05262023 WEEKEND

Weekend Footsteps to fame

Music legend Errol “Duke” Strachan releases memoir; celebrates the Bahamas of yesteryear

The iconic Errol “Duke” Strachan, musician and the founder of the National Youth Orchestra of the Bahamas, will be celebrating his 91st birthday this year with the release of “This Is My Life: A Bahamian Rhapsody”, a book that chronicles his colourful and eventful life.

A beloved figure in the entertainment industry, Mr Strachan dedicated his life to promoting music in the Bahamas and beyond. From singing and playing instruments in his church’s choir as a boy, to starting bands and cutting several albums, the “Duke”, as he is known, has followed the family tradition of excelling in music, like his late cousin, “King” Eric Gibson.

But it was singing to his clients when he drove as a chauffeur and taxicab driver that opened doors for him to perform abroad.

Duke’s life, however, was not easy, though he never complained. He saw each setback as a setup to reach greater heights.

Born in Acklins in 1932, he was the first of 13 children of Lillian Taylor with his father James Strachan.

Duke takes his readers back to the colonial era, to a time and place only few remember and even fewer have documented.

In his candid book, penned with the assistance of former Bahamas National Orchestra member Kelly Fowler, Duke lets readers step into his life to taste the warmth and charm of a culture that is fast slipping away.

Historians and educators Dr Tracey Thompson and Joan P Rolle believe that “This Is My Life” can be a roadmap of how to live a positive, influential and satisfying life. They agree that young people, especially those who may struggle with academic or life issues, will find in Duke’s story the encouragement to view their lives through a fresh lense.

Referring to the book, the educators said, “His is a tale of overcoming.”

Duke writes about his amazingly clear memories of the two-week journey to sail to Acklins on a motorless mailboat, the currency of yesteryear – the shillings, pence, their value – the cost to rent a home, sit in a movie theatre, and losing three fingertips as a wayward child whose seemingly tempestuous urge for excitement could have cost him his life.

Somewhat of a rolling stone in his early days, Duke has tried many professions, but none have given him as much satisfaction as being a taxicab driver. It was how he met Sir Sidney Poitier, Kevin Ewing, Dr J Isaac Hayes, and Nat King Cole.

When asked where they could find the best Bahamian food, Duke generally arranged for the legends

to dine at his home, where his wife, Dorothea, prepared them sumptuous local; meals.

“Today,” Duke said, “people believe our culture is Junkanoo. That’s only a part of our rich culture. We have so much more to offer.”

He reflected on the days when people were entertained by the jumping dance every evening as neighbours cavorted to the rhythmic sounds of the drum beat. He reminisced about when people were kind and courteous and dressed with care; when children were disciplined and knew how to address their elders— “even if they were your siblings.”

Despite his notable achievements, Duke shows no signs of slowing down. He continues

to teach music and inspire young musicians.

“I feel incredibly blessed to have had such a rich and rewarding life,” he said. “Music has been my passion from an early age, and it has allowed me to take the youth of our nation to places I never could have imagined. I am grateful for every moment of this journey, and I look forward to continuing to share my love of music and many of the beautiful elements of our history that have been forgotten.”

Duke reflects on his achievements, his legacy as a musician, taxicab driver, teacher, and mentor. His contributions to music in the Bahamas will be felt for generations.

“This Is My Life: A Bahamian Rhapsody” is available at the Logos Bookstore in the Harbour Bay Shopping Centre and online at Amazon in paperback and eBook format, and from Barnes and Noble.

Fall in ‘Crazy Love’ one last time

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

Eight years and three Bahamian Icon Awards later, playwright Gea Pierre is finally delivering the grand finale of her popular “Crazy Love” theatre series this weekend.

The new production, “Crazy Love 4 – The Last Time” will be coming to the Atlantis Theatre May 27-28.

“The fact that people still want to see this show is overwhelming. Out of the Ashes Entertainment is the house that ‘Crazy Love’ built…it’s humbling,” Gea told Tribune Weekend.

Over the last few years, the Grand Bahamian playwright’s brand has grown tremendously; the venues and the audiences have gotten bigger, both in New Providence and Grand Bahama.

The plot of “Crazy Love 4” picks up two years after the end of the last play. The characters have grown up a bit and are now navigating more serious issues.

But Gea assures us that the new show still has the same DNA as its predecessors, and it will once again be a hilarious scandal-filled ride.

There are 13 cast members, and as always, Gea serves as the writer and producer of the play.

“This experience was different, as the pandemic changed so much for people that we had to learn each other all over again. However, we never lost sight of our common goal of bringing joy to our audience. And we are eight years older, performing at this level when so much is expected; it’s a lot,” she said.

Gea, who wrote her first play at age 15 (“A Tribute to Mother”), said it’s been pleasure to bring quality theatre to both Grand Bahama and New Providence over the years.

“We…built a wonderful audience that continues to grow. This is my dream to bring this level of production to Bahamian audiences. I’ve (watched productions) on Broadway in New York many times, and while those actors have more opportunities, they aren’t any more talented than we are, and I want to give (our actors) an opportunity to display that,” she said.

As always, the overall goal is to make audiences laugh and reflect. If her plays can make people forget their troubles for a few hours, then Gea considers that a success indeed.

Shaad Collie

Inspired by his musical grandfather, this young band leader is following in the footsteps of groups that made the 1960s swinging in the Bahamas. He tells Cara Hunt about their latest achievement: winning the Bahamas Carnival Experience Battle of the Bands.

