05172019 WEEKEND

Friday, May 17, 2019

art books film fashion music food gardening entertainment puzzles

Weekend

PARADE OF COSTUMES Page 14 & 15

All the world’s a stage Rising Bahamian star takes on New York

pages 4 & 5

02 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, May 17, 2019

food

The secret's in the sauce

Knowles Crab Shack celebrates official opening

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

J

ust in time for crab and dough season, the team at the new Knowles Crab Shack will host their official grand opening tomorrow.

Since 2014, the Knowles Crab Shack brand has provided its customers with signature dishes of crab and dough, crab soup, stuffed crabs, baked crabs, curry crabs, BBQ grilled chicken and pork – each dish prepared by the Shack’s general manager and head chef, Hubert Knowles.

Chef Knowles said the idea to open the business was inspired by his family members and friends who loved the way he made various crab dishes.

Colleagues of his wife, Tanya Knowles, started to request that he prepare his crab and dough for special events. These special requests continued to grow to the point where it became apparent that he would have to establish an actual business to keep up with the demand for his food.

In order to get a better feel for the public’s interest in a crab shack, Chef Knowles’ son, Diego Knowles, created a Facebook page to gauge how much of a market existed for their product.

The Facebook page led to countless enquiries and orders of Chef Knowles’ crab and dough. These first orders were all filled and sold from the Knowles’ home. Additionally, the Knowles Crab Shack was encouraged by many to participate in local food festivals, including the International Culture Festival and the annual Independence celebrations at Government House.

Through the home-based sales and these two events, their clientele has grown by leaps and bounds since 2014.

And today, they have finally outgrown their home base and are officially opening an actual crab shack.

The Knowles Crab Shack family will celebrate their success tomorrow with the official opening of their restaurant located just off the CW Saunders

The crab dishes are all prepared with a secret blend of herbs and spices.

(Photos/Shawn Hanna)

Chef Hubert Knowles in front of the new Knowles Crab Shack.

Highway. Beginning at 4pm, there will be an opening ceremony, music, live Junkanoo entertainment, food and prizes to enjoy.

“The grand opening is not only about selling our products, but more importantly it’s about having a great time connecting with the people that helped us grow to the point where we can now launch and operate out of a restaurant. The immediate goal is to grow enough to hire staff to ensure

that we can meet the demand for our product. The longer-term goal within the next few years is to potentially open additional locations in Nassau and eventually expand to the Outer Islands,” said Chef Knowles.

So what exactly makes the crab dishes from the Knowles Crab Shack such a hit with customers? Chef Knowles said like KFC, they have their very own secret blend of herbs and spices and a special secret sauce.

The Tribune | Weekend | 03

Friday, May 17, 2019

Inside Weekend

My perfect Bahamian weekend Jaynell Newton Hospitality marketing specialist Q: Saturday breakfast or Sunday brunch?

Interview 4-5 Actor Jonathan Farrington is on the brink of getting his big break in New York

Environment 7 Blue Lagoon Island participates in birding’s biggest global event

Entertainment 8 - 9, 12 Atlantis ramps up the razzle dazzle for its Twilight Electric Festival, plus the Zonta Club of New Providence hosts a Jazz n’ Tapas event

Celebrity 10 - 11 Sports Illustrated once again chooses the Bahamas as a Swimsuit Issue backdrop

Photography 13 Local photographer scores Italian magazine spread

Pageants 14-15 Miss World contestants show their Bahamian pride in national costume contest

Music 17 Militant Fyah leads the charge for ‘Freedom’ with new single

Books 18 The latest releases to hit shelves

Gardening 19 Jack Hardy on your choices for tropical palms

Film 20 - 21 Keanu Reeves returns as uber-hitman ‘John Wick’, plus Will Smith talks ‘Aladdin’

Literary Lives 22 - 24 The scandalous life of a renowned Victorian writer

Forgotten Facts 25 Paul Aranha remembers flying the police patrol

Puzzles 26

Animals 27 It’s Adoptathon time at the BHS, plus Pet of the Week

Cover I The American Academy of Dramatic Arts

“Brunch...complete with mimosa and eggs Benedict.”

Q: Wine, rum, cocktail or Kalik?

“Flavoured mojitos are life; a must for my weekend outings.”

Q: Beach or sofa?

“The beach is my favourite place to get away”

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

“I can’t live without good company and adventure. I can live without having my phone and internet, and once there are people with good vibes I’m Gucci.”

Q: Weekend away, where would you go?

“Exuma. I love our Out Islands for a quick trip. I’m in love with Exuma’s pristine beaches and tranquil vibes.”

Things 2 Do this weekend Friday

• Bel Canto Champagne Dinner and Dance Time: 7.35pm - 1am Venue: Balmoral Club And evening of drinks and dancing with DJ Elton Cooper.

There will be cocktail hour music provided by a talented jazz trio, valuable door prizes and more.

Tickets are $150 and include wine, champagne, dinner and reserved seating to Bel Canto Singers’ spring concert, which will held on Sunday, May 19, at 6pm at the Trinity Methodist Church.

Saturday

• Friends of the Blood Bank Blood Drive Time: 10am - 5pm Venue: The Mall at Marathon Give blood and help save lives with the Bahamas Chapters of the College of Saint Benedict Alumnae Association and Saint John’s University Alumni Association.

• Bahama Brass Band Annual Steak-out Time: 12noon - 6pm Venue: Church Of God Cathedral East Street Tickets are $12 for both steak and chicken dinners. Cakes, sodas, water and much more will be on sale. Bring the

family and enjoy a day out.

• All Things Cuban Time: 3pm - 8pm Venue: A Place for Art, Village Road Cuban paintings, photographs, décor, and more. Also on sale will be authentic Cuban food and mojitos.

• Knowles Crab Shack Grand Opening of Knowles Crab Shack Time: 4pm - 11pm Venue: Knowles Crab Shack, CW Saunders Highway SEE PAGE 2

• ‘Game Of Thrones’ Costume Party Time: 4pm - 9pm Venue: Venture Coworking, Rosetta Street The Lords and Ladies of Westeros, whether they be Stark, Targaryen, Lannister, Baratheon or Tyrell, or even White Walkers, are welcome to a costume party featuring Rylani Designs, Delano Marc, SJ Slays Cosplay, and a costume makeup showcase by Sassy Envy. A ‘Game of Thrones’ board game will be moderated by game master Nelson Smith. Admission is $10 and includes a drink.

Sunday

• Soundfest Sundays

Time: 1pm - 10pm Venue: Clifford Park The Bahamas SoundClash Federation is an established organisation of DJs, soundmen, promoters and organisers to presenting the public with a new festival experience in the Bahamas. The event features music of all genres, arts, live bands, standup comedy, and a major jazz in the garden theme.

• ‘Games of Thrones’ series finale event Time: 7pm Venue: Fort Charlotte On behalf of the small council, the queen of the seven kingdoms and 19 Crimes, you are summoned for grandest finale party in the capital with a 25ft HD screen.

The Lannister entry is $35 and will include a complimentary goblet of Kings Landing’s best ale or 19 Crimes wine and popcorn.

The Stark entry is $50 and will include a complimentary goblet of Kings Landing’s best ale or 19 Crimes wine and unlimited food.

The Targaryen entry is $75 and will include a complimentary goblet, unlimited food and drink, and wireless headphones an uninterrupted experience.

There will be a medieval-themed.

Westeros attire encouraged.

04 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, May 17, 2019

interview

He started out singing gospel music at home, went on to place second in Canada’s leading talent contest, and has wowed audiences at the Apollo in New York. Now, he tells Cara Hunt about his big break working with one of the oldest acting conservatories in the Western Hemisphere.

Jonathan Farrington

F

or Jonathan Farrington, performing is a pure joy.

The Bahamian singer/ actor has made quite the name for himself in recent years, appearing on world-renowned stages such as the Apollo Theatre in New York and in season four of “The Shot”, Canada’s premiere singing competition.

He has now added another impressive item to his resume: Jonathan is the 2019 recipient of the prestigious Lawrence Langner Award from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Manhattan, New York. The award is given based on a student’s cumulative

body of work, especially as it pertains to speech for theatre.

“It was an honour and a fruit that came by not giving up and putting in the work,” he proudly told Tribune Weekend.

Jonathan has spent his entire life working towards his goal of becoming a world-class entertainer. He got his start singing gospel music at home before landing his first big break with a second place finish on “The Shot”.

“Before doing ‘The Shot’ I felt like I needed to expand my artistry, networking and experience as a performer. I always knew the world stage was the place where I saw myself. The most memorable experiences for me were

“There were many days I felt overwhelmed, but my passion, dedication to the craft and the desire to become a better, more truthful actor and artist kept me going.”

meeting so many amazing singers and building relationships that are still current. Living in Canada for a month was also a fantastic. I love new culture and I enjoyed it so much while being there.

I also got to perform for the High Commissioner while being in Canada,” he said.

Jonathan has specifically dreamed of conquering one of the toughest stages in the world, the Apollo in New York, where stars are born and legends are made. This dream came true in a spectacular way. Twice he won first place in the prestigious Amateur Night event.

