04052019 WEEKEND

Friday, April 5, 2019

art books entertainment film fashion music animals food history

Weekend

POPOP RETURNS Page 2

Hair with flair

A lens on natural locks pages 14 & 15

02 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, April 5, 2019

art

Rebirth of a community Popopstudios brought back to life in time for Transforming Spaces

Popop alumnus Kendal Hanna

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

A

successful community effort by Bahamian artists has borne fruit: Nassau’s grassroots art gallery, the Popopstudios Centre for the Visual Arts, is about to reopen.

Popopstudios came to prominence on the local art scene in 2008 when it expanded its reach and facilities to accommodate resident artists as well as an exhibition space. Over the years, it became a self-sustaining entity, providing exposure for art students through its residency programme, while also representing the Bahamas by providing a platform for regional and international artists. The art hub became home to many creatives.

However, the gallery was forced to close in 2016 after Hurricane Matthew tore through the Bahamas. Popopstudios sustained significant roof damage, rendering the facility uninhabitable.

Angelika Wallace-Whitfield, one of the artists working on the ongoing renovations, told Tribune Weekend that Popopstudios will now take on a new life, seeking to pay homage to a rich artistic and cultural past, while also embarking on an new chapter with new leadership. This new era will also include new partnerships, such as the one with the Dawn Davies Collection – a collection that occupies the Fairwind exhibition space at Baha Mar as well as

many other public areas on the resort property, including at the Rosewood.

To celebrate this partnership, The Current at Baha Mar is curating Popopstudios for Transforming Spaces 2019, an annual island-wide art bus tour showcasing the best in contemporary Bahamian visual art.

“The entire building and surrounding property’s renovations are not complete yet. I want to shine a light on Popop’s feature in Transforming Spaces as an active gallery again. We do not have a plan set in place for the gallery beyond Transforming Spaces, as it is not within The Current’s means to manage it as a satellite space,” said Ms Wallace-Whitfield. “We are still actively working to bring the space back to its 100 percent physical condition and its function as a self-sustaining entity. We are installing new air conditioning units in some of the upstairs studios, et cetera. That being said, of course the gallery space will be ready for the Transforming Spaces art tour on April 6-7.”

Each year, various galleries around Nassau participate in the Transforming Spaces tour. Participating galleries this year include: the D’Aguilar Art Foundation, Doongalik Studios Art Gallery, Hillside House, the University of the Bahamas, and The Current at Popopstudios. It will showcase a variety of

Artist Dylan Rapillard at work. artists’ responses to the 2019 theme, “SUSTAIN”.

“In keeping with the theme of sustainability, Transforming Spaces has encouraged artists to consider the power of art to transform communities in positive ways. Of course, sustainability is the process of maintaining change in a balanced environment.

Sustainability requires a harmonious use of resources in order to enhance both current and future development and potential. The partnership formed between The Current and Dawn Davies through the Fairwind exhibition has allowed resources from a partnership to be used to impact the wider art community,” said Ms Wallace-Whitfield.

Under the theme “Popop Forever”, participating supporters include Popop alumni like John Cox, Kendal Hanna, Heino Schmid, Eleanor Whitely, Samantha Treco, Ivanna Gaitor, Keith

Popop’s sign and fence were blown down in Hurricane Matthew.

Thompson, Sue Katz-Lightbourn, and Ms Wallace-Whitfield herself.

Artworks in the exhibition will reflect upon each artist’s time at Popopstudios: whether it be older works created at Popop, or more recent works that recall a style or series connected with their time at Popop.

Also included in the exhibition are artworks that make visual reference to Popop’s physicality, residents or the transformation process. Overall, this body of work reflects a system of sustainability within the art community over decades, while speaking to Popop’s role in facilitating the sustenance of numerous art practices and careers.

All additional information about the tour can be researched at www. tsbahamas.com.

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Friday, April 5, 2019

Inside Weekend Interview 4-5 Dr Cairo Rocha has made a name for himself as a practitioner and teacher of natural therapies

Music 7 A former Marine embarks on a career as a rake n’ scraper singer

Drinks 8 Local beverage company mixes winning combinations

Food 9 A travelling chef brings the ‘Heat’ back to the Bahamas

Film 10 - 11 DC’s “Shazam” is a joy, plus “Pet Sematary” reboots a Stephen King classic

Entertainment 12, 17 Celebrate Mardi Gras in Nassau, see the humorous side of death with the new play “At Da Funeral”, and get poetic with the Commonwealth Writers

Society 13 The Cancer Society hosts an ‘Evening at the Races’

Art 14 - 15 A local photographer celebrates the natural hair movement

Gardening 18 - 19 Jack Hardy on beans on beyond, plus the Carver Garden Club is hosting its biannual show this weekend

Literary Lives 20 - 22 Sir Christopher Ondaatje explores the history of music and tells a story of an unusual tryst

Forgotten Facts 24 - 25 Remembering a Bahamian blockade enforcer

Puzzles 26

Animals 27 Italy comes through for pets, plus Pet of the Week

Cover photos | Torrell Glinton

My perfect Bahamian weekend Chairo McPhee Musical artist Q: Saturday breakfast or Sunday lunch?

“Sunday lunch! Because on a Sunday I’m waking up around lunch time anyway.”

Q: Wine, rum, cocktail or Kalik?

“Nope to Kalik, so imma go with a cocktail.”

Q: Beach or sofa?

“Couch, because all weather is couch weather.”

Q: What is the one thing that you can’t live without?

“One thing I can’t live without is my confidence. It has gotten me out of all kinds of mess.”

Q: Weekend away, where would you go?

“A good weekend getaway would be an island beach like Rose Island with my bae and friends.”

Things 2 Do this weekend Friday

• Midnight Mas Reloaded Time: 11pm - 4am Venue: Arawak Cay Hosted by the Enigma Carnival group, this j’ouvert will feature paint, powder, water, foam, lit deejays and Enigma Blu cocktails.

Saturday

• Transforming Spaces Art Tour 2019 Time: 9am (continues on Sunday) Venue: Buses start at Atlantis This year Transforming Spaces celebrates 15 years of growth, service and commitment to the country’s visual arts. Under the theme ‘SUSTAIN’, the best in contemporary Bahamian art will be on display across five creative spaces: D’Aguilar Art Foundation, Doongalik Studios, Hillside House,, The Current at Popopstudios, University of the Bahamas.

Tickets are $35.

• Bahamas Red Cross Annual Fair 2019 Time: 12noon until (continues on Sunday)

Venue: Clifford Park Food and fun for the entire family.

Saturday’s performers include Dyson Knight, Ira Storr, Geno D and the Rhythm Band. Sunday’s acts include the ‘Singing Prophet’ Bishop Lawrence Rolle, Pastor Kent Davis and Nu Voice, Denczel Rolle and Friends, Shaback, and many more.

• ‘The Spirit of The Bahamas’ garden show Time: 1pm - 6pm Venue: Serendipity, #25 Lakeshore Drive, Westridge SEE PAGE 18

• Pop-Up Meet the Author Time: 1pm - 3pm Venue: Ardastra Gardens Come meet the authors of some of the Bahamas’ favourite animal tales. Elaine A Powers, Allie MacPhail and Sierra Blair will be sharing their stories and signing books. This event is free with paid admission to the zoo.

• Junior Achievement Cook Book Launch Time: 2pm - 5pm Venue: Oasis, Sandyport Plaza

JA presents hundreds of tasty, tantalising and savoury recipes in their new book.

• Elevation Awards 2019 Time: 5pm Venue: British Colonial Hilton Hosted by the ‘King of Bahamian Comedy’, Naughty, the event celebrates outstanding Bahamians and other minorities in music, sports, community building and various fields of entertainment over the past year.

• Chef Horatio Alexander presents ‘HEAT: A TS Event’ Time: 7pm Venue: Doongalik Studios SEE PAGE 9

Sunday

• Cheese and Wine Party Time: 7pm Venue: Coral Harbour Beach Villas Bristol Wines and Spirits with Casillero del Diablo will host this all inclusive party featuring live Caribbean Jazz entertainment for $50 per person.

04 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, April 5, 2019

interview

After studying geology and law, this Brazilian doctor of alternative medicine has found success here in the Bahamas by practicing and teaching people about natural therapies.

Dr Cairo Rocha

O

ver the last two decades, Dr Cairo Rocha has made quite a name for himself as a leader in the field of acupuncture and natural medicine.

In addition to his running his clinic at Sandyport in New Providence, he has also written two books on the subject and is frequently asked to give presentations all over the world.

The therapies he offers at the Bahamas Therapeutic Institute include acupuncture; qigong (an ancient Chinese practice to cultivate and balance “life force”); Japanese and Tibetan medicines and therapies, as well as feng shui, the Chinese art which claims to use energy forces to harmonise a person’s environment.

Given his reputation today, and his passion for what he does, it’s interesting to note that Dr Rocha pursued two entirely different professional tracks at the start of his career.

“I am from Brazil and originally I studied geology, but I was spending a long time in the lab and in the field.

I realised that I really wanted to spend more time working closer with people and so then I decided to go to law school and became an attorney,” he said.

