Friday, March 9, 2018
books theatre film fashion music puzzles food history beauty
Weekend
TWIST OF FAITH Page 21
Swimsuit sizzle By Sports Illustrated page 19
02 | The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, March 9, 2018
community
The beauty of sisterhood By ALESHA CADET Tribune Features Writer acadet@tribunemedia.net
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fter a seven-year hiatus, the Viva La Bella empowerment organisation is back in full affect and ready to help women and girls throughout the Bahamas live the beautiful life. The recent soft launch party, held at Via Café under the theme “She”, was held specifically to share with the public Viva La Bella’s plans for the future. Aisha Nesut Ani, Viva La Bella founder, welcomed a full house. There was a beautiful mixture of women, she said, from those seasoned in business to Millennials just entering the marketplace. “I am super excited to be back at it. What’s even more incredible is that this time there are clear objectives in place to guide the direction we move in and I am working with a team of incredible women to make it all happen. It was very encouraging to see women saying ‘Yes, we need this’. The overall consensus was there needs to be a mindset shift and we have to begin working together to achieve success as a collective,” said Aisha. “Even as women in business there is a lot of unknown territory. There are many challenges to navigate including access to resources and access to opportunities...The feedback is that we have to start creating solutions rather than be crippled by the problems.” Launched in 2010, Viva La Bella initially started as an online movement focusing on identity and self-esteem surrounding beauty and love. Aisha came up with the idea for the movement after working on a swimsuit calendar project and becoming concerned about the commentary on what was considered “ beautiful” and what was not. Taking the conversation to Facebook, Aisha created Viva La Bella to face head-on why Bahamian women are upholding the European standard of beauty. “In the wake of the then resurgence of the natural hair movement we would have lengthy conversations almost daily
Women from all walks of life came out to celebrate the relaunch of Viva La Bella.
on topics surrounding beauty, culture, career, relationships, and so much more. In 2011, we hosted a Femminar, and the experience was transformative for our guests and for me personally, however, at the time I was working through the loss of a very close loved one and the Femminar helped me to realise that I needed to take some time to go through the healing process,” said Aisha. Aisha took a break to go on a spiritual journey in an effort to uncover her personal truth, passions and purpose. On this journey she became drawn into the field of health and wellness, becoming certified as a holistic health and nutritional coach as well as a Shoden Reiki practitioner. The mother-of-four said at times she thought the Viva La Bella movement
was history, but it turns out it is far from over. “We as women have enough of the feel-good, motivational seminars and inspirational speakers. What we don’t have enough of are the communities that provide us with developmental tools and strategies to walk us through the process of creating the lives we desire. Providing these solutions are what I am meant to design through Viva La Bella,” said Aisha. This Saturday, the organisation is launching a special campaign to provide women and girls with essential tools to become successful. The “Bellas Pop Up” community outreach programme starts at the Thelma Gibson Primary School, Elizabeth Estates, at 4pm.
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Friday, March 9, 2018
Inside Weekend
My perfect Bahamian weekend Tonya Major, actress Q: Saturday breakfast or Sunday lunch?
“Sunday lunch. I am obsessed with fried snapper or grouper. Fish is my favourite food, period.”
Interview 4-5 Cara Hunt talks to actor Gordon Parks about his life-long Hollywood dream Fashion 7 A ‘Socktacular’ expression of culture Food 8 - 9 Baha Mar’s Regatta Food Hall offers a culinary adventure Theatre 10 Queen’s College takes on the iconic ‘West Side Story’ musical Education 12 The Bahamian Exchange offers faceto-face dialogue with thought leaders Fitness 14 - 15 Reform your life with Regina Smith’s Pilates tips Music 17 Bahamian musicians highlight themselves Photography 19 The Bahamas stars in Sports Illustrated’s famous Swimsuit Issue Jewellery 20 Allia M Dean honours an age-old tradition with her new designs Beauty 21 Building a dream with a ‘Twist of Faith’ Literary Lives 22 - 23 A poet’s violent eclipse Forgotten Facts 24 - 25 New revelations about Loyalist land in Long Island
Puzzles 26
Animals 27 Kim Aranha on the amazing jellyfish, plus Pet of the Week Gardening 28 Jack Hardy argues for full immersion for your plants Cover | Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated
Q: Wine, rum, cocktail or Kalik?
“I am definitely a wine and mimosa kind of girl. Especially when my two-year-old and seven-month-old are ripping my house to shreds... a great way to keep smiling.”
Q: Beach or sofa?
“I am a proud beach bum. I love family time on the beach with my husband and babies.”
Q: What is the one thing that you can’t live without? “My family.”
Q: Weekend away, where would you go? “New York! If I only had one day to travel it would be New York...going to pack up my little family and move there very soon. The obsession is real.”
Things 2 Do this weekend Friday • Reckless Pirates Costume Launch Time: 3pm Venue: Graycliff Resturant The Reckless Pirates Costume Launch will feature designs from Haute On You by Kayla Ward and the Freedom Design line by Dr Roz, with entertainment by DJs Presure, Jmac and Amlak. • The Bahamian Exchange 2018 Time: 6pm Venue: Queen’s College SEE PAGE 12
Saturday
• For Men Only – Prayer Breakfast Time: 8am Venue: Zion Baptist Church, East and Shirley Streets Can a woman rape her husband? Can a man rape his wife? These questions and more are just some of the issues that will be addressed. Hear from special guest speaker Elsworth Johnson, Minister of State for National Security, as he seeks to shed light on the law regarding marital rape. • International Women’s Day Expo for Women & Girls Time: 10.30am - 3pm Venue: The Dundas Centre
for the Performing Arts Hear from organisations, experts and practitioners about what they do, why, and how they can help you. Then take part in workshops with a variety of options from yoga and art therapy to eating well on a budget and bystander intervention training. • 15th Annual Horse Show Time: 12noon to 5pm (continues on Sunday) Venue: Camperdown Stables Enjoy equestrian feats and purchase your steak and chicken tickets from any Rotary Club of New Providence member. Funds are in aid of community projects. • Queen’s College PTA Comet Fest Time: 12noon - 6pm Venue: Queen’s College The Community of Love Fair will feature bands, choirs, dance performances and all things Bahamian to offer fun for the whole family. • An Evening with the Stars – Autism Ball Time: 7pm Venue: Grand Hyatt, Baha Mar The first ever autism ball hosted by Blairwood Academy will mark the 10 years that have passed since creating the Autism Unit at the school. Enjoy dinner and dancing,
and the amazing accomplishments of the students. Tickets are $175. Proceeds will go towards a new building for the Autism Unit and a playground for all students. • Hennessy’s “Heaven on Earth” All White Party Time: 8pm Venue: The Pavilion, 1000 Bacardi Road Hennessy Pure White hosts its all white party to bring together the mature young and the grown folks in one party zone.
Sunday
• Tales for Tots Time: 11am - 12.30pm Venue: Ardastra Gardens, Zoo and Conservation Centre You and your toddler will share story time, games, crafts, animal encounters and nature play. For children five and under accompanied by an adult. Register in advance at: https://goo.gl/forms/ SmXGXdM9TbWsmqDE3. • The Sunday Cool Down Time: 7pm - 11pm Venue: Balmoral Club It’s time for some March madness for the grown and sexy. The Tingum Dem band will have guests dancing all night long.
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Friday, March 9, 2018
interview More than 50 years ago he risked it all for a chance at the Hollywood dream. And while he got a taste of Tinseltown, Gordon Parks never quite achieved the star status he dreamed of. But now in his senior years, the actor tells Cara Hunt that he would be ready to give it one last try.
Gordon Parks
E
ven as a youngster growing up in Nassau Gordon Parks had a fascination with acting and the silver screen. His love for cinema was so great that in the 1960s, when is was in his teens, he left high school at Eastern Senior so he could get a job and have pocket money to buy movie tickets. “I had dropped out school back home on the island for a job to support my taste for frequenting the local picture houses and appetite for fine clothes and the easy going night life. The year was 1964 when I got my first job as an office boy (messenger) at E D Sassoon Company down town New Providence,” he told Tribune Weekend. When he reached the age of 14, Gordon decided that he wanted to go to school in the United States, something he saw as a stepping stone to fulfilling his dream of becoming an actor “I went to my sister and told her about what I was going to go to school in the States. She actually gave me the money to pay for my ticket,” he said. Gordon arrived in Florida and enrolled at Miami Jackson Senior High School.
“A star like Shelley Winters is someone who just looks better, sounds better than anyone else in the room... It makes them special and memorable. Danny Glover is an actor, but Morgan Freeman is a star.”