“I’m still trying to find words,” he said of the experience.

The Tribune | Weekend | 05

Friday, May 17, 2019

“To think I got to perform on the same stage as some of the legends in the music industry like Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin and Michael Jackson is still mind blowing. What overwhelmed me the most was the support I gained from total strangers.

The Apollo stage is not an easy one to compete on. If the audience doesn’t like you they will boo you off the stage.

But I was able to place first, twice at that, and it was all because of the votes of the audience members. It was a humbling moment for me,” he said.

Jonathan received several scholarships to attend the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, one of the oldest acting conservatories in the Western Hemisphere.

Grace Kelly, Robert Redford, Danny DeVito, Anne Hathaway, Paul Rudd, and Sex and The City’s Kim Cattrall are just some of the stars that have passed through the academy’s doors.

“One must audition to be accepted and I was very grateful to be accepted with a merit scholarship. I had not had any previous acting training before going there, so I went in with an open mind,” said Jonathan.

“It was one of the most intense programmes I’ve ever been a part of – acting, singing, dancing, voice and speech class, Shakespeare, camera techniques, and audition prep classes were the order of the day for my life for two years. There were many days I felt overwhelmed, but my passion, dedication to the craft and the desire to become a better, more truthful actor and artist kept me going.”

He also credits his family and friends with his success.

“In addition to receiving several scholarships, I received support from family, friends and the Bahamian, North American and Caribbean communities. They’ve been instrumental in helping in so many ways and I am most grateful.”

He now has an invitation to work with the American Academy of Dramatic Arts’ official company which presents about seven plays per season.

“It is a rigorous selection process,” he said. “Through the showcases, there are opportunities to be picked up by agents and network with some industry key players. It’s a step to further my career and I am very excited about it.”

Jonathan said now that he will remain in Manhattan a bit longer, he will use the time to consider some offers in American television and music

“It takes one small step, and once you make that step, anything is possible.”

Jonathan with his prestigious Lawrence Langner Award from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.

Jonathan will be star in up to seven plays a season as part of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts company.

(Photo/The American Academy of Dramatic Arts)

“Back home in the islands, we don’t have many opportunities in film and television,” he said. “My journey to get to this point wasn’t always easy. There are so many things that I am learning along the way. At the same time, I hope that I inspire other creatives to put their best foot forward and invest in their talents, their future and their dreams. It takes one small step, and once you make that step, anything is possible.”

Jonathan said what he enjoys most about performing is that it gives him the opportunity to escape and play with a role.

“I’m actually a big kid. It also allows me the opportunity to affect an audience in a deeper way. Sometimes a message has a stronger impact through a song or a character in a play or movie, and that for me brings ultimate joy.”

He added, “I want to continue to create my own scripts and songs... I have many projects to birth. I want to own my own international production company creating my own work in the entertainment industry.”

And he love to work with some big names in the film industry one day.

“I would love to work with Viola Davis because she is the epitome of strength as a woman of colour. I would also love to work with Lupita Nyong’o and Chiwetel Ejiofor, because ‘12 Years of Slave’ is the movie that has made the biggest impact in my life to date.”

06 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, May 17, 2019

The Tribune | Weekend | 07

Friday, May 17, 2019

environment

Blue Lagoon Island

participates in birding's biggest global event

B

est known for its dolphins, sea lions and stingrays, Blue Lagoon Island also happens to be a haven for birds.

The private island destination invited local birders and island guests to participate in three birding tours as part of the Global Big Day in Birding earlier this month. They joined nearly 30,000 people worldwide in the effort to spot and record sightings of birds.

This was the first time Blue Lagoon Island participated in Global Big Day, and the results were impressive for the designated Important Bird Area.

According to Dr Ancilleno Davis, Blue Lagoon Island’s sustainability coordinator, 16 different bird species were recorded on the island that day. This represented 12 percent of the total number of species recorded throughout the Bahamas that day.

The early bird team that started just after dawn was the first group to record 12 of the species and was the only place a black and white warbler was recorded.

Some of the other special sightings on Blue Lagoon Island that day included Antillean nighthawks, nesting yellow-crowned night herons, western spindalis and bananaquits, one of whom was spotted weaving a nest.

“My favourite part of the day were the guests, who had no idea this was also possible in the Bahamas, including two Bahamian guests,” said Dr Davis, adding, “Sharing the wildlife experience with our guests, putting biodiversity, sustainable tourism and

sea level rise shoulder-to-shoulder with beautiful birds, butterflies, and edible plants can really change perspectives.”

Local birders and members of the Blue Lagoon Island team joined in on the early morning tour, and later in the day the invitation was extended to all guests on the island.

A number of cruise ship guests took advantage of the opportunity to do something completely different.

Michael, a cruise guest who had never been birding before, said: “I don’t think I appreciated avian life before the tour. I want to go birding at home in Texas now.”

Another cruise guest, Kieyana, was celebrating her birthday and declared the birding tour through the Tower Trail Forest on Blue Lagoon Island “a once in a lifetime experience.”

Since January, Blue Lagoon Island has been actively recording birding activity on the island and since then 16 species have been recorded for the first time. Forty-three different bird species have been recorded on the island in total according to eBird data and five species have nested on the island so far this year – yellowcrowned night herons, bananaquits, common ground Doves, ospreys and American kestrels.

Blue Lagoon Island plans to offer more birding opportunities throughout the year and is using the information discovered to further enhance the Segway Safari and Eco Nature Walking Tours currently offered to guests.

Guests and staff at Blue Lagoon Island take part in the Global Big Day event.

08 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, May 17, 2019

entertainment

A razzle dazzle showtime Roaring Twenties meet neon festival culture at Atlantis

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

U

pon entering the Twilight Electric Festival at Atlantis, guests are greeted by a colourful space filled with lights, and overlooking it all, a Ferris wheel with a view of all of Paradise Island.

There, you have the Burger Shack, McKenzie’s Conch Salad, Pirate’s Republic Taproom, Cotton Candy, Lemonade, Funky Monkey, Anji’s Delightful Teas, and more. Children are playing, folks are dancing to the beat of a live band, and the overall mood is a chill one.

This and every Wednesday to Sunday until June 23, Atlantis’ guests and adventure-seekers across the Bahamas can experience the unexpected as they

enter this whimsical and vibrant entertainment playground under the stars at Paradise Harbour.

A particular highlight of the festival is its nightly cabaret show called “Showtime at the Pink Flamingo”, which is recommended for audiences 16 years and older. This theatrical production features a talented cast of international entertainers ranging from burlesque dancers and acrobatic artists to classically trained vocalists.

There are also a number of bars throughout out the site, so patrons can grab a drink and take a seat and enjoy the sunset, all before the show starts at 8pm. Once you step inside the twostorey mirror tent for the performance, prepare to laugh, dance and be on the

View Paradise Island from atop the Ferris wheel. edge of your seat as the cast and band perform and a thrilling line-up of acts.

Founding director of the show, Scott Maidment, has produced major shows and events for festivals in Australia and Scotland, including as the Sydney Festival, the Brisbane Festival, the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and many more.

Under the brand Strut & Fret, the “Showtime At The Pink Flamingo” team boasts a creative company which has delivered hundreds of world-class events in challenging environments that aim to engage, enthral and excite audiences. Strut & Fret’s work frequently combines theatre, circus, aerial and spectacle.

A Bahamian patron at the event told Tribune Weekend what stood out for

him were the hula hoop performances.

A fellow guest, Ricard Brown, said it was evident that the cast were all masters of their craft.

“I enjoyed the fire tricks and the singing as well. I was shocked at how physically strong some of the cast were and I would highly recommend the show to Bahamians because it is unlikely they have ever seen something like this before,” he said.

Another patron, Jessica Ferguson, said: “ ‘Showtime at the Pink Flamingo’ is truly a great way to spend an evening out. The diverse show features acrobatics, comedy and hints of burlesque, all rolled into a one-of-a kind performance.”

She went on to say that she thought the cast does a fantastic job of engaging the crowd throughout the two-hour

The Tribune | Weekend | 09

Friday, May 17, 2019

long show with captivating daredevil stunts and bringing members of the audience up on stage.

The director, Scott Maidment, describes “Showtime at the Pink Flamingo” as an exciting and vibrant explosion of colour and fire. He said he has taken the glitz and glamour of the Roaring Twenties and combined it with a futuristic neon twist that he is sure audiences at Paradise Island will love.

The performers of the show have been hired from all over the world – Australia, Canada, the US and France.

Some of them, Mr Maidment has

worked with for the last five or six years in other Strut & Fret shows and some he has only just met.

“It’s kind of a mix of having people you know will be amazing and then throwing in a few new ingredients. The show is staged in the huge two-storey Spiegeltent, the Queen of Flanders, which we shipped in from Belgium to house this show. Audiences can expect high-energy displays of acrobatic skill, exhilarating fire acts, comedy choreography, glass bottle juggling and balancing, and live music – all performed on a bright pink boardwalk.

