do is dig a hole in the dirt. Archie was his “muddy buddy”, and I would check frequently if there were any new messages. When Chief was rushed to Florida in December, Archie and his mum were right there supporting, sending wishes, love and prayers, all the way from Australia .

When Chiefie came back on three legs they were there again, cheering him along.

Remember now, they are in Australia. We have never met, yet I knew Archie as well as I know my friends’ dogs. Facebook and “iheartseniousdogs” opened a door of friendship and dialogue that could have never happened without the internet.

Today’s sad post from Archie’s mum made my blood run cold. I did not realise that the “Mud Man” was that sick, I didn’t expect him to leave now.

A beautiful and greatly loved, gentle Labrador has left this earth too soon. My heart goes out to his family and I know that the thousands of people who interacted with Archie on Facebook join me in tearfully saying good-bye to this tremendous canine personality.

His mum said that he taught her to live in the moment as he did. She made me smile when she thanked him for the two bits of fur that were in her teacup today that reminded her of him.

Photo/Linda Gill-Aranha

• The BHS Thrift shop will be holding a mini sale of jewellery on Saturday, January 23, from 10am to 2pm. Come and check it out! Wear your mask and don’t forget your bag. All proceeds from the shop help the BHS.

16 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, January 22, 2021

music

Wendi says live your day as if it’s your ‘Last One’

By JEFFARAH GIBSON Tribune Features Writer | jgibson@tribunemedia.net

C

oming off what has been an unprecedented year in every way, Wendi is starting 2021 off in the way she knows best: with new music and hotter hits.

Her latest single, “Last One”, is one of four songs on the “Tamarind Riddim” album which was produced by the award-winning team of 4 Dove Court, comprised of Freddie “Got Stykz” Seymour, Leonardo “Sniper” Rodgers, Anwar McDonald, Dyson Knight and Wendy Lewis-Knight herself.

“Last One” is a song that invites people to grab life by in the horns, living in the now, recognising that the future is unknown. It is a call to live

today like it’s your last day, and Wendi’s signature powerhouse vocals drives the message home.

“2021 is an opportunity for a beautiful start and I hope to embrace it for the blank slate that it is. As usual, I am starting the new year off with new music that I will saturate into our local and regional industry. As things slowly return to the normal that we prefer, I hope to be able to perform live on stage once again,” she said.

While her approach may have to be different, Wendi said her goals have not changed.

“I’ve been fortunate to actually have made large steps in my artistry and exposure to new markets. Like many others, I do have cabin fever, and with my little one, finding new ways each day to keep her entertained is a challenge, but all in all I am blessed,” she said.

“My goal of permeating the Caribbean region has not changed. I have seen much success hitting this goal and I’m continuing to raise that goal post. The recognition from the region in 2020 has been tremendous. My songs have been played alongside the soca greats and I am humbled by that.”

Given that Wendi was not able to perform live as she would ordinarily do, the singer said she has had to take a new approach.

“More emphasis is being placed on markets that I wouldn’t ordinarily think of as it relates to live performances.

I’m also ensuring that my social content is more engaging so that it can be exposed to new targets and my team and I also elevated the calibre of our virtual show,” she said.

Wendi said it is important for artists to come up with unique ways of marketing their music as its likely that live performance may not be allowed for some time.

“It is essential right now in order to survive. I encourage all artisans to educate themselves on at least one other aspect of their creative field. Photography, graphic design, marketing, public speaking, etcetera are all arms of the creative. Now more than ever, we need to be able to pivot in order to survive,” she said.

New this week:

Salt-N-Pepa movie & Rhye

By The Associated Press • After a hectic 2020, all you need is the smooth and soothing sound of Rhye to help you start the new year right. Rhye, the R&B musical project by Mike Milosh, releases a new album Friday called “Home.” The 13-track set is full of plush and warm tunes that will make you feel like you’re instantly being massaged at a spa with the best candle scent burning in the background. For an even better time, check out the music video for Rhye’s “Black Rain,” which appears on the new album and stars Golden Globe-winning actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson dancing shirtless for four minutes. Taylor-Johnson also directed the clip.

• Saturdays are for Seventeen: The 13-member K-pop group will hold a virtual concert on Saturday, which begins at 4am EST. Tickets cost $45.

• The rise and impact of one of the first female rap groups is dramatised in the Lifetime movie “Salt-N-Pepa” (8pm EST Sunday). Cheryl “Salt” James and Sandra “Pepa” Denton, played respectively by GG Townson and Laila Odom, record a tune for a co-worker’s project and ultimately end up Grammy-winning artists who help change the music genre. Performances of Salt-N-Pepa songs including “Let’s Talk About Sex,” “What a Man,” “Shoop” and “Push It” are featured in the movie, which counts Queen Latifah among its executive producers and Mario Van Peebles (“New Jack City,” “Empire”) as its director. Monique Paul co-stars as the group’s DJ, Spinderella.