At that time in the 1960s Florida schools were becoming desegregated, allowing more opportunities for black students, including a fairly large contingent of Bahamian students. “I was there with a number of students from the Bahamas including Quinton Clarke, Larry Munnings, Wellington Woods and Jeffery Poitier,” he recalled. Gordon explained that Miami Jackson was considered
a “super school”, both in regards to its demanding curriculum and strong extracurricular activities. “It was like the Beverley Hills High of Miami,” he said. He joked that he flunked all his classes except the theatre programme. He was also a part of the school’s yearbook staff, working as the photographer, and participated in the school’s ‘Barefoot in the Park’ productions. His first real break came when he worked with noted actor Carl Franklin on the TV show “Caribe” in the early ‘70s. Franklin would later go on to star in such hit TV shows as “ALF”, “The A-Team” and “Roseanne”. The show was about the exploits of the Caribe Force, a fictional law enforcement unit that had extra-national jurisdiction throughout the Caribbean, headquartered in Miami. Stacy Keach, who is still working today on shows like “NCIS: New Orleans”, played Lieutenant Ben Logan, a former officer in Miami Police hired by the Caribe Force. Carl Franklin played his partner, Sergeant Mark Walters, also formerly of the Miami PD. Gordon had roles in several of the episodes of the series. Following graduation, Gordon returned home to Nassau, where he admits that he was restless, and having been bit by the acting bug, was eager to return to the US to advance his career as an actor. After meeting with several industry professionals who encouraged him to make the move and offered promises of support once he arrived in the
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Friday, March 9, 2018
“I still believe I can hold my own...now that I am a grandfather and my time is flexible I would go back in a heartbeat...” States, Gordon decided to once again to take the plunge, this time relocating to Los Angeles, California. “I caught a ride on a plane, as in not a commercial flight, but a ride with some guys in their plane. They were going over for the Super Bowl and they gave me a ride,” he said. Once in Florida, Gordon purchased a Greyhound bus ticket and rode across the country to chase his Hollywood dream. To help finance this dream he also enrolled in a trade school to Gordon and his wife Berdine become an X-ray/EKG technician. Later, he got his Bachelor’s degree acting because of the glamour associin Interdisciplinary Social Science ated with Hollywood, but also noted from the University of South Florida that in his view movie and TV profesSarasota-Manatee. “Even though I knew that I wanted sionals are some of the greatest people to be an actor, I was also conscientious to be around. about ensuring that I had a way to pay And he said while many people may the bills and make a living,” he said. be actors, there are only a few rare However, he noted that when it individuals who have the ‘It’ factor that came to his acting career, new doors transforms them into a star. were constantly opened to him and he “A star as Shelley Winters is was also able to find steady work in a someone who just looks better, number of TV shows and commercials. sounds better than anyone else in the Throughout his career, Gordon perroom. They just have that something formed in 52 professional productions, about them that makes them attract which also included feature-length attention. It makes them special and movies, documentaries and educational memorable. Danny Glover is an actor, training videos. but Morgan Freeman is a star,” he said. Among his career highlights are And although he left the industry to working with Hollywood greats like raise a family a few years ago, now at John Amos, Rock Hudson, Kathy age 67 Gordon jokes that he believes Dickinson and Charles Bronson, and he still has that star quality as well. on the popular TV shows of the 1970s “I still believe I can hold my own. I and ‘80s such as “Cagney & Lacey” left acting because the work was just and “Death Wish”. not steady enough for a family, but However, one of his biggest regrets now that I am a grandfather and my was that he never had the opportunity time is flexible I would go back in a to work with fellow Bahamian star Sir heartbeat if the right opportunity with Sidney Poitier. the right people presented itself,” he Gordon, who has made his home in Florida, said that he fell in love with said.
Gordon with his brother Hillary
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section
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Friday, March 9, 2018
fashion
A ‘Socktakular’ expression of culture
Socktacular socks are all unisex. By JEFFARAH GIBSON Tribune Features Writer jgibson@tribunemedia.net
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Designer Rashad Dean
PHOTOS/SHAWN HANNA
RIMMING with ideas after a trip to the United States, Rashad Dean came back home re-energised and ready to begin a creative venture he believes will knock the socks off people and make them grab a pair of his. Rashad’s Socktakular is a budding clothing company that boasts a variety of accessories, including hats, bow ties and swimwear. However, it’s the funky socks that are capturing the attention the millennial dresser. An artist at heart, Rashad started this venture a few years back with the support of family and friends who believe his creative vision can be turned into a lucrative product. “Socktakular came to me when I was in Miami on vacation with some friends. And they told me that I should get more serious with about it, especially since I have a background in art,” the young entrepreneur told Tribune Weekend. “I have been laid back with my work, but now that I have good friends and a good support system which has
The ‘Blue Marlin’ design
motivated me to climb to the next level and pretty much continue doing what I doing.” Rashad took sometime out to think about the kind of vibe he wanted his socks to reflect. “The first sock we launched was the ‘Blue Marlin’. We created a body of images and meshed them. We came up with the entire islands of the Bahamas, along with the hibiscus that is found here and the Blue Marlin itself,” he said. Once on and you put your feet together, the socks form an actual Blue Marlin. “The other design we created was the ‘Junkanoo’ socks, which is a funkier style and has more like an abstract kind of feeling. It gives you a vibe but it doesn’t give you a full image. But once you pay attention to the socks they actually tell a story of what it feels to be celebrating Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. Most people that are not
The ‘Junkanoo’ design from the Bahamas have never had the chance to experience the Junkanoo,” he said. The ‘Junkanoo’ socks are the most vibrant of the two designs. “We have people dancing, we have costumes, bellers, drummers, horn and blowers,” said Rashad. And up next will be the ultimate Bahamian design, to be released soon. “The next socks will be the ‘242’. It actually has fingers forming the 242 sign with the actual slang ‘I’m from the 242’. The left side of the sock will be a design of the Bahamian flag. It will be fun, a little complicated and bit unexpected,” he said. From the onset Rashad said he wanted his designs to be very funky and cool while also keeping them unisex. “I love the creative part of the process. And I love how the socks explain the whole story of what it means to experience life in the Bahamas,” he said.
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Friday, March 9, 2018
food
Set sail on a culinary adventure By MORGAN ADDERLEY Tribune Staff Reporter madderley@tribunemedia.net
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ESTLED in the lower level of Baha Mar’s east tower lies the Grand Hyatt’s newest restaurant, Regatta Food Hall. It offers Bahamian and international cuisines in a buffet-style setting. It is headed by Chefs de Cuisine Robert Allum and Shyju Babu who work with a team of Bahamian chefs. The restaurant’s aesthetic is modern, sophisticated and comfortable, designed to be the perfect venue for couples, families and group outings. During its grand opening last Thursday, Executive Chef for the Grand Hyatt Brent Martin described the restaurant as an “unbelievable operation”, with five different live cooking stations that people can come in and enjoy. “So you get to interact with the chefs, you get to talk to them,” he told Tribune Weekend. “There’s a lot of different types of cooking methods that we use, from grills to rotisserie. We have planches; we have different popsicles that we make fresh everyday. We have so much different variety of food; we could have Indian, Mediterranean, some American flavours. “But then obviously we have some Bahamian favourites, Caribbean flavours, so it’s a lot of different varieties, so that you can come and every time you come you’ll see something different.” Dinner selections include steak, lobster tail and smoked brisket. Highlights include traditional Bahamian conch fritters and peas and rice, carne asada grilled cheese, fish tacos, knackwurst kabobs and jerk chicken.
Friday, March 9, 2018
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PHOTOS/KARLYLE HARRIS
Guests at last Thursday’s opening also sampled salmon, corn and conch chowders, fried plantains, mahi-mahi, fried snapper, macaroni and cheese, among the many options. Dessert at Regatta Food Hall is also a tour de force. Guests couldn’t help but marvel at the house-made popsicles and chocolate pots de crème. Other sweet selections served by the team of pastry chefs include classic Bahamian rum cake, Nutella cupcakes, crème brulee, gateaux and gelato. Dinner is served daily from 6pm to 11pm. As Grand Hyatt General Manager Scott Allen told Tribune Weekend: “The Regatta buffet is going to be something unseen in Nassau.” For breakfast, Bahamian delicacies such as seafood stews, silky grits and Johnny cake are be served. There are also four madeto-order omelette and waffle stations, quinoa breakfast bowls and chia puddings. Additionally, guests can choose from an array of baked pastries, Danish and breads, including gluten free options, a cheese board and charcuterie. For drinks, there are smoothie stands, fresh coffee, imported tea, cold-pressed juices, mimosas and beer cocktails. Breakfast is served daily from 7am to 11am. On Sundays, this time – starting Easter weekend – will be extended until 3pm for brunch, said Food and Beverage Director Danny Wells. “We’re very glad to be a part of the community and we really want to get that after-church crowd that we’re looking for,” he said. “We get the casino crowd, we get the guests, we get the families, and we have gotten a good local crowd that’s come in as well. So we’re very excited about that as we really set our roots down here in Baha Mar.” Executive Chef Allen added: “It’s a great place to bring families, to bring your loved ones, and just have fun. It’s a great energetic room; the live cooking is what everybody wants now. You get to see what goes on at the Food Network – this is the Food Network happening right now. This is it right here.”
“The Regatta buffet is going to be something unseen in Nassau.”
