03272021 WEEKEND

Friday, March 26, 2021

books art gardening history weddings puzzles animals community

Weekend

Lil Vaevae makes her debut Page 04 + 05

Riding the wave The evolution of water sports in the Bahamas through the decades

pgs 08 +09

02 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, March 26, 2021

books

A memoir to make teens think and boost their selfesteem

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

T

he teenage years are for many are a trying time, filled with uncertainties and insecurities. And because of this, author Beverly Turnquest decided to write a new book to help young people navigate this tricky and difficult period in their lives.

Titled “The Memoir That Makes You Go Mmm”, the novel tells the story of a Bahamian teen named Mckenzie-Morgan Musgrove, who is “oddly outstanding”. She circumvents her troubles with optimism, faith and a myriad of lofty words that start with the letter ‘M’, which are guaranteed to improve readers’ vocabulary, the author said.

The underlying message throughout the book is one of self-love, which young adults need to have reinforced, said Ms Turnquest.

To make her teen protagonist and her adventures as authentic as possible, the author said she got input from real Bahamian teenagers, whom she encouraged to review her

“No matter the metamorphoses and challenges teens may have to go through, it will make for a smoother transition if they love themselves for who they are…”

work and critique her earlier drafts of the manuscript.

The local beta readers were Victoria Cove, TaNyah Gibson, Kayleigh Munroe, Jasmine Williams, Shian Roker, Megan Obregon, Calayah Sawyer, Gwyni Rolle and Schuyler Kelly.

“This is a unique story spotlighting issues that the odd, ordinary, and yes, even the outstanding teens should know for happy, healthy and wholesome growth,” said Ms Turnquest.

“The concept of this book stemmed from a short story that was written in Gliterature Children’s Magazine, a literacy campaign of After The Bell that was published in 2014. It was about a real-life girl who we attached fictional attributes to.

Her initials were M M, she was born in May, and got teased for being the teacher’s pet, called Mayflower by a few of the boys.”

Ms Turnquest said the book was an opportunity for her to present a positive story, one that she believes her readers will identify with.

“It was an opportunity to present a positive story featuring a Bahamian teen who has many positive attributes… that outweigh all else that

may be against her: friends, family and confidence.

“Another message was that the protagonist shows that she is more than a label, and is set to live a full life, quirks in tow.”

The author said she always appreciates opportunities to showcase wholesomeness, forgiveness, friendship, and examples supportive Black families.

“The teen years are trying, filled with uncertainties and insecurities (about) who one may emerge to be.

No matter the metamorphoses and challenges teens may have to go through, it will make for a smoother transition if they love themselves for who they are (and understand no one is perfect). This is the time when people may put them into a box, label them,” she said.

Her protagonist, she noted, will not be labelled; she knows her value and knows that everyone is multifaceted with their own wants, needs, peeves, comforts and haunts – “all human, all unique, all worthy of loving and being loved.”

Readers, she believes, will easily identify with the main character.

“I think that the book will appeal to teen because the story is relatable and relevant, the rifts are common teen issues, so hopefully the resolutions in the story can be a lesson or inspiration,” she said.

Ms Turnquest is now working on what she calls a “part etiquette/ part beauty tidbits” book for girls.

The title will be “The Loot on Cute, Papers on Proprietaries” and will be released later this year.

“The Memoir That Makes You Go Mmm” will be released on March 30 and will be available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and at local bookstores.

The Tribune | Weekend | 03

Friday, March 26, 2021

Weekend Inside

My Perfect Bahamian Weekend Raleigh Francis

Insurance Executive

Interview 4 – 5

Eleven-year-old rapper Lil Vaevae dreams of becoming a star so she can provide a better life for her struggling family

Puzzles 6 Community 7

Marjorie Joseph wants to adults to be able to express their love of anime without judgement

History 8-9

The evolution of water sports in the Bahamas through the decades

Q. What will you be binge watching?

I will definitely be binging watching “Snowfall” this weekend.

Weddings 10

Yolanda Winder of Rainbow Weddings & Events talks industry changes and the advantages of a ‘micro’ wedding.

Q. What’s on the weekend menu?

Glazed salmon with Greek salad and white wine is on the menu for me.

Gardening 11

Adam Boorman answers the question, cilantro or coriander?

Q. What will you be doing to pass the time?

The beach is in the stars for me this weekend. I’ve been actively working to get my beach body going.

Q. If you had to be quarantined with a celebrity, who would it be and why?

Eva Mendez is who I would quarantine with.

She is a sexy Latino woman and I watched her for years. I am intrigued by her.

Literary Lives 12 – 13

How Ma Rainey became the mother of the Blues

Forgotten Facts 14

How Douglas D-3s changed the world and inter-island travel

Animals 15

The mystery of the starfish solved, plus Pet of the Week

07

Art 16

The Current at Baha Mar opens stronger than ever

Cover I Photo by Ronald G Lightbourn

THIS WEEKEND IN HISTORY March 26

• In 1812, an earthquake devastated Caracas, Venezuela, causing an estimated 26,000 deaths, according to the US Geological Survey.

• In 1827, famed composer Ludwig van Beethoven died in Vienna.

• In 1997, the bodies of 39 members of the Heaven’s Gate technoreligious cult who committed suicide were found inside a rented mansion

in Rancho Santa Fe, California.

Today’s birthdays: Actor Alan Arkin is 87. US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is 81. Actor James Caan is 81. ‘Watergate’ journalist Bob Woodward is 78. Singer Diana Ross is 77. Rock singer Steven Tyler (Aerosmith) is 73.

Actor Jennifer Grey (‘Dirty Dancing’) is 61. Country singer Kenny Chesney is 53. Actor Keira Knightley is 36..

March 27

• In 1513, Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon sighted present-day Florida.