When Shaad Collie formed his new band Shaad and the VIPs back in 2016, it was not only a dream come true but the fulfilment of a family legacy.

Shaad’s grandfather, Al Collie, is a well-known Bahamian musician and one of his biggest musical mentors.

Al Collie and the VIPs were the house band of one of Nassau’s hottest spots in the 1960s, the swinging Buccaneer Lounge at the Flagler Inn Hotel on Paradise Island.

The band played the typical mix of calypso, almostreggae and soul.

Now, Shaad is paying tribute to his grandfather with his own VIP band.

“I grew up in Bimini, because my mother was a custom officer and she was transferred there. My music teacher at the time wanted me to play the recorder, which I really loved and took to heart,” he told Tribune Weekend.

He became a part of the musical community there and joined the marching band, playing the drums as well.

When his mother was transferred back to Nassau, Shaad attended Aquinas College where he wanted to continue with a band.

“But my teacher told me that if I wanted to play in the band, I would have to pick up horn,” he explained.

It led to a whole new passion for the young Shaad. In addition to joining the marching band, he also played in the horn sections of both the Valley Boys and the Saxon Superstars Junkanoo groups.

Growing up, he was influenced by his grandfather. He enjoyed listening to his grandfather’s band as well as artists like The T Connection, Earth, Wind and Fire, and Michael Jackson.

“I really wanted to start my own band like my grandfather, because he is my biggest influence and I wanted to carry on his legacy.”

It took a few tries to get the right blend of musicians who possessed both the musical talent and compatibility needed to make up a winning team, but the current lineup has finally hit right note.

The band consists of 11 musicians: Shaad is the leader and lead guitarist; Uwe Dames on rhythm guitar; Leon Clark is the music director and first keyboard player; Christopher Christie and Christineko Pinder; the brass section includes trumpet player Brian Saunders; trombone player Jefferson Williamson; lead singer Don Seymour, and Danielle Lee Dorsette. The band’s manager is Ashkuel Armbrister.

As band leader, he admitted that managing such a large group and catering to the different temperaments is the hardest part of the job, but knowing he has fulfilled his life’s dream makes it all worth it.

Shaad and the VIPs are known for playing rake n’ scrape, soca, reggae, hip hop, pop, blues, rock n’ roll and even ballet music, jazz neosoul, soul and funk.

They are available to play at weddings, regattas, homecomings, private parties, corporate events, culture shows and more.

The band was formed in 2016 right after the passing of Hurricane Matthew.

Shaad said it was the perfect time, because the storm had caused significant damage and had left many people “sick and depressed”.

“Knowing the joy music brings, the band was a group of music lovers who wanted to bring light to a dark situation,” he said.

And they truly have helped lift the mood of their audience members. During the 2020 pandemic, they helped entertain people stuck at home

this weekend in history

May 26

• In 1896, Nicholas II, the last czar of Russia, is crowned ruler. He was first cousins to England’s King George V and Germany’s Kaiser Wilhelm II. He and his family were executed in 1917 by Bolshevik revolutionaries.

• In 1897, Irish writer Bram

during the lockdowns by posting songs on their Facebook channel.

Shaad said there was a silver lining to the long days of lockdown which prevented entertainers from performing in front of live crowds: “They would all just come by me before curfew started and we would use the time to practice and post the Facebook posts.”

That extra time together, he said, helped cement their group.

“So that means that once we get on stage, we are just very confident, because the hard part is over; we have worked out all the problems, and we are connected. It’s a relief, because once we get on stage, we can just get the job done,” he said.

The band has worked with many Bahamian artists, including D-MAC, Geno D, Ancient Man, Opid, Novia Pierre, Jamming Rahming, Shine,

Stoker publishes the Gothic horror classic “Dracula”. While it only enjoyed moderate success at the time, the book went on to become the basis for an entire genre of literature and films up until today.

May 27

• In 1703, St Petersburg is founded by Peter the Great as the new Russian capital. He is primarily credited with the modernisation of the country, transforming it into a major European power.

• In 1977, the British punk band the Sex Pistols release their second single, “God Save

Blaudy, Nishie LS and FanShawn, just to name a few.

And they have no plans to slow down anytime soon.

Last weekend, they won the Bahamas Carnival Experience’s new Battle of the Bands, which saw both professional band high school bands compete.

“We just won the Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival band contest; we had to play a variety of genres in just ten minutes and so we played a selection of rake n’ scrape, soca, rap and R&B music. The experience was really good. We also had a chance to listen to a number of the high school bands who competed and they were impressive and showed us a bright future,” Shaad said.

“Last month, we played in the Exuma Homecoming and we had to back about 21 artists, which was quite a lot of work.”

And this weekend, the band will be headlining the “50th on Bay Street Festival” to be held on Whit Monday starting at 2pm. The event will feature Bahamian food, live entertainment, music, a kid’s cultural zone, artists and artisans and live cooking demonstrations.

The first 500 guests will receive a commemorative independence gift.

The event is free to the public, but people are encouraged to get the free physical tickets to the event to be able to participate in the raffles held throughout the day.

Tickets are available at Aliv Southwest and at the Mall at Marathon, ZNS and the Independence Secretariat Office, while e-tickets can be obtained from eventbrite.com.

Shaad said people can look forward to the group releasing several original songs later this year.

May 28

• In 1291, Crusader rule of the Holy Land ends as the Mamluks – a powerful military knightly class in various Muslim societies – take the city of Acre, the last stronghold of the kingdom of Jerusalem.

the Queen”. It is immediately banned by the BBC and other media outlets in England.