We have a wicked live band from New York and quirky characters from every corner. Think a Bahamas beach party meets showtime bright lights and razzle dazzle,” he told Tribune Weekend.

Mr Maidment said the original inspiration for the show came from the idea of tourists and flamingos meeting in a spectacular showtime environment.

He said one of the Bahamian traditions he fell in love with when he first came to visit was the Junkanoo parade, hence there references to this cultural phenomenon in “Showtime at the Pink Flamingo”.

“(The show) captures the feeling of the Bahamas as the ultimate vacation destination and you’ll see a few guest appearances from the national bird of the Bahamas, the flamingo. Right from the very first show people where blown away by the skill and talent of the performers, and with the recent addition of the comic genius of the Daredevil Chickens it’s only going to get bigger and better. Audiences have been loving the show and every night. People have come up to us afterward to say how much they enjoy the show,” he said.

“Showtime at the Pink Flamingo” features daredevil acts.

Willis and The Illest perform live at the Twilight Electric Festival.

10 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, May 17, 2019

celebrity

Bahamas is beautiful backdrop for 56th Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue

By JEFFARAH GIBSON

T

| Tribune Features Writer | jgibson@tribunemedia.net

he natural beauty of Bahamas was once again used as a backdrop for the highly anticipated Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue which this year

featured supermodel, entrepreneur and media mogul Tyra Banks on the main cover.

SI producers, crew and talent travelled to Great Exuma and Nassau in February for a two-part project that showcases the destination across SI’s

print and digital platforms, bringing the Bahamas to the attention of more than 70 million consumers. The publication hit stands last week.

This marks the third SI Swimsuit cover for Tyra, who came out of modelling retirement specifically for

this shoot. Also featured on Sports Illustrated Swimsuit covers are Alex Morgan, US National Women’s Soccer team star and Olympic gold medalist, and Camille Kostek, 2018 SI Swimsuit Model Search winner and SI Swimsuit Rookie this year.

Tyra Banks photographed by Laretta Houston in Great Exuma for the magazine’s cover.

The Tribune | Weekend | 11

Friday, May 17, 2019

Behind the scenes in the Bahamas of the 2019 edition of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue

(Photo/Janine Berey)

(Photo/Alyssa Conroy) As for her part, Tyra was photographed in Great Exuma by Laretta Houston while Alex was photographed in St Lucia by Ben Watts, and Camille was photographed in Kangaroo Island, South Australia by Josie Clough.

“We’re incredibly honoured that Sports Illustrated Swimsuit chose the Bahamas for its 2019 Swimsuit Issue shoot that highlights not one, but two of our remarkable islands, the Exumas and Nassau and Paradise Island,” said Bahamas Ministry of Tourism and Aviation Director General Joy Jibrilu.

“Our country features the most beautiful beaches in the world, offers exotic experiences and is easily accessible from the US and they keep coming back to the Bahamas for just that.”

“Nothing beats the beautiful beaches of the Bahamas,” said SI Swimsuit editor MJ Day. “The Exumas and Nassau and Paradise Island’s serene

(Photo/Janine Berey) and pristine beaches are one of our favourite spots to shoot.”

The theme for the 56th instalment of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue is “Shattering Perceptions”. The issue strives to to redefine the cultural conversation around beauty by celebrating a diverse group of women who include: three returning cover models, seven world-renowned athletes, four mothers, six rookies, six model search contestants and two female cover photographers who collectively round out this impressive group of motivational and aspirational women.

Tyra has been one of those women to break numerous barriers in the modelling arena. She made her SI Swimsuit debut in 1993 with a shoot in the Florida Keys and then returned to the magazine in 1996, landing the cover spot alongside Valeria Mazza. The following year, she became the first black woman to earn a solo SI Swimsuit

(Photo/Alyssa Conroy) cover after a stunning photoshoot on Harbour Island, “The three women that make up the covers of the 2019 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue represent the brand in the most powerful way possible. While each individual woman is so unique, they come together cohesively to tell a spectacular story,” said Ms Day, who marks her seventh year as SI Swimsuit editor and 22nd year working at the brand.

“Since Tyra’s first cover in 1996 she’s transformed herself into nothing less than a mogul, a cultural force and a supernova of inspiration and empowerment. She’s kind of the Swimsuit Issue ethos come to life, everything we know this franchise can be. Alex Morgan stands for feminine strength and power- using her voice to fight for gender discrimination and equal pay and Camille Kostek, only a year after we discovered her in our annual Model

Search casting, marks the launch of a career swimming in potential. These women emulate determination to own who they are and demonstrate how limitless they can be.”

The 2019 issue of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit features a diverse group of 34 women, who in addition to Tyra, Morgan and Kostek, include Abby Dahlkemper, Anne de Paula, Barbara Palvin, Brooks Nader, Crystal Dunn, Danielle Herrington, Erin Willerton, Hailey Clauson, Haley Kalil, Halima Aden, Hunter McGrady, Jasmine Sanders, Jessica Aidi, Kate Bock, Kelsey Merritt, Lais Ribeiro, Lindsey Vonn, Manuela Alvarez Hernandez, Megan Rapinoe, Myla Dalbesio, Olivia Brower, Olivia Culpo, Paige VanZant, Paulina Porizkova, Raine Michaels, Robin Holzken, Samantha Hoopes, Simone Biles, Tara Lynn, Veronica Pome’e and Winnie Harlow.

12 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, May 17, 2019

entertainment

A jazzy event to uplift young women

By CARA HUNT

T

| Tribune Features Writer | cbrennen@tribunemedia.net

he Zonta Club of New Providence will host a special Jazz n’ Tapas event to raise funds to help young women get a head start into

adulthood.

This is the third year that the service organisation has hosted the fundraising event which will help the Ranfurly Home for Children build their transitional home for young women who at the age of 18 must leave the facility but still require living assistance.

Susan Demeritte, the chairperson for the event, explained that Zonta’s mission is to uplift the status of women and girls worldwide.

“It was during one of our service projects at a centre for girls that we realised the need for a transitional home as many of the ladies, upon completion of their stay at the centre, needed somewhere to stay and so the Zonta Club of New Providence began to focus on a transitional home. After years of research, we came to the realisation that establishing such a home was more complex than we envisioned.

Years later, the Ranfurly advertised for partners to assist them in constructing a transitional home, hence this is what the Jazz n’ Tapas fundraiser is all about, to assist the Ranfurly Home with the construction of their transitional home,” she said.

Mrs Demeritte explained that they always wanted to involve the children in the fundraiser.

“The children’s initial fundraiser was artwork drawn and painted on canvases; they were well received and sold fairly well. Last year we wanted to move away from the painting on canvases and we toyed around with numerous ideas until we agreed with the suggestion of having the children paint wine glasses” she said.

To achieve this, the organisation enlisted the help of retired art teacher Ruby Simmons and two young and

Kids have painted wine glasses to sell at the Jazz n’ Tapas fundraiser.

upcoming artists, Casey Cargill and Jamal Cyril.

“They worked with the children for two days and as a result we have exactly 106 beautiful and creative wine glasses that will be on sale at the Jazz n’ Tapas event,” she said.

Mrs Demeritte promised that people attending the Jazz n’ Tapas event will have an awesome time.

“Any event done by the Zonta Club of New Providence always leaves our guests yearning for more and this year will be no exception as we promise an evening of the very best Jazz n’ Tapas in the Ranfurly Gardens. Adrian D’Aguilar & the Jazz Cats will be the jazz band for the evening along with local jazz artists Teddy Russell’s Mango

Notes, Osano Neely and Jazz sensation Cherelle Cartwright,” she said.

“Our tapas for the evening will be provided by Events by Alexandra, and if you have ever been to any events catered by Alexandra, you know that you will be in for a treat. Guests will also be given a complimentary glass of wine/cider,” she added.

In addition to the wine glasses, there will be a live drawing by 21-year-old Jamal Cyril and three other pieces of artwork by Bahamian artists which will be auctioned off at the event. An in-house raffle will feature prizes from Going Places, Jewels By the Sea and John Bull, to name a few.

The Jazz n’ Tapas event coincides with the international organisation’s 100th anniversary.

“The Zonta Club of New Providence has been around since 1997 and we are proud of our footprints to date,” said Mrs Demeritte.

Among their accomplishments are an endowment fund at the University of the Bahamas for women who have attained an associate’s degree and are in pursuit of a bachelor degree; the Workforce Readiness and Living Legends programme.

“As for the future, we plan to re-establish our Golden Z Clubs, which is an affiliate club for high school students. We intend to partner with inner-city communities for programmes involving young ladies, establish a partnership with the Salvation Army with accommodation for women/families displaced by the act of violence, and mentoring programmes with our workforce programme participants,” Mrs Demeritte explained.

The Zonta Club of New Providence’s Jazz n’ Tapas will take place on Saturday, May 25, at 7pm. Tickets for the smart casual event are $80 and available at the Ranfurly Home and PhysioCare, both located on Mackey Street.