• In 1945, during World War II, General Dwight D Eisenhower told

Q. If you could go anywhere for a COVIDfree weekend, where would it be?

The Maldives is where I would enjoy spending a COVID-free weekend.

reporters in Paris that German defenses on the Western Front had been broken.

• In 1968, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, the first man to orbit the Earth in 1961, died when his MiG-15 jet crashed during a routine training flight near Moscow; he was 34.

Today’s birthdays: Movie director

Quentin Tarantino is 58. Singer Mariah Carey is 51. Actor Nathan Fillion (‘Castle’, ‘Firefly’) is 50. Hip-hop singer Fergie is 46. Actor/R&B singer Halle Bailey is 21.

March 28

• In 1797, Nathaniel Briggs of New Hampshire received a patent for a washing machine.

• In 1941, novelist and critic Virginia Woolf, 59, drowned herself near her home in Lewes, East Sussex, England.

• In 1977, “Rocky” won best picture at the 49th Academy Awards; Peter Finch was honored posthumously as best actor for “Network” while his co-star, Faye Dunaway, was recognized as best actress.

Today’s birthdays: Actor Dianne

Wiest is 75. Country singer Reba McEntire is 66. Rapper Salt (Salt-N-Pepa) is 55. Movie director Brett Ratner is 52.

Actor Vince Vaughn is 51. Actor Julia Stiles is 40. Singer Lady Gaga is 35.

– The Associated Press

04 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, March 26, 2021

interview

Neveah Gibson, aka Lil Vaevae At just 11 years old, this honour roll student wants to do her part to make life better for her family. She tells Cara Hunt all about recording and releasing her debut single, which she hopes will earn her enough money to help pay outstanding electricity bills and make the necessary renovations to their home.

L

ife has been tough for many people over the past 12 months, but 11-yearold rapper Neveah Gibson, also known by her stage name Lil Vaevae, plans to turn her struggle into triumph with the release of her first song.

“The reason that I wanted to do this now is because of the struggle that me and my mom are going through. Right now, things have been very rough for us…our electricity is off, and the house needs to be fixed. I really want to help my mom as much as I can and so I wanted to do this song so that I could earn some money to help us get where we need to be. My mom and I are a team, and we fight together,” she told Tribune Weekend.

“I want to get my mom out of the struggle and give her a good life. I want to make her proud.”

Neveah is a fifth-grade student at Ridgeland Primary and has recently released a brand new single called “Boss Moves”.

The song is about girls and women being independent, strong and focused on their goals. These are qualities she sees every day in the woman who inspires her the most, her mother, Sabrina Gibson.

The COVID-19 pandemic has hit her family hard, said Neveah, but she continues to soldier on, especially with her studies.

“It has been hard, especially during school, because we don’t always have electricity and so sometimes my mom has to use a drop cord from next door so I can do my work and stuff. But I still managed to do well in my classes,” she said.

Rapping has always been a dream for her, but the past year it took on a special significance for her.

“My favourite rapper is Nicki Minaj. I think she just has a great sense of fashion and I think she has a great style of rapping. I also love Lil Wayne; he has such a great style and I have always looked up to him.

“I think that the next rapper would be Cardi B. I love her style of fashion and she really encouraged me to start rapping as well. In fact, if I had the chance to record a rap song with another rap artist, I would say that it would be Cardi B,” she said.

“I love to rap about money and clothing,” she added. “I write my own lyrics, but a lot of it is just of free-styling after I get the beat down.

“My first song is ‘Boss Moves’ and people have really been enjoying it. It makes me feel really great to know that people like it and enjoy it. I feel

The Tribune | Weekend | 05

Friday, March 26, 2021

“The reason that I wanted to do this now is because of the struggle that me and my mom are going through…our electricity is off, and the house needs to be fixed…” like I am really going to become successful, and I just want to thank all the people in my life who have supported me.”

The hardest part of the pandemic, said Neveah, has been not being able to see her other family members or play with her friends.

“I miss going out to different places,” she said.

As it concerns other kids in similar situations to hers, Neveah said she would like to encourage them to never give up on their dreams and to not let their age deter them.

“I would tell them to be strong and know what you want and try your best to go out and get it and follow your dreams,” she said.

Her mother, Sabrina Gibson, said she is “overwhelmed” by her youngest child (her other two children are both adults), but always knew Neveah was destined for greatness.

“I always tell her, ‘You know that we may be going through something right now, but just stay

NEVEAH, 11, would love to record her song with Cardi B

THE COVER art for the single ‘Boss Moves’

strong and we will get through it and never be embarrassed. Our house may not look like how I want it to look on the outside, but we do our best and we always try to keep it nice and clean on the inside’,” she said.

“She makes me so proud,” her mom added, “Despite it all, she has always done well at school and is currently an honour roll student. She has always been naturally smart. I know that this rap music is her ticket to stardom. I like to tell her, ‘In this world you have to be smart, or you have to be rich, which one are you going to be?’ And she says, ‘Mommy, I am going to be both’.”

Sabrina is her daughter’s biggest supporter when it comes to her rap dreams.

“She and I are always singing together, and she loves to rap, so I often will record her on my phone, but one day we were lying in the bed and she just started singing ‘Boss Moves’ and so I told her, ‘Hey, sing that again. It’s so good, girl you have it.’ And so, I knew that it was a song that should be heard by the world. I put it on You Tube and it got a lot of attention and a lot of interest,” said Sabrina.

“Boss Moves” was recorded at the Commonwealth Recording Studio.

It is available for purchase and download on Spotify, Apple Music and all leading music platforms.

Jiujitsu;thanks 6 Fiddler;(5) 24 Bread is5 mine, 11 Enthralled; 13 Enquired;

06 | 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.