• 1961, British lawyer Peter Benenson’s article “The Forgotten Prisoners” is published, launching the Appeal for Amnesty, a campaign calling for the release of people imprisoned worldwide because of the peaceful expression of their beliefs. The movement becomes Amnesty International.

BRAM STOKER, author of ‘Dracula’, in 1906

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 Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday

astonished (9) 20 Abandon registered bear outside (6) 23 Doctor with huge son? Rubbish (5)

S O E T K U P N O

HOW many words of four letters or more can you make from the letters shown here?

In making a word, each letter may be used once only. Each must contain the centre letter and there must be at least one nine-letter word. No plurals. Verb forms ending in S permitted’.

CRYPTIC PUZZLE

Across

1 A man with skills in making a suit (6)

4 Star skater is upset (8)

9 The minority of lawyers (6)

10 Without doubt a photofinish (8)

12 Unexpected break (4)

13 Gout’s disrupting one’s zest for life (5)

14 Good little boy looks happy (4)

17 It gives no real saving (5,7)

20 It went on foot in a wellknown fairytale (5,7)

23 Said to handle sheep (4)

24 Test piece (5)

25 Goddess twice gets the backing of Spanish agreement (4)

28 Visited and enlisted someone’s help (6,2)

29 He hopes to get suitable clients (6)

30 The times we live in (8)

31 He should honour his agreement to the letter (6)

Down

1 Don’t contact workers in their free time (5,3)

2 A restless nun takes a friend with her every year (8)

3 Common habits? (4)

5 Highlight of the Western? (8,4)

6 Issue of US magazine turned up (4)

7 It is suspended when it is very cold (6)

8 This sounds as though the baker wants his dough (6)

11 Best seller? (7,5)

15 He’s almost all in but gets better (5)

16 A little after morning reach the boundary (5)

18 An appointment with the French missionaries (8)

19 Jelly can protect private business (8)

21 It may show the hazard to be a trick (6)

22 Male companion (6)

26 Grass blown in the wind? (4)

27 Church body (4)

910

Yesterday’s Easy Solution

Across: 1 Tunic, 4 Endemic, 8 Ram, 9 Milestone, 10 Onerous, 11 Bower, 13 Trowel, 15 Recess, 18 Steep, 19 Pioneer, 21 Go it alone, 23 Old, 24 Tempest, 25 Dream.

Down: 1 Turn out, 2 Number one, 3 Cameo, 4 Enlist, 5 Disable, 6 Moo, 7 Clear, 12 Woebegone, 14 Expiate, 16 Serfdom, 17 Uproot, 18 Sight, 20 On end, 22 Ism.

Yesterday’s Cryptic Solution

Across: 1 Allow, 4 Captain, 8 Ali, 9 Springlet, 10 Diggers, 11 Claws, 13 Noodle, 15 Relief, 18 Tenon, 19 Charter, 21 Lifeboats, 23 Ire, 24 Sprawls, 25 Poker.

Down: 1 Abandon, 2 Lying down, 3 Waste, 4 Caress, 5 Panache, 6 All, 7 Notes, 12 A bit thick, 14 Longbow, 16 Forbear, 17 Scraps, 18 Tells, 20 Aesop, 22 Fir.

EASY PUZZLE

Across 1 Hypocrisy (6)

4 Explain in detail (5,3)

9 Solitary (6)

10 Discern (8)

12 To rush (4)

13 Willing (5)

14 Essence of a matter (4)

17 Method to achieve purpose (5,2,2,3)

20 Correct behaviour during meals (5,7)

23 The essential point (4)

24 Reconnoitre (5)

25 Cultivate (4)

28 Having mysterious charm (8)

29 Stir up (6)

30 Recklessly determined (4-4) 31 In support of (6)

Down

1 Intermission in football game (4,4)

2 Mad (8)

3 Threatening (4)

5 Written under false name (12)

6 Good fortune (4)

7 Derivation (6)

8 A score (6)

11 A memory (12)

15 The Muslim religion (5)

16 Senseless (5)

18 A dietary deficiency disease (8)

19 Remote (8)

21 Burn superficially (6)

22 Strike repeatedly with fist (6)

26 Rebuff humiliatingly (4)

27 Central part (4)

Yesterday’s Sudoku Answer

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

The alph

9 Scrawny, 10 Heed, 12 Uma, 13 Craters, 14 Ian, 15 Sumo, 17 Blister, 19 Ermine, 20 Synagogue. down: 1 Enshrine, 2 Nice, 3 Tar, 4 Unwitting, 5 Rinses, 6 Germs, 8 Seahorse, 11 Dahlia, 13 Carry, 16 Menu, 18 Tug.

THE ALPHABEATER

CAN you crack the Alphabeater? Each grid number represents a letter – or black square. As in Alphapuzzle, every letter of the alphabet is used. But you have to complete the grid too! Use the given letters and black squares below the grid to start. The grid is ‘rotationally symmetrical’ – in other words, it looks the same if you turn the page upside down.

