Friday, May 28, 2021
community interview food gardening history performing arts puzzles
Weekend
Fun foods Page 07
Dance fever ArtSea workshop focuses on the beauty of ballet
pgs 08 +09
02 | The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, May 28, 2021
community
Shop for a good cause Sweets and treats available at the Down Syndrome Centre’s car boot sale By CARA HUNT | Tribune Features Writer | cbrennen@tribunemedia.net
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HIS weekend, people can enjoy a morning of shopping for a good cause, as the Bahamas Down Syndrome Centre hosts its popular car boot sale. The Centre is tucked away on Village Road and provides a special place where adults and children with Down syndrome can learn life skills. It was originally opened by former Prime Minister Perry Christie in September 2014. A few years later, Ty’s Place was also established on the same grounds. It is a restaurant and deli which employs adults born with developmental challenges, providing jobs in the areas of the kitchen, in serving, delivery services, ground maintenance, car detailing and hostessing. However, the Centre and Ty’s Place, like many businesses, were affected by the lockdowns which occurred because of the COVID -19 pandemic. Unfortunately, the Centre had to close its door to its patrons because of the close contact required to work with individulas who have Down syndrome, which made following social distancing protocols different. It is hoped that the Centre can reopen in the near future, To raise funds, the facility has often hosted so-called car boot sales, usually on the last Saturday of the month. The vendor fees go towards the upkeep of the school and the grounds. These stalls first stared as off as “a clean out your house patio sale,” with white elephant stalls. However, the sale has expanded to became what has been described as the “eastern equivalent of the Farmers Market on Gladstone Road.” Shoppers can purchase a variety of items from local vendors such as fresh vegetables, artisan bread, plants, ice cream, masks, candles, soaps and homemade jewellery, as well as doggie treats, cheesecakes, guava rolls, jellies, jams, cupcakes and cookies. May’s sale takes place tomorrow and begins at 9am. Ty’s Place will also be opened to serve a special breakfast with menu items such as chicken souse, tuna or corned beef and grits, and a regular lunch menu at noon with their specialty, conch fritters.
TOMATO, basil and mozarella flatbreads by BreadWinners
ROSEMARY onion artisan bread by BreadWinners
‘PUPCAKES’ by the Pawsh Shoppe
GRAMMY’s Sweets
The Tribune | Weekend | 03
Friday, May 28, 2021
Weekend Inside
Interview 4 – 5
Denzel Lightbourn takes inspiration from the past and the present, but looks to the future when it comes to finding new ways to share his art with the world.
Puzzles 6 Food 7
Guilty pleasures that make you go ‘uh-o’
Performing arts 8-9
Upcoming ArtSea Dance workshop to focus on the beauty of ballet
Community 10
Ivanna Seymour seeks to become first Bahamian captain of a Royal Caribbean ship
Books 11
New releases in romance, mystery and non-fiction
Literary Lives 12 – 13
A very special birthday
The Dutch girl who survived a war to become a Hollywood icon
Forgotten Facts 14
Adventures on the high seas continued
Animals 15
Heartbreaking whale strandings, plus Pet of the Week
12+13
Gardening 16
Caring for ‘crab grass’
Cover I Prima balleria Isabella
Boylston/Photo by Deborah Ory
THIS WEEKEND IN HISTORY May 28
• In 585 BC, a solar eclipse – which was reportedly accurately predicted by the Greek philosopher Thales of Miletus – interrupts a battle outside Sardis in western Turkey between Medes and Lydians. •In 1936, English mathematician Alan Turing submits his work “On Computable Numbers” for publication, in which he set out the theoretical basis for modern computers. •In 1937, the government of Germany– then under the control of Nazi Party – founds a new stateowned automobile company, later
known as the Volkswagenwerk, or “the people’s car company.”
Today’s birthdays: Basketball
Hall of Famer Jerry West is 83. Singer Gladys Knight is 77. Singer John Fogerty (Creedance Clearwater Revival) is 76. Singer Kylie Minogue is 53. TV personality Elisabeth Hasselbeck is 44. R&B singer Jaheim is 44. Actor Jake Johnson is 43. Actor Jesse Bradford is 42. Actor Carey Mulligan is 36.
May 29
•In 1660, Charles II, whose 30th birthday it was, is restored to the English throne after returning from exile in the Netherlands, thereby ending the short-lived Puritan Commonwealth. • In 1942, American entertainer Bing Crosby records “White Christmas”, the world’s best-selling single; an estimated 100 million copies are sold.
Governor-General Sir Cornelius A Smith visited Dorothea Strachan on the occasion of her 95th birthday at her home on Soldier Road on Tuesday, May 25, 2021. He presented the birthday girl with a Letter from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, an arrangement of flowers and a letter from the Office of the Governor General. (BIS Photos/Letisha Henderson)
•In 1953, New Zealand mountaineer Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay become the first men to reach the top of Mount Everest.
Today’s birthdays: Actor
Anthony Geary (Luke on “General Hospital”) is 74. Movie composer Danny Elfman is 68. Singer LaToya Jackson is 65. Actor Annette Bening is 63. Actor Rupert Everett is 62. Actor Adrian Paul (“Highlander”) is 62. Singer Melissa Etheridge is 60. Rock musician Noel Gallagher (Oasis) is 54. Actor Laverne Cox is 49. Singer Melanie Brown (Spice Girls) is 46. NBA player Carmelo Anthony is 37.