EYr r t E Por

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)

A 21 8 20 B C 6 15 16 D E 26 12 31 F G 7 31 22 H I 37 9 5 J TODAY’S TARGET Good 16; very good 24; excellent 32 K 36 40 20 (or more). Solution tomorrow L M 1 32 34 Yesterday’s Yesterday’s call 0907 181 2585 N Sudoku Answer Kakuro Answer for today’s target solution O 38 29 32 *Calls cost 80p per minute plus your telephone P company’s network access charge.

Q 40 33 36 R S 7 31 24 T U 12 28 17 FIND where the fleet of ships shown is hidden V in the grid. The numbers to the right of and W 11 6 13 below the grid indicate how many of the squares in that row are filled in with ships or X parts of ships. The ships do not touch each Y 15 31 38 other, even diagonally. Some squares have Z

BATTLESHIPS

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Down 1 Turn out to be in error about a point (4) 2 There’s a lot to be said for having it (9) 3 Steal a little salt (5) 4 Where patients are treated internally (7) 5 They’re not at home with regulations (7) 7 I am on time for the picture (5) 8 It should prevent a woman getting into bad habits (5,5) 9 Don’t lose that quiet shyness (8) 14 NCO stripes for police officers (10) 16 To arrange the relay is tough (8) 18 Crazy about mother in a manner of speaking (9) 20 Haul on the canvas to speed the sailor (7) 21 Sink with fuel in it perhaps (7) 23 The head requires things to be done (5) 25 Make fun of one’s peers (5) 26 I’d look up to one who’s worshipped (4)

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Yesterday’s Easy Solution Across: 1 Modicum, 5 Waver, 8 Lend a hand, 9 Nip, 10 As to, 12 Free will, 14 Corral, 15 Berate, 17 Thumbs up, 18 Teem, 21 Age, 22 Daredevil, 24 Kitty, 25 Discern.

Down: 1 Malta, 2 Don, 3 Coax, 4 Meagre, 5 Wide-eyed, 6 Vindicate, 7 Repulse, 11 Turbulent, 13 Day by day, 14 Cutback, 16 Putrid, 19 Milan, 20 Odds, 23 Vie.

Yesterday’s Cryptic Solution Across: 1 Garnish, 5 Baste, 8 Rebellion, 9 Alp, 10 Odds, 12 Chastise, 14 Distil, 15 Remiss, 17 Isotherm, 18 Tyro, 21 Ego, 22 Reluctant, 24 Straw, 25 Endemic.

Down: 1 Garbo, 2 Rib, 3 Idle, 4 Height, 5 Bandsmen, 6 Stability, 7 Express, 11 Dishonour, 13 Withdraw, 14 Drivers, 16 Grille, 19 Optic, 20 Acid, 23 Aim.

EASY PUZZLE

Across 1 Thoroughly proficient person (4,6) 6 Male deer (4) 10 Uninterrupted (5) 11 Something unimportant (5,4) 12 Original (8) 13 Brown tint in photographs (5) 15 Left out (7) 17 Amount short (7) 19 Awaiting decision (7) 21 Predicament (7) 22 Fit for a king (5) 24 Living in trees (8) 27 Study of meanings (9) 28 Tied (5) 29 Short informal letter (4) 30 Take no chances (4,2,4)

Down 1 An affected attitude (4) 2 Deliverance from danger (9) 3 Exemplar (5) 4 Hang up (7) 5 Glorified (7) 7 A link or connection (3-2) 8 Colossal (10) 9 Ideally happy (8) 14 Degree of similarity (10) 16 Unimportant (8) 18 The bellflower (9) 20 Icy (7) 21 French composer 1862-1918 (7) 23 Whole range (5) 25 Disprove (5) 26 Useless (4)

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been filled in to start you off.

Solution tomorrow 3

I W E Q F P D

targEt thE alphapu cAn you crack the Alphabeater?

Each grid Decade, Outla atoNEMENt number represents a letteracross: – or black square. (clue), Stop, Bear, Gam ante atom atone ATONEMENT As Alphapuzzle, every letter ofOunce, the alphabe Rowdy, Recur, N eateninemote mate matt matte is used. have theVote, gridFix, too Yucca, Fund, meant meatBut meetyou mete moatto complete Edible.squares below mote the motetgiven neat neaten neonate use letters and black down: Jar, Beetle, Equ nonet notate note oaten tame the to start. the grid isDeaf, ‘rotationally Glory, Henna, Un team grid teat teem teen tenant Forum, Coxed, the Arena, S tenet tenon tent tome symmetrical’ – in tone other words, it looks Hazard, Kettle, Yes. tonne tote totem same if you turn the page upside down.

Solution tomorrow

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.

Verb forms ending in s permitted.

CRYPTIC PUZZLE

A I D L G R S

THE ALPHABEA

TARGET

Across 1 Penitentiary with unlimited accommodation (4,6) 6 Come across a bit of fluff in dusting (4) 10 Sort of enemy you’ve cursed? (5) 11 Treat wage adjustment as a political scandal (9) 12 No bad feeling? (8) 13 Measures taken for the sake of progress (5) 15 Perplex with a minus sign? (7) 17 Waiting for a religious ceremony (7) 19 Be the more usual to succeed (7) 21 The sort that is in glasses (7) 22 The snag about angling? (5) 24 Looking horrible so urge me to make changes (8) 27 Mindful of how voters ban change (9) 28 Classified unconventional trade (5) 29 Part of window dresser’s flamboyant attire (4) 30 Censorious writer (4,6)

N H B I N L G O W P N O I C Y O Y N T S Y S G S B X E J M Y B R C X R V A M S E C A P

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The Tribune | Weekend |07

Friday, March 26, 2021

community

LIFE-long anime fan Majorie Joseph

NARUTO denim hoodie

A GOLD Naruto make-up brush set

An advocate for anime

By ALESHA CADET | Tribune Features Writer | acadet@tribunemedia.net

S

he may be all grown up and the mother of two, but her love of anime is just as strong today as it was when she was a child.