Solution tomorrow

TargeT

CroSS doub

across: NYMPH down: WORMS 67 and 92

black squares: 26, 35, 37, 38, across: Electric, Salvaged, Bough, Exam, Pique, Dividers. down: Eulogy, Devoted, Divine, Grow, boTaNiCal ablation action albino alit alto anabolic anal anti antic atonal bacon bail bait balti banal baton biota blain bloat boat botanic BOTANICAL cabal cabin canal cant canto cation ciao clan coal coat coati cobalt coital cola iota lain liana loan nail natal obtain octal tabla taco tail tala talc talon tonal

Yesterday’s Kakuro Answer

● Alternatively, for six Extra Letter clues to your mobile, text DXBEAT to 64343. Texts cost £1 plus your usual operator

A tea party for mothers and daughters to bond and find their path

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

The Daughters for Christ Ministry is set to hold its first mother and daughter tea party this holiday weekend.

Under the theme “All the King’s Daughters: Queens and Princesses”, this Whit Monday’s event is a way for the organisation to help young girls identify and embrace who God has called them to be.

Shekera Sears founded the organisation in 2007 as a way to inspire and mentor young girls ages 10 to 15.

“These young ladies are being trained to identify their true potential, and to become young women of purity, integrity, compassion and praise, not ashamed to live for Christ Jesus...They will become delightful cornerstones at home, school, in the neighbourhood, at jobs and whereever they go, believing that they can do all things through Christ,” she told Tribune Weekend.

Shekera said she drew a lot of inspiration from her own past.

She was raised by her single mother after her father abandoned her.

At age 17, Shekera gave birth to a girl. Though uncertain of the journey ahead, she devoted her life to nurturing and rearing her daughter.

“I realised the desperate need for women and girls everywhere to identify and embrace God, who has called them to be and positively impact their community one contact at a time,” she said.

Thus, the Daughters of Christ Ministry was born as her way of rendering genuine guidance to adolescent girls and young women, and teaching them the importance of selflove, self-confidence and self-respect.

“Change must begin from within, more specifically, within the home,” she said.

This is why Shekera invites mothers at her church to join in the mentorship of their daughters.

“It is important for mothers and daughters to build life-transforming

connections with each other. These connections encourage open dialogue that can improve decisionmaking and positively impact the way both mom and daughter navigate life’s path,” she said.

The tea party will take place on Monday at 3pm at the Gulfstream Patio & Gardens, South Coast Road.

“Mothers and daughters have signed up to compete in various bond-forging challenges and our contestants are eager to step out in their tea party best and create lifelong memories. One special motherdaughter team will be crowned the winner and walk away with lots of extraordinary gifts,” she said.

Tickets are $25 and interested persons can contact Shekera Sears at 426-5640.

KEISHANN Jennings and Imani Clarke

VANDESITEA Barr and Ramiya Davis

TERRELL, Jaynell, Abigail and Harmony Chase

SIDINEKA and Sky Frazier

SHENAE Delancy and Tahlia Anderson

PHILLIPA and London Johnson

MONTREA and Dajah Brown

Summer sweetness and the wonders of nature

Good day, gardeners. Ding ding ding! I’ve made it to my 150th article.

Repetitive clichés aside, I appreciate all of you who read this article and especially to those of you who have corresponded with me over the last 150 weeks.

On to the point, I think. There are many exciting things happening in the garden at this time of year.

I’m not sure what’s going on in your garden, but on the farms and in the bush, things are popping.

Now, let’s talk about something I’ve mentioned countless times— mango trees! Yes, I have a deep fondness for them, as you might have guessed.

The early varieties of mangoes have started ripening, and they’ll be ready to eat over the next few weeks. Around halfway through the mango season the early varieties of avocado will be ripening.

Let me emphasise this once more because I truly believe it’s important: If you don’t want to wait seven or ten years only to find out that the mango or avocado tree you planted from seed is inferior to what you had hoped for, do yourself and your family a favor—buy a grafted tree.

The difference between growing from seed and growing a grafted tree is like buying a lottery ticket and crossing your fingers versus buying a ticket knowing it has the winning number. It’s like having inside information on a highly lucrative stock trade. No, I’m not talking about government officials peddling insider information; you are the governor of your garden!

In a life where we can’t control many things, it’s incredibly satisfying to grow a garden that yields the expected results. When you plant a grafted tree, you’re guaranteed to get the fruit you’re expecting.

OK, moving on from my obsession with mango trees and the pursuit of the best quality, what else is happening? Pineapples are coming in from the fields, but they don’t all ripen at once—it’s a gradual process.

Pumpkins are being harvested, but they’re not all exactly the same. Just like there’s a wide range of quality among mangoes or avocados, native trees within the same species can behave differently as well.

For example, in the bush surrounding me, there’s a gumelemi tree that has put on a new flush of leaves. Just 20 feet away, there’s another gumelemi tree with a fresh leaf flush but also seeds that are halfway through the ripening process. Fifty yards down the road, there’s yet another gumelemi tree with a fresh leaf flush but laden with ripe seeds. I have no clue why there’s so much variation between them; it would take a geneticist to study the chromosomes, histones, and gene

expressions to even begin understanding the reasons behind this.

Please forgive me, geneticists, if my understanding of how histones work in gene expression isn’t entirely accurate! After all, I’m just a humble gardener. In a recent article in the Los Angeles Times about Jacaranda flowers (cue Prince’s ‘Purple Rain’), it was explained that heat triggers a hormone called florigen, which in turn triggers flowering in tropical/ subtropical trees. Cellular activity, gene expression, hormones, temperature, and day length—all of these factors contribute to what we see in plants and trees. But we often love to believe it’s all up to us, don’t we?

Successful growth depends on both the environment and nurturing.

However, in the plant world, some prefer to be left alone. Who’s to say? Let’s go back to the sense of power and satisfaction that we feel when we successfully grow plants and achieve the expected results!