The Tribune | Weekend | 13

Friday, May 17, 2019

photography

Bahamian photographer scores Italian magazine spread

By JEFFARAH GIBSON

H

| Tribune Features Writer | jgibson@tribunemedia.net

AVING work chosen for a major international publication is a dream of many creatives whose efforts often languish on the hard drives of their computers or only make it as far as their social media pages.

It’s a dream Bahamian lifestyle and fashion photographer Shawn Hanna is still basking in since being published in last month’s issue of Italy’s Faddy Magazine.

Faddy Magazine is a high-end fashion, beauty, fine art and conceptual photography publication that is distributed throughout Europe and online.

In the magazine, Shawn’s creative shoot – which is entitled “Muddasick” – is featured as an eight-page spread.

He was assisted by Yannique Forbes, a Bahamian model and past winner of “The Next Face” (a talent search show produced by the photographer); makeup artist Shauna Ferguson, hairstylist Amani Hair Studio, and wardrobe stylist Shopthecc.

The shoot was conceptualised and completed almost two years ago for another project that never materialised, The Tribune photographer explained.

“We actually shot that series for Fashion Bomb Daily magazine, however, they never got to use the photo because they did not complete things on their end,” he told Tribune Weekend.

“The series was a play on Bahamian life and we wanted to take this fashionable model, dressed super chic, from make-up to clothing, and just place in her the most unexpected areas where you wouldn’t typically do a photo shoot in Nassau.”

The photos were taken in Bain Town, Englerston, near a water pump and at a bus stop.

“Its a play on Bahamian life. We wanted to do something extraordinary and unique,” the Shawn said having work published just gives you so much more visibility and extends the reach to one’s craft. It is something the photographer said all creatives should aspire to.

“I heard about the magazine and I have seen it a few times on my Instagram. I follow their Instagram page so I knew about the magazine and the kind of work they are interested, but I just never reached out to submit,” he said.

Then, one day, Shawn decided to take a leap, pull the photos from his archive and submit them to Italian magazine.

“A friend of mine who is also photographer told me about this site for creatives who want to be published in a magazine. You could be a designer, model, photographer or creative stylist and submit work. This was the first time I submitted to a magazine so I did not know what exactly to expect,” he said.

Shawn said he was ecstatic when he received news from the magazine that his work was going to be published.

“I was shocked and excited to see what was going to happen. I wanted to see how the photos were going to look, how they were Photos in the “Mudgoing to used in dasick” series featuring the magazine.”

Bahamian model YanFor Shawn nique Forbes published this is only the in Italy’s Faddy Magafirst step. He zine. hopes to have (Photos/Shawn Hanna) his work seen by

people all over the world in the future.

16 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, May 17, 2019

celebrity

HIT

SPLIT

FAIL

Julianne Moore ”After the Wedding”

Tilda Swinton ”Avengers: Endgame”

Selena Gomez Eva Longoria ”The Dead Don’t Die” ”Dora and the Lost City of Gold” Karin says: “It’s basically a

Karin says: “I love a good bright emerald green on a redhead. And it’s such a beautiful cut...so flowy and feminine. The sleeves that morph into a train are just gorgeous! And my, those earrings. She is simply radiant in this ensemble.”

Cara says: “Oh, this green is so stunning on her. The dress is unique, elegant and fun all at the same time. I love the hair and the emerald earrings.

It’s a complete win from me from head to toe. She’s a red carpet goddess in this.”

Karin says: “Tilda is usually like Teflon when it comes to critiques of her fashion choices. But here we have a rare misstep. It’s her unique style, but not quite. It looks old-fashioned, like grammy’s idea of a sparkly red carpet gown.”

Cara says: “Tilda just has this style sense that works for her and no one else. Her outfits are always really weird but the peak of haute couture. On the one hand she looks like a space alien, on the other like a lady dressed in tinfoil, but somehow it works for her.”

belted quilt and a bra. She looks pretty enough, a bit a 1960s-esque, but it’s nothing spectacular when you break it down. And I don’t think I like the high-waisted look on her. The necklace looks lovely though.”

Cara says: “This just looks dated and boring to me. And the quilted effect on the spilt line just seems random.

It’s more little girl playing dress up than an already established celebrity with a defined self of style.”

With Karin Herig and Cara Hunt

SPLIT Karin says: “This is a hideous cut! It looks all lopsided, makes her figure look weird, and is just a strange mix of fabrics and styles. The concept of one sleeveless side and one-off-the-shoulder side just doesn’t work, at least not here.”

Cara says: “So this dress has some stunning elements, for example the spilt, the dramatic shoulder, the train, but I’m still not 100 percent blown away, to be honest. I think that I just don’t like the material on the bustier part. It’s a weird fabric choice.”

FAIL Amber Heard ”Aquaman” Karin says: “The filmy, sequined off white dress could actually be pretty – and slightly mermaid-esque – but we’ll never know because the big ugly brown belt is obscuring everything. It is truly one of the worst accessories I’ve seen. It completely ruins the look.”

Cara says: “No. Just no. I don’t like the belt with it; ruins the look and cheapens it. I could live with everything else, but that belt is just a great big awful eyesore. There is no use even talking about the rest of her ensemble.”

PHOTOS BY JOEL C RYAN/INVISION/AP

The Weekend 2019 Cannes Fashion Report Film Festival

The Tribune | Weekend | 17

Friday, May 17, 2019

music

Militant Fyah leads the charge for 'Freedom'

T

hemes of liberation, fearlessness and resilience dominate the latest single

by Bahamian reggae artist Militant Fyah which seeks to highlight the plight of black people.

“Freedom” is much more than a song; it serves as an “ode to black people and a call to action for mental and physical emancipation,” the artist said.

The song is being compared to the work of reggae stars such as Damien Marley, Buju Banton and Jah Cure.

It’s no surprise Militant Fyah has been influenced by those artists given that fact that while he was born in the Bahamas, he was raised in Kingston, Jamaica.

Throughout his new song, he highlights the plights of black people and oppressed communities from all around the world, singing of universal struggles and harmful societies.

The song is a follow-up to his debut track, “Babylon Fall”, released earlier this year, which immediately garnered

over 150,000 plays on Spotify worldwide. “ ‘Babylon Fall’ is an ode to black militancy and the strength of character of black people everywhere, no matter where one might find themselves in the African Diaspora,” he said. “(It’s) a bold testament to the strength and beauty of black people facing societal adversity, and is a call for excellence, humility and self-awareness amongst everyone who falls under the black spectrum.”

In 2018, Militant Fyah became a new addition to the Nassau-based record label SAVAGE 100. He has opened for the likes of Damien Marley and Nas at the Bahamas Winter Solstice Festival, and is set to release his debut album later this year.

The self-titled album is expected to focus on themes such as peace and identity and the journey to power.

“From start to finish, the album is a heavy (dose) of bold declarations, centering on the strength and beauty within the African Diaspora.

Each track explores themes of love for his community as he unabashedly tackles issues in an honest and unapologetic way, “ said his record label.

“Beneath the earth-shattering baselines, triumphant trumpets, and chilling background vocals are cries for mental and physical liberation – something anyone who’s ever faced oppression can relate to.”

Militant Fyah can be found on Spotify, Apple Music, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, Pandora and more.

The Billboard Hot 100 – Top 10 1. “Old Town Road,” Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus 2. “If I Can’t Have You,” Shawn Mendes 3. “Me!”, Taylor Swift’s, featuring Brendon Urie 4. “Sucker,” Jonas Brothers 5. “Homicide,” Logic, featuring Eminem 6. “Wow.”, Post Malone 7. “Sunflower” (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse), Post Malone & Swae 8. “Without Me,” Halsey 9. “Bad Guy,” Billie Eilish 10. “7 Rings,” Ariana Grande

18 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, May 17, 2019

books

New releases hitting shelves this week

• Stepsister by Jennifer Donnelly Isabelle should be blissfully happyshe’s about to win the handsome prince. Except Isabelle isn’t the beautiful girl who lost the glass slipper and captured the prince’s heart. She’s the ugly stepsister who cut off her toes to fit into Cinderella’s shoe . . . which is now filling with blood.

Isabelle tried to fit in. She cut away pieces of herself in order to become pretty. Sweet. More like Cinderella.

But that only made her mean, jealous, and hollow. Now she has a chance to alter her destiny and prove what ugly stepsisters have always known: it takes more than heartache to break a girl.

• Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

When his mother became President, Alex Claremont-Diaz was promptly cast as the American equivalent of a young royal. Handsome, charismatic, genius — his image is pure millennialmarketing gold for the White House.

There’s only one problem: Alex has a beef with the actual prince, Henry, across the pond. And when the tabloids get hold of a photo involving an Alex-Henry altercation, US/British relations take a turn for the worse.

Heads of family, state, and other handlers devise a plan for damage control: staging a truce between the two rivals. What at first begins as a fake, Instragramable friendship grows deeper, and more dangerous, than either Alex or Henry could have imagined. Soon Alex finds himself hurtling into a secret romance with a surprisingly unstuffy Henry that could derail

the campaign and upend two nations and begs the question: Can love save the world after all? Where do we find the courage, and the power, to be the people we are meant to be? And how can we learn to let our true colours shine through? Casey McQuiston’s Red, White & Royal Blue proves: true love isn’t always diplomatic.