It was not until he attended a seminar on alternative medicine and acupuncture that he realised that he had found his life’s work.

“At the end of the course, I knew that this was exactly what I wanted to do. And at the time the most traditional school for natural medicine in Japan had just opened its doors to allow foreigners to attend. I saw that as a sign and so I was on my way.

“I spent four years in Japan, learning about Japanese medicine, before moving to Germany to continue my studies.”

While he did return home to Brazil for several years, he met his Bahamian wife Cara in Switzerland.

“She was from the Bahamas and after we got married I realised that she was a bit homesick and so we decided to move to the Bahamas for two years.”

Twenty-two years later they are still here.

While Dr Rocha may not have considered a career in alternative medicine initially, he said it’s not that strange a choice for him, considering that several members of his family

“The truest form of healing is self-healing, because you know your body best.”

Dr Rocha with his two books.

have embarked on traditional medical careers.

“There is always an element of frustration that medicine can only go so far. There is something very powerful and appealing to me that natural medicine is something a person can do for themselves to help heal themselves,” he said.

“The idea for me is to now share this with persons in my role as a therapist and teacher.”

Over the past 20 plus years, Dr Rocha said he has seen a major shift in awareness and acceptance of Eastern medicine.

“When I first came here people did not really know that much about what I did, but now I can see that they have that desire to learn more.

Now, people can research and learn for themselves, so you see them

The Tribune | Weekend | 05

Friday, April 5, 2019

Photos/Terrel Carey

Dr Rocha explains how an acupuncture model works. going on Google. And to be able to have a say in one’s treatment can be very empowering. The truest form of healing is self-healing, because you know your body best,” he said.

One of the most encouraging aspects of his practice is helping people manage pain, through the most commonly used practice for pain relief: acupuncture.

“Pain is a message that your body is trying to tell you,” he said.

Acupuncture is an ancient form of medical treatment developed in China about 5,000 years ago. Thin metal needles are pushed into the body at certain spots called acupuncture points. It is often used to help control pain, as well as drug and alcohol addiction. It is also often used to treat headaches, asthma and arthritis. While acupuncture has grown in popularity in recent years, studies regarding the treatment’s

Dr Rocha at work.

Now, people can research and learn for themselves, so you see them going on Google. And to be able to have a say in one’s treatment can be very empowering.” effectiveness have been inconclusive in their findings.

A typical session entails lying still while approximately five to 20

needles are inserted. For the majority of cases, the needles will be left in place for 10 to 20 minutes. This can be associated with the application of heat, pressure or laser light.

Dr Rocha holds a PhD in Natural Sciences from the University of New Mexico, and a Doctor of Oriental Medicine (OMD) degree from the Tokyo Acupuncture Moxibustion and Jusei College in Japan.

He is also the author “Anger Goes Up, Fear Goes Down – Emotions and the Hidden Link” and “Mudras: Healing with Vibrant Hands”.

Dr Rocha’s desire to write books was inspired by this time spent searching for literature on natural and alternative medicine and coming up mostly empty-handed.

“I had to discover things on my own, and when I was specking on the subject people would ask for suggestions on what they could read and I’d

say, well, you can read my handouts, and so I decided to write a book to tell them about some of the things that I have learned,” he said.

His second book was inspired by his research into to Tibetan medicine.

• Those interested in learning more about alternative medicine and Dr Rocha’s methods can attend his one-day seminar “Holistic Health and Wellness” this Saturday from 10am - 3pm at the Queen’s College Training Centre.

The workshop will take a holistic view of elements of nature. Highlights will be a look at Japanese, Chinese and Tibetan medicine and a demonstration of the effects of energy on the body. There will also be opportunities for healing through creative activities. Tickets are $95.

06 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, April 5, 2019

The Tribune | Weekend | 07

Friday, April 5, 2019

music

Former Marine

navigates solo music career

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

F

ORMER Marine Lavardo “Shine” Sands is multi-faceted to say the least. He has filled the roles of percussionist, trombonist, lead vocalist and drum major during his time as a member of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force band.

Now, after contributing a decade of service to local law enforcement, Shine has been making a smooth transition to entrepreneurship – as a T-shirt printer and mobile barber – as well as a professional music career.

Since the age of six, he has been involved in music in some shape or form. He joined different community bands, church choirs, and eventually the marching band at Aquinas College, his former high school.

Shortly after joining the RBDF in 2009, he became a member of its much lauded band. “(There) was a shift within the department and the band was left with out a lead male vocalist. I looked at it as an opportunity to step up. I was scared at first, but it wasn’t long before I got into performance mode,” he told Tribune Weekend.

Friends and family soon encouraged him to step out his comfort zone and give a solo music career performing rake n’ scrape a chance.

“Then last year a friend of mine asked me, ‘When can we hear your voice over the airwaves singing your own songs?’ It was as if a light switch

turned on and I asked myself, ‘What is there to lose?’”

That was when he put pen to paper and began writing his first original song.

“I did not have a clue about what I was going to write about until a friend said to ‘Write about you. You like to be the life of the party, you like to tell jokes, you like to have fun’. That was where all the lyrics basically came from describing myself as if I were at a party,” he said.

The result is “Feel Like Winnin”, Shine’s first single which officially debuted in February. It is an upbeat song that will get listeners in “a party mood, make them want to get up, dance and turn up,” he said.

“I love the fact that it has a upbeat rhythm to it and different energy other than the down home regatta style rake n’ scrape.”

So far the journey has been an exciting one for Shine, who is still getting his feet wet when it comes to the local music scene.

And while the father of two has to juggle family life, his T-shirt printing and mobile barbering companies, he said those interested in his music can soon look forward to seeing much more of him.

“I’m currently working on a new music project,” he noted.

To keep up with Shine, follow him on Instagram and Facebook at ‘shine242bahamas’.

Photos/Terrel Carey

08 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, April 5, 2019

drinks

Party mixes to make any celebration a success

R

eceiving handouts or a benefitting from a leg-up were never options for Denrick Knowles. He always knew that he had to work hard in life to achieve his goals.

So 12 years ago, at a very young age, he decided to utilise his time at home by mixing different drinks and selling them at the Valley Boys Junkanoo practice sessions.

Soon, his beverages were in high demand. But he still considered it a hobby. It wasn’t until four years ago that he turned it into a business venture.

“After increasing demand and awesome reviews I then acknowledged this is indeed a business opportunity. Those eight years in between I continued to perfect my craft and realised that I had a raw talent for mixing,” said Denrick, who is now the owner of the beverage company Party Crashers 242.

The Fox Hill native said like with most small businesses, funding can be the biggest hurdle, so he started his company by taking baby steps. He purchased ingredients he could afford, but which at the end of the day still resulted in great products. He went from selling his drinks in plastic cups out of a small bus to now selling labelled bottles in a bar establishment.

Party Crashers 242 offers specialty mix drinks for any social event. Mixes include Monkey Tamarind, Gas, Diesel, Passion, Sugar Apple Smash and Raindropz. His services also include shot tables and specialty mixes for parties and weddings. Food vendors are also supplied with bottles by the case.

“What I love about the industry thus far is the fact that I am able to bring joy and excitement to many with just one cup or bottle. The most memorable client moment was when a customer tasted one of my mixes, which we haven’t had for about three years, and stated, ‘This is the taste I remember’. That comment goes to show that my drink mixes have been consistent over the years,” he said. “(Customers)

are always trying to figure out what makes the mixes taste so good.”

Many of his clientele have referred to his drinks as “the life of the party”, hence the name, Party Crashers...”because the drinks crashed the party and took over.”

Party Crashers drinks, he explained, are always colourful and inspired by his love for Junkanoo and native fruits.

“My ultimate goal for Party Crashers 242 is to open a distillery where my mixes can be bottled and exported internationally. I hope that persons from all corners of the earth will have a taste of the Bahamas in their

bar establishments, liquor stores and homes,” he said.

He credits his mother, Alistine Mortimer, with being his biggest supporter and influence in life. His mom, Denrick said, has supported and encouraged him from his very first mix, and anywhere she went she looked for avenues to help build and support his brand.

Party Crashers 242 is based at the Gas Up at Friends of Gus Bar and Grill located on Madeira and Teddler Street.

For more information, call 557-9573, e-mail Partycrashers242@gmail.com, or check them out on social media.

The Tribune | Weekend | 09

Friday, April 5, 2019

food

Travelling chef brings the ‘Heat’ back home An evening to rediscover Bahamian classics

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

T

he ‘Heat’ is on this Saturday at Doongalik Art Studios as Chef Horatio Alexander plays host to a nostalgic evening of classic Bahamian cuisine and culture.

The event, which starts at 7pm, will feature a gourmet evolution of traditional Bahamian fare with cocktails provided by Bristol Wines and Spirits, as well as a spicy live performance by Bodine Victoria. Music will also be provided by DJ Ampero.

“We wanted to create a vibe that is meant to be fully sensory and it is really a cocktail party times ten,” said Chef Horatio, who is a part-time chef for a star basketball player.

“The inspiration for the event stemmed from my love of Bahamian food. This is going to be a wonderful atmosphere in a safe environment. It is grown and sexy, and really for people who love art, culture and food.”