All jokes aside, gardening is an immensely satisfying hobby, chore, or profession. Nature’s factory provides us with a bounty that nourishes our bodies, souls, and minds. Whatever you choose to grow, make sure to consider timing and plant at the right time of year. I hope your garden is thriving and meeting your expectations. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns about your garden, don’t hesitate to reach out to a master gardener or a professional. You might receive different answers because no two locations are exactly alike, and we all have our own methods and practices. However, whatever you decide to grow, I genuinely hope you achieve success! Go ahead and invest in that top-quality fruiting plant or tree— you’ll thank me in a few years’ time. It’s truly worth every penny. May your garden flourish and bring you joy and abundance. As always, I wish you happy gardening!

• Adam Boorman is the nursery manager at Fox Hill Nursery on Bernard Road. You can contact him with any questions you may have, or topics you would like to see discussed, at gardening242@gmail. com.

Get glammed up for a worthy cause! Annual Cancer Society Ball returns this weekend with a ‘Golden Celebration’

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

Tomorrow night, members of Bahamian society will be decked out in some of their best attire to celebrate the 21st annual Cancer Society Ball.

Held in Atlantis’ Grand Ballroom, starting at 7pm, this year’s theme is: “Met Gala: A Golden Celebration” in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Bahamian independence.

(The “Met Gala” part of theme is inspired by the famous annual benefit gala held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute in New York City.)

This year’s ball will be bigger, better and even more glamorous than in previous years, according to organisers. It will not only be a night of fine dining and fun, but will also bring the community together in the fight against cancer.

“We promise a memorable evening of high fashion, with an impressive lineup of first-rate Bahamian entertainers, culminating with a Junkanoo rush-out,” said the Society. “The ball is a significant fundraiser for the Cancer Society, contributing the ongoing housing and care of cancer patients from the Family Islands and the Society’s educational and outreach programmes.”

During the cocktail party segment of the evening, patrons will help celebrate all things Bahamian. would be. The evening starts with a fashion show featuring several local designers sending their creations down a runway which will be all decked out in the colours of the flag.

Patrons can then participate in silent auction, raffle and the spin the wheel.

Nicole Leary, co-chair of the Cancer Ball, said last year’s ball saw about 400 attendees who enjoyed “the night of exquisite fun”.

“This year we are targeting about 600 patrons, which will be the biggest we have ever had,” she said.

“In 2021, we had a virtual ball and that would have been a lower number than we usually have. It was a great contribution and we appreciate corporate Bahamas for their contribution. In 2022, post-pandemic, people wanted to make sure it was safe to go out… balls were not going on at the time…we were the only ones hosting the ball. For that event we got about 450 patrons.”

For information about sponsorship and ticket pricing, contact the Cancer Society of the Bahamas at 323-4482 or 323-4441 or email at cancersocietyball@hotmail.com.

Dining with purpose: Join the BNT for Pig Roast 2023

The Bahamas National Trust (BNT) invites the public to attend Cuban Pig Roast 2023 on Saturday, June 10, starting 6.30pm at The Palm (formerly Philosophy Smokehouse).

The Cuban Pig Roast is the BNT’s annual flagship fundraising event, inspired by the joyous gatherings of family and friends in Cuba who come together to celebrate and enjoy good company. In a similar fashion, Pig Roast brings people together for a night of food, fun and fundraising.

Organiaers said attendees can look forward to buffet-style dining, premium cocktails, live entertainment, and the chance to win exciting prizes – all while supporting a great cause. Each year, funds from the event support a different BNT priority conservation project or initiative.

Proceeds from this year’s event will support the construction of a

much-needed welcome centre at the Moriah Harbour Cay National Park (MHCNP) in Little Exuma.

MHCNP is a newer addition to yhe Bahamas’ national park system, with

many conservation and community projects in development. Notably, it is being utilised as the site of ongoing “conchservation”, through the Queen Conch Mobile Hatchery Pilot

Project - an experimental initiative to cultivate conch at the egg and larval phases, for education, research, and restoration purposes.

This is just one example of many opportunities present within Moriah Harbour Cay to facilitate communitybased conservation with the potential to benefit locals on Exuma and the Bahamas as a whole. A welcome centre will be a key component in fulfilling this vision for the MHCNP.

Last year, Pig Roast raised $100,000 for flamingo conservation at the Inagua National Park. The country’s national bird was rescued from the brink of extinction with the establishment of this park, and funds from Pig Roast 2022 have supported the implementation of an invasive species monitoring programme to protect nesting sites.

literary lives

Black is beautiful Part I

Sir Christopher Ondaatje describes his hazardous encounter with a black leopard in the wilds of Northern Kenya

ABlack leopard – a melanistic blank panther - is one of the most beautiful and rarest animals in the world and one of the most difficult to see in the wild. The term melanistic comes from the word melanin, a dark coloured skin and hair pigment. Melanism in cats happens when there is an abnormal development of the pigment, resulting in the animal’s coat being very dark or black. Despite the unusual darkness, the leopard’s spots can still be seen faintly, especially in bright sunlight. Melanism is hereditary, but not necessarily passed from one generation to the next, with individuals occurring in mixed litters.

It is widely believed that the black leopard is more vicious than its tawny counterpart, which might be due to the level of its acceptance in the litter, if a single black leopard cub has to fight harder for its place among its siblings.

In medieval times the creature was said to be friendly towards all animals except the dragon, which it lured to its fate by exuding a particularly sweet odour. Later it was a symbol of Christ, until its savage nature became more widely known. Then the black leopard became a symbol of evil and hypocritical flattery.