• The Apology by Eve Ensler

Like millions of women, Eve Ensler has been waiting much of her lifetime for an apology. Sexually and physically abused by her father, Eve has struggled her whole life from this betrayal, longing for an honest reckoning from a man who is long dead. After years of work as an anti-violence activist, she decided she would wait no longer; an apology could be imagined, by her, for her, to her. The Apology, written by

Eve from her father’s point of view in the words she longed to hear, attempts to transform the abuse she suffered with unflinching truthfulness, compassion, and an expansive vision for the future.

Through “The Apology” Eve has set out to provide a new way for herself and a possible road for others, so that survivors of abuse may finally envision how to be free. She grapples with questions she has sought answers to since she first realised the impact of her father’s abuse on her life: How do we offer a doorway rather than a locked cell? How do we move from humiliation to revelation, from curtailing behaviour to changing it, from condemning perpetrators to calling them to reckoning? What will it take for abusers to genuinely apologise?

The Tribune | Weekend | 19

Friday, May 17, 2019

gardening

Palms in the garden If you wish to celebrate having a truly tropical garden, you have to include a palm tree or two, says Jack Hardy.

U

nfortunately, the most recognisable and most useful palm of them all – the coconut palm – is somewhat too large for a 10,000 square feet lot. Wherever you plant your coconut palm will be within reach of your house when it is mature and a hurricane is blowing. If your house lot is large then coconut palms are possible, well away from the house.

The coconut palm of the Bahamas is the Jamaican Tall, a lovely tree that provides masses of coconuts during its lifespan (about the same as a human being) and these in turn provide the source of coconut water, coconut milk, and coconut cream and oil.

Coconut palms are easy to grow and can be planted close together in groups of three for special effect. That said, there is a distinct beauty to a solitary mature coconut palm. To sow the seed all you have to do is half bury a dry coconut on its side. Roots will develop and then a spike of fronds will appear.

There are some people who wish coconut palms would stay juvenile.

While young they have no trunk and the full beauty of their fronds can be

appreciated. After about ten years the trunk begins to develop, and in no time at all you have a real Jamaican Tall ready to provide you with its bounty.

The Malayan coconut solves the problem of size. It is far more compact than Jamaican Tall and bears yellow coconuts at convenient picking height.

I have been told that Malayan coconuts will not sprout if you pick them from the tree; you must leave them to fall naturally. The taste of the coconut water is slightly different from Jamaican Tall. Which you prefer depends on you.

A lovely compromise is Maypan which is a cross between Malayan and Panama Tall. The palm is often shorter than Malayan and is a prolific bearer.

The coconuts are green and taste more like Jamaica Tall. I would strongly recommend Maypan for those property owners whose gardens are small but who must have a coconut palm.

Date palms grow to 60 feet and are impractical for small gardens. There is a dwarf or pygmy date palm that does not take up much room and also can be grown in partial shade. The fruits are very small so the tree is valued for its aesthetic appeal rather than production. Under the circumstances it may be best to plant sago, which is sometimes called sago palm but is not a palm. It sure looks like one.

Sago stays low, about six feet, and bears deep green leaves that look very like date palm fronds. Just about all the ‘palm’ fronds you see in church on Palm Sunday are in fact sago fronds.

The sago plant is seen at its best when used as a centrepiece for a lawn.

The Manila palm is a lovely small palm that much resembles a miniature royal palm, bearing its fronds from attractive green sheaths. You never have to trim Manila palms; the spent fronds drop from the tree. It is also called Christmas palm because it bears bunches of nuts that develop in winter and each bunch is either red or green, the two main Christmas colours.

Manila palms are at their best when

Sago palms mature and can reach a height of 20 feet, though they usually top out at about 12 feet.

The problem with Manila palms is that they are too popular. Here on Abaco they are everywhere. When I get up in the morning and look out from my front porch I see a neighbour’s vast lawn decorated by a single small Manila palm. Other gardens in Marsh Harbour seem to have hundreds. It has reached the point where you cannot give away Manila palm saplings.

If you like Manila palms but consider them too common, then the Alexandra palm may be exactly what you are looking for. You have to look twice at a juvenile plant to identify it is not a Manila. When mature, however, the difference is obvious. The trunk is much thicker and the fronds somewhat straighter. Some people consider it the classic of all palm trees. It almost cries out to be planted singly so its graceful form can be fully appreciated.

Nurseries sometimes call the Alexandra palm ‘Alexander’ or ‘Alexandria’. The palm was named after Queen Alexandra, the wife of

King Edward VII of Great Britain so there should be no confusion. Perhaps it should be called the Mummy Bear palm: not too small, not too big, just right.

A personal favourite palm is the fishtail palm, multi-stemmed with leaves that are deeply cleft and resemble fish tails. The plant can be trimmed when it is fully grown and kept at the height you want.

If you really want a small palm – a really small palm – then your choice must be the bottle palm. Bottle palms grow to about six feet and the trunks often resemble a tubby Coke bottle.

They may be small but they are not diminutive; they have a presence.

Bottle palms live long and grow slowly. Have you noticed that men in general are far better looking when they in their 50s and 60s than when they were young? Same for the bottle palm. The young palms bear the cut ends of expended fronds; the mature palm has a beautiful grey barrel of a trunk that exudes well-being and contentment.

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

20 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, May 17, 2019

film

‘Game of Thrones’ showrunners behind next ‘Star Wars’ film LOS ANGELES (AP) — A piece of the “Star Wars” puzzle has just fallen into place.

Walt Disney Co CEO Bob Iger says Tuesday that “Game of Thrones” showrunners David Benioff and DB Weiss are working on the new “Star Wars” film expected in theatres in December 2022.

Iger revealed the information at the MoffettNathanson Media & Communications Summit in New York. He also said he would not be commenting further.

The company had previously announced that “The Last Jedi” director Rian Johnson, separately, and Benioff and

Will Smith calls ‘Aladdin’ remake highlight of his career AMMAN, Jordan (AP) — Hollywood star Will Smith says that Disney’s live-action remake of “Aladdin” was “one of, if not the best experience” of his accomplished 30-year career.

Speaking to reporters in Amman, Jordan on Monday at the regional

Weiss were working on new “Star Wars” films but it wasn’t clear whose would come first.

Both, however, are expected to be separate from the Skywalker saga which will wrap up this December with JJ Abrams’ “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.”

Will Smith as Genie in “Aladdin”. premiere, Smith, who plays Genie, said the musical movie “called upon every talent I cultivated” throughout decades as an actor, rapper and media personality.

Smith, who vaulted to fame with the 1990s sitcom “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air,” suggested that his provocative performance involves singing, comedy bits, action sequences and even Bollywood-style dance numbers — “everything short of boxing.”

The film pays homage to the Academy Award-winning original 1992 animated film starring the late Robin Williams, who played the memorable voice of Genie. Smith said Williams’ performance in the original film “revolutionised what

actors thought we could do in these kinds of movies.”

When first asked to take on the role of Genie, Smith said he demurred, intimidated by the big shoes to fill.

But he said his son Jaden convinced him not to pass up the opportunity.

“He was the first person that really saw the excitement around the idea of what I might do with it,” Smith said.

Inspired by Williams’ performance, which Smith said “didn’t leave too much room for improvement,” he tried to capture a similar sort of nostalgia, inflecting the human Genie with 1990s “hip hop energy.”

The adaption was mostly shot in the vast Jordanian desert of Wadi Rum, famous in the West as the backdrop for 1962’s “Lawrence of Arabia,” with its immense rock formations and rolling sand dunes.

Smith said the film aimed to “be a love letter to the region,” and encourage young viewers to visit the Middle East.

Production designer Gemma Jackson, acclaimed for her work on the HBO series “Game of Thrones,” constructed the fictional country of Agrabah as a composite of Arabian and South Asian landscapes, intended to conjure lavish oriental fantasies.

“Aladdin,” directed by Guy Ritchie, premieres on May 24.

David Benioff and DB Weiss

The top 10 movies on the iTunes Store

iTunes Movies US charts for week ending May 12, 2019: 1. Mission: Impossible - Fallout 2. The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part 3. What Men Want 4. John Wick - Double Feature 5. How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World 6. Everybody Knows (Todos lo Saben) 7. The Mule (2018) 8. Serenity (2019) 9. Cold Pursuit 10. Aquaman (2018)

The Tribune | Weekend | 21

Friday, May 17, 2019

film

M

ovies can be blessedly simple. As the first “John Wick” showed, all you really need is a car, a gun, a dead dog and Keanu Reeves. Who needs “kiss kiss” when you’ve got plenty of “bang bang”?

Alas, nothing in today’s movie-land stays minor-key. Chad Stahelski’s “John Wick” has quickly spouted into a three-and-counting series, the latest of which is “John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum.” What was once a taut, minimalist action movie with an appeal predicated on low-expectations and leanness has grown into a franchise with a typically overcooked subtitle and de-rigueur world-building (the film’s press notes reference “the Wickian universe”).