Speaking of his culinary history, Chef Horatio said even with all of the jobs he’s had a different restaurants over the years, catering has always been his first love.

With the ‘Heat’ event tomorrow evening, he said he wanted to go back to his roots as a caterer; using all of the techniques and styles of cooking he has learned from all over the world and bring them back home by adding a Bahamian twist.

“I have been travelling a lot, working with a lot of different clients, one of which is John Wall from the Washington Wizards (basketball team). We met in the Bahamas and he was here on vacation. I am extremely big on holistic foods and so is he. He loved

(white rice and corn beef), or the Benny cake and salty. Let’s make it fun, sexy, tasty and approachable. The food I am preparing is not going to be presented in the way that you got it from your mother, it’s going to be different, and that is the vision,” said Chef Horatio.

Some of the dishes he is hoping to put a spin on are recipes like shrimp and grits, “Slam Bam”, and several more.

“We are also partnering with Popstop 242 who is going to be providing us with popsicles. A lot of her flavours are local Bahamian fruits which I love, and so things like her soursop and hibiscus-ginger are amazing. We are also going to be doing treats like guava duff, peanut cake, coconut cake and more. I have something like flour-pap,

The ‘Heat’ event will put a new spin on Bahamian staple dishes using techniques from around the world. what I was doing here as a private chef so he wanted me to be more available to him. This was two years ago, and I have been back and forth with the collaboration,” he said.

“Catering has been a good opportunity for me to travel a lot and I am able to be inspired by food around the world, which is something I wanted to do at this time in my life... I am embarking on a series of pop-up events Chef Horatio Alexander and this is the second one.”

With every pop-up event, Chef a luxury (version) and I am using fresh Horatio said the goal is to become vanilla, cinnamon and ginger because bigger and better. Food, he explained, you get the velvet texture which is is a form of art, so what better place to almost like a custard or parfait,” said host a culinary evening than at an art Chef Horatio. gallery like Doongalik.

For all those interested, tickets “I get so inspired by our art, music prices are $50 and $35 for Transformand culture that it makes me want to ing Spaces 2019 patrons. reinvent things like the ‘Fire Engine’

10 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, April 5, 2019

film

H

oly superhero fatigue, Batman, “Shazam!” is actually good.

OK, so it’s basically Tom Hanks’ “Big” with superheroes and villains instead of business people and girlfriends, but director David F Sandberg has infused his film with so much heart and charm that it hardly matters. Even the deficiencies, like the sluggish beginning and the random, ridiculous villains, fade away under a haze of goodwill because unlike so many big spectacle action pics with sequels in mind, “Shazam!” actually sticks the landing.

But perhaps I’m getting ahead of myself. Don’t worry if you don’t happen to know anything about “Shazam!” or are convinced that you won’t care. I certainly didn’t. Plus, there are a lot of superheroes to keep track of these days and someone who needs an exclamation point is and should be immediately suspect.

The movie isn’t here to judge any lack of knowledge though. It’s an origin story about a jaded 14-year-old Philadelphia foster kid, Billy Batson (Asher Angel), who’s bestowed with superpowers by Djimon Hounsou (naturally). As Shazam, he’s physically altered into an adult and takes the form of Zachary Levi. But of course, even with his height, his muscles, his voice and even his powers, he’s still very much a kid and has a lot to learn.

Those are the basics, but the spirit really comes from the smart writing, the pitch-perfect casting and the supporting world around Billy and Shazam. Right before he gets his powers, he’s placed in a new group foster home led by Rosa (Marta Milans) and Victor Vasquez (Cooper Andrews) that’s full of quirky characters: Freddy (Jack Dylan Grazer), a disabled superhero obsessive with a biting wit; Eugene (Ian Chen), a violent video game obsessive; Darla (Faithe Herman), the adorable youngest; Mary (Grace Fulton) and Pedro (Jovan Armand). The young actors assembled here are astounding, and immediately captivating, especially Grazer as Freddy and Herman as Darla who nearly steal the show. It’s why when the film asks you to believe that it’s really about family, and not merchandising, you’re on board.

Freddy, with his wealth of superhero knowledge, helps Billy/Shazam figure out what to do with these new, strange talents. The training montages have a terrific comedic sensibility and Grazer and Levi are perfectly matched for

Review:

By LINDSEY BAHR | AP Film Writer

the job. Levi in particular pulls off the tricky feat of playing a disaffected, but still fairly innocent young teenager while wearing spandex and a cape, no less. Grazer, meanwhile, who we’ve seen before in “It,” is beyond his years with his ability to draw a laugh.

That’s not to say the movie is perfect. The beginning gives an extended origin story for both Billy and the little boy who will grow up to become the megalomaniac villain, Dr Thaddeus Sivana (Mark Strong). Dr Sivana is woefully underwritten, too, although Strong does his best being the straight, serious guy. For the most part it comes across as less of a threat and more of

Zachary Levi, right, and Jack Dylan Grazer in a scene from “Shazam!” (Steve Wilkie/Warner Bros Entertainment via AP)

a buzzkill that gets in the way all the fun we were having with Freddy and Shazam.

Also, as if Dr Sivana wasn’t enough, the script gives him Seven Deadly Sins as henchmen. These sins take the form of unimaginative and indistinguishable CG gargoyles. I’m not exactly sure what lust or greed would look like in gargoyle form, but I’m pretty certain this isn’t it. They’re also given dubbed voices that feel about as authentic as the voices of the monsters The Power Rangers battled on Saturday mornings.

There’s also a running gag about a strip club that seemed a little retrograde for a current film. But, nitpicks aside, “Shazam!” is just a lightning bolt of unexpected joy that is certainly worth your time and money.

DC’s ‘Shazam!’ is a joy...seriously shazam | 132 mins |

The Tribune | Weekend | 11

Friday, April 5, 2019

film

Review:

‘Pet Sematary’ exhumes a Stephen King masterwork Jeté Laurence as Ellie (Photos/Paramount Pictures)

pet sematary | 101 mins |

H

By JAKE COYLE | AP Film Writer

ollywood, in its infinite irony, has resurrected a tale about the unholy perils of resurrection.

The mean roads and mangy cats of Stephen King’s “Pet Sematary” are back from the dead in Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer’s vividly acted, blandly condensed remake of Mary Lambert’s 1989 movie, adapted from King’s 1983 novel. Bringing back “Pet Sematary,” of course, needed no mystical burial grounds.

Horror is selling big at the box office, and “It,” the last big-screen remake of King’s work, made a killing.

The book is a kind of perfect summation of King: equal parts schlock and Poe-grade gothic terror. If the new “Pet Sematary” is solid enough, it’s due in large part to the sturdiness of its source material: a darkly honest New England parable of grief, pulled from King’s own fatherly fears.

Working from a script by Jeff Buhler, the directors make quick work of the first act. Within minutes, the Creed family — father Louis (Jason Clarke), mother Rachel (Amy Seimetz), eightyear-old Ellie (Jeté Laurence) and toddler Gage — is driving up to their new colonial home in Ludlow, Maine, and Ellie is ambling into the nearby pet cemetery. Its name is accidentally misspelled by the kids who solemnly parade their dead dogs and cats there, most of them victims of the Orinco oil tankers that whoosh menacingly through the woodsy town.

It would be wrong to say that this “Pet Sematary” is neutered; like the book, it’s substantially and movingly predicated on the theme of confronting

death. Rachel, for one, is haunted by the earlier death of her sister, Zelda, from spinal meningitis. When the family’s pet cat, Winston “Church” Churchill, is found dead roadside, Louis and Rachel debate whether to tell Ellie, who will surely be crushed.

Rachel, coaxed by a belief in heaven, and Louis, a rational doctor, differ on the afterlife. But they ultimately agree to tell Ellie that Church just ran away. If only the parents of the current college admissions scandal had first watched “Pet Sematary.” A cautionary tale like this might have brought home for them the danger of sparing your kids the truth.

When the Creeds’ friendly neighbour Jud Crandall (John Lithgow) that evening helps Louis to the cemetery for Church’s burial, he leads Louis deeper into the woods to an ancient

burial place. Louis goes along with it. The next day, to Louis’ surprise, Church is back — Ellie’s confrontation with death avoided — but the now far-crankier feline has unsurprisingly picked up a slightly different demeanour on account of having been raised from the dead.

Things get worse from there. The speeding trucks will claim another victim, although not the same one as in the book. The twist is of little solace; tragedy comes just as surely, as does Louis’ misguided temptation to deny it.

It’s not plot deviations from King’s novel that hamper “Pet Sematary.”

It’s that, from early on, Kölsch and Widmyer, rely less on the detailed accumulation of atmosphere that King built his tale on, than jump cuts and music cues to build suspense. It puts “Pet Sematary” on a more familiar

genre track. As muscularly as the directors handle the big moments, they let the small ones go missing.

King had something more disturbing in mind. The author, who penned the script for the original film, insisted then that the movie be shot in Maine, the thick-wooded wellspring of King’s nightmares. This “Pet Sematary” was made in Montreal. Though a seemingly minor difference, it really amounts to a heart transplant.

Still, I wouldn’t want to level the tale’s most lingering line — “Sometimes dead is better” — on this “Pet Sematary.” The actors are too good.