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Friday, March 9, 2018
theatre
Queen’s College takes on ‘West Side Story’
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ueen’s College will become the playground of the fictional New York street gangs the Jets and the Sharks as students and faculty perform the iconic musical “West Side Story” this month. The school will put on four performances of the acclaimed Bernstein and Sondheim show from Thursday, March 15, to Saturday, March 17. This show makes number five for QC since their resident thespian, Gregory Deane, first stepped out of his normal role as head of the Languages Department and assumed the roles of producer and director of the “Broadway Over Queen’s” series. Following two musical reviews in 2011 and 2012, the first full-length high school production was “Guys and Dolls” followed by “Grease” in 2016, an experience still fresh in the minds of all who saw it. Now, after months of rehearsals, “West Side Story” takes centre stage with a cast of more than 50 students and members of the faculty. Karrington McKenzie, who played Nicely-Nicely Johnson in “Guys and Dolls”, and Dominic Rollins, who played Kenickie in “Grease” return to the stage as Riff and Bernardo, leaders of the rival gangs, the Jets and Sharks. Both of these young men are also members of the winning band in The Music Project 2018. The musical will also feature the talents of Naya Maycock (Maria) and Athalia Swann (Anita), both members of the Bahamas National Youth Choir. Newcomer Roland Lightbourn plays the role of Tony. “West Side Story”, inspired by William Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”, is set in the Upper West Side in New York City in the mid-1950s, then an ethnic, blue-collar neighbourhood. The musical explores the rivalry between the Jets and the Sharks, two teenage street gangs of different ethnic backgrounds. The members of the Sharks, from Puerto Rico, are taunted by the Jets, a white gang. The young protagonist, Tony, a former member of the Jets and best
A scene from the 1961 film version of “West Side Story”.
Students in Queen’s College hit production of “Grease”. friend of the gang’s leader, Riff, falls in love with Maria, the sister of Bernardo, the leader of the Sharks. The dark theme, sophisticated music, extended dance scenes, and focus on social problems marked a turning point in American musical theatre. The musical includes the well-known songs “Maria”, “America”, “Somewhere”, “Tonight” and “I Feel Pretty”.
Last September, “West Side Story” celebrated the 60th anniversary of its Broadway debut. The film version, starring Natalie Wood, Russ Tamblyn and Rita Moreno (who presented at the Oscars last week), premiered in 1961 and won the Academy Award for Best Picture that year. The film has been deemed “culturally significant” by the United States Library of Congress.
At QC, the Art Department, student volunteers, the ancillary staff, members of administration and other teachers have all been busy with bringing this beloved musical to life. Building the ambitious set in the school’s auditorium has been a challenging task, but the transformed stage is sure to thrill audiences. As will the well-designed lighting and sound, said organisers. The show is expected to be another hit for QC, with Bahamian audiences already looking forward to another great theatrical experience. Showtimes are 8pm on March 15 and 16, and at 2pm and 6pm on March 17. Tickets are $15 for general admission and are available from the high school. Call 677-7616 for more information.
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Friday, March 9, 2018
books
‘Dodging and Burning’ is riveting debut by John Copenhaver
“D
odging and Burning” is a riveting debut by John Copenhaver. It tackles a story that’s seldom explored in mysteries — life for gay men and lesbians during America’s post-World War II era. The intricate plot melds a coming-of-age story, a coming-out tale and a mystery with realistic characters who want to be accepted for themselves. “Dodging and Burning,” a photography term, works well as a metaphor for the characters whose freedoms to love and be themselves are limited by the time in which they live. The characters do a lot of dodging, and some burning, as they maneuver life in Royal Oak, a small Virginia town, as well as stints in the military. The story kicks off in 2000 when mystery writer Bunny Prescott receives an anonymous envelope in the mail containing an old crimescene photo. The photo sparks the memories of three characters, each of whom changed during 1945.
Back then, Bunny was 18, the daughter of Royal Oak’s wealthiest man who owned the local factory that made soda and was the town’s biggest employer. Bunny had a crush on Jay Greenwood, a photographer who was wounded during World War II and who now lives with his tyrannical grandmother. Ceola Bliss, age 12, also had a crush on Jay, who was the best friend of her adored brother, Robbie, who was declared missing during World War II. Jay wants the two girls to accompany him to the local woods where he claims he photographed a blond woman who had just been murdered. While he has the photographs, the body is missing when they get to the woods. The woman, he claims, was Lily Vellum, who recently may have been kidnapped. Ceola is a fan of detective fiction, an interest she shared with Robbie and also Jay. But the real mystery is the secret life that Jay and Robbie led — secret lovers who could never acknowledge their relationship. “Dodging and Burning” explores the secret gay life that existed during
that time, as well as the bigotry and pure hatred that the closeted had to endure. Jay’s recounting of his war days is touching as he tries to fit in while also bonding with other gay soldiers. Don’t ask, don’t tell wasn’t even an option. But what Jay had to deal with in his hometown, where he was despised because of his feminine ways, is worse. Several poignant scenes show Jay trying to explain to Ceola the relationship he has with Robbie. A 12-year-old in the 21st century would understand what being gay is, but Ceola is a product of 1940s and has little idea what being homosexual means. Yet Ceola’s adoration of her brother never lags, even her recollections are in the form of her speaking to long-deceased Robbie. The brisk pace is augmented by the character studies and an in-depth look at gay rights. Gay and lesbian mysteries have been published for decades. Columnist and short story writer Copenhaver brings a new voice to this genre with “Dodging and Burning.” OLINE H COGDILL Associated Press
Alison Gaylin’s ‘If I Die Tonight’ tells poignant story CRIMES aren’t committed in a vacuum but have the potential to cause ripples throughout a community. And that community can quickly turn on one of its own, needing someone, or something, to blame. Those connections are the bedrock of Alison Gaylin’s superb standalone, “If I Die Tonight.” Gaylin delves deep to explore her characters, who want more than what their lives have brought. It also succinctly touches on parental issues, teenage angst, loneliness, the seductiveness of fame and the pitfalls of when that acclaim is a thing of the past. Each plot point weaves perfectly for a poignant story strengthened by its attention to characters. Single mother Jackie Reed is barely able to juggle all the aspects of her life, including her job as a realtor in the
tightknit town of Havenkill, New York; her sons Wade, 17, and Connor, 13; and her own depression. Connor is smart, popular and always trying to make things easier for his mother. Wade, however, has been distant, holing up in his room, disappearing for hours and nearly ostracised from his classmates. Wade becomes the likely suspect when high school football star Liam Miller is left in a coma while trying to prevent a carjacking. Former pop star Amy Nathanson, who had one mega-hit as singer Aimee En during the 1980s, claims Liam was trying to protect her and keep her vintage Jaguar from being stolen. As the community reels from the crime, Havenkill police officer Pearl Maze sharpens her investigative skills, while dealing with her own dark side.
Gaylin ladles the poignant “If I Die Tonight” with surprises while never succumbing to the obvious or cliched. Each character is believable, and their flaws and fears add to their humanity. Wade’s isolation isn’t just a family matter; the suspicion that falls on him also affects Jackie, Connor and Noah, who is Connor’s best friend. The crisp dialogue and insightful look at life in a small town become fodder for the suspenseful story. “If I Die Tonight” never falters in its excellent illustration of people on the edge, and it joins the ranks of those mysteries that will prove to be one of the best published in 2018. OLINE H COGDILL Associated Press
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Friday, March 9, 2018
education
An innovative exchange Meet thought leaders face-toface By ALESHA CADET Tribune Features Writer acadet@tribunemedia.net
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nder the theme “Meet the People, Hear their Stories”, the Queen’s College Centre for Further Education will present the Bahamian Exchange tonight. Formerly known as the Human Library Showcase, which originated in Denmark, the Bahamian Exchange seeks to offer people the opportunity to sit and have individual conversations with some of the most innovative minds in the country. The original concept was designed to challenge stereotypes and prejudices through dialogue. The Bahamian Exchange starts tonight with three sessions from 6pm to 9pm. Featured guests will speak with participants for up to 10 minutes in groups of no more than three. The event welcomes tough questions, varying viewpoints and opinions for a respectful dialogue. The event will feature Sir Charles Carter, presenting on the topic of history; Cabinet Minister Brent Symonette on politics and community; Englerston MP Glenys Hanna Martin on politics and community; former Permanent Secretary Elma Garraway on education; musician Fred Ferguson on culture and entertainment; Pop Stop owner Kentisha Ward on business and entrepreneurship; social activist Erin Brown on personal triumph; artist Allan P Wallace on art, and Rev Carla Culmer and Demetrius Smith on humanitarianism. “This is the second year we are hosting, as our overall goal is to expose the general public, especially the next generation, to impactful leaders. It is our hope to leave a lasting mark in the community through transferring values, history and solutions,” said Katherine Beneby, coordinator at the
Last year’s exchange featured guests such as Janet Bostwick, Jamaal Rolle, Gillian Curry and Ranard Henfield, among others.
“It is our hope to leave a lasting mark in the community through transferring values, history and solutions.” Queen’s College Centre for Further Education. She believes the Bahamian Exchange can be very beneficial for those who attend, as face-to-face interaction allows participants to have a personal encounter with community leaders. Also, she said the experience will assist in bridging the gap between generations, setting a foundation for trust, and ultimately leading to fostering connections, opportunities and mentorship. “I always enjoy one-on-one conversations, so creating a space as such is an honour and privilege. Our intent is for people to be enriched and encouraged through this event. We are thankful to Generali, Bahamas First, Sun Oil Limited and KBII Communication for believing in this vision,” said Ms Beneby. Admission is $2. For more information call 677-7639 or e-mail cfe@ qchenceforth.com.