“Parabellum” finds Stahelski, Reeves’ former stunt double who has directed all three films, moving further beyond Wick’s hard-boiled origins and into a more extravagant action thriller.

In its ever-expanding fictional realm, “Parabellum” isn’t so dissimilar from a superhero movie, only one with way more blood, a much higher body count and, yes, righteously better action scenes.

It starts right where we left off with Reeves’ uber-hitman. He’s on the run in New York having violated the fiercely enforced rules of the High Table, an international assassin’s guild that sets combat protocol for a vast criminal netherworld, including that no “business” should be conducted in the Continental, the Manhattan hotel presided over with panache by its manager, Winston (Ian McShane).

Ruthless as the world of John Wick is, it’s a rigidly ordered one, full of slavish fidelity to a warrior code that’s part samurai, part magician. There’s a $14 million bounty on Wick’s head, just posted by the High Table, which has begun a soon-to-conclude countdown to make Wick “excommunicado.” For every other bounty hunter, it’s openseason on John Wick. And in these films, one lurks down every alley; the ratio of regular person to hitman is, like, 2 to 1.

From the get-go, the visual landscape of “Parabellum” — a nighttime New York downpour with dashes of neon all around — is vivid, nearly turning Time’s Square into Hong Kong.

With little time to go, Wick heads to where all hitmen go in times of need: the library. Beginning with the Rose Main Reading Room at the New York Public Library (where Wick, wielding

Keanu Reeves returns as uber-hitman John Wick.

Review:

In ‘Parabellum,’ John Wick is on the run again John Wick chapter 3 : Parabellum | 131 mins. | a tome pulled from the stacks, fights a giant played by 76ers backup centre Boban Marjanovic), “Parabellum” excels in its New York locations.

Cinematography Dan Laustsen (”The Shape of Water”) and production designer Kevin Kavanaugh (”The Dark Knight Rises”) are the movie’s most potent weapons.

With pursuers all around, Wick stealthily seeks out old associates for help, including Anjelica Huston, as a kind of ballet-and-wrestling instructor, and Halle Berry, who has a fiefdom in Casablanca and a few lethal dogs that severely test the bounds of “good boy.”

He appeals to them on the basis of old bonds that, he hopes, supersede the decrees of the High Table.

Along with returning co-stars Laurence Fishburne, Lance Reddick and McShane, “Parabellum” is wellstocked in top-flight character actors.

No movie that includes Fishburne bellowing “I am the Bowery!” isn’t without its acting pleasures — including Reeves, himself, who has found in Wick a comfortable match for his spare style and powerfully still physical presence. Also added to the mix here is Asia Kate Dillon (”Billions”), as the Adjudicator, sent to arbitrate violators of the High Table’s code.

But most come to the “John Wick” films for the hyperkinetic video game action sequences. With a seamless mix of CGI and stunt work, Stahelski fluidly choreographs ballets of bullets

and endless violent encounters across a grim cityscape. In some sequences, the action is clever, stylish and syncopated with the camera in motion. There are sleek showdowns surrounded by reflective glass; inventive weapon selections, when assailants corner Wick in a corridor of antique knives; and chases on horse, under an elevated subway, and by motorcycle, in a blur across a bridge. In one moment, a tussle plunges underwater and the action takes on a slow-motion beauty.

There is no doubt that these sequences are quite easily, in form and execution, a cut above what most any other action film is currently doing.

But “Parabellum” often squanders its finesse by resorting, countless times, to execution-like killings. As the body count swells, the relentless sound of gun blasts, and the occasional knife stuck in a skull, begins to pulverise.

Fans will surely eat it all up, but the “John Wick” films have nothing to say about gun violence despite its absurd abundance. As laudable as the filmmaking is here, it’s an abdication — and one that’s hard to fathom, given the parade of shootings today — that sullies the whole enterprise.

You could say, well, it’s just a movie.

That’s true. No one would confuse “the Wickian universe” for our own. But not because of all the gunplay. Because everyone plays by the rules.

JAKE COYLE AP Film Writer

22 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, May 17, 2019

literary lives – george eliot

The scandalous life of a renowned Victorian writer Sir Christopher Ondaatje writes about the adulteress novelist Mary Ann Evans, known by her pen name George Eliot, who was the English author of seven novels and one of the leading writers of the Victorian era.

M

ary Ann Evans (George Eliot) was the third child of a land agent in the service of a member of the Warwickshire aristocracy. Her mother was her father’s second wife and, like him, of respectable working class stock.

Mary Ann grew up devoted to her brother Isaac.

“Her upbringing was evangelical, dutiful, rural and allowed ample access to books. (Sir Walter) Scott, who she first read aged eight, would be a major influence. On her mother’s death in 1836, she left school to take over running the house for her father and brother. A critical moment in her late adolescence was her principled refusal to accompany her father to church – an act of doctrinal, not filial, rebellion.” – Lives of the Novelists, John Sutherland

The young Mary Ann Evans was a voracious reader and quite obviously intelligent. However, she was

not particularly good looking and had no good prospects for marriage. Thus her father afforded her an excellent education. Until she was nine years old she boarded at Miss Latham’s school in Attleborough; from nine to 13 at Mrs Wallington’s school in Nuneaton; and from 13 to 16 at Miss Franklin’s school in Coventry.

Because of her father’s management of Arbury Hall she had free access to the Hall library which was an important aid to her self-education and gave her a wide scope of learning. She also was witness to the great contrast in wealth of the local landowner and the poorer people on the estate. Religion was an important early influence on her life. She was brought up in a low church Anglican family in the Midlands where there were, at the time, many religious dissenters. This, too, had a significant influence on the young Mary Ann Evans.

In 1836, her mother died and the 16 old Mary Ann moved back to her father’s house to be the housekeeper.

She did, however, continue her

relationship with the evangelical Maria Lewis – her tutor at Mrs Wallington’s school. Five years later, in 1841, her brother Isaac married and took over the family home, after which she moved with her father to Foleshill near Coventry.

“In Coventry, a city intellectually fizzing with literary coteries, she had what was effectively the best higher education a woman could get in 1840s England.

She was invited, aged 23, to translate DE Strauss’s work of biblical ‘Higher Criticism’, ‘Das Leben Jesu’, into English. The translation, for which she received £20, came out in 1846. In 1848, she met Emerson, which left a profound impression on her already formidable mind. On her father’s death in 1849, she received a small legacy of some £90 p.a., which allowed her to travel abroad.

She had at this point renamed herself ‘Marian’, a name unassociated with the motherhood of Jesus.” – Lives of the Novelists, John Sutherland

Coventry society introduced new influences on “Marian” Evans, especially at Rosehill, the house of Charles and Cara Bray – a wealthy ribbon manufacturer involved in many local philanthropic causes. She had been struggling with religious doubts and the free-thinking people who congregated at Rosehill included Robert Owen, Herbert Spencer, Harriet Martineau, and Ralph Waldo Emerson. She was introduced to liberal and agnostic theologies casting doubt on literal Biblical truths. Her first major literary work was an English translation of David Strauss’s “The Life of Jesus”(1846) which she completed although it had been started by another member of the Rosehill circle. She later translated Ludwig Feuerbach’s “The Essence of Christianity” (1854). Charles Bray published some of Marian Evans’s

Mary Ann Evans, aka George Eliot, at age 30.

early writings in his Coventry Herald and Observer.

Following her return to England in 1850, after her travels abroad to Switzerland with the Brays, she stayed at the house of the radical publisher John Chapman, whom she had met at Rosehill. She worked unpaid on Chapman’s left-wing journal Westminster Review, becoming its assistant editor in 1851. She may have been romantically involved with Chapman and continued to work for Westminster Review until 1854. She was also involved (although we do not know to what extent) with the philosopher Herbert Spencer, and with George Henry Lewes – a philosopher, scientist, critic, and occasional novelist who became her lifelong consort but not her husband. Lewes was already married to Agnes Jervis but in

The Tribune | Weekend | 23

Friday, May 17, 2019

The Heights of Witley, from a sketch

by Mrs Helen Allingham, which Eliot and Lewes bought in 1877 from the proceeds of her novel “Daniel Deronda”.

Griff House, the childhood home of George Eliot, on the road to Coventry, south of Nuneaton, where Eliot (as Mary Ann Evans) lived from the age of 1 to 21.

While Eliot was not considered a great beauty, she was intelligent and very well educated.

an open marriage where she had not only borne three children to Lewes, but four with his journalist colleague Thornton Leigh Hunt. Marian Evans defiantly called herself “Mrs Lewes”.

During the early 1850s she worked on her translation of Spinoza’s “Ethics” which she completed in 1856 (but never published in her lifetime).

Lewes worked on his life of Goethe.