Seimetz’s grief is too palpable; the father-daughter relationship between Laurence and Clarke too tenderly tragic. I guess even when slightly mutated, some stories are just too hard to say goodbye to.

12 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, April 5, 2019

entertainment

Mardi A G ras

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

S BAHAMAS CARNIVAL 2019 DRAWS CLOSER there will be numerous events happening around town to get revellers in the mood to fete.

And KO Productions is seeking to do just that when it presents it’s Mardi Gras party tomorrow at Pompey Square.

Gates open at 7pm and the first 1,000 patrons will walk away with gifts.

This is the third edition of KO Productions’ party for Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, which is celebrated in different parts around the world, most notably

in New Orleans, during Carnival season.

“We always start the Carnival season off with Mardi Gras... and each year we come up with ways to make it more exciting and more worth your while,” said Jayde Knowles of KO Productions.

“We are hosting this event because it’s the only one of its kind. We do parties and fetes different around here. We bring the people what they want, and that is to truly have a great time in a safe environment.”

In addition to having fun in a safe and secure environment, party-goers can expect to be entertained by local and international deejays all night long.

Various Carnival groups will also be on hand to sign up anyone interested in joining them throughout the season.

“Mardi Gras is more than a party, it’s an experience. No more going out and standing around, it’s all about creating unbelievable pure fun moments and vibes with your crew that last forever,” said Jayde.

She added that there will be chances to win huge prizes as party-goers attempt to collect the most beads.

Next up for the production company is its annual cooler fete, Back on Breezes Beach on April 23, the Easter holiday weekend.

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Friday, April 5, 2019

society

An evening at the races

E

laborate headwear, including fun fascinators on the women and elegant top hats on the men, were on display during last Saturday’s unique fundraiser for the Cancer Society of the Bahamas.

The non-profit organisation invited its supporters to come out to Old Fort Bay for ‘An Evening at the Races’. After cocktails at the club house, patrons were able to place bets on the eight races that were being screened. There were 10 horses in each race, so 80 horses were on “sale”. Sponsorship per horse was $300 and $3,000 for a race. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Cancer Society’s ongoing projects.

Photos/Terrel W Carey Sr

16 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, April 5, 2019

celebrity With Karin Herig and Cara Hunt

HIT

SPLIT

SPLIT

HIT

SPLIT

Lupita Nyong’o ”Us”, “Black Panther”

Regina Hall ”Girls Trip”

Malinda Williams ”Merry Christmas, Baby”

Cynthia Erivo ”Harriet”

Danai Gurira ”Avengers: Endgame”

Karin says: “I normally prefer her in jewel tones, but this plum is lovely on her. I also really like the off-theshoulder, peasant blouse inspired top half of the dress paired with the centered high slit. It works really well together.”

Cara says: “This colour is divine. Once again she nailed it. Lupita is one of those women who can really wear clothes; she looks great in so many different styles of clothing. She is stunning here.”

Karin says: “First of all, I love this shade of pink. The dress is pretty, slightly Grecian. At first I thought it was maybe too simple, but I actually love it’s simplicity, especially since she decided just to wear her hair straight down. She does look like muse from Greek myth.”

Cara says: “This is lovely, but every common. It’s a very bridesmaid style dress/ I feel like I have seen it a hundred times in a hundred different colours. It’s nice, but nothing exciting.”

Karin says: “Showing the girls off...even if they look slightly squished and uncomfortable.

I love the sparkly, beaded material of the dress, but less would have been more here. It’s just too much. The floor length, the sleeves.

Some stretches of plain satin wouldn’t have gone amiss.”

Cara says: “So this material is just beautiful. Especially how the sleeves have the sheerness to them. I’m less enthused about the neckline. It’s unnecessary, a bit show off-y and distracting, to be honest.”

Karin says: “Talking about too much...I hate the Pepto pink colour. And yes, it’s somewhat tacky. But it’s so over the top that she gets a pass. But for the colour, it looks like something worn at the court of Versailles in the 18th century.”

Cara says: “So dramatic, so bright! I quite like it. It’s undeniably like a wearable curtain/bedspread. Yes, completely ridiculous, but so fun. I can’t begrudge her wearing it.”

Karin says: “I hate stripes on cocktail dresses/ball gowns.

And then in the boring black and white colour combo as well..I still think Danai has yet to really wow us on the red carpet. I’m sure her day will come, but this isn’t it.”

Cara says: “I really like this dress. Danai sometimes is a bit questionable in her choices, but this is one of her better looks. I was really curious as to how the back of the gown looked – it’s a halter with an all black ruffle look, if you’re curious. Very fun indeed.”

PHOTOS BY RICHARD SHOTWELL/INVISION/AP

The Weekend 50th Annual Fashion Report NAACP Image Awards

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Friday, April 5, 2019

entertainment

W

hile poetry should be enjoyed and appreciated all year round, enthusiasts of the genre are thrilled that National Poetry Month is finally here to shine a light on this unique form of literature.

Organised by the Academy of American Poets in 1995, National Poetry Month is observed each year in April. It was created to increase awareness and appreciation of poetry.

Although it started as an American initiative, it has found recognition worldwide, even here the Bahamas.

And this year, the Commonwealth Writers of the Bahamas will be presenting a series of weekend events filled with food, music and storytelling in celebration of Poetry Month.

The Commonwealth Writers of the Bahamas is a non-profit organisation with both student and adult members which promotes literacy, Bahamian history and culture throughout New Providence and the Family Islands.

In 2015, the organisation joined the worldwide community of poets in celebration of National Poetry Month to honour and recognise the significance of poetry. This year marks their fifth year of celebrating the occasion.

President of the Commonwealth Writers, Vera Chase, told Tribune Weekend: “As the world celebrates Poetry Month in April, in the Bahamas we will celebrate as well.”

In accordance with this year’s theme, “Under the Tamarind Tree Readings”, events are scheduled to take place on the grounds of Nassau Public Library, beginning this Saturday at 11am. Those in attendance will also be treated to a historical tour at Parliament Square.

getting poetic under the tamarind tree

The Commonwealth Writers will meet at the Nassau Public Library.

New play explores the humorous side of funerals Everyone who has ever attended a Bahamian funeral knows that even with the solemnity of the occasion, there are always a few moments of humour and unexpected jokes.

And some of those moments are about to be depicted in a new stage play called “At Da Funeral”, written and produced by Jeriel N Gold, founder of JNG production company.

In the play, the Williamson family comes together to bury the patriarch of the family, a businessman with a deep dark secret that will shock everyone involved.

“I think that it is a play that everyone can relate to,” Jeriel told Tribune Weekend. “It is a mix of comedy and a serious message that I want viewers to get from the play as well.

“There are messages of love, forgiveness and family, which I want people to walk away understanding.”

Jeriel has loved theatre for as long as he can remember.

“In high school, I was always the dramatic one,” he said.

And for those who might not be able to attend this Saturday, Ms Chase said there will be many opportunities for you to do so as the events will continue on April 13, April 20 and April 27, on each day from 11am to 3 pm.

She explained the reason for choosing the tamarind tree for this year’s theme was because of its popularity in the Bahamas and the fact that it is an indigenous connection to tropical Africa.

“It is a very strong tree that bears fruits, remains sturdy against hurricane force winds, and grows without much maintenance. It’s fruit-bearing branches extend some distance and the shade protects the occupants sitting beneath. The tamarind tree at the Nassau Public Library is huge and could be several hundred years old,” she said.

However, for the Commonwealth Writers, poetry is not the only thing that will be celebrated this year. Ms Chase said in July they will be celebrating 15 years as a literary and cultural organisation.

Over the years, the non-profit organisation has instituted its annual short story/poetry competition, the annual Writing Awards, and the annual Storytellers Convention. These are just few of their many accomplishments.

The Commonwealth Writers have now added filmmaking to their goals for this year and are requesting members of the public to partner with them, sponsor or donate towards the completion of their feature film, “Pompey: A Slave’s Revolt” for April.

To find out more information about National Poetry Month or about the Commonwealth Writers, send an e0-mail to commonwealthwriters@ yahoo.com.

“I studied drama in university and once I came home Terez Davis, who you know as Dynamite Daisy, really mentored and encouraged me to pursue it. She saw I had a gift and helped me learn to believe in myself.

I produced my first play in 2006 and I have been writing ever since. In 2016, I wrote a play, ‘In Da Shack’, which was sponsored by the Ministry of Tourism.”

“At Da Funeral” will be presented this Saturday at Queen’s College.

There are two performances, one at 3pm and the second at 8pm. Tickets are $20 in advance (available at the Word of Life across from Little Caesar in Oakes Field) and $25 at the door.

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Friday, April 5, 2019

gardening

A feast of flowers

Carver Garden Club hosts 2019 showcase

By CARA HUNT | Tribune Features Writer | cbrennen@tribunemedia.net

T

he Carver Garden Club will celebrate “The Spirit of the Bahamas” and showcase ways to protect the environment during its biannual flower this weekend.

The club, now in its 73rd year, holds a major show every two years featuring two competitive components: the horticultural show, where members showcase the plants that they have grown in their personal gardens, and the design competition, where members are given a specific theme and guidelines to create a floral and plant based design.