Like many young Bahamians, Marjorie Joseph grew up watching and falling in love with anime – hand-drawn and computer animated shows and movies in the Japanese style.

“The characters’ exaggerated expressions…I always found humorous. I always enjoyed that, but the older I got, the more of an appreciation I had for it as I compared anime to the cartoons that would come on Nickelodeon,” she told Tribune Weekend.

Having developed an appreciation for Asian culture over the years, particularly the unique culture of Japan, the 30-year-old said it is her goal to one day venture out on a threemonth tour of Asia, visiting places like Japan, South Korea, China, Malaysia and Indonesia.

Majorie does not only want to travel to Asia, but to also introduce some of Asia to the Bahamas through her anime-inspired business

ReignsKawaii (‘Kawaii’ meaning ‘cute’ in Japanese and representing the ‘cult of cute’ that has swept the globe.)

Furthermore, she wants to combat the idea that grownups can’t enjoy anime and show their love for it publicly.

That’s why she offers everything from anime-themed hoodies to lanyards and keychains, cups, blankets, AirPod cases, makeup brushes and figurines.

“ReignsKawaii was developed from me not being able to find an anime related gift for one of my friends who is an anime enthusiast like myself. ReignsKawaii is a retail merchandiser of anime, gaming, Asian culture, cute unique gifts and novelty items. We know how hard it is when the sales agents at a store have no knowledge of what it is you are looking for, and that is our mission to help the consumers of this niche market - to find products that are as diverse and unique as there are,” she said.

“I understand that everyone is unique and that we should always be mindful of that. I consider it my

business to make it possible for each and every one who has an interest in my product to feel they are at home.

Also, as a creative business owner, I think it is time that we stop allowing society to dictate to us a what our interests should be and what we should watch and wear at a certain age. I do believe that we should be forever young, that is why I try my best to make myself aware of what my consumers want or may want.”

She hopes that one day the stigma associated with adult anime enthusiasts, specifically here in the Bahamas, will cease to exist.

“I want persons who might be hesitant, even though they are diehard fans, to speak openly about anime. If you like ‘Naruto’ and want to represent by wearing a shirt in public, that’s fine. Don’t allow society to dictate to you what they think is proper at your age,” she said.

Anime, she said, is such farranging genre that most viewers will see themselves reflected in one way or another, no matter how different they may think they are compared to everyone around them.

She said anime demands strong emotions from its viewers; emotions such as hate, love, jealousy and even contentment. As it often depicts different cultural ideas and traditions, it forces people to research what they did not know before.

Some of Marjorie’s favourite anime shows include “Fullmetal Alchemist”, “The Seven Deadly Sins”, “Beastars”, “Kakegurui”, and “Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan”.

“ReignsKawaii has a vision for the next five years. Firstly, to host social events that will consist of debates and open discussions between fans.

Secondly, to host seminars with guest speakers…persons who work directly in or behind the scenes in the creation of an anime series or movie; coaching sessions on the basics of anime art, and the history of anime. Seminars will also consist of competitions for young aspiring anime artists. Thirdly, it is the goal to become a household name for anime enthusiasts and gaming fans in the Bahamas,” said Marjorie.

10 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, March 26, 2021

weddings

Say it with flowers

By JEFFARAH GIBSON Tribune Features Writer jgibson@tribunemedia.net

T

he term ‘traditional wedding’ doesn’t have much significance these days. In the age of social media, couples are all about embracing the non-traditional, the individualised and the unexpected.

And often, before COVID-19, they would do this ‘embracing’ on a larger scale than ever seen before, said Yolanda Winder, wedding consultant in her family business, Rainbow Weddings & Events.

“Over the past decades couples have gone from small centerpieces and a simple arch to grand inventions from Pinterest and Instagram. Weddings have changed from having five bridesmaids to now 12 bridesmaids, with even two maids of honours,” she told Tribune Weekend.

The 2010s, she said, “were a big decade in the world of weddings.”

“As a result, we have seen a big shift in how couples are choosing to say ‘I do’. Gone are the days of when formal receptions were a given and white dresses were the go-to. Instead, we now have the joy of witnessing couples have fun with the process, making the wedding more about the journey than the day itself.”

Social media, Yolanda acknowledged, has played a major role in how people want their big day to look.

“Spending habits have changed. What’s expected has become less of an expectation; personality has become a priority, and with that customisation has taken on a new meaning. The formality of the wedding has been called into question, couples have begun to embrace nontraditional venues; the ‘wow’ factor has become a thing and trends have become less important,’ she said.

Twenty years ago, when Yolanda was still a student, she never imagined that she would one day become the wedding expert she is today.

Flowers, especially, played no role whatsoever in young Yolanda Winder’s plans for her life. As a teen, she was adamant that she wanted to be a lawyer, not a florist like her mother. But even though she pursued a law degree, fate had other plans for her.

YOLANDA winder Today, she has found fulfillment in helping couples have the weddings of dreams by adding just the right floral touches.

“I never had an interest in the floral business… as a high schooler I wanted to further my education and go off to college. I pursued my degree at the Bahamas Baptist College in Law and Criminal Justice in 2000,” she said.

Shortly after obtaining her degree, Yolanda’s mother decided to venture into business and wanted to have her daughter by her side.

“In 2003, my mother had another plan for me to be with her in the floral business Rainbow Flowers. I got into the business, but I wasn’t at all interested,” she said.

“I still had in my mind that I would become a lawyer, but I grew into the wedding part of the business. It took me five years to come to grips with being in the floral industry. I grew to love the creative arrangements my gifted hands created.

Sometimes I even impressed myself.”