Of course, I have heard of black leopards being seen, and shot, in the jungles of southern India, particularly in the Kerala region, and also in the Sinharaja rainforest of Sri Lanka. I have always wanted to see one and had once received a telephone call from Kerala informing me that local herdsmen had trapped a black beast, known locally as ‘the goat killer’, in a deep pit. However, the animal died before I could get there.

Then, in 1999, Nigel Winser of the Royal Geographic Society told me that a sighting of a black leopard had been reported on Lewa Downs on the northern foothills of Mount Kenya. The Lewa Ranch where the sighting had taken place – 40,000 acres of private land owned by the Craig family – is an enormous conservation area designed to protect elephants and other African game from poaching and human encroachment.

The nearest town is Isiolo, beyond which is the vast and rugged expanse of Northern Kenya that reaches right up to the Ethiopian border. Much of Lewa Downs is more than 2,000 metres in elevation, interspersed with deep river valleys and enormous rocky outcroppings.

Although I wanted to drop everything to go to Lewa to search for the black leopard, I was involved in a film project in Sri Lanka with Canadian film director John McGreevy. This meant that I was committed to spending two gruelling weeks filming around Sri Lanka’s ruined cities and the southeast Yala game sanctuary.

I returned to England early in December and immediately made plans to fly to Kenya to stay with the Craig family, hoping against hope that I wasn’t too late.

I didn’t have much time, so, telephoning William Craig at the Lewa Ranch, I arranged for a trio of game trackers to do some preparatory work, looking for any signs of the black leopard in the 25 square kilometre area where it had been sighted. Leopards are territorial animals and I was banking on my instinct that the cat would not have moved far in such a short space of time. I also thought that if the

trackers could find recent pugmarks, or even a kill, my job would be a lot easier.

It was a long way to go on the basis of one unconfirmed sighting, but nonetheless I blocked out eight days to spend with the trackers looking for the leopard. I flew out of Heathrow airport on the night of December 8, arriving in Nairobi early the following day, before transferring to a small Cessna six-seater plane that got me to Lewa in time for lunch. I was greeted by my three trackers Mungai, Rikita and Alfred, who were happy to see me, but had absolutely no news of any leopard. Mungai, a member of the Kikuyu tribe, was dressed in ordinary safari fatigues, but Rikita and Alfred, both Maasai, wore their faded red cotton cloaks slung over their shoulders.

They were muscular, lean and beautiful, with their long ochrestained hair carefully braided and gathered together, tied in a bunch and draped down their backs.

They were enthusiastic about the search, but not at all confident that we would find the black leopard. It was like finding a needle in a haystack, they said. Leopards are secretive, elusive and difficult to see at the best of times, but in December, after the ‘short rains’, with the area much greener than usual, the task would be almost impossible.

Exhausted and jet-lagged, I decided to have a short sleep before going out on a reconnaissance game drive in the early evening. The next thing I knew Mungai, who was anxious to get going, awoke me at five in the afternoon. I showered, had a cup of strong Kenyan coffee, got my camera equipment together and set off for a reconnaissance in the longwheelbase Land Rover that was to be mine for the next eight days.

Even though we were almost on the equator the fact that we were at 2,000 metres high meant that it was quite cool. And so, wrapped up in my old leather jacket with a makeshift scarf around my neck and an old Montana hat, we coursed out away from the lodge towards the Lewa River, making our way through the marshes and yellow fever trees, and back around the far side of Cave Hill towards the Ngare Ndare forest.

It was a 30-kilometre circuit along the rough Lewa Downs roads. We drove almost the entire perimeter of the interior ranch speculating where we were to spend the next few days. We saw herds of elephant, the rare Grevy’s zebra and the occasional group of reticulated giraffe that inhabit this part of northern Kenya. There were a few white rhinoceros and one small herd of eland, but there were no cats – no lions, no cheetahs and definitely no sign of a leopard.

Night falls quickly in Africa and soon after six o’clock it was too dark to see. So we returned to the ranch planning to start again before dawn the next day, when I planned to comb an area I had mapped out around the base of Cave Hill. It was wonderful to be back in the scrub forests of East Africa.

* * *

Mungai woke me again the following morning at five o’clock, out of a very deep, deep sleep. Outdoors it was still very dark, and very cold. I was literally shivering when I hauled myself out of bed and quickly put on my safari clothes: long khaki trousers, a khaki shirt, two sweaters and my well-worn walking books. I shaved quickly, washed and drank some very strong black Kenyan coffee. There was no time to waste and I was out with my flashlight into the crisp morning air trying to find my way through the scrub to the courtyard where my two Maasai friends, Rikita and Alfred, were waiting in the Land Rover. I heaved all my camera equipment onto the back seat, and piled in beside Mungai who did the driving. We didn’t say much apart from a short good morning greeting. It was far too cold.

In the morning darkness we drove silently out of the courtyard of Lewa Ranch, and out into the wilds of northern Kenya. The morning wind howled around us in the open vehicle. I was lucky to be sitting in front protected to some degree by the windscreen, and I could see Mungai crouched over the steering wheel peering into the darkness ahead of us. A guilt-ridden hyena furtively crossed the path in front of us, his eyes shining back at us reflecting our headlights.

Within half an hour we were crossing the plains at the foot of Cave Hill; and minutes later the morning light stretched across the eastern sky heralding the dawn. It was quite silent, apart from the Land Rover’s engine disturbing the African morning. And then, just as the sun’s golden ball crept over the horizon –towards Mount Kenya whose outline we could just make out – came the morning chorus.