All entries compete for ribbons and bragging rights.

“We wanted to celebrate the Bahamas with this theme for the design component of this year’s show,” said Carmen Gomez. the show’s chairwoman.

Each of the design categories is inspired by a section of the National Anthem – “To God be the Glory” (Lift up your head); “The World is Watching” (See how the world marks the manner of your bearing); “Beware of Dem Shoals” (Steady sunward tho’ the weather hide the wide and treacherous shoal); “Bahamian Sunrise” (Lift up your head to the rising sun), “Best Lil’ Nation”, (Your bright banners waving high), and “Movin’ to the Beat” (March together to a common loftier goal).

Both the design and horticulture entries will be judged by a team of judges who are certified by the National Garden Clubs.

The Carver Garden Club is unique in that it is the only local club which

Club members at work during previous meetings. features both the design and horticultural elements in its shows.

“The show not only allows us to showcase our designs, but we also use the show to serve as a learning experience so that persons can learn about the plants, both the horticultural names and the local names,” explained Virginia Hall-Campbell, the club’s president.

This year’s show will also boast two special features. The club has chosen to honour International Woman’s Day (observed March 8) by holding the show under the patronage of five of its distinguished life members.

Mrs Hall-Campbell explained that the “distinguished life member” designation is given to members who have made a major contribution to the growth and development of the club.

This year, the flower show copatrons are Anne Garraway, a member of the club since 1987; Sylvia SealyGodet, who has been a member of the club since 1974; Dorothy Philips,

who joined in 1976; Eleanor Butler, a member since 1987, and Verona Douglas Sands, who joined in 1976.

The second special component will be a second design division which seeks to educate the public about how to “up-cycle” plastic into beautiful flower containers and decorations. Club members have been asked to create décor items using discarded plastic bottles.

“We are holding this portion of the show in collaboration with the Ministry of the Environment and Housing and their goal to reduce the use of plastics in the country. Our goal is to encourage persons to up-cycle and reuse everyday items in their homes,” said Jacquelyn Sawyer, who is the club member in charge of the special exhibit.

The Carver Garden Club was founded in 1946 and was named for Dr George Washington Carver, an African-American scientist known for his many uses of the peanut and who pioneered agricultural research on his journey from slavery to scientific discovery.

The club’s objectives are to learn more about plants and their care and to foster civic pride in their surroundings.

Members of the club have planted plants at local schools and roundabouts as well as decorated tables for nonprofit events such as the Sister Sister prayer breakfast. They are also often called upon to be judges for office displays and tea parties.

The Carver Garden Club’s flower show will be held on Saturday, from 1pm to 6pm, at Serendipity, #25 Lakeshore Drive, Westridge. Tickets are $5.

The Tribune | Weekend | 19

Friday, April 5, 2019

gardening

Bean and beyond The heat is about to be on, so it’s time to turn our attention to warm weather lovers, says JackHardy

I

t may be Spring, but Spring in the Bahamas tends to turn into summer half-way through.

Long before the official date for summer we will be experiencing temperatures in the high 80s and low 90s, with nights almost as warm as the days. Many of our favourite vegetables cannot stand the heat and we will have to be selective in what we grow – if we grow.

Some of our regular cool weather favourites try hard to keep us happy.

You may get limited success with snap beans, cucumbers, chard, cabbage, fennel, and a few others but by and large the effort is not worthwhile.

There are a few tropical vegetables that actually enjoy very warm conditions and these grow very well.

First and foremost is a green bean that has become very popular in the US because of its taste. There is still some debate as to what to call the bean because it has many names including snake bean, yard-long bean and asparagus bean. None of these are appealing to restaurateurs. Patrons are not likely to relish anything named snake, and why call it yard-long when the pods are

served a foot long. Asparagus is confusing, referring to the taste rather than appearance.

It seems the industry has settled on the name long beans, which is fine by me.

I first got to know long beans through Guyanese teacher colleagues and friends. I grew my first crops in Sandy Point and was amazed by sheer production of the long (12 to 15 feet) vines, many of which produced true yard-long beans. When the pods reached three feet long they were only good for their beans as seeds, of course. They were delightfully tender up to about 18 inches and the new shoots after flower drop, about six inches long, made a wonderful substitute for French filet beans. Between 12 and 18 inches long the pods can be trimmed at the ends then interlaced into a circular quoit. These hold their structure when dropped into boiling seasoned water and make for an interesting addition to any plate, a real conversation piece.

Because of their rampant growth long beans need good support. A chain link fence would be ideal, with the beans grown in a five-gallon or larger pot settled against the fence. In open ground the vines could be supported by making a tepee from three or four long poles firmly held together at the top with duct tape.

Long beans Once the flowers have dropped the rate of growth of each bean pod is nothing short of phenomenal.

If you are used to harvesting pole beans every few days you will have to adapt to picking long beans every day, without fail. I should remind you to allow a few pods to grow to maximum size and dry on the vines for future crop production but that is going to happen anyway. If you miss a 12-inch pod for two days it will be two feet long and only good to leave for seeds.

The taste of long beans is far superior to that of snap beans and there is, indeed, a hint of asparagus flavour.

Long beans have become so popular that seed companies have developed a strain that grows in cooler conditions and could be grown in The Bahamas year round. I have not tried these yet.

It seems there are two types of people, those who love okra and those who despise okra. Let’s be honest, okra soup resembles snot soup. As soon as that gets into your head you’ve lost your appetite. The mucilaginous matrix of cooked okra is the vegetable’s charm to some people, trauma to others.

Okra plants come in two types, bush and tall. The bush varieties are handiest for the home gardener as they bear pods earlier and grow to about three feet. Tall varieties are usually six to eight feet tall and bear bigger harvests.

Whichever you use the advice is the same: pick early. Most of the fresh

okras you see in food stores are inedible. Only by growing your own can you get the tender three to four inch pods that are tender and perfect.

Get into the habit of cutting your okra harvest with scissors or pruners.

If you do not get enough in one day for your purposes then refrigerate the pods in a baggy until you have what you need. Okra pods can be sliced and fried to rid them of mucilage, then added to rice and other dishes. If you accept that God created okra to be just the way it is then make gumbo soup and enjoy it with relish.

We Bahamians tend to think of cabbage as a hard-headed source for coleslaw. Other cultures prefer open green leaf cabbage. Collards are open cabbages that take summer heat well.

As with all greens, the outer leaves are coarser so the technique to employ is to allow the outer leaves to stay in place while harvesting tender newgrowth leaves from the centre. Collard greens are healthy, yes, but let’s face it – they taste best rendered in bacon fat.

Tomatillos may help you through summer and autumn when tomatoes are not producing. These Mexican favourites are distant cousins to tomatoes and are much more closely related to Cape gooseberry (ground cherry).

The fruits grow within papery husks and tend to be the size of golf balls.

The big problem with tomatillos is pollination. Unlike tomatoes tomatillos are not self-pollinating therefore several must be grown in the same area.

Tomatillos have large grains of pollen which are too large for small insects to transfer. Bees are fine but must be attracted to the plants. Lemon basil is my favourite plant for attracting bees but you will no doubt have your own preference.

• For queries and comments e-mail jacktribune242@gmail.com

20 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, April 5, 2019

literary lives

A most unusual tryst – Part I Sir Christopher Ondaatje introduces the beginnings of music as we know it, and tells the story of a remarkable tryst that changed the lives of three people.

I

t was Pope Gregory, in the sixth century, who first devised a method of writing down music, and Gregorian chants began to be organised into four, then eight and finally into 12 modes. These chants were developed mainly in Western and Central Europe during the ninth and tenth centuries, with later additions and redactions. The chant was traditionally sung by choirs of men and boys in churches, or else by women and men of religious orders in their chapels.

In the 11th century, the monk Guido of Arezzo invented a new form of music notation, introducing the notes do, re, mi, fa, so, la and ti, which were drawn on a staff. These have been elaborated over time, but the system we use today owes its invention to Guido. Later the madrigal, a form of secular vocal music for multiple voices, first appeared in Italy and became very popular during the Renaissance. The Italian composer Claudio Monteverdi wrote instrumental accompaniments for madrigals, and by adding dramatic elements, he went on to compose the world’s first operas.

By the late 1600s, the Baroque era was emerging. It was fashionable for composers to be employed by royalty and the wealthy, and many were also employed by churches to write music for masses. This began to change the status of music, because composers like Handel, Bach and Vivaldi were professionals who were paid to compose many of the works that are still well-known today. The classical period lasted well into the 1800s, yielding some of the most popular composers in history. Then the Romantic era emerged in the mid 1800s and saw the

birth of emotional and poetic structure in music. Musicians like Chopin, Liszt and Brahms established their reputations at this time.

The Mecca for composers during the Romantic period was the Austrian capital, Vienna, home of the Strausses, which became the centre of classical music. Composers such as Tchaikovsky, Dvorak and Rachmaninoff created their work from their homes rather than from churches. This new music was sometimes based on local folk music, elaborated into compositions which remained extremely popular even in the 20th century. Later composers to emerge included Debussy, Stravinsky and Prokofiev.