Evans also began trying her hand at fiction, and the first of three stories “The Sad Fortunes of the Reverend Amos Barton” were published by Blackwoods Magazine in 1857. “Scenes of Clerical Life”, containing all three stories, was published as a two-volume book in 1858 under the pen name “George Eliot”. It was well received and widely believed to have been written by a country parson. Marion Evans was 37 years old. She was persuaded

by Lewes and by her understanding publisher John Blackwood to progress to her first full-sized novel, “Adam Bede” (1859), which was sensationally popular and which drew further attention and curiosity about the author’s identity. This public interest forced her to acknowledge her pseudonym, mostly to protect herself from male imposters, but she continued to use the masculine George Eliot for her

Eliot’s long-time lover, the married philosopher George Henry Lewes

24 | The Tribune | Weekend

fictional works, shocking many of her readers about her private life but managing to maintain her popularity as a novelist.

George Henry Lewes and Marian Evans were considerably well-off when in 1860 Blackwood published “The Mill on the Floss” – the most autobiographical of George Eliot’s novels. They moved into a large house, The Priory, in St John’s Wood, London, and Evans continued to write popular novels for the next 15 years. “Silas Marner” was published in 1861, and “Romola” (1862-1863) brought her a payment of £10,000 – the largest ever payment for a novel. She was, without question, one of the leading novelists of the day. “Felix Holt, The Radical” was published in 1866, and her masterpiece “Middlemarch” was published in serial form in 1871-72, and its first one-volume edition in 1874.

“At the centre of George Eliot’s vast portrait of the provincial city of Middlemarch, its society and inhabitants, is the story of Dorothea Brooke, a ‘home epic’ of a bright, brave young woman learning how to live and what to live for. Dorothea’s passage from high-minded youthful ideals to the humbling truths of adulthood and love begins with her misguided marriage to the dour scholar Edward Casaubon, many years her senior, who is engaged in work on a ever-unfinished ‘Key to All Mythologies’. As Dorothea’s romantic visions of intellectual fulfilment and collaboration are clouded

by Casaubon’s dull actuality, Eliot brilliantly charts her protagonist’s awkward development through stages of disappointment and regret to an unexpectedly empowering embrace of life’s inescapable limits.” – 1,000 Books to Read Before You Die, James Mustich.

George Eliot’s last novel, “Daniel Deronda”, was published in 1876, after which she and Lewes bought a large country house in Witley, Surrey. However, Lewes’s health was bad and he died two years later. A disconsolate Eliot spent her considerable energies editing Lewes’s “Problems of Life and Mind” (1800) for publication and that same year married a Scottish commission agent, John Walter Cross, who was 20 years her junior.

She again changed her name to

Friday, May 17, 2019

A statue of novelist George Eliot in Nuneaton, Warwickshire.

Mary Ann Cross. In a bizarre unexplained incident, Cross, supposedly in a fit of depression while they were honeymooning in Venice, leaped from their hotel balcony into the Grand Canal. He survived and they moved to a house in Chelsea, but Eliot died a few months later of a kidney infection. She was 61 years old. She left an inheritance of £43,000.

Because of her disavowal of Christianity, and her adulterous relationship with George Henry Lewes, a burial in Westminster Abbey was disallowed. She was therefore buried in Highgate Cemetery in an area reserved for social outcasts and religious dissenters – but beside the grave of George Henry Lewes. It was not until 1980 that a memorial stone was established for her in the Poet’s Corner of Westminster Abbey.

NEXT WEEK: An Italian goldsmith, sculptor and author of a famous autobiography.

• Sir Christopher Ondaatje is the author of The Last Colonial. He acknowledges that he has quoted liberally from Wikipedia; Lives of the Novelists by John Sutherland; and 1,000 Books to Read Before You Die by James Mustich.

The first edition of the first volume of Eliot’s masterpiece, “Middlemarch”.

The Tribune | Weekend | 25

Friday, May 17, 2019

history

Flying the police patrol

O

n May 23, I am scheduled to give a talk (free and open to the public) at the Bahamas Historical Society. Of course, I plan to talk about my book, “Bahamas Airways”, but several people have asked me about the patrol flights for the Royal Bahamas Police Force. Hence, this article.

When I joined BAL in 1963 the airline had taken over flying the routes that had been started by the Royal Air Force. BAL was using its Aero Commander planes, piloted by the company’s DC-3 captains. From January 1965 through August 1966 I was one of the pilots who flew the police.

In any one week it was rare for the same pilot to fly on consecutive days and seldom more than twice a week.

The RAF had established six colourcoded routes and the pilot did not know which route he would fly until he reported for work.

BROWN, the longest route was an all-day event, covering 1,100 miles.

The GREEN route was only 575 miles.

These distances are measured on an aeronautical chart, but circling suspicious activities always added extra distance and time.

Most of the flying was at low altitudes, which requires extra concentration and becomes tiring. How low?

Low enough for the policeman, sitting in the co-pilot’s seat, to get close-up photographs of the suspect.

Over a one-month period a pilot would probably fly all six of the routes and see the Bahamas in a way that the average pilot has never seen it. We covered every island, cay and rock – including the Cay Sal Bank and the cays located there. BTC advertises that they cover the Bahamas, but Cay Sal is still beyond BTC’s reach. Police patrol pilots had to fly over every inch of the Bahamas. It was a pleasant change from flying routine scheduled flights and, whenever we landed at one of the Out Islands, the police and the people were happy to see us and glad to know that the police were actively protecting them.

At no time did I ever feel threatened by these flights, but in later years patrol planes are known to have been shot at.

Fortunately, they missed.

Forgotten facts | Paul C Aranha

The Aero Commander 500A used two-way HF radio to stay in constant contact with police headquarters.

One day, we were assigned to fly over the Great Bahama Bank, looking for a sailboat that was headed toward New Providence and reportedly loaded with drugs. We found the boat and took a very close look. Then, every day thereafter, the patrol had to re-locate this boat, without getting close enough for the captain to see the plane, just close enough for the policeman to see the boat through his binoculars.

Another day, while flying over the Biminis at 1,500 feet, an Eastern Airlines Boeing 727 passed under me at about 1,000 feet. Not nice!

On another flight, while flying over the Joulter Cays (north end of Andros) the policeman discovered a yacht at anchor in a narrow channel between two cays. The bow faced eastward, so we circled around to approach the boat from the west, to get a photo of the boat’s name on its stern, only to see that the captain had turned the boat around and the bow was now facing us.

It became a game of cat and mouse – and the mouse won. We never saw the boat’s name.

In one of the rare two-day assignments we spent 13 hours in the air, seldom getting as high as 500 feet. What I remember best is how well I slept the second night.

Later, several other air-taxi companies, including my Trans Island Airways, were awarded the annual contract to fly the police, so I got to enjoy it all over again.

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

16 mins Good: 12 mins Excellent: 8 mins Monday’s solution: PLane (across) BeaCH (down)

26 | The Tribune | Weekend

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

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

CRYPTIC PUZZLE Down 1 Girl belittled is without mercy (8) 2 Possibly relating to the whole (8) 3 Fewer beheaded means more jug (4) 5 Bound to fight? (2,3,7) 6 Money bringing pleasure to many (4) 7 It is suspended when it is very cold (6) 8 Fashion design made one’s name (6) 11 Honest kind of artisan made records (5,7) 15 Though solid in form, they may have fragile footing (5) 16 Quick trim (5) 18 Travelling at high speed injured a fish (8) 19 Stock reaction to panic (8) 21 Make a cat sit still (6) 22 Faster form of attack (6) 26 Lockers A to G perhaps (4) 27 Left the last word to the auctioneer (4)

Across 1 Highly bred? (6) 4 The penalties of strife, perhaps (8) 9 It’s odd about the taxes (6) 10 Bewildering, but delightful all the same! (8) 12 John Napier’s records? (4) 13 Short work for a barrister (5) 14 Run away when left in charge (4) 17 Soldiers kept permanently on their toes? (8,4) 20 Not far from following a private hobby (5,7) 23 Carry to terrible extremes (4) 24 They secure the normal shipping rates (5) 25 It gets me back in the newspaper (4) 28 Attempt to include a garment as disguise (8) 29 In a European it is courteous (6) 30 An ivory castle, perhaps (8) 31 Many agree it’s new and in short supply (6)

1

2

3

4

9

5

6

7

8

18

19

10 11

12

13

14

15

16

17

20 21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

Yesterday’s Easy Solution Across: 1 Shrug, 4 Deposit, 8 Rip, 9 Fairy tale, 10 Portent, 11 Onset, 13 Enamel, 15 Edward, 18 Steep, 19 Pompous, 21 Life story, 23 Ear, 24 Overdue, 25 Ready.

Down: 1 Scruple, 2 Reportage, 3 Gaffe, 4 Dainty, 5 Payload, 6 Spa, 7 Treat, 12 Soap opera, 14 Exposed, 16 Destroy, 17 Oppose, 18 Salvo, 20 Mayor, 22 Fee.

Yesterday’s Cryptic Solution Across: 1 Whist, 4 Netball, 8 Arm, 9 Water polo, 10 Federal, 11 Issue, 13 Really, 15 Errata, 18 Cheat, 19 Orotund, 21 Forgiving, 23 Own, 24 Sleight, 25 Thyme.

Down: 1 What for, 2 Immediate, 3 Tower, 4 Nettle, 5 Terrier, 6 Ago, 7 Loose, 12 Statutory, 14 Letting, 16 Andante, 17 Soviet, 18 Cuffs, 20 Ought, 22 Rue.