There are few places in the world as beautiful as Africa in the morning. It was spellbinding. We continued on

our morning survey; down into the valleys and marsh, under the spreading umbrella acacias and candelabra euphorbia, out again onto open plains and then back to the river where more animals had gathered to drink. Two ostriches strutted along the river road in front of us, oblivious to our mission.

An hour later we stopped for coffee, when quite suddenly we heard the alarm call from an impala, and then the deep guttural sawing noise of a predator. “Leopard,” said Mungai, listening with one ear to the caves above the plain. And then again we heard the unmistakable insistent grating noise of an adult leopard. We waited for a few minutes and drove on. “That was definitely a leopard.” I said, and then thinking again, ordered Mungai to stop. He turned off the engine. We listened expectantly, but heard nothing.

I was certain that the sound had come from high up on Cave Hill. We returned to the spot from where we first heard it, and listened again. Still nothing.

“Listen,” I said. “If there is a chance that this is the black leopard, we must surround the hill and hope

that he shows himself. We have to gamble.”

I suggested that Rikita wait secluded and hidden in the long brown grass at the foot of Cave Hill, and that Alfred sit higher up on the western rim of the hill. The Maasai have incredible patience. The sun was high in the sky now, and I had asked them to expose themselves in the hot African sun for the greater part of the day. I gave my binoculars to Rikita, and the two Maasai youths silently slipped out of the Land Rover, and across the plain to their lookout position. This was about a kilometre from where Mungai and I stationed ourselves on a hillock overlooking the entire south face of Cave Hill.

It was only eight o’clock, and we prepared ourselves for a long, dry day. Mungai never took his eyes off the face of the hill. Because I had given my binoculars to Rikita I was forced to use my 400 mm telephoto lens to range the hill from left to right, west to east. I was sure the best chance of seeing the black leopard was against the brown dried grass. But I was hopeful. Gambles sometimes work, and I had gambled before.

It was a tiring and often boring experience, looking for a black dot on a brown hillside, and five hours later we were still there. No sign of a leopard, and no sign of Rikita or Alfred either. And then we saw another Land Rover coursing its way across the river making its way towards our hillock. At first I cursed it for disturbing our vigil, but then realised it was Will Craig bringing us some much-needed supplies of water and food. Although admiring our stamina Will Crtaig made no bones about the uselessness of our quest.

An hour after Will’s departure Rikita appeared on the rise of our hillock. Approaching us he held out his hand. On it there was a single black hair. It could have been from any animal, and I suggested a zebra. But Rikita said that this was impossible; zebras are far too lazy to climb up Cave Hill and would always remain on the plains. Rikita was convinced that it was the hair of a leopard and that we should continue our watch. I was not so sure, but I was willing to continue with our plan. I searched the hill through

my camera lens with renewed enthusiasm.

Three hours later we were still there. It was four o’clock and the heat was ebbing a little from the day. And then Rikita appeared again on the rise below us, hurrying. He spoke quickly to Mungai in Swahili and pointed to the back of Cave Hill. He claimed he had seen something moving in the long grass. He wasn’t sure, but if it were a leopard then it might take advantage of the coolness to move out of the shade and protection of the grass to a higher position on the hill. Mungai continued to scan the face of the hill. He was motionless, his eyes trained towards the eastern base of Cave Hill, towards the river. Suddenly he quietly said to me:

“Quick. There, the leopard moving. Get your camera. Take the glasses. Look – above the acacia tree – to the left. Do you see it? I’ll tell you when it moves. There. Now.”

And then I saw it, just as Rikita had said, a small and indistinct black shape moving slowly across the face of Cave Hill. Up the hill diagonally, and then out of sight again behind long grass.

And then Mungai drove off, returning with an exhausted, parched Alfred a few minutes later. Rikita didn’t take his eyes off the place where the leopard was crouching. Neither did I.

And then we all saw the leopard again, looking at us across the divide between our hillock and Cave Hill. He lifted his black head above the grass and then lowered it again. Furtive. Cautious. A regulation tawny leopard would have been quite invisible in the light brown tones of the scorched hill grass. But this was a black leopard, an amazing sight … an extraordinary sight. We watched the cat for almost ten minutes, but there was not enough light to take any decent photographs. And then the sky became dimmer still, and it was almost evening. The African animal world was coming to life. Another world was starting.

• Christopher Ondaatje is the author of The Last Colonial.

SIR Christopher Ondaatje

First runways in the Bahamas – PART II

Last week, we talked about how in 1940, the Nassau press published an article about Flying in the Bahamas, taken from a magazine (for private circulation) called INTAVA World – which became Esso Air World and is now Exxon Air World. Here is the continuation:

“The Bahamas have for some time been a favourite Winter resort for Americans and it is expected that, with only about 180 miles of sea to cross, the new Nassau airport will be a weekend attraction for many of the thousands of American private owners of land planes who, because of the absence of a suitable landing ground, have up to now, been denied air access to the islands.

“The airport is already attracting the attention of airline operators.

Canadian Colonial Airways, which operates the New York-Montreal service, is planning an extension of this service South to Nassau, so that Canadians, tired of the Dominion’s long Winter, may travel overnight to the tropical beaches of the Bahamas. An exploratory return flight has already been made between Montreal and Charleston, S C, from whence the sea crossing to Nassau will be made.