*** Not long ago I accompanied a friend who is a professional music critic to a concert at London’s Wigmore Hall. He had mentioned that the Dorino Duo were going to perform there, and I had immediately agreed to go because I have long admired them. In fact, I wouldn’t have missed the concert for the world, because to me no chamber duo can match the Dorino Duo for beauty of expression and depth of musicianship. Not only is their stage presence captivating and their ability to communicate the joy of music-making to their audience unrivalled, they also have an astonishing personal story, which I eventually got to hear from their very own lips.

Of course, my critic friend knew only about their performances, nothing about their remarkable private life.

The first time I heard the Dorino Duo was about ten years ago in the Utzon Room of the Sydney Opera

The Dorino Duo, twin sisters Fiametta and Fiorenza (Painting by Théodore Chassériau) House, one of the world’s most beautiful small performance spaces, overlooking the water of Sydney Harbour. I was in Sydney to give some lectures about my travels in the East. I still remember their unusual musical programme. They played a brief sonata by the Spanish composer Joaquín Turina that combined classical restraint with an intoxicating dash of Andalusia, then a short sonata by Mozart, then Bartók’s Romanian folk dances for viola and piano, and finally

two arrangements by Alessandro Lucchetti based on Puccini’s Tosca and La Bohème. Everything was performed with a delightful exuberance and panache, but the interpretations were never superficial or exaggerated, always meticulous and expressive. The performance seemed to appeal to all of the audience’s senses at once. Almost from the beginning we were enchanted by the spontaneous freshness of the music and the eclectic choice of pieces. It was no wonder, I remember

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Friday, April 5, 2019

thinking, that the duo had already enjoyed resounding acclaim in many parts of the world.

As an encore, they gave us two emotional pieces by the American composer William Perry, “Berliner Lied” for viola and piano, and “Broadway Ballet”, which form part of more than two hundred scores written by Perry for the New York Museum of Modern Art’s silent film collection. Perry is a supreme melodist and the duo had the gift of making just the right harmonic gestures at critical moments, lifting what was a wonderful tune from being something merely sentimental to the level of the intensely romantic. They seemed to have an uncanny ability to evoke bygone places and periods – Berlin and New York in the 1920s – with the most simple and direct of musical gestures.

By the end of the concert, I freely admit that I had fallen under their spell.

The Dorino Duo, Fiametta and Fiorenza, are twin sisters from Venice.

Even if you didn’t know this fact about them, it would be easy to guess it, not only from their similar looks but also from their evident intimacy; the special connection that is often seen in twins, like two peas in a pod. To me the sisters seemed to operate in perfect synchrony.

Their musical training reflects this relationship.

Fiametta Dorino started to play the piano when she was seven. At the age of 12 she attended the Swiss Italian Music Academy in Lugano, then the Musikhochschule in Zurich, and finally the well-known International Piano Academy in Imola, Italy, where she graduated with a Master’s degree, playing as a duo with Fiorenza.

Her favourite composers at this time were Chopin, Schumann, Brahms, Mozart

Music as we know it today had its beginnings in Gregorian chants.

Guido d’Arezzo, who invented the new form of music notation in the 11th century.

In Medieval music, the Guidonian hand was a mnemonic device used to assist singers in learning to sight-sing.

and Bach. Fiorenza also started playing – violin and viola – when she was seven.

She, too, graduated at the Swiss Italian Music Academy before going to the Musikhochschule in Zurich and winning a Concert Diploma with top marks and a distinction. Then she graduated from the International Music Academy in Imola alongside Fiametta.

Her chief inspirations were earlier violinists: Jascha Heifetz, Yehudi Menuhin and Ginette Neveu, the Frenchwoman who died so tragically young in an air crash in 1949.

However, the twin sisters didn’t start playing together seriously until their 21st year. Soon after their debut in Italy as the Dorino Duo they embarked on a youthful concert tour with grace, bravura and originality, which quickly led to an increasing demand for their performances around the world. It was at this time that I heard them play in Sydney.

Now, a decade later, there must have been at least 500 people sitting in the Wigmore Hall, watching the two musicians on the familiar small raised stage beneath the hall’s cupola and mural depicting the Soul of Music. The acoustics were superb, as always for chamber music at the Wigmore. Once again, I found myself enthralled.

The duo’s programme was, as usual, exceptionally varied. First came Manuel de Falla’s Suite Populair Espagnole for violin and piano, written in Paris by the Spanish composer in 1914, derived from his earlier Canciones Populares Españolas for voice and piano. Quite wonderfully, it preserved the melodies of the traditional Spanish songs, harmonising them with piano accompaniments using natural overtones to accompany the notes of the melodies. Then came some

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Friday, April 5, 2019

The golden monument to Johann Strauss, “the Waltz King”, in Vienna, Austria.

Claudio Monteverdi wrote instrumental accompaniments for madrigals, secular vocal music compositions of the Renaissance film-related music, Amarcord by Nino Rota, a fantasy from Federico Fellini movies arranged by Lucchetti. Then Isaac Albéniz’s Hojas de Album Opus 162 “Espana”, which was rather dry and quite brief but very typical of Albéniz’s modal harmonies and his idiomatic suggestions of popular folk themes.

After this there was a complete change: the duo played Frank Bridge’s rather sad Allegro Appassionato and Pensiero, which I thought combined an extraordinary treatment of rhythm

by Fiametta and a highly emotional performance by Fiorenza on her viola.

Then, Bedřich Smetana’s symphonic poems, Má Vlast. Finally, there was a reprise, at least for me, of Lucchetti’s fantasy based on La Bohème. I have heard the versatile Lucchetti’s compositions many times, but this arrangement, which had been written specially for the Dorino Duo, never fails to exert its magic. When it was over, I felt emotionally drained, hardly able to move, definitely not in the mood to go and congratulate the duo, as I normally do after a performance.

My critic friend must have felt the same, because he didn’t speak. We said nothing to each other for several minutes, as we watched the audience get up from their seats and gradually, in good order, file their way sideways to the

corridors that led to the Wigmore Hall exits. And then, for some inexplicable reason, breaking the spell I remarked: “They have a secret, you know.”

“What?” my friend asked. I didn’t say anything.

“What secret?” he asked again.

“You know the twins quite well.

You’ve chatted to them many times at parties and concerts,” I said. “Surely you must have wondered how two such incredibly attractive and talented women could manage their busy working lives, constantly on tour under the spotlight, without apparently ever arguing or fighting or even having a serious difference of opinion.”

“The thought has crossed my mind occasionally,” he admitted. “But they seem so perfectly content and in tune with each other that I really didn’t give it much thought.”

“Well, you’re right. And that’s the way it was until about eight years ago when they were on a tour of Pakistan and India, and staying at the Taj Mahal Hotel overlooking Apollo Bunder in Mumbai, what used to be called Bombay. They had just finished their last concert in one of the halls at the National Centre for the Performing arts and were at the small reception party that usually follows such affairs, when they were both introduced to a man. In

Inside Wigmore Hall in London.

international academic circles, Rustom Irani is quite well known as an archaeologist interested in the ancient Indus Valley civilization. But in Mumbai he is best known as the head of a wealthy Parsee family with a love of the arts, especially western classical music. Over the years, like many Parsee families, the Iranis have sponsored many local scholars and artists, including composers.

Rustom was also a widower, eminently eligible, an attractive man with a light complexion, lean and athletic with an aquiline nose and chiselled features – what you might call an aristocratic look. Perhaps in his late 40s. He and

Fiametta hit it off immediately. But it was fairly obvious that Fiorenza, too, was equally taken with Rustom.

“Now remember, this was the end of the duo’s tour, their last concert in the subcontinent. So the three of them spent the greater part of the rest of the evening together. When the party finally broke up, they arranged to meet the following day for lunch at the Taj.”

NEXT WEEK: Part two of an unusual tryst • Sir Christopher Ondaatje is the author of “The Last Colonial”.

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Friday, April 5, 2019

history

SOFTER, PROCESSED FOODS CHANGED THE WAY ANCIENT HUMANS SPOKE

T

he human capacity for language divides our species from the rest of the animal kingdom. Language has not only allowed us to conquer all corners of the globe, but to devise writing, mathematics and all things thereafter.

But researchers can find many of language’s basic design features in the communication systems of other animals. For example, many animals have particular calls for specific objects and meanings, and some even seem to combine calls in meaningful, albeit rudimentary ways. These lines of continuity, however thin, drive home the point that, at its essence, language is part of our biology.

Our new research suggests that a biological perspective is indeed necessary to resolve why languages have the range of sounds they have. We draw on evidence from paleoanthropology, speech biomechanics, ethnography and historical linguistics to suggest that new speech sounds emerged in our ancient ancestors as their jaws and teeth evolved to deal with new kinds of diets.

Biology and language To study the origins of language and understand how it evolved into the remarkable faculty that we have today, it makes sense to investigate language from a perspective that includes biology as well as culture. But language doesn’t figure into the typical biology curriculum. It’s mostly considered a purely intellectual and cultural phenomenon, grouped together with literature and art as part of the humanities.