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Friday, March 9, 2018
celebrity
PART
I
The Weekend Fashion Report 90th Academy Awards
HIT
SPLIT
HIT
FAIL
HIT
Allison Janney ”I, Tonya”
Mary J Blige ”Mudbound”
Nicole Kidman ”Big Little Lies”
St Vincent singer
Karin says: “Finally she hits it out of the park! I adore the way this dress is draped. The extra long, slitted sleeves especially are so original. They are to die for! And the bright red is of course stunning on her. She looks so regal. The only thing I’m not crazy about is the clutch; it looks a tad cheap.” Cara says: “I am a huge Allison Janney fan (love The West Wing!) and I love how she was so simple yet so stunning. This was one of my favourite looks of the night, because she just wore a dress that was absolutely perfect for her. I was not a fan of the oversized clutch, but she soon swapped that out for a welldeserved Oscar.”
Karin says: “OK, the dress itself is gorgeous, but for some reason Mary never really sold it; she didn’t look confident in it. The weird one off-theshoulder sleeve just looked like it needed to be pulled up. They tiny clutch, however, is precious!” Cara: “Mary, the double nominee, looked pretty in this white dress. It had the right amount of sparkle and the fit of the dress was impeccable. I also like that the neckline was a bit different. Not one of my favourites of the night, but still a lovely choice.”
Karin says: “Is it just me or did Nicole get even skinnier? She’s been a Nashvilleinspired style mess in recent years. But thank goodness she ditched any and all tips from her new adopted home and went full glam once again. The royal blue and giant bow are amazing.” Cara says: “Yes, finally! Nicole used to be one of my red carpet favourites, but the last few years she has disappointed. I hope this flawless gown means that she fired her old stylist, because this is simply gorgeous. Definitely one of my picks for best dressed. Loved everything about it.”
Karin says: “She made all the worst dressed lists, and by right. She looked so much better in the little silver dress she wore to perform one of the Best Song nominations later that night, but this is just tragic. It makes her look much older than she is and just plain sad.” Cara says: “I think some people know they won’t get any attention otherwise and so they have to wear something utterly ridiculous so that they noticed at all... moving right along.”
Viola Davis ”How to Get Away with Murder” Karin says: “Hot pink is not something we’re used to seeing at the Oscars, and I’m not 100 per cent sure I love it. That being said, she certainly was a bright spot on the red carpet. And that shade of pink actually works for her. But what I love most is her hair. It’s fab!” Cara says: “Viola served up a whole lot of bubble gum and wild hair goodness with this dress. Listen, that pink had the red carpet lit. I think she and Allison Janney had that same oversized clutch, which I am not hugely in love with it. But my girl bought it to the Oscars as always.”
• See PAGE 16 for more Oscar fashions
PHOTO BY JORDAN STRAUSS/INVISION/AP
With Karin Herig and Cara Hunt
16| The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, March 9, 2018
celebrity
PART
II
The Weekend Fashion Report 90th Academy Awards
SPLIT
SPLIT
HIT
FAIL
SPLIT
Kelly Marie Tran ”The Last Jedi”
Whoopi Goldberg ”The View”
Jennifer Garner ”Love, Simon”
Taraji P Henson ”Empire”
Margot Robbie ”I, Tonya”
Karin says: “OK, yes, it’s not highly original and yes, it’s a bit prom-y, but I have a soft spot for her. She’s a complete Hollywood newcomer and not you’re standard size 2. So I think she looks lovely in this pale dress. The bejewelled halter and chiffon skirt work for her.” Cara says: “I am not a huge fan to be honest. It looks like she is going to prom and it is just ordinary compared to other dresses on the night. Plus, it’s a design we have seen 10 million times. Also, her hair looks like how I do my hair when I go to bed.”
Karin says: “Whoopi rarely dresses up and she seemed so proud of this Christian Siriano gown, so it hurts me say that it’s hideous. I hate the print, the colour scheme... just everything. I think she would have been better served sticking her usual eccentric but more casual style.” Cara says: “Whoopi is one of those actresses with a distinctive style all their own. And this dress is a reflection of that. I love that she chose such a vibrant print with a lot of personality just like her. It would be way too much on a lot of people, but on Whoopi it seems right.”
Karin says: “I love that we saw so much blue on the red carpet this year. And this hue is especially gorgeous. It’s just so bright; one can hardly look away. What a post-divorce comeback! And for once the cups fit! Too many women wear this type of dress and the fitted cups are all over the place.” Cara says: “This blue is absolutely stunning. When I first saw her I was like, why is her dress choking her, but as I saw the movement in the dress,I realised that I do like it. It’s very flattering.”
Karin says: “This would have been an awesome dress for... say the Grammys. But it’s just a bit too revealing for the Oscars in my opinion. I hate to sound stuffy, but I think this is one red carpet where one should always keep it elegant. It’s a sexy, fabulous dress, just not for the occasion.” Cara says: “OK, Taraji is my girl and I love her, and I like this dress, I just don’t think it was an Oscar dress. I mean, it’s lovely and extremely sexy, but I just felt it may have been too playful for the formal nature of the occasion.”
Karin says: “This just grew on me as the night went on. It is very, very simple, except for those garlands, which look like tacky white sprayed X-mas decorations. But somehow it works for. Also, in motion, I loved her hair. The tiny purse, of course, is perfection!.” Cara says: “First, I love her purse! It’s so cute and different. The dress is pretty, but again not blow-me-away Oscar worthy quality. Why does the beading on the top remind me of a Christmas garland? And I think a more vibrant lip is needed.”
PHOTO BY JORDAN STRAUSS/INVISION/AP
With Karin Herig and Cara Hunt
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Friday, March 9, 2018
music
Bahamian artists highlight themselves “...we are taking the driver’s seat and promoting ourselves instead of waiting for that opportunity to open for some foreign act.”
By JEFFARAH GIBSON Tribune Features Writer jgibson@tribunemedia.net
T
AKING the bull by the horn, Grand Bahama artists are giving themselves a platform to showcase their talents during a collaborative event next week. The 3 Kings and Friends Commonwealth Group of Companies and Jah Hem Productions are teaming up for block party and Beer Fest on March 16 to be held at Our Hot Spot at the Pub on the Mall. The event is being touted as one of the hottest showcases of Bahamian talent and will feature Freeport’s very own Jah Hem, Nassau native Padrino and Hawksbill artist Jah Nyne. Other artists performing will be Miss Varcy and Grand Bahama’s hot boy Wizzard. The concert event will be hosted by promoter MVP. Jah Hem told Tribune Weekend that the artists wanted to promote themselves instead of waiting on others to do it for them. “I realised that the only time that Grand Bahamian artists got a chance to showcase their talent was when a huge production came to the island and we are hired as opening acts, when we are a lot more than opening acts,” he said. “So we are taking the driver’s seat and promoting ourselves instead of waiting for that opportunity to open for some foreign act. Apart from that we are also targeting new businesses, local businesses in small communities and businesses that have been experiencing slow periods.” Jah Hem said this event is a first of its kind for Freeport. However, organisers have already been getting positive feedback from those on the island. “Truth be told, this is a new concept that we are testing at the moment. The flyer was recently released and we have gotten some really good feedback. Grand Bahama promoter MVP agreed to host and help support this movement after he attended the first event.
Padrino
Jah Hem
Wizzard
Miss Varcy
He could not believe that people who he sees on a daily basis had such wonderful talent and asked to support in anyway possible,” said Jah Hem. 3 Kings and Friends was created to support both non-traditional and traditional Bahamian artists. And once it is quality music, organisers said they are going to support the artist and invite them to the stage with open arms. Jah Hem said a mix of reggae, hip hop and R&B and even soft rock music will be featured during the concert event. “People should come out and support their local artists. I was thankful that within the last six months I have travelled to Honduras, Guatemala, Belize, Italy, Spain and London off of music. There is so much for us to see and we just need the opportunity. I believe that this movement can change so many lives. Our Bahamian artists simply need promotion. We already have the product,” he said. “The children nowadays only need to see that there is a way out and that it is possible to earn a living off of music. This movement can change so many lives.” Jah Hem said he hopes events like this foster more interest and support of local musicians. “Eventually we would like to focus on taking more artists out of the country, like other artists throughout the Caribbean. We can bring foreign dollars into our country rather than foreign artists always taking our money out of the country,” he said.
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film
review
Disney’s ‘Wrinkle’ is a dizzying jumble WRINKLE RUNNING TIME: 109 MINS
G
o ahead, pick your favourite young, villainvanquishing fantasy heroine. Meg Murry probably came first. Katniss Everdeen? She arrived in 2001. Hermione Granger? That was 1997. Elphaba, the green girl from “Wicked”? 2003. But Meg, the reluctant, bespectacled heroine of Madeleine L’Engle’s classic “A Wrinkle in Time,” has been with us, and on the shelves of middle-schoolers, since 1962. Enter Ava DuVernay, tapped by Disney to put her own spin on this tale of self-discovery across the space-time continuum, for the big — REALLY big — screen. Talk about pressure. And the talented “Selma” director does not shy away from the task of adapting the story to the 21st century. With the help of a terrifically diverse cast anchored by the sweet — but too sweet, here — newcomer Storm Reid, and A-listers like Oprah Winfrey and Reese Witherspoon, DuVernay has made a film that is unabashedly — some might say relentlessly — of the moment. Hip-hop quotes, eating disorders, a “Hamilton” reference? Yup, yup, yup. It’s also all over the map, in every way possible. It’s visually gorgeous at times but then boring to behold at others, emotionally poignant at times but stunningly cloying at others. It’s also confusing (though to be fair, many might call the book confusing, too.) Mostly, it’s just a frustrating whole comprised of some pretty promising parts. We begin, as “Wrinkle” fans surely know, with that “dark and stormy
Reese Witherspoon is Mrs Whatsit and Storm Reid is Meg Murry.