To help develop her skills and keep up-to-date with all the newest trends, Yolanda attended numerous bridal expos and shows over the years, both abroad and here at home. She has even hosted three bridal extravaganzas herself.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many weddings were postponed over the last 12 months, and Yolanda has, unfortunately, not been able to exercise her skills. Any floral work she has done over the past year has been on a much smaller scale.

She is hopeful, however, that as restrictions continue to be lifted, and some couples decide to go

ahead with more intimate weddings, she will once again have the opportunity to do what she does best.

“The journey at this point has been challenging, but I must say I’m glad that I didn’t give up on it.

I just held onto the family business. I see nothing else but elevation from this point, in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic,” she said.

Despite the fact most Bahamians have learned to expect weddings to be these large, lavish affairs in recent years, it is not the only way for couple to go, said Yolanda. Couples can still have their big day in “micro” form while restrictions remain in place.

This is the perfect opportunity, she added, for couples to take advantage of not having to foot the bill for hundreds of guests.

“Due to COVID, you can actually go big for less,” she said.

To those who are still debating whether to go ahead with their wedding plans or to keep waiting, she had this to say: “Go for it. Love always wins.”

The Tribune | Weekend | 11

Friday, March 26, 2021

gardening

Cilantro vs coriander

C

oriandrum sativum is an annual herbaceous plant used for culinary and medicinal purposes worldwide. When purchasing seeds or young plants from any major supplier in our region, it is referred to as both cilantro and coriander, I have often wondered what the point is of offering the same thing under different names.

The name is entirely interchangeable depending upon who you are speaking to or the region you may be from or currently reside in. I then surmised that a global seed supplier lists the plant under both names simply to ensure that whichever name it is called, it can be found, I have always known the leaf to be cilantro and the seed to be coriander, although the seed is never cilantro, the leaf can be both! Get it? Yeah, I get confused as well. In this case it doesn’t really matter. Folks will know what is being asked for no matter which option is chosen. I must mention the small group of people that apparently don’t like cilantro. They claim that is tastes like soap or metal to them. I am sorry for y’all, there really is no substitute to give a similar flavour that I am aware of. On the other hand, more for the rest of us!

Typically, the leaf is used fresh, and added after cooking as a top garnish (granted, there are always exceptions to every rule). The seed is typically used in cooking. Growing cilantro is easy. In our climate they tend to prefer a bit of shade, the intense heat of the sun is a bit strong.

I always find the leaf more tender when grown in shade, and they are slower to bolt in shade. Cilantro like moisture, but they don’t like it wet, and they don’t like it dry. I find that they go to seed much faster when exposed to full sun and extreme heat.

I use the flowers in fresh salads to brighten them up.

The seeding process can be delayed somewhat by continuously picking the young flower heads off.

Once the flowers start pushing, it signals time to get a fresh, young batch down, as the ones going to seed are seeking to finish. Leave the flowers on and the plant goes to seed, and you’ll have coriander! A basic fertilizer is usually enough, I have not noticed much nutrient demand from

CORIANDER seeds for cooking

CILANTRO leaves used as garnish cilantro. As they are a short-lived plant, they do not have a need for long term fertilizing. Loamy, loose soil is best, as they tend to go backwards quickly if they sit wet in a soil with poor drainage. Aphids can be a pest, but these are easily controlled by interplanting or by an occasional spray of horticultural oils (neem, etc) or similar. Cilantro is a great addition to any herb garden!

Something else I must mention today: There is always going to be some ambiguity when discussing gardening. You’ll notice that I often use words such as “typically” or “usually” or “often times” or “tend

to” and “likely”. Living plants act slightly differently depending upon location, every time. Plant cilantro in a garden bed on one side of a building, for example, and another on the opposite side, those plants will likely not grow the exact same way.

Differences in soil drainage, moisture and nutrient holding capacity, light exposure, temperature, moisture availability, wind exposure and many other factors all influence the response. Also, the fact that there are countless micro-climates, creates differences not only between different islands, but there are different micro-climates on each island, and even on a single property. Some will need to water more than others, some will need to fertilize more than others, some will not have to worry about any of it very much.

Gardening, remember, is science, art and community. It is generally not an exact science either. Art is, well, art, and essentially anything goes if it works for you. Community is learning from others and sharing information and tips on how to achieve desired results. Something as simple as a windy week and not enough water can damage a crop, or a cloudy week and too much water can damage a crop. It is impossible to give exact directions. Everything tends to be a general rule of thumb.

One thing that I love about gardening is the many ways that people can use to achieve similar results.

What works for one, may not work for another. Getting to know the plants in your garden takes time.

Soft, yellowing leaf tips usually means overwatering. Crispy, dry, brown leaf tips often mean underwatering. It is constant trial and error, especially when planting for the first time, or getting to know a plant that is new to you. Patience is a virtue, and the plants will typically show signs of what is needed, but it takes time to learn the signs. Get into the garden! 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.

12 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, March 26, 2021

literary lives – ­ Ma Rainey

Mother of the Blues

Sir Christopher Ondaatje writes about one of the early AfricanAmerican professional blues singers who as “The Mother of the Blues” bridged early Vaudeville and the authentic expression of Southern blues. She influenced a generation of blues singers.

“They hear it come out, but they don’t know how it got there. They don’t understand that’s life’s way of talking. You don’t sing to feel better. You sing ‘cause that’s a way of understanding life.”

- Ma Rainey

developed that Rainey actually kidnapped the young Bessie Smith and forced her to join the Rabbit’s Foot Company minstrels – not wanting any rival competition. She claimed that she taught Bessie Smith how to sing the blues.

Gertrude “Ma” Rainey was born Gertrude Pridgett on April 26, 1886, or April 26 1882, in Columbus, Georgia. However, the 1900 US Census states that she was born on the latter date in Russell County, Alabama. She was the second of at least five children of Thomas and Ella Pridgett from Alabama.