But this categorisation is peculiar because, like the

communication systems of other animals, language is simply part of our nature. We process it with the neural wiring in our brains, and we produce it with our bodies: mostly with our mouths, but in the case of sign languages, also with our hands and other gestures.

Language is also often seen as a fixed skill – it arose with the emergence of our species and has been stable in its basic design since its origin.

This traditional view is part of what researchers call the uniformitarian assumption in linguistics and anthropology. The assumption is that languages today are the same – in terms of their types and distributions of linguistic structures – as they were in the past.

Food and language Our research group’s work directly challenges this uniformitarian assumption. We believe the range of available speech sounds used in human language has not remained stable since its origin.

Our research shows that labiodental sounds – such as “f” and “v,” which are made by raising the bottom lip to the upper teeth – began to arise only after the transition to agriculture, between 10,000 and 4,000 years ago (depending on the world region).

While labiodentals are rather common today and appear in roughly half of the world’s languages, we show that in the case of Indo-European languages, they’ve been innovated mainly since the Bronze Age. Why? What caused this sudden emergence of a new class of speech sounds?

To understand the relevant processes, we need to quickly dive into

The difference between a Paleolithic edge-to-edge bite (left) and a modern overbite/overjet bite (right).

ILLUSTRATION/TÍMEA BODOGÁN

some biological anthropology. All primates start with an overbite and overjet bite configuration – colloquially a scissors bite – both with their baby teeth and their permanent teeth.

Then a traditional diet of tough foods naturally develops the scissors bite of a young individual into an edge-to-edge bite by adulthood.

The invention of food processing technologies – like milling and fermentation – that gained steam with the development of agriculture allowed people to move toward a softer diet.

And those softer foods meant people retained the scissors bite well into adulthood. For example, the archaeological evidence shows adult skulls with the scissors bite as early as 4,300 years ago in what is today Pakistan.

This rather recent change in the human bite paved the way for labiodentals to be incorporated into spoken languages. This process gradually began to appear in geographic areas including Europe and South Asia where there was increased access to softer foods through food processing technologies.

But these new sounds didn’t emerge everywhere: Retention of the overbite and overjet only facilitates the ease of producing labiodentals and increases the probability for producing them accidentally – it does not mandate it.

So across diverse regions, societies and cultures, many groups slowly developed a new class of speech sounds, but others did not.

Ideas to chew on A biological perspective on language evolution allows us to ask exciting new research questions, like how did the current diversity of speech sounds develop over evolutionary time?

At present, there are over 2,000 different speech sounds that play a role in the world’s roughly 7,000 or so spoken languages. These speech sounds range from the omnipresent cardinal vowels (i, a and u) found in most languages to the rare click consonants found in a handful of languages spoken in southern Africa. Why is there such immense diversity in the sounds of the world’s languages?

Recent research suggests that the basic anatomical conditions for speech were in place long before the emergence of homo sapiens. According to those results, it was chiefly a matter of neural development that allowed the sophisticated motor control that human beings now have over their speech organ. But our new findings now hint that researchers might have underestimated the importance of fine anatomical details: While the basics may have been set, some sounds may be older than others in the hominin and primate lineage, simply because of anatomical conditions and independent of motor control.

We believe that our discovery opens a new chapter in the quest for the origins of humanity’s most distinctive faculty, language, a quest that has been called the hardest problem in science.

• 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: http://theconversation.com.

Steven Moran and Balthasar Bickel University of Zürich

24 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, April 5, 2019

history

A Bahamian blockade enforcer

T

his column has always started at the beginning, but this time I will start at the end – with some of the closing words in Dr Keith Tinker’s newest book, “Perspectives on Nassau and Blockade Running, 1860-1865”, because they are about forgotten facts:

“Today, reminiscences on the blockade running to and from Nassau is a nearly forgotten subject. The generation now is unfamiliar with the era and generally cares little about the significance of those events on the development of Bahamian society... I hope, therefore, that the exposure of Bahamian youth to this book may make a difference in their general perception of Bahamian history...”

I am used to looking at blockade running from the Bahamian perspective of how it affected us and I have given little thought to the situation in the Confederate States (the South) and, to a lesser degree, the Union States (the North). Tinker’s book has changed this.

To cripple the South, the North had introduced a blockade of Southern ports, using the US Navy to intercept and seize any boats seen going to or from Southern ports. This blockade stretched from Virginia to Texas, a distance of some 3,500 miles.

At first, the North did not have enough ships to stop all ships arriving at or leaving all the Southern ports, but the blockade became steadily more effective, as more and more ships became available. The South never had enough ships to resist the Northern fleet.

We know that the Bahamas seized the opportunity to make money by delivering cargoes that were

Forgotten facts | Paul C Aranha

badly-needed by the South – and return with cargo that the South needed to export – particularly cotton.

What is little known is that sea island cotton was introduced to North America from the Bahamas, where Joseph Eve, a Loyalist, had invented a very successful cotton gin, some four years before the American, Eli Whitney, invented his. Sadly, Whitney’s gin replaced Eve’s as the big seller in the South.

Today, America is criss-crossed by highways and overland transport can move anything to or from anywhere.

In the 1860s, there were no roads as we know them now, and much of the merchandise had to be transported along vast networks of rivers that covered the South.

Rear Admiral James McQueen Forsyth

Crewmembers of the USS Wissahickon by the ship’s Dahlgren gun.

The blockade runners had little trouble loading ordnance and other more basic supplies in Nassau, but each ship had to sneak through the North’s blockade of the Southern ports, where the incoming cargo had to be unloaded and the outgoing cargo loaded under far from ideal conditions. Ships were at risk both going to the continent and when returning to the Bahamas.

At least one Bahamian, born in Great Harbour, Long Island, sailed on Northern ships and helped enforce the blockade. In September 1853, in his 12th year, James McQueen Forsyth was sent by his father to Philadelphia to be further educated. He became a pupil of the Mount Vernon Grammar School and was graduated from the Central High School of Philadelphia on February 25, 1858.

His ambition to command a ship induced him to join the US merchant marine, and he entered the service of the packets plying between New York

The Tribune | Weekend | 25

Friday, April 5, 2019

An 1861 characterised map of the Union blockade, known as Winfield Scott’s Anaconda Plan.

Rear Admiral Forsyth’s grave in the Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia.

The Union fleet bombarding Forts Hatteras and Clark. The flag ship is the Minnesota, followed by the Susquehanna and the Pawnee.

(Illustration from a war-time sketch)

John A Dahlgren standing next to a 50-pounder Dahlgren rifle aboard USS Pawnee, 1865.

On the left: Clara Maud Forsyth, mother of Governor General Sir Henry Milton Taylor (1991-1992); on the right: Her cousin, Dorothy (Wright) Aranha, wife of William Norman Aranha, Crown Lands officer, and mother of Paul C Aranha. (Photo/J Ezra Forsyth)

and Liverpool (Black Ball Line).

When the Rebellion broke out in 1861, his patriotic spirit – for the preservation of his adopted country as a nation – caused him to enter the naval service as a second class pilot on July 25, 1861, taking part, as acting master’s mate, in the capture of Forts Hatteras and Clark, at Hatteras Inlet, North Carolina in 1861, and was favourably mentioned by Commander Stellwagon, USN, in official dispatches.

He served on the USS Wissahickon with Commander Farragut’s fleet, in action at Fort Jackson and St Philip in April 1862, and at Ram Arkansas on July 15, 1862. He was in action at Grand Gulf on June 9, 1862, in the South Atlantic Squadron on the USS Water Witch, Nantucket and Pawnee under Admiral Dahlgren, as acting ensign, and took part in various engagements with Forts Moultrie and Johnson, and the east coasts of South Carolina and Georgia, also their inland waters, until the fall of Charleston. He continued in the naval service as acting master until, upon his examination, he was commissioned master in the regular Navy on March 12, 1868.

He was promoted to lieutenant commander May 9, 1878; and commander on February 12, 1889.

He became a captain on March 3, 1899, and was promoted to rear admiral on September 25, 1901. He is buried in the Arlington National Cemetery.

Rear Admiral James McQueen Forsyth is my mother’s greatuncle, the son of James Forsyth and Catherine Ann (Taylor) Forsyth. His father was a planter and a magistrate. His grandfather, Alexander Forsyth, migrated from Florida in about 1785 and settled in Nassau. His maternal grandfather, Major Archibald Taylor, was born in Scotland, a subject of Great Britain, and second-in-command in the capture of Nassau from the Spaniards, by Colonel Andrew Deveaux.

Correction: In last week’s article, Gregory Arch was incorrectly identified as Shirley Arch.

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

Alphapuzzle, every 20 mins Good: 16 mins body of sOlutION the alphabet is use stucK? call FOr a clue Excellent: 12 mins chambers you have to comple Friday, April 5, 2019 grid too! use the gi 21st 322 5607 0901 322 5601 0901 Yesterday’s solution: and black sq century Both today’s words in a letters moment Halve your target time!

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26 | The Tribune | Weekend

E H n r E D TarGeT THe aLPHa edition)

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

D o t E H n r E D

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.

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yesterday’s sol Black squares: 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 2 A27,2 32, 35,3037.