Oprah Winfrey as Mrs Which night.” It’s been four years since Meg’s beloved father, a physicist, disappeared mysteriously. Dad (not really the nerdy type we imagined from the book, but it’s Chris Pine so, OK) had been exploring serious issues involving time travel. And now he’s gone, leaving Meg (Reid), her mom (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) and precocious little brother Charles Wallace (Deric McCabe) wondering if they will ever see him again.
The outside world is dismissive, including the school principal, who flatout tells Meg her dad probably won’t be coming back. Meg has problems at school — she’s said to be aggressive and troublesome, although frankly, this is hard to see from Reid’s appealingly thoughtful, sweet demeanor. When Meg throws a ball into the face of the reigning mean girl, Veronica, landing her in the principal’s office, it seems strangely out of character.
In any case, soon Meg, Charles Wallace and friend Calvin (Levi Miller), whose quirky character has sadly been turned into a blandly handsome nothing, will be on their journey, via a time travel concept called a tesseract (verb: tessering), to find Dr Murry. Accompanying them on this perilous quest, at various stages, is a triumvirate of very entertaining older women, er, celestial beings — Mrs Whatsit (Witherspoon), Mrs Who (Mindy Kaling) and Mrs Which (Winfrey). Witherspoon is the most engaging of the bunch — ditzy and charming and, at 2,379,152,497 years of age, the youngest of the group. After an initial stay on the ravishing planet Uriel, and a visit to the Happy Medium, the kids end up on the frightening planet of Camazotz, ruled by the dark force called It. Here, Meg will be called upon to decide just how brave she can be. The ultimate themes remain the same from the book: Love can cut through anything, including time and space. And smart girls rock! And our individuality — including our faults — is what makes us strong. While the faults of this film decidedly do not make it stronger, maybe its well-meaning spirit will be enough to appeal to a new generation of Meg Murry fans. JOCELYN NOVECK AP National Writer
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Friday, March 9, 2018
photography
Bahamas in the spotlight for iconic Swimsuit Issue
T
he islands of the Bahamas are once again featured in the highly regarded annual Sports Illustrated (SI) Swimsuit Issue, with Harbour Island’s turquoise waters splashed across the cover of this year’s all-Caribbean edition. The 2018 issue featuring cover model Danielle Herrington hit stands February 19, accompanied by extensive photo and video content across SI’s digital platforms. Herrington and fellow models Barbara Palvin, Hailey Clauson, Lais Ribeiro, Robin Holzken and Bahamian-born Chase Carter took over Harbour Island, shooting in locations including the streets of Dunmore Town, Pink Sand Beach, the Lone Tree and various pastel-hued homes. During the production, the SI crew stayed at Pink Sands Beach Resort and frequented local businesses such as The Landing Restaurant and Dake’s Shoppe. The SI team detailed their time on Harbour Island on SI.com, claiming, “A trip to Harbour Island basically looks like you’re walking into a postcard. Whether you spend your days swimming and snorkelling in the clear ocean water or horseback riding along the beautiful beaches, a stay on the island is sure to leave you refreshed and rejuvenated.” SI’s time on Harbour Island was also chronicled by sister Time Inc publication Travel + Leisure. The leading travel publication featured a “locals only” video tour of Harbour Island and article on TravelandLeisure.com. SI Swimsuit is the most widely read single publication, reaching more than 70 million US adults each year. The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism and Aviation Director General Joy Jibrilu praised the SI Swimsuit Issue for its positive and widespread tourism impact on the Bahamas. “We are thrilled to welcome SI Swimsuit back to our islands,” said Ms Jibrilu. “Not only does the magazine provide tremendous exposure for the Bahamas, but the videos and editorial
The Bahamas is once again featured in Sports Illustrated’s annual Swimsuit Issue.
Bahamian-Born Chase Carter poses on Harbour Island’s iconic Pink Sand Beach. PHOTOS/BEN WATTS/SPORTS ILLUSTRATED
content inspires readers and fans of the issue to consider the beautiful beaches of the Bahamas for their next vacation.” Producers worked with the Harbour Island Tourist Office to connect with local businesses and enlist support from native production company, Glass Window Production. “These photo shoots have a positive impact for our businesses, so we work closely with the production teams to ensure there is strong support here on the ground,” said June Dean, executive of the Harbour Island Tourist Office. “Our team was involved with ensuring that the perfect local coordinators were selected so that the SI crew had
everything they needed for a successful shoot.” For its 55th year, the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue went back to the beach with an all-Caribbean edition. Other destinations featured in the issue include, Aruba, Belize and Nevis. The 2018 issue is fronted by second-year Swimsuit model Danielle Herrington and features returning superstars Kate Upton, Hailey Clauson, Ashley Graham, Barbara Palvin and many more in 130-plus stunning photos. Herrington is the third black cover star of the issue, following in the footsteps of Tyra Banks and Beyonce. View the complete photo gallery from the Bahamas on SI.com.
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Friday, March 9, 2018
jewellery PHOTOS/SHAWN HANNA
A rich tradition inspires modern design By ALESHA CADET Tribune Features Writer acadet@tribunemedia.net
B
ahamian designer Allia M Dean is back with a new handmade jewellery and accessory collection. And this time around she is paying homage to the country’s traditional straw and craft industry. Presented last Saturday at the University of the Bahamas’ Performing Art Centre, her latest collection is called ‘The Palm’. Separated into different categories, the collection includes pieces made from sisal, straw and coconut. There is also wire art suitable for every day, as well as special occasion styles for both men and women. Allia told Tribune Weekend that it is the culturally rich tradition of the straw and sisal industry that inspired the name of the collection. She said all pieces are inspired by the actual palm plant species, whether that be through actual material, colour or form. This was the fourth exhibition from the Always By Allia M Dean label, and the feeling that came with
Designer Allia M Dean at the launch of ‘The Palm’ collection.
this unveiling, the designer said, was “beyond thinkable”. “ ‘The Palm’ collection embodies the very core of the authentic Bahamian craft industry, from straw bags to woven baskets, the palm plant is in its own way uniquely Bahamian. With this collection we pay tribute to our ancestors who initiated the industry and we inspire the innovative and sustainable use of this staple in the future,” said Allia. She said the moment she opened the doors to the launch event and saw the interest on the faces of her guests, she knew that all her hard work had been worth it.
“That was deep, but it most certainly true. I have already started planning 2020 events and it is looking promising. Every event allows me to be more innovative in delivery and design. Every event both challenges and inspires me as an entrepreneur, designer and a woman. Additionally, we are actively celebrating and empowering our fellow female entrepreneurs via hosting The Ultimate Girl Boss Party shopping and networking experience twice a year. There is nothing to gain but growth and excellence,” said Allia. Always by Allia M Dean was started six years ago as a company that strives
to redefine the local handmade jewellery industry. Today, Allia is proud to still be going strong, staying true to the brand’s mission statement to remain relevant by hosting launch events twice a year to introduce Spring/Summer and Fall/ Winter collections. “The feedback received is always the excitement to know when and where the next event will be happening. There is awe surrounding how resourceful and innovative each piece is. And also at these launches I look forward to the opportunity to do business collaborations. It brings great inspiration to pass on to others, information about making use of our natural resources in their own unique way,” said Allia. Always By Allia will present this year’s Fall/Winter collection on November 3.
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beauty
Weaving a dream strand by strand By ALESHA CADET Tribune Features Writer acadet@tribunemedia.net
Shedera Colebrooke at the opening of her Twist of Faith hair salon.
H
airstyling is Shedera Colebrooke’s blood. It is a passion that she has nurtured and pursued for almost a decade. And last weekend all her hard work paid off when she officially opened her own hair salon, Twist of Faith. Located on Market and Taylor Streets, the establishment features a salon and a day spa. It offers loc grooming and styling, silk presses and braids, NoiRished Naturals hair packages, deep hair treatments, hair regrowth oil, homemade coconut oil from Cat Island, shea butter, carbon combs and also hair extensions, satin pillow cases, mesh wraps and beads. For the 25-year-old businesswoman, the goal is to one day see Twist of Faith become a household name in the Bahamas. “I’ve received excellent feedback from my clients and have been attracting new ones in the process. They are as excited as I am about my own quantum leap and many say its about time,” she told Tribune Weekend. It was after being accepted into BTVI in the Fall of 2009 that Shedera decided to take on a job experience in a hair salon and attend school at the same time. She graduated with both an aesthetician’s and a cosmetology certification in the summer of 2012. “I passionately pursued and worked in a variety of settings, for a variety of salon owners. Receiving ;Employee of the Quarter or Year’ was an honour that kept confirming for me that I was in the right field. Also, my mom worked in a salon when she was pregnant with me, so I believe it is in my blood. I say often, success is not being happy. It’s actually being happy that leads to success. Because once you do what you love doing, success will ultimately follow. My story is one of faith,” she said.