“Let your soul do the singing. A tune’s like a staircase – walk up on it.”

– Ma Rainey’s advice to Bessie Smith

In February 1904, she married William “Pa” Rainey, and took the stage name “Ma” Rainey as a play on her husband’s nickname “Pa”.

Rainey began her show-business career in Columbus, Georgia when she was 12 years old. A member of the First African Baptist Church, she began performing in Black minstrel shows and was probably first exposed to blues music around 1902.

She formed the Alabama Fun Makers company with her husband, Will Rainey, but they both joined Pat Chappelle’s much larger and more popular Rabbit’s Foot Company, in which they were billed together as “Black Face Song and Dance Comedians, Jubilee Singers and Cake Walkers”.

“This be an empty world without the blues.” – Ma Rainey She continued with the Rabbit’s Foot Company even after it was taken over by a new owner, F S Wolcott, in 1912. Rainey said she found “blues music” one night when she was performing and a girl introduced her to a sad song about a man leaving a woman. She learned the lyrics of the song and added it to her performance. A little later Rainey, when asked what kind of song she was singing, claimed that she had invented the term “blues”.

In 1914, the Raineys were billed as Rainey and Rainey, Assassinators of the Blues.

She spent winters in New Orleans and met Joe “King” Oliver, Louis Armstrong, Sidney Bechet and Pops Foster. As blues music became popular, Rainey’s popularity increased too. She had an infectious personality and she became wellknown in the jazz world. She developed imitators – one of whom may have been Bessie Smith who was making a name for herself. A story later

There was even a rumour that Rainey developed an intimate relationship with Bessie Smith, who already had a reputation for sleeping with women as well as men.

“They say I do it, Ain’t nobody caught me, Sure got to prove it on me.

Went out last night with a crowd of my friends, They must have been women, ’ ‘Cause I don’t like no men.”

The Raineys separated in 1916.

– Ma Rainey

There was an increasing demand for recordings by Black musicians starting in the late 1910s.

Rainey was discovered by Paramount record producer J Mayo Williams. She signed a contract with Paramount and she made her first recording in Chicago in December 1923, including “Bad Luck Blues”, “Bo-Weevil Blues” and “Moonshine Blues”. She made more than 100 other recordings over the next five years, three of which were made with King Oliver and his Creole Jazz Band: “Black Eyes Blues”, “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” and “Victim of the Blues”.

In 1924, the young Louis Armstrong, who was the second cornet in King Oliver’s band, backed her up in her Georgia Jazz Band in three more recordings: “Jelly Bean Blues”, “Countin’ the Blues” and the ever popular “See See Rider”.

Paramount marketed her extensively and gave her the titles “Mother of the Blues”, “Songbird of the South”, and “Paramount Wildcat”. Her name as one of the great blues singers spread way beyond the South. She became known for her powerful vocal abilities, energetic disposition, majestic phrasing, and a moaning style of singing.

“If you don’t like my ocean

Don’t fish in my sea, Stay out of my valley And let my mountain be.”

– Ma Rainey Towards the end of the 1920s live vaudeville went into decline, taking jazz performances with it. Radio and recordings replaced them. Rainey continued to record for Paramount and earned

The Tribune | Weekend | 13

Friday, March 26, 2021

MA Rainey and her Wildcats Jazz Band

MA Rainey appears in the touring show “The Rabbit Foot Minstrels” in c. 1925 She portrayed the Black female experience like no other entertainer of the time. In her 1999 book Blues Legacies and Black Feminism, Angela Davis wrote that Rainey’s songs were full of women who “explicitly celebrate their right to conduct themselves expansively and even as undesirably as men.” In her songs, she and other Black women sleep around for revenge, drink, and party all night and generally live lives that “transgressed these ideas of white middle class female respectability.” The themes in her songs established her as fiercely independent and fearless.

VIOLA Davis as Ma Rainey in the Oscar-nominated film enough money from touring to buy a bus with her name on it. She worked with Thomas Andrew Dorsey, the pianist and composer of jazz blues.

He gained fame accompanying Rainey on tour and was billed as “Georgia Tom”, eventually becoming a music arranger for Paramount Records until the record company terminated Rainey’s contract. Her style of blues was no longer considered fashionable, and she may or may not have received royalties after Paramount fired her. She was the author of at least a third of her songs.

Rainey continued to tour with the Georgia Jazz Band until 1935 when she mostly retired from

performing and continued as an impresario in her hometown of Columbus, Georgia, where she was the proprietor of three theatres: The Lyric, the Airdome and the Liberty Theatre until she died of a heart attack in 1939.

Rainey was inducted into the Blues Foundation’s Hall of Fame in 1983, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990. In 1994, the US Post Office issued a 29 cent commemorative postage stamp honouring her. “See See Rider”, performed in 1924, was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

“I can’t tell my future, so I’m going to tell my past.”

– Ma Rainey

The film Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, dramatising a turbulent recording session in 1920s Chicago, based on the play by August Wilson, was directed

by August Wilson and released in 2020. Both Viola Davis, who portrays Ma Rainey, and the late Chadwick Boseman, in his final role as trumpeter Levee Green, have received Oscar nods in the leading role categories.

During her prime, Ma Rainey was a fashion icon who pioneered flashy, expensive costumes in her performances, wearing ostrich plumes, satin gowns, sequins, gold necklaces, diamond tiaras and gold teeth.

• Sir Christopher Ondaatje is the author of The Last Colonial. He acknowledges that he has quoted liberally from Wikipedia; The Music of Black Americans: A History (1997) by Eileen Southern; and Blues Legacies and Black Feminism (1999) by Angela Davis.