EASY PUZZLE

Across 1 Summarise (6) 4 Hard to understand (8) 9 Mental sharpness (6) 10 Infatuated (8) 12 Ignoble (4) 13 Malice (5) 14 Disparaging comment (4) 17 Intricacy (12) 20 Domestic management (12) 23 Deceased (4) 24 Amusing (5) 25 Indirect suggestion (4) 28 A guarantee (8) 29 Persian Gulf sheikdom (6) 30 Quick witty reply (8) 31 Firmly established (6)

Down 1 Disadvantage (8) 2 Macabre (8) 3 Originate (4) 5 Astounding (12) 6 Horse’s steady pace (4) 7 Innumerable (6) 8 To last (6) 11 Reusable earthorbiting craft (5,7) 15 Flower (5) 16 Wish for enviously (5) 18 Combative (8) 19 Overwrought (8) 21 Stare angrily (6) 22 Agitate (4,2) 26 Passable (4) 27 Wife of Jupiter (4)

Alphapuzzle,

O R C B NW

body of the alphabet SOLUTION Chambers Friday, May 17, 2019you have to c 21st322 5607 grid too! UseF 0901 322 5601 0901 Both today’s words in a moment Halve your Target Time! letters and blr Century below the grif *Calls cost 75p plus your telephone company’s Dictionary grid is ‘rotatid network access charge.

(1999 symmetrical’ edition) words, it look

STUCK? CALL FOR A CLUE

TarGeT

THe aLPHa

HOW many words of four letters or more can you make from the letters shown here? In making a word, each letter may the be used The Target CAN you crack A Each mustEach contain grid the uses once only.Alphabeater? letter andrepresents there must be at B number a letter wordscentre in C – or black square.

As in least one nine-letter word.

No the main letter of D or Alphapuzzle, verb formsevery ending in “s”. body plurals of the alphabet is used. But Chambers E have to complete the Today’syou TarGeT 21st Good 20; grid Use30; the given verytoo! good excellent F letters and blacktomorrow. squares Century 40 (or more). solution below the grid to start. The G Dictionary gridsoLUTIon is ‘rotationally H (1999Monday’s symmetrical’ in other amrita atrium attar –attic carat I edition) looks the if cart curt words, mart itmatt mittsame mutt turntarmac the page tart upsidetaut J HOW many words of four letters raita tacityou tact down. solution or more can you make from the K tiara tract trait tram tomorrow. trauma trim solution letters shown here? In makingTraUMaTIC a Monday’s L word, each letter may be used Black squares: 3, 8, 12, M once only.

Each must contain the 15, 19, 20, 21, 24, 26, 29, Yesterday’s Yesterday’s N 31, 33, 35, 37. centre letter and there must be at Sudoku Answer word. No Call 0907 Kakuro Answer across: Human, least one nine-letter 181 2585 for O Activity, Envoy, Trawl, plurals or verb forms ending in “s”. today’s Target solution P Biography, Opt, Yolk, *Calls cost 80p per minute plus your telephone company’s Fair, Jog, Unblocked, Q Today’s TarGeT network access charge.

Owned, Fable, Coquette, R Good 20; very good 30; excellent Zesty.

40 (or more). solution tomorrow.

S down: Urn, Whom, *SP: Spoke Oxygen, Among, Udder, – Helpline 0333 202 3390 T Monday’s soLUTIon Accept, Aborts, Sixty, U amrita atrium attar attic carat Craze, Anorak, Stow, cart curt mart matt mitt mutt Lit. V

H K E O R C B NW

raita tacit tact tarmac tart taut tiara tract trait tram trauma TraUMaTIC trim

Extra letter clues

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

Call 0907 181 2585 for today’s Target solution *Calls cost 80p per minute plus your telephone company’s network access charge.

*SP: Spoke – Helpline 0333 202 3390

Full solution

0907 181 2558

you turn the down. solutio

Monday’s s

25Black13squa

15, 19, 20, 2 31, 33, 35, 3 24across: 38 Hu Activity, En Biography, 2 Fair, Jog, U 26 Owned, Fab Zesty.

40down: Urn, 27 Oxygen, Am Accept, Ab 14Craze, Ano 31 Lit.

11 Extra 12 le 0907 1 (Deduct thre 34each extra cl 18

Full s

13 0907 25 1

*Calls cost 8 plus your telep 10 ac network

36 19

13 PLay M

39

11

W 2 X Y 29 Z

26

1

*Calls cost 80p per minute 21 plus your telephone company’s network access charge.

32

2

3

4

22

23

24

H

● Alternatively, for six E

PLay More Crosswords

The Tribune | Weekend | 27

Friday, May 17, 2019

animals

It's Adoptathon time!

Animal matters | KIM ARANHA

W

PET OF THE WEEK

hat exactly is an adoptathon? An adoptathon is when the Bahamas Humane Society gets all the animals who really need homes in one area of the shelter and bathes them, fluffs them, grooms them, and perfumes them to attract attention.

The BHS will waive all adoption fees on adult dogs and cats for three days in a row. I can hear you already, because I have heard it all before, so I will reply: “No, getting a pet and not paying the fee does not automatically make you an uncommitted owner.” This has been proven time and time again. People are not going to flock to the shelter to adopt dogs they plan to mistreat.

We, and the Humane Society of the United States, have found no statistics whatsoever that show this. People are drawn to deals and fanfare. They like special events, they like perks, they like to participate in unique occasions; sometimes something different helps them make the decision to adopt today rather than next month.

We will continue to do the allimportant house checks to ensure that the new owner has a fenced in property and proper shelter. The difference is that during the adoptathon we have people on the road doing instant house checks so the adoptions can be processed immediately. Normally we do not have the manpower to do this,

but when we do our adoption blitz we get in volunteers who help make this possible.

So the dates are today, May 17, tomorrow and Sunday.

Today the hours are 3pm to 6pm; a great chance to come in and get first pick of all the beautiful cats and dogs we have looking for homes.

On Saturday, we will be blitzing from 11am to 6pm. It will be a long day for the volunteers and staff, but everybody is dedicated to finding homes for these poor animals who are craving love and human companionship.

Sunday will be our last day and a shorter day. We invite people to come by after church with their families to choose a forever friend, Doors are open from 1pm until 6pm.

When I became president of the BHS my greatest dream was to become a NO KILL shelter. I vowed that no animal would be killed because it was too ugly or too fearful to come out and show its face.

I have, I believe, a gift. I can imagine vividly how those poor animals must feel. How lost and desolate to be surrendered to the shelter and have the human we love dump you and walk away; you are left with nobody who cares. Can you begin to imagine if it were to happen to you?

Before I became president, it was the practice for several senior staff members to do the rounds once a week and decide which dogs should to be put to sleep, or calling a spade a spade, killed. Humanely yes, but nevertheless, killed. People love to hide behind platitudes; let’s be honest here please.

I came in and my biggest criteria was that no animal be killed for being one, not pretty enough; two, too shy, and three, fearful. Okay, I get it; very aggressive is an issue. But frequently, aggressive behaviour masks fear, and once the dogs are in an environment that does not frighten them they are no longer aggressive.

I have a reoccurring image in my mind of a rescued animal who has been in a shelter, any shelter, for some time, passed over by potential adopters because they are unremarkable, being walked out of their kennel for the last time; walked by somebody who hopefully showed them kindness as they are taken to a room to be killed. They can smell the fear, they can smell death. As they are placed on the table perhaps somebody tells them, “It’s all right.”

Yeah right...as the needle to kill them is inserted. No sorry; not on my watch!

As long as I am president of the Bahamas Humane Society we will be NO KILL. But this means I need you to help me find homes for all these poor cats and dogs who are surrendered, abandoned and given up at the shelter weekly.

Many of these dogs and cats are handsome and they are remarkable in their own ways. Rescue animals try so hard to please. They are so grateful for another chance, so grateful for love and kindness, so grateful for a full belly, clean water, a place to call their own and humans to protect.

Rather that provide funds for frequently unscrupulous breeders who over-breed, inter-breed and mistreat, come out and give a fellow Bahamian a second chance at a good life. When you do something good you invariably feel good.

A BHS VETERAN LOOKING FOR A HOME

S

cooby would like to encourage you to come out and adopt an adult dog or cat. As the longest staying adoption dog at the Bahamas Humane Society, Scooby has seen many other dogs come and go while she’s been there.

She’s hoping this weekend it will be her turn to find her forever home. Scooby is about six years old and would really prefer to be an only dog. Her kennelmate Pleasant is pleasant enough, but she’d like a human to call her own. Have you been looking for a dog to join your life? Come out this weekend and meet Scooby, the other dogs, and perhaps a cat or two! Adult dogs and cats are free this weekend. Bring your friends, bring your neighbours, and adopt, don’t shop!

Please note, there will be now veterinary clinic on Saturday, May 18, due to the Adoptathon.

Scooby, about six years old, is the BHS’ longest staying adoption dog. (Photo/Patricia Vazquez)

28 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, May 17, 2019