PHOTOS/SHAWN HANNA
It was her clear sense of purpose that helped her stand firm in the decision to open a hair salon, and it is what keeps her going strong. Speaking about inspiration behind the salon’s name, Shedera said her and her aunt Desiree who came up with the name because they believed it meshed well with the overall scheme they are trying to accomplish. “She saw potential in me and encouraged me to take a leap of faith
to begin preparing a way for our younger siblings and cousins to have a role model who took an entrepreneurial path. She pushed me and I took the opportunity with a pure heart,” she said. Shedera said she enjoys “building confidence with every strand”. She said it is a wonderful feeling to see someone walk into her salon and leave with a different kind of walk just because
they are feeling beautiful, handsome, or on point. “I also believe with this I am positioned to help others consult about their deepest beauty needs and advise them on options and alternatives they have. The opportunities you can gain from this field are great. But you have to want it. There are hair salons on every corner, so only those who are built for this industry will survive. If you are only in it for the money you’re not gonna last. I tend to get excited when travelling to international hair shows where you meet people from everywhere in the world who are interested in the same things and find innovative ways to increase your product value,” she said. Shedera’s plan going forward is to expand the salon to several locations in order to reach a bigger clientele. She also envisions Twist of Faith offering an escape for the hardworking population of the Bahamas; a place where they are not only beautified, but can also heal, relax and reflect as they take care of their bodies and invest in their health through the use of holistic products.
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literary lives – harry crosby
A poet’s violent eclipse Sir Christopher Ondaatje writes about the enigmatic life and violent death of the American heir, bon vivant, poet and publisher who epitomised the lost generation of American literature. PART II
I
n the mid-1920s Crosby developed an obsessive fascination with the sun – a symbol to him of perfection, enthusiasm, freedom, heat and destruction. He claimed to be a sun worshipper in love with death. He often added a “Black Sun” to his signature – an arrow jutting upward from the “y” in his last name, aiming towards the sun’s circle. The Crosbys’ hedonistic life continued. His wife Caresse introduced her friend Constance Coolidge – another American expatriate – to her husband who nicknamed her “The Lady of the Horse” and immediately began an
Harry Crosby (1898 – 1929) affair with her that ended only when Caresse wrote to Constance Coolidge expressing her hurt. Coolidge broke off the relationship, but the three remained friends. On one of their trips to Morocco the Crosbys took a 13-year-old dancing girl to bed with them. Crosby also slept with a 13-yearold Berber girl in North Africa, and with a young Arab boy in Jerusalem. In July 1927, during a drunken orgy he turned 10 live snakes loose on the dance floor of the Four Arts Ball. “I remember two strong young men stark naked wrestling on the floor for the honour of dancing with a young girl ... and I remember a mad student drinking champagne from a skull which he had pilfered from my library ... and in the corner I watched two savages making love ... and beside me sitting on the floor a plump woman with bare breasts absorbed in the passion of giving milk to one of the snakes.” The same year Caresse appeared topless riding a baby elephant wearing
Caresse Crosby is credited with inventing the modern bra.
a turquoise wig while Crosby covered himself with ochre wearing nothing but a loincloth and a necklace of dead pigeons. The Crosbys’ open sexuality allowed Caresse to enter into an intense sexual relationship with Henri Cartier-Bresson – the famed photographer – which lasted until 1931. In April 1927, the Crosbys founded the English language publishing company Editions Narcisse as an avenue to publish their own poetry in finely bound limited editions. They printed 300 numbered copies of “The Fall of the House of Usher” by Edgar Allan Poe, and the following year renamed the company the Black Sun Press, which soon gained a reputation for creating beautifully bound, typographically flawless editions of unusual books. Crosby met Ernest Hemingway in Pamplona for the running of the bulls and later published Hemingway’s Paris edition of “The Torrents of Spring”. The Black Sun Press evolved into one of the most important small presses in the 1920s publishing the early works of writers before they were well known, including “Tales Told of Shem and Shaun” by James Joyce (which later became Finnegan’s Wake); Kay Boyles’ “Short Stories” in 1929, and poems by Hart Crane, D H Lawrence, Ezra Pound, Archibald McLeish, Laurence Sterne, Eugene Jolas, as well as Hemingway. The Crosbys’ taste and judgement was flawless. They had found their metier. Late in 1928, the Crosbys secured a 20-year lease on a medieval mill outside Paris in Ermenonvile which they called Le Moulin du Soleil (the Mill of the Sun). It consisted of three old stone buildings without electricity or a telephone. It also had only one bathroom. The actual millstream had been reduced to a slow trickle but inside the mill Caresse converted the old washrooms and cellars into a large kitchen. The ground floor of the mill tower served as the dining room where guests sat on old logs. They created a racing course on which to play donkey polo, and the white wall at the bottom of the stairway served as the guest book – signed by D H Lawrence, Douglas Fairbanks, the Duke of York (before he became George VI) and Eva Braun
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(Hitler’s future wife). There were many others and a large brass canon would sometimes be fired to announce special guests. “Mobs for luncheon – poets and painters and pederasts and divorcées and Christ knows who and there was a great signing of names on the wall at the foot of the stairs and a firing off of the canon and bottle after bottle of red wine and Kay Boyle made fun of Hart Crane and he was angry and flung ‘The American Caravan’ into the fire because it contained a story of Kay Boyle’s (he forgot it had a poem of his in it) and there was a tempest of drinking and polo harra burra on the donkeys, and an uproar and a confusion so that it was difficult to do my work.” Crosby spent many hours naked – sunbathing on the mill’s turret. He continued to smoke opium and often stayed away for days. He experimented with photography, gave Henri CartierBresson his first camera at Le Moulin du Soleil, and also learned to fly an aeroplane solo. He had no fear of death. On November 20, 1929 the Crosbys returned to the United States on the RMS Mauretania for a visit and to attend the Harvard-Yale football game. Almost a year earlier Crosby had met the 20-year-old Josephine Noyes Rotch in Venice when she was shopping for her wedding trousseau. She planned to marry Albert Bigelow. They met for sex as many times as her week in Venice would allow. He called her his “Fire Princess”, and she would inspire Crosby’s next collection of poems Transit of Venus. “I am having an affair with a girl I met at the Lido (in Venice). She is twenty and has charm and is called Josephine. I like girls when they are very young before they have any minds.” The relationship continued until June 21, 1929 when she married Albert Bigelow. The affair was over. However, soon after the Crosbys returned to New York in November Crosby contacted her again and they travelled to Detroit where they checked into the Brook-Cadillac Hotel as Mr & Mrs Harry Crane. They stayed locked in their room for four days smoking opium and having sex. On December 7, the lovers returned to New York – Josephine to return to her husband in New York. That evening a party was
The Crosbys travelled to the United States on the RMS Mauretania in November 1929. At the time of his death, a month later, the coroner found steamship tickets for his wife and himself on the Mauretania to return to Paris.
organised to celebrate Hart Crane’s poem “The Bridge”, which the Black Sun Press was scheduled to publish. The Crosbys were booked to sail back to France the following week. However, instead of returning to her husband, Josephine Bigelow remained in New York and sent a 36-line poem to Harry Crosby at The Savoy-Plaza. The last line of the poem read: “Death is our marriage.” On the very same day Harry Crosby wrote his final entry in his journal: “One is not in love unless one desires to die with one’s beloved. There is only one happiness – it is love and to be loved.” On the evening of December 10, 1929 Crosby’s mother Henrietta Grew, Hart Crane, and the Crosbys were to meet at dinner before attending the play Berkeley Square – but Crosby did not arrive. Worried, Caresse Crosby telephoned their friend Stanley Mortimer whose studio Crosby was known to use for his amorous trysts. He agreed to check his studio. Mortimer had to enlist help to break down his studio door which revealed the gruesome sight of Crosby and Josephine’s bodies in bed with bullet holes in their temples in what on the surface appeared to be a suicide pact. In Crosby’s pocket the Coroner found steamship tickets for his wife and himself on the Mauretania to return to Paris. They also found a cable from Josephine addressed to Crosby: “Cable George when you arrive and where I can telephone you immediately. I am impatient.”
Crosby’s toenails were painted red, and he had a Christian cross tattooed on the sole of one foot, and a pagan icon representing the sun on the other. There was no suicide note. They also found Crosby’s wedding ring crushed on the floor. He had promised his wife Caresse that it would never be removed from his finger. *** Headlines in the newspapers the following day remarked that Josephine Bigelow had died at least two hours before Crosby. The murder-suicide shocked the East Coast establishment. Crosby’s poetry perhaps gave the best clue to his motive: “Death is the hand that opens the door to our cage – the home we instinctively fly to.” Crosby was never more than a minor literary poet, and is remembered more for his suicide than for his literary achievements. However, of much more importance, he was the significant figure in founding the Black Sun Press. His widow, Caresse, continued to publish books after his death until well into the 1950s. Crosby’s friend, the poet Hart Crane, also committed suicide two years later. The suicides have long been regarded as symbolising the end of the Lost Generation. • Sir Christopher Ondaatje is the author of The Last Colonial. He acknowledges that he has quoted liberally from Wikipedia and “Black Sun” by Geoffrey Wolff. NEXT WEEK: A brilliantly acerbic Edwardian short story writer.