14 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, March 26, 2021

history

How the Douglas DC-3 revolutionised inter-island travel – Part II

T

he Douglas DC-3, a propeller-driven airplane which changed commercial travel forever, also played a huge part in the evolution of the Bahamas’ interisland travel.

Also known as Gooney Birds, Bahamas Airways’ DC-3s were a lifeline for the Out Islands. Some islands had daily flights, some had two flights a week. Flights 341/342 were a popular daily service. It left Nassau at 8am, landed at Marsh Harbour, Green Turtle Cay (now called Treasure Cay), Freeport, West End and West Palm Beach, where crews had a lunch break – which we used to go shopping in a nearby supermarket, where $1 got you a gallon of milk. Then we reversed track, and five landings later, finished the day in Nassau.

It was on that route that Captain TC made his first flight as an airline captain and I was his first officer. Not surprisingly, a pilot’s first flight ‘in command’ is a memorable experience; something to be proud of and remember, but I was amazed to see that TC was already sporting four stripes on the sleeves of his jacket.

Generally, it took weeks for a new captain to get that fourth stripe sewn on.

TC had brought a coat-hanger with him and hung his jacket right behind my seat, next to the hydraulic accumulator. He wore it on the ground at Marsh Harbour and I’m sure he intended to wear it at Treasure Cay, our second stop, but once we had parked and turned off the engines, we heard a very loud hissing caused by the accumulator’s gushing red hydraulic fluid all over TC’s precious jacket.

Another 8am flight left Nassau for Georgetown, Stella Maris, Deadman’s Cay, Crooked Island and Mayaguana. At Georgetown, passengers booked on the afternoon flight to Nassau came to the airport to see who was arriving and chat with the pilots. The two Long Island airports also had lots of people who came out just to see ‘the plane’. For Crooked Island and Mayaguana, there were only two flights a week, and the

A DC-3 en route to the ocean floor whole settlement would turn out for that big event.

At Crooked Island, the agent seldom had a lot of passengers booked to go to Nassau on the afternoon flight, so he would send the afternoon passengers with us to Mayaguana, where they had long chats with people on the ground until the plane left to fly directly to Deadman’s Cay. The Mayaguana and Crooked Island passengers were happy to be ahead of schedule and the airline saved the expense of a second landing at Crooked Island.

Shortly after I was promoted to captain on the DC-3s, BAL got a last-minute booking for a plane to fly empty to Freeport and bring back 30 workmen – large, muscular men who operated heavy equipment. None of the more senior pilots were prepared to operate another flight, so the customer had to wait for my plane and the flight operated in the night.

On the return leg to Nassau, while the aircraft was still climbing to its

PAUL C ARANHA

FORGOTTEN FACTS cruising altitude, I switched off the ‘Fasten Seat Belts’ and ‘No Smoking’ signs and within seconds the whole balance of the plane was changed – the tail went down and the nose went up. Not a nice situation!

With four hands on the control, the co-pilot and I managed to stop the angle from getting any steeper and we looked back into the cabin, only to see all 30 passengers crowding the bar at the rear of the cabin.

I turned the ‘Fasten Seat Belts’ sign back on, and to my relief, the passengers obeyed, and the problem went away.

It has often been said that the only replacement for a DC-3 is another DC-3. In 1966, Bahamas Airways bought brand new Hawker-Siddeley 748 turboprops to replace the DC-3 fleet. In November 1970, when the company was put into liquidation, the very last revenue flight was made

by VP-BBT, a DC-3, flown by Captain Sammy Johnson and F/O Harry Pinder, with Janet Pyfrom as the flight attendant.

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

The Tribune | Weekend | 15

Friday, March 26, 2021

animals

Starfish: rare fossil helps answer

the mystery of how they evolved arms

By Aaron W Hunter Science Guide and Tutor, Department of Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge (THE CONVERSATION) – A chance discovery of a beautifully preserved fossil in the desert landscape of Morocco has solved one of the great mysteries of biology and palaeontology: how starfish evolved their arms.

Starfish are one of the most recognisable animals on our planet. Most people probably associate them with trips to the beach, walking in rock pools or swimming in the sea. They might appear simple creatures, but the way these animals’ distinctive biology evolved was, until recently, unknown.

Our new study, published in the journal Biology Letters, sheds light on how the starfish developed its distinctive shape.

The mystery of starfish Starfish, and their close relatives the brittle stars, belong to a group called the echinoderms. These are animals with spiny skins, including sea urchins, sea lilies and sea cucumbers, with bizarre biological traits. They have no head or a brain, and have a unique circulatory system called a water vascular system, which uses seawater instead of blood. They even possess the power to regenerate over 75 percent of their body mass if it is lost.

Starfish have almost always had the same five-armed body shape.

This has not changed for almost 480 million years, throughout the five great mass extinctions they survived.

Other echinoderms use their arms to filter feed or catch food from the water and, unlike starfish, face upwards with their arms spreading outward to feed. But starfish do not, and their distinctive body shape appeared in the fossil record fully formed. So for years scientists have been perplexed by how it evolved and how starfish are related to their close relatives, the brittle stars.

The Pompeii of palaeontology The Fezouata formations are sedimentary rock deposits in Morocco dating back to the early Ordovician period, a critical stage in the

evolution of life, which ended around 460 million years ago. Palaeontologists think life rapidly diversified during this time, in an episode call the great Ordovician biodiversification event, when animals we might recognise today first appeared.

The Fezouata formations are a bit like the Pompeii of palaeontology. The conditions on the seabed meant even soft tissue, which would normally be destroyed over time, could be preserved. Because of this, the formations provide a window into what happened at a key moment in the history of life on Earth.

Although starfish might appear very robust animals, they are typically made up of lots of hard parts attached by ligaments and soft tissue which, upon death, quickly degrade.

This means we rely on places like the Fezouata formations to provide snapshots of their evolution.