Judge, Bacross: Advocate, Both, Playback, CGlazier, 40 Kite, 11Braid, Ash DDenizens, Apse, Acquaint, Lofty.

Edown: 21 Bunk, 4 Dra Gut, Inge FUmber, Gaffe, Idol, None GScabbards, 10 9 Pro, Jerk, Swan.

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P Braid, Alms, *SP: SpokePlayback, – Helpline 0333 202 3390

Today’s TarGeT Good 18; very good 27; excellent 35 (or more). solution tomorrow.

CRYPTIC PUZZLE Across 1 I start to develop as a painter (6) 4 Insignia of royalty in other respects (8) 9 The way to the top - and why you can’t get there? (4,2) 10 She makes me turn in a string of beads (8) 12 Useless clothes? (4) 13 Refuses to face about fifty charges (5) 14 Gas, but none is dispersed (4) 17 Have no attraction - like unprofitable investments? (4,8) 20 Article one put out after a bill for a rate increase (12) 23 A cheese that is made round (4) 24 It cuts a dashing figure (5) 25 The chicken sounds inedible (4) 28 It requires some reduction in the fare (8) 29 Back-biters? (6) 30 Neighbouring state (8) 31 They weren’t worn long during the Sixties (6)

Down 1 Warmed drink for a dog (8) 2 Manufacturer of eye drops (4,4) 3 A course for beginners (4) 5 Parsimonious companions? (5,7) 6 Look for a sign that a chick has hatched (4) 7 Publisher’s expert or publisher’s client (6) 8 Work of intelligence (6) 11 Washing may depend on them (7,5) 15 Steal only a small amount (5) 16 Film studios care about this award (5) 18 Is around, perhaps, but it disappeared ages ago (8) 19 Carefully examines any seals broken (8) 21 A cause to argue (6) 22 Irishman in a film (6) 26 Sign displayed by topless females (4) 27 Tie up and cut (4)

Yesterday’s Easy Solution Across: 1 Crisp, 4 Diverse, 8 Rut, 9 Overnight, 10 Freedom, 11 Alloy, 13 Loathe, 15 Permit, 18 Taken, 19 Angular, 21 Moonshine, 23 Gun, 24 Delayed, 25 Dotty.

Down: 1 Careful, 2 In the dark, 3 Proud, 4 Dreamt, 5 Vintage, 6 Rig, 7 Entry, 12 Limelight, 14 Honesty, 16 Tyranny, 17 Varied, 18 Timid, 20 Greed, 22 Oil.

Yesterday’s Cryptic Solution Across: 1 Lotus, 4 Prelate, 8 Air, 9 Manifesto, 10 Lineage, 11 Nancy, 13 Toured, 15 Little, 18 Ovals, 19 Daytime, 21 Hollyhock, 23 Men, 24 Recedes, 25 Loyal.

Down: 1 Leaflet, 2 Tarantula, 3 Samba, 4 Penned, 5 Effendi, 6 Ass, 7 Ebony, 12 Nuts in May, 14 Essayed, 16 Eternal, 17 Odious, 18 Other, 20 Yokel, 22 Lac.

EASY PUZZLE

Across 1 Drenching rain (6) 4 Recklessly determined (4-4) 9 Eminent scholar (6) 10 Spicy Spanish cold soup (8) 12 Resound (4) 13 A tropical fruit (5) 14 A network (4) 17 Breathtaking (3-9) 20 In existence for a long time (4-8) 23 Chief (4) 24 Partial darkness (5) 25 Nought (4) 28 Art of government (8) 29 An Italian sausage (6) 30 In these times (8) 31 Of one’s own accord (6)

Down 1 Confusion (8) 2 Fragrant flowering plant (8) 3 Group of criminals (4) 5 Overstatement (12) 6 Run with long stride (4) 7 Shun (6) 8 Memorial of victory (6) 11 Blithely unconcerned (5-2-5) 15 Vex (5) 16 Senseless (5) 18 Set free (8) 19 Public disgrace (8) 21 Polish composer (6) 22 Luxuriate (6) 26 Horse-breeding farm (4) 27 Passable (4)

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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

Glazier, Kite, Ashen, Denizens, Apse, Acquaint, Lofty. down: Bunk, Draw, Umber, Gut, Ingenious, Gaffe, Idol, None, Affix, Scabbards, Pro, Exert, Jerk, Swan.

Extra letter clues

0907 181 2560 (Deduct three minutes for each extra clue letter heard)

full solution

0907 181 2558

PLay Mor

Q 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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3

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23

24

● Alternatively, for six E

PLay More Crosswords

The Tribune | Weekend | 27

Friday, April 5, 2019

animals

Viva l’Italia Animal matters | KIM ARANHA

A

nybody who knows me is aware that a part of my soul resides in Italy.

I lived a total of almost seven years between Florence and Rome, very special and formative years, as a young woman pursuing a dream.

Somehow when things go wrong I still find myself thinking, What would they do in Italy?’ Inevitably, laugh, have a glass of wine,and live the day for what it is. Carpe diem! (Make the most of the present time and give little thought to the future). In my opinion this approach to life keeps you younger and happier.

Unless you have sat in Florence’s Piazza Della Signoria sipping a chilled glass of wine or enjoyed a Sunday afternoon people-watching in Rome’s Piazza Navona you really haven’t lived yet. Losing yourself to life’s simple pleasures becomes a way of life in Italy.

The traditions born from Italy’s rich history can be felt everywhere; the narrow streets of yesteryear, the music, the food and the infectious love of life cannot escape even the most cynical of hearts.

You can only imagine my delight when a very dear friend of mine sent me information on the highway code in Italy. I was excited and pleased that they thought to share the information with me. In turn, I will share it with you and perhaps we could try to eventually encourage our country to follow suit.

In Italy, if you are driving and you hit a companion animal (which they delightfully call an affection animal), you must, by law, stop. You must do everything in your power to get that animal medical assistance. Failure to do so could result in a fine of between 413 and 1.656 euros, which amounts to between $465.00 and $1,865 in US dollars. If you fail to provide that animal

PET OF THE WEEK DISHING UP LOVE AND ENERGY

By THE BAHAMAS HUMANE SOCIETY

“... stuck a feather in his cap and called it Macaroni!” The Macaroni at the Bahamas Humane Society is a bit larger than a feather, so he won’t fit in your cap, but he’d be a great addition to your family.

This one-year-old male potcake was found as a pup at the Coral Harbour roundabout and brought into the BHS by a staff member. As the BHS is a no-kill shelter, Macaroni can stay for as long as need be, but he’d much prefer his own space, and his own yard, with a human or two or more to love and adore. Macaroni’s young and playful and loves

Photo/Patricia Vazquez to be outside. He could use an energetic family to keep up with him, and perhaps a canine companion as well. Please call 323-5138 to find out more or come in to visit.

Adoption hours are 11am to 4pm, Monday to Friday, and 10am to 4pm on Saturday. Macaroni looks forward to shaking your paw!

In Italy, the law requires that if a driver hits a companion animal on the road they are required to stop and get medical assistance for it. with assistance you will be prosecuted.

This is a tidy sum for an infraction that we do not even consider an infraction.

The Bahamas Humane Society frequently gets calls about individuals witnessing drivers intentionally aiming at dogs with the malicious intent of hitting and ultimately killing them. It is almost as if this report were a fairy tale. But no, upon thorough research it is indeed fact.

The Italian highway code lays out the law and what is expected of you, even if the accident was unavoidable.

If the animals escaped their home property and caused an accident that incurs damage to you or your vehicle, the owner of said animal is responsible for the expense related to the damages, but nonetheless you must assist the animal involved and get them emergency assistance. The law continues to cover the eventuality of somebody else, not the driver, not assisting the injured animal and they are also liable to be charged and fined.

This is not a “get out of jail free” card for Italian dog owners to allow their pets to wander the streets indiscriminately, but it does provide a humane and moral approach to any unfortunate accidents when beloved animal family members are struck.

Frequently in the Bahamas an animal is hit and the driver just keeps going without so much of a backward glance. That stranded, injured animal can lie on the streets for hours before succumbing to its injuries, or being run over repeatedly.

At the BHS we count on concerned citizens phoning in reports of dogs or cats injured and lying on the road so that we can dispatch our ambulance to assess the injury and, if possible, bring the animal in to the shelter for medical treatment. Sadly, many cases involve broken backs, and where there is no other option but to put the animal to sleep (at least they know some kindness prior and their suffering is limited).

On the other hand, we do actually save many unfortunate road accident victims. Some need a leg amputation, others just a few stitches and then they can either be returned to their owners with a stern lecture about keeping their animals safe and on their property, or they are subsequently put up for adoption.

Talk about Italy being a civilised nation! This is a sparkling example to new, young countries such as ours as to how we should comport ourselves towards animals on a daily basis.

Thank you Italy for leading the way in being an animal conscious nation.

I have tried to establish if this law only applies in Italy or if it is part of a highway code that applies to the entire European Community. I have been unable to confirm if other European countries have the same laws, so I will assume it applies uniquely to Italy.

How wonderful that a country with such rich history has branched out in modern times and is teaching us all a thing or two about moral consciousness. Brava l’Italia!

28 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, April 5, 2019