Josephine Noyes Rotch Bigelow, Crosby’s mistress with whom he committed double suicide.
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history
Loyalist land in Long Island
Forgotten facts Paul C Aranha
18th century map provides new revelations
“T
here is a tide in the affairs of men which, taken on the flood, leads to fortune.” – William Shakespeare I feel that my tide has come in, for I have had the good fortune to have been given a copy of a 1792 plan of Long Island (see above) that shows the lots of land granted to hundreds of Loyalist settlers, including my mother’s ancestors. This map, with its wealth of family names, will be of interest to everyone of Long Island descent. Just recently, I got an enquiry about Neil McQueen (1767-1838), who for many years
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was the publisher of the Royal Gazette and Bahama Advertiser, our second newspaper. John Wels’ Bahama Advertiser was the first. I was asked why my mother and sister are buried in the same grave as McQueen. The fact that my mother’s father, Henry Oswald Wright (1862-1916), is also there had been overlooked. In response, I sent a scan of an old newspaper article by Seighbert Russell, explaining why a founder of St Andrew’s Kirk is buried in an Anglican churchyard. The short answer is that McQueen had a falling-out with the Kirk.
As for Wright (1862-1916), his wife, Catherine Anne Forsyth (1853-1917), was Neil McQueen’s great-grandniece, a great-granddaughter of Neil’s sister, Flora (d. 1820). Scottish readers may be interested to know that Flora (McQueen) Forsyth had been a friend of Flora MacDonald’s (1722-1790). They were both born on the Isle of Skye and both emigrated to North Carolina. Until I saw this “new” map, I had not realised that Alexander McQueen (Neil’s and Flora’s father) had a Bahamian connection. He was granted 200 acres of land in the southern part of
Long Island, adjoining the 5,000 acres that were granted to Lord Dunmore. Not far away were four grants (1,120 acres) to Major Archibald Taylor (second-in-command to Colonel Andrew Deveaux in the recapture of Nassau in 1783). William Lyford was a part of that invasion. Archibald’s daughter, Catherine Ann, married Flora’s son, James Forsyth. One of their sons, James McQueen Forsyth, became a Rear-Admiral in the United States Navy and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery. An older brother, Alexander (1829-1876) married Eliza Nairn.
They are my great-grandparents. Archibald’s brother, Duncan Taylor, after whom Duncan Town, Ragged Island is named, was granted 160 acres. Together, Arch and Duncan created Ragged Island’s salt industry. In modern Bahamian history, two of Archibald Taylor’s descendants became Governor-General of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas – the late Sir Henry Taylor and Dame Ivy Dumont. • For questions and comments, e-mail islandairman@gmail.com
Yesterday’s solution: raZor (across) CLoTH (down)
26 | The Tribune | Weekend
Best described as a number crossword, the task in Kakuro is to fill all of the empty squares, using numbers 1 to 9, so the sum of each horizontal block equals the number to its left, and the sum of each vertical block equals the number on its top. No number may be used in the same block more than once. The difficulty level of the Conceptis Kakuro increases from Monday to Sunday.
Sudoku is a number-placing puzzle based on a 9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers 1 to 9 in the empty squares so the each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. The difficulty level of the Conceptis Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday
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HOW many words of four letters or more can you make from the letters shown here? in making a yesterday the target word, each letter may usedthe cAn youbecrack BlackAsqua 9 once only. EachAlphabeater? must containEach the grid 11, 12, 13, 16 uses B 28, 29, 34, centre letter and thererepresents must be ata letter number words Sa leastin one nine-letter word. no As in across: CVexi – or black square. 40 theplurals main or verb forms ending every in “s”.letter Froze, Alphapuzzle, of
Quenches, D body of the alphabet is used. But Injected, Jo Today’s TarGeT ENut, chambers Nicks, 15 you have to complete the Good 15; very good 23; excellent Forb 21st grid too!tomorrow. use the given down: 30 (or more). solution F Foxtail, Joi letters and black squares Tacky, Usa century G 30 yesTerday’s soLUTion below the grid to start. the Wags, Chi, Dictionary abut beau beaut BeaUTifUL Chorizo, Nu grid is ‘rotationally H (1999 blue built faultsymmetrical’ fibula flub flue – in other I 39 flute fuel futilewords, lieu lute tabu edition) it looks the same if Extra le
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J 1 you turn the page upside 0907 HOW many words of four letters tufa down. solution tomorrow. (Deduct K thr 24 or more can you make from the each extra cl letters Yesterday’s shown here? in making a yesterday’s solution L Yesterday’s word, each letter may be used Black squares: 2, 7, 9, Mfull s Sudoku Answer Kakuro Answer for call 0907 181 11, 12, 2585 13, 16, 19, 22, 26, 090761 once only. Each must contain the target solution *Calls Ncost 8 28, 29, 34, centre letter and there must betoday’s at*Calls cost 80p per minute 40. plus your telep your telephone company’s across: Safety, Pin, least one nine-letter word. no plusnetwork network O 16a access charge. Froze, Vexing, Flay, plurals or verb forms ending in “s”. P Quenches, Lethargic,
Q Injected, Jowl, Maniac,PLay *SP: Spoke – Helpline 0333 202 3390
CRYPTIC PUZZLE Across 1 Graduate doctor puts on spectacles and shoots (6) 4 Rash outbreak possibly (8) 9 Love to wander about in the grove (6) 10 You do what you like with it (4,4) 12 Cummerbund in the window (4) 13 Such music is not bound to sell (5) 14 Broken knee produces plaintive cry (4) 17 Not to be found in a minute (3,3,6) 20 Train-bearers (7,5) 23 Castle in the air? (4) 24 Practice gives us time (5) 25 Form of transport levy that’s imposed on one (4) 28 Be successful as an improver? (4,4) 29 Company supported by a voucher (6) 30 Prepare for play-time (8) 31 Sorted things out by degrees (6)
Down 1 Titles count for a great deal here (8) 2 Joint holder (4,4) 3 Drunken revel leads to a gory mess (4) 5 Swap a role, but require further financial adjustment (4,8) 6 They are timid, yet pipe up (4) 7 A girl to help people out (6) 8 It’s been settled (6) 11 Do they teach you to handle knives carefully? (5,7) 15 Fishes in shallow water (5) 16 Make well, perhaps, with exercise (5) 18 Settled in temporary accommodation (8) 19 Allotted as indicated (8) 21 First paint book (6) 22 Pipe for a sound rugby player (6) 26 Where to see the Taj Mahal in a gracious setting (4) 27 An entrance celebration or its aftermath (4)
Yesterday’s Easy Solution Across: 1 Brass, 4 Bemused, 8 Use, 9 Aconcagua, 10 Descend, 11 Bumpy, 13 Rookie, 15 Seance, 18 Token, 19 Clamber, 21 Apennines, 23 Ace, 24 Embassy, 25 Tacit. Down: 1 Blunder, 2 Ayers Rock, 3 Spate, 4 Broody, 5 Macabre, 6 Sag, 7 Diary, 12 Mont Blanc, 14 Innings, 16 Earnest, 17 Scanty, 18 Trade, 20 Asset, 22 Ebb.
Today’s TarGeT Good 15; very good 23; excellent 30 (or more). solution tomorrow. yesTerday’s soLUTion abut beau beaut BeaUTifUL blue built fault fibula flub flue flute fuel futile lieu lute tabu tuba tubal tube tubful tubule tufa
Nicks, Nut, Escort. down: Forbidden, Foxtail, Joint, Eve, Tong, Tacky, Usage, Prove, Wags, Chi, Peach, Chorizo, Numbskull.
Extra letter clues
0907 181 2560 (Deduct three minutes for each extra clue letter heard)
Yesterday’s Cryptic Solution Across: 1 Drear, 4 Enclasp, 8 Lea, 9 Credulous, 10 Groused, 11 Sifts, 13 Traced, 15 Asleep, 18 Theme, 19 Heather, 21 Capitally, 23 Ibo, 24 Senoras, 25 Sides. Down: 1 Delight, 2 Elaborate, 3 Racks, 4 Emends, 5 Courses, 6 Ago, 7 Pesos, 12 Fresh wind, 14 Elector, 16 Parsons, 17 Chills, 18 Tacks, 20 Abyss, 22 Pen.
EASY PUZZLE
Across 1 Free from danger (6) 4 Unquestioning (8) 9 Maltreat (3-3) 10 Veteran (3-5) 12 Feel the absence of (4) 13 Shun (5) 14 Hill Jerusalem stands on (4) 17 New Zealand mountains (8,4) 20 Mexican volcano (12) 23 River flowing into Caspian Sea (4) 24 Deceptive attacking move (5) 25 The main point (4) 28 Rousing pity (8) 29 Beginner (6) 30 Study of religion (8) 31 Of one’s own accord (6)
Down 1 Brief military engagement (8) 2 Gigantic statue (8) 3 Impetuous (4) 5 East Indian curry soup (12) 6 After expected time (4) 7 Entrust (6) 8 Despot (6) 11 Irresistible (12) 15 To cast (5) 16 Velocity (5) 18 Resolute (8) 19 Insincere praise (8) 21 Quantity produced (6) 22 Disconcert (6) 26 Fervour (4) 27 Obstinate (4)
call 0907 181 2585 for today’s target solution *Calls cost 80p per minute plus your telephone company’s network access charge.