“On January 8th last, the partly finished Nassau Airport was officially opened by His Excellency Sir Charles Dundas, KCMG, OBE, Governor of the Bahamas.

“In connection with the opening, an ‘Aircade’ of twenty-two American aircraft, most of which had been taking part in the Annual Air Races at Miami, flew to Nassau. The ‘Aircade’ was organised by the Hon

H G Christie, an active associate of Sir Harry Oakes in all his enterprises in the Colony. He was assisted, on the American side, by Mr Grover Loening, who flew to Nassau with a goodwill message from Mayor La Guardia of New York to the Governor of the Colony. The success of the ‘Aircade’ may be taken as an augury for the future and, while it is intended that this event will become an annual feature of the Winter seasonal activities in the island, it is not expected that intending visitors will be content to wait for such an excuse to fly to Nassau, now that the airport is open for traffic.”

Later, an article about Bahamas Airways also appeared in Esso Air World.

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

GROVER LOENING, a German-born American aircraft manufacturer and pioneer, flew to the Bahamas with a message from Mayor Fiorello La Guardia of New York to the Governor of the Colony for the opening of the Oakes Field Airport in 1940.

THE NORTHSTAR at Oakes Field Airport for its December 2, 1948 inaugural flight (Photo/Air Canada Archives).

A letter from the rainbow bridge

By KIM ARANHA

Animal Matters

Hi Mum, Chiefie here.

You have been very difficult to contact for the last couple of months. I could sense that you had a lot on your mind, so I left you to your earthly duties whilst I continued my essential heavenly missions up here.

I watched your plane fly to and from the States (twice, Mum), I made sure everything went well with you and Dad…I peeked through the plane window; you were having a snooze. By the way, I like that blouse; it’s new isn’t it?

Anyway, things up here are pretty much stable. I become more and more active in the relocation and orientation of arrivals. I have been teaching Nimba English, especially as she has formed a strong bond with the “Royals” up here; so many of them, they rotate and come back to play frequently.

So, the other night I reached to you Mum and you woke up in the morning knowing that we had spent time together. In that dream I organise I was lying across the garden gate blocking all the smaller dogs from going out in the street. It was a very firm message to you that I am still watching over you just how I did when I was around on earth.

Did you notice that I have all four legs again? That was the coolest thing that ever happened to me… that leg just reappearing. Bam! just like that. I looked down and there it was, and I didn’t feel a thing. Some pretty amazing things happen every single day on rainbow bridge.

Anyway, back to the dream and the gate. I know that you didn’t recognise the garden. I had to create that for the dream, long and narrow like an English garden (I was inspired by the coronation). The gate was the same gate that you have at

home. You brought that from the home I lived in with you, remember?

My message to you was that I am still there watching and protecting you. Buddy and Boss are helping me write this message. Nimba’s English isn’t good enough to spell yet. Tomorrow marks the second anniversary of me leaving you. I struggled to stay with you for as long as I could because I knew you didn’t want me to go, but I was 15 and that darn cancer had just become too much. Thank you for letting me go. I will always be by your side and protect and love you.

I talk to Garmin and Bella sometimes. You know when they are looking around as if they see

pet of the week

something that you don’t see? Ha, that’s me! Humans don’t see and sense things, dogs do that so much better than humans.

You know when Garmin was only given six weeks to live because he was sick last November? Well, up here at the rainbow bridge we can sort of control some things, so I went to Saint Francis and we petitioned for longer for Garmin on earth. We felt you needed longer between sad losses. But just remember, Mum, nothing is forever. You have to remember we live for less time than humans. I know most humans feel it just isn’t enough, but it is for us.

Rainbow bridge is a very busy place, and we are all involved with

Inquisitive Riri

By THE BAHAMAS HUMANE SOCIETY

Lovely Riri is about six months old. This enthusiastic outgoing girl has only limited vision but she doesn’t let that slow her down.

Riri’s keen to explore the world around her and has a lot of love to give to a potential adopter. She’s good with both dogs and humans, and could probably adapt to having a cat in her life. Have you been

looking for a dog outside the norm?

Riri might be your perfect fit. Come and meet her at the Bahamas Humane Society or call 325-6742 for more information. Riri looks forward to meeting you!

• The Flower Power Paw-ty is back! Saturday, June 24, at the Nassau Yacht Club.

rescue and comfort of humans and pets. This why I came and send you a message, Mum. I feel that you are remembering how difficult May 27 was for you. It was difficult to say goodbye for me too, but when I saw my new leg and I could run and play and peek at you, I was happy.

Never forget that you gave me the best life any dog could have ever wished for…and you are still taking care of rescues.

The greatest tribute you can pay to your dog is the care of other dogs who need help and love. Even if you cannot adopt, maybe go and spend a couple of hours puppy cuddling or dog walking or kitten playing …raise money, encourage people to give and love.

Life is very empty without a pet. Mum, I know you would never be happy without a pet and that is a good thing because you are a good home.

Remember I am always there, we had a very special connection… sometime there is a super special dog – human connection that outlives everything else. I continue to be in your heart and will be there forever, and that is why you have those really vivid dreams about me.

I am gone in body but everything that made me super special is still there and there is always another pet, cat, dog just waiting for a cuddle. Please pick them up and love them in my name, in my honour and in my memory.

Tickets are $125, available at the BHS or Fox Hill Nursery. Cocktails at 6.30pm; dinner at 8pm.

Come dressed in your favourite 60’s outfit and have a great time supporting the animals!

(Photo/Linda Gill-Aranha)