The starfish fossil record is patchy, especially at the critical time when many of these animal groups first appeared. Sorting out how each of the various types of ancient starfish relate to each other is like putting a puzzle together when many of the parts are missing.

The oldest starfish Cantabrigiaster is the most primitive starfish-like animal to be discovered in the fossil record. It was discovered in 2003, but it has taken

CANTABRIGIASTER is the most primitive starfish-like animal to be discovered in the fossil record.

(Photo/Aaron Hunter) over 17 years to work out its true significance.

What makes Cantabrigiaster unique is that it lacks almost all the characteristics we find in brittle stars and starfish.

Starfish and brittle stars belong to the family Asterozoa. Their ancestors, the Somasteroids were especially fragile - before Cantabrigiaster we only had a handful of specimens. The celebrated Moroccan palaeontologist Mohamed Ben Moula and his local team was instrumental in discovering these amazing fossils near the town of Zagora, in Morocco.

The breakthrough

Our breakthrough moment came when I compared the arms of Cantabrigiaster with those of modern sea lilles, filter feeders with long feathery arms that tend to be attached to the sea floor by a stem or stalk.

The striking similarity between these modern filter feeders and the ancient starfish led our team from the University of Cambridge and Harvard University to create a new analysis. We applied a biological model to the features of all the current early Asterozoa fossils in existence, along with a sample of their closest relatives.

Our results demonstrate Cantabrigiaster is the most primitive of all the Asterozoa, and most likely evolved from ancient animals called crinoids that lived 250 million years before dinosaurs. The five arms of starfish are a relic left over from these ancestors. In the case of Cantabrigiaster, and its starfish descendants, it evolved by flipping upside-down so its arms are face down on the sediment to feed.

Although we sampled a relatively small numbers of those ancestors, one of the unexpected outcomes was it provided an idea of how they could be related to each other. Palaeontologists studying echinoderms are often lost in detail as all the different groups are so radically different from each other, so it is hard to tell which evolved first.

• This article is republished from The Conversation, an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com.

pet of the week

Make a wish come true

to tell everyone your secrets. Do you have some magic for Aladdin?

If so, give the Bahamas Humane Society a call to find out more about him and the other adoption animals.

The number is 323-5138. Aladdin looks forward to meeting you.

By THE BAHAMAS HUMANE SOCIETY

No lamp in sight, but the lovely Aladdin is hoping you’ll be the genie who provides his forever home!

Aladdin is about two years old and fairly laid back. He’d be quite happy to curl up and watch some TV with you in the evenings (or maybe even the daytime, too). He’s a good listener and promises not

(Photos/Linda Gill-Aranha

• The BHS Thrift Shop will be holding a jewellery sale on Saturday, March 27, 10am to 2pm. Find something shiny for yourself or a loved one and help support the BHS! Donations always gratefully accepted.

16 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, March 26, 2021

art

A strong Current returns to the local art scene

By ALESHA CADET | Tribune Features Writer | acadet@tribunemedia.net

T

HE CURRENT Art Gallery at Baha Mar is back with full force and is encouraging the local community to visit. It is reintroducing its team and its offerings for all art enthusiasts to enjoy.

With an objective to create a hub for authentic and compelling experiences of the rich visual art and culture of the Bahamas for both visitors and locals alike, The Current aims to forge meaningful connections with creative communities both near and far.

The gallery hosts and curates exhibitions and installations, including The Fairwind Exhibition, partners with local, regional and international art institutions and oversees artist residencies.

In addition to this, the team facilitates art lessons and workshops, lectures and artist talks, satisfying the cultural responsibilities of the Baha Mar Resort Foundation.

“Our mission is to guide developments (in) Bahamian art to intersect with new philosophies, new audiences, and new platforms, both locally and abroad. Our goal is to see Bahamian art become the master if its own creative agency in a globalised world and to reimagine what we know of hospitality in the 21st century,” said John Cox, director of Art Direction at Baha Mar. The Current, he said, represents one of the newest and commercially successful galleries in the Bahamas, selling the works of just about every leading artist in the country.

It also, he noted, has offers unique work through its custom curatorial services.

As galleries were closed last year due to the global pandemic - Mr Cox said during the team used that down time to work on and create small digital vignettes of The Fairwind Exhibition, to give art enthusiasts a window into the fabric of that specific exhibit. They also hosted a few virtual educational programmes in collaboration with the Grand Hyatt in anticipation of reopening.

“I am absolutely thrilled to have the gallery open again. But even

“

Our goal is to see Bahamian art become the master if its own creative agency in a globalised world and to reimagine what we know of hospitality in the 21st century.”

more so I am happy to have my team back and in place. I am a very community-minded individual and a big part of the success of any organisation I have been associated with has been the people involved. I am very happy to have my awesome creative team around again,” said Mr Cox. For its reopening, The Current is complying with all the necessary health and safety protocols.

“We have reduced the capacity of the individuals allowed to be in the space at any given time to 16.

In addition, we have sanitation and

signage suggesting the appropriate behaviour in the space. We also have reduced the number participants in our indoor classes to six,” he said.

Some of the gallery’s artwork is now available through the thecurrent.bahamar.com website. The goal is to eventually have their entire inventory of art for-sale and other retail options on the site.

“I believe that COVID-19 has significantly changed our mindset as well as our comfort levels in terms of what we previously deemed normal.

I believe our gallery, along with

our programming, provides a new level of confidence combined with culture and creativity. As the year progresses and new normal become mores standardised, we plan to host several group and solo exhibitions as well as reignite our arts programming with other disciplines within the creative community,” said Mr Cox. Readers can keep up to date through The Current’s Instagram ‘the.current.art’ page and on Facebook at ‘current:baha mar gallery’, or sign up for the newsletter by e-mailing thecurrent@bahamar.com.