*SP: Spoke – Helpline 0333 202 3390
full solution
0907 181 2558
R S T U V W X Y Z
1
*Calls cost 80p per minute 21 plus your telephone company’s network access charge.
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PLay More Crossw
The Tribune | Weekend | 27
Friday, March 9, 2018
animals Animal matters Kim Aranha
The amazing jellyfish
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The moon jellyfish (Aurelia aurita) can be easily identified by i ts four purple rings, which are its reproductive organs. lyfish, which I was always taught to stay away from, is also called a sea wasp. I never knew this; I suppose because of the unpleasant sting you can receive
A wise young lady By The Bahamas Humane Society With wisdom, comes grace. Sophie, whose name means wisdom, is an outgoing female potcake of about one year old. She came in to the Bahamas Humane Humane Society with her brother Sky, whom you might remember from an earlier Pet of the Week. Sky has since been adopted, while Sophie still awaits her forever home. There’s no rush; the BHS is a no-kill shelter, but Sophie is so looking forward to finding a home of her own. She’s friendly with both humans and dogs and could be either an indoor or an outdoor dog. Do you have room for Sophie in your family? Make the wise choice and come in to the BHS to meet her today. Sophie’s sure you will be glad you did. Adoption hours are 11am to 4pm, Monday to Friday, and 10am to 4pm on Saturday, or you can call 323-5138 for more information. Sophie looks forward to meeting you!
from them. These jellyfish have tendrils that can grow as long as four feet in length. They are slightly square in shape with one tendril extending from
PET OF THE WEEK
PATRICIA VAZQUEZ
ave you ever given jellyfish much thought? I know we all think of them in the early weeks of summer and some of us have experienced the agony of being “zapped” (that is what we call it in our family). Sometimes if I sit on the side of our dock on the canal I see lots of “upside-down” jellyfish; they lie on the bottom of the canal pulsating as if gasping for life. This unusual creature is the only one in its family and is also called mangrove jellyfish. Of course by lying on the bottom with tendrils facing upwards it hunts very successfully. This particular jellyfish enjoys warm water, which is probably why I see it so frequently in the summer months off our dock. They tend to hang around in large groups though they can be seen singly at times. The sting of the upside-down jellyfish is less than some of the others but as the stinging cells are housed in transparent mucus you cannot see it as you swim over or by them. The result is very itchy and is only made worse by scratching. A wide berth is recommended when you see them around. The thimble jellyfish is a very common sight in the Bahamas. I have read that they can grow up to 1.5 inches in diameter. I do not believe I have ever seen them that size. These little fellows have a way of allowing you to pass by them without feeling anything and then some time later it looks as if you have be whipped as you are suddenly covered with itchy welts. They especially like to “zap” you inside bathing suits and at the waistband of swim pants. So saying, I have frequently swam though bands of them at the beach with no apparent effects. I would recommend that the general rule of thumb be to avoid the sea thimbles when ever possible. Whilst researching for this article I was amazed to learn that the box jel-
each of the four corners. They are frequently very hard to see and can give you a sting that can leave a scar similar to a burn. There are 50 species of the box jellyfish, some of them more poisonous than others, the one species in the Pacific Ocean is the most deadly. Fortunately, we do not have that one in the Bahamas. What is rather interesting is that this species is actually able to move away from darker coloured objects, indicating a form of visual recognition. Though the box jellyfish is not known to be lethal in this part of the world it has been known to cause cramping, nausea, and headache. The sea wasp can be a very nasty piece of work. The moon jellyfish is my personal favourite to look at and to draw. They are smooth like a flying saucer, tinged with purple. In the centre there are four very visible purple rings. Those, my friends, are the jellyfish’s sex organs! The have a fringe of tentacles extending from the edges and when swimming in the current they look amazingly graceful. We sometimes see the Portuguese Man-o-War on our beaches. They are splendid to look at, also referred to as “floating terror”. Their bright blue bubbles are deceiving and children are easily attracted to them. One of the problems with this particular species is that the tendrils can detach and float in the ocean for days, a swimmer may not even see the detached tendril and get quite a nasty sting. When I was a child we would sometimes see them washed up on the beach of Bird Cay. We were always told to stay away from them, even dead the organism can cause a nasty sting. Jellyfish have been on earth for around 300 million years, older than the reptiles, older than the dinosaurs. Their tentacles are stocked with venom in order to stun and kill their prey. Some fish though have perfected the art of hiding amongst the tendrils to avoid being prey for larger fish. The jellyfish is the preferred food for sea turtles; sadly many a turtle has died ingesting plastic bags because he mistook the offending garbage thrown out by a careless boater for a delicious jellyfish dinner. There is no doubt that the jellyfish is a quite marvellous creature, interesting, but most definitely belonging to the “look, don’t touch” category.
28 | The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, March 9, 2018
gardening
Total immersion Treat your plants to a good soak in a fertilizer mix every so often and you will reap the benefits, says Jack Hardy
A
shower is fine, but it is nice to have a good soak in the bathtub now and then. When we apply liquid fertilizer such as Miracle-Gro to our plants we are giving them a shower of goodness. Now and then even plants appreciate a good soak. Several years ago I was talking with Maureen Koep – the noted dog training lady – about orchids and their care. Maureen loves orchids as well as dogs and has a wonderful collection. I was pleased to note that she used the same technique for watering and feeding her orchids as I did, by putting orchid containers into a basin of water and allowing them to soak and absorb nutrients for several minutes. It was some time later that I adopted the technique for young plants after transplanting them from seed trays. You know how vigorous nursery plants are: big pepper plants for instance, with flowers and fruits and fantastic foliage all stemming from a four-inch pot. The nursery secret is optimal fertilization, as much nutrients as the plants can take, and soaking plays a part. I modified their technique by buying a black plastic rectangular five-gallon
container that could comfortably hold a standard seed tray. I added an inch of water to the container and a tablespoon of Miracle-Gro all-purpose fertilizer. All the watering of the seeds in the seed tray was done by dipping the tray into the solution for about five minutes. I had to hold the tray above the liquid level to drain and avoid wastage but the effort was worthwhile. A weekly soak led to vigorous seedlings. Once the seedlings were transplanted to four-inch pots they received the same treatment but with refinements. I used two inches of water and two tablespoons of Miracle-Gro. I found a red plastic crate (with Coca Cola on the end) and put my seedling pots into that. The crate could hold a dozen four-inch pots that could be dunked all one time. Better still, by placing a length of 1x2 wood across the base container I was able to position the crate so it drained without me having to hold it. The next step for the potted seedlings was transplantation to the garden and the healthier the seedlings the greater the chance of a successful harvest. I have stopped raising vegetables in the garden and now do all my growing in containers, easier to work with in old age. The fertilizers I use are timerelease such as Osmocote but now and then I like to use Miracle-Gro. Whenever you apply Miracle-Gro to garden plants using a hose end sprayer you have no waste because all the nutrients go onto the plant and into the soil. However careful you may be, using a sprayer to feed potted plants is wasteful and you apply quite a bit of fertilizer to concrete. I start by pouring the contents of a Miracle-Gro package into an old gallon jug, adding water and stirring. I then pour the solution into a gallon water bottle and top it up with more water. Once a packet of Miracle-Gro is opened the crystals tend to deliquesce and make a mess. A concentrated solution makes life simpler for an elderly gardener.
SOAK your plants in a mix of water and fertilizer for a few minutes and let them soak up the nutrients.
The solution is further diluted before applying it to plant containers, about one cupful to a bucket of water. A 10-ounce plastic cup is the ideal size to pour into a three-gallon container. Dipping and dashing is actually quicker than using a hose-end sprayer. Once or twice every season I make myself feel better (and the plants too, I hope) by taking a couple of days to fertilize all my pots that are three gallon or smaller. On a regular basis I use three types of Miracle-Gro: Allpurpose, Miracid and for Tomatoes. The latter I use for my pepper plants while Miracid is reserved for pineapples and strawberries. My herbs, green vegetables and flowers get the All-purpose. I know there is Miracle-Gro for flowering plants but I only have half a dozen petunias in terra cotta containers and they seem quite happy with the All-purpose Miracle-Gro. I half fill my black basin with water and add a cupful of Miracle-Gro from
the gallon bottle. The first potted plant gets 15 minutes of soaking after I have poured about 10 cups of solution into the pot. The pot then goes onto the draining rack and the next potted plant goes into the Miracle-Gro. It takes me a couple of days to get through all my smaller pots. The larger pots that hold the tomatoes are too big for me to move and they get their fertilizer through Osmocote and triple phosphate, with a few cups of diluted Miracle-Gro Tomato fertilizer now and then. But the activity is leisurely – replace a drained pot, put the soaking pot up to drain, add a new pot to the reservoir and wet it down. One minute’s work every 15 or so minutes while I get on with something relaxing like a jigsaw sudoku or cryptic crossword puzzle.
• For questions and comments, e-mail gardenerjack@coralwave.com.