May 30
• In 1431, 19-year-old Joan of Arc, who had been accused of heresy, is burned at the stake on the orders of an Englishdominated tribunal in Rouen, France
• In 1593, famous Elizabethan playwright Christopher “Kit” Marlowe, 29, is killed in a brawl over a bar tab. Born two months before William Shakespeare, it is believed by many scholars that his works greatly influenced the Bard. • In 1806, future US President Andrew Jackson kills rival horse breeder and southern plantation owner Charles Dickinson in a duel. Dickinson had accused Jackson of reneging on a horse race bet and insulting his wife by calling her bigamist.
Today’s birthdays: Actor Colm Meaney (“Star Trek”) is 68. Country singer Wynonna Judd is 57. Actor Mark Sheppard (“Supernatural”) is 57. Actor Idina Menzel (“Frozen”, “Wicked”) is 50. Rapper Cee Lo Green is 46. Rapper Remy Ma is 41.
04 | The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, May 28, 2021
interview
Denzel Lightbourn Inspired by the greats of the past and the present, both at home and abroad, this Grand Bahama artist is all about embracing futuristic technology. He tells Cara Hunt how he is using a new system of digital tokens to share his art with the world.
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s a child growing up on Grand Bahama, Denzel Lightbourn loved watching cartoon classics and reading DC and Marvel superhero comic books. The colourful graphics inspired his own creativity and led him to an art career of his own. “My love of art all started when I was kid. I loved watching all the classic cartoons like Tom and Jerry and Popeye, and I loved reading all those superheroes like Superman, Batman, the Flash and things like X-Men, and then naturally I was surrounded by our Bahamian culture and the colours of Junkanoo, which I gravitated towards,” he told Tribune Weekend. “What I like about (the cartoons and comics) is the detail that goes into them. I used to practice drawing and painting the scenes and the cartoons. I also have gotten into animation as well. I love Pixar movies in particular, and I am a huge fan of the cartoon movie ‘Tarzan’. It has a very distinct look about it. And of course, I am into Japanese anime. ‘Spirited Away’ is probably my favourite (a Japanese animated fantasy film written and directed by the iconic Hayao Miyazaki, animated by Studio Ghibli.) “Animation is really art in each frame,” he added. Denzel taught himself much of what he knows about art. After graduating from high school at St George’s in Freeport, he delved into the world of portraiture, which in addition to being a great way to earn an extra income, also really allowed him to hone his the technical skills and helped improve his eye for details. However, he said that after a while realised that it was taking away from his creativity. “I realised that I really prefer creating my own vision rather than just making an accurate description or replication of something else.” Denzel describes his own personal style as “full-on Bahamian”. “By that I mean what you see is what you get. And Freeport is just easy-going and nice and that is what I want to depict, just that happy feeling,” he said. In addition to painting, he loves creating. Denzel has embraced all forms of design work as well. He continues to earn a living through graphic design, creating company logos, personalised T-shirts, and is now dabbling in animation as well. He has also started delving into oil painting, which he said is the hardest form of painting but also provides that high-quality, classical look. Denzel draws inspiration from a number of artists, both Bahamian and international, past and present. “My mentor is Matthew Wildgoose. He is from Holmes Rock, and he is probably my favourite portrait artist
The Tribune | Weekend | 05
Friday, May 28, 2021
because of the way he always captures the emotions of his subject. He creates layers upon layers in his work,” said Denzel. He is also a big fan of the late folk artist Amos Ferguson. “Amos Ferguson has a whole style of art named after him - Bahamian folk art - and I love his style. I really wish that I had had the opportunity to meet him before he passed away. He is a legend in my eyes.” Additionally, Denzel admires the work of artists such as Jody Minnis, Benjamin Ferguson and Gio Swaby - “She is amazing in her field,” he said. Keith Thompson is another artist whose work, he feels, is under-appreciated a times. “I know that art is very personal and subjective and what I like may not be what you personally are drawn to,” he said. Looking to history, Denzel said he is deeply inspired by surrealist artist Salvador Dali and Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, who is known for her colourful and stunning self-portraits. “I admire her not just for her art, but also for everything that she stood for. She stood in her own truth and fought against her disbeliefs,” he said.
“I realised that I really prefer creating my own vision rather than just making an accurate description or replication of something else.” When it comes to living international artists he admires, his favourite example is Kehinde Wiley. “He is an American portrait painter based in New York City, who is known for his highly naturalistic paintings of African Americans, frequently referencing the work of old master paintings,” said Denzel. “He paints Black people in the most beautiful, amazing way.” Denzel wants to expand his brand so that more people can experience his art in whichever way they choose.
“Right now, I am working on getting my name out there. I want people to be experience my work on anything that they choose, whether it be a painting or a pair of shoes. I want to be a household name,” he said. One of the ways he has begun to do this is by selling his art through block chains as non-fungible tokens (NFTs). An NFT is a digital asset that represents real-world objects like art, music, in-game items and videos. They are bought and sold online, frequently with cryptocurrency, and they are generally encoded with the same underlying software as many cryptos. This new digital platform, though considered controversial in some corners, allows artists from countries across the globe to sell their artwork on the blockchain where buyers purchase paintings with cryptocurrency. Denzel is probably the first or among a small number of Bahamian visual artists making money selling digital paintings in this way. He explained that he got into NFTs several years ago and was able to sell a series of artworks to an international company. He said the platform has surged in the past year, particularly due to COVID-19 when movement was limited. “It is the way of the future,” he added. And in the future, he also wants to support and promote art on the island of Grand Bahama by providing platforms for young fellow artists to create and showcase their work.
raise (5) Across: 1 Magicians, 7 Magpie, 9 Impetus, 10 Nose, 12 Rep, 24 Disloyal talk about 1945 13(5) Arsenal, 14 Old, 15 Also, 17 Thrifty, Friday, May 28, 2021 conference
27 Place next to junction is shot (4) 28 Again, steal off to part of England (4,6)
06 | The Tribune | Weekend
19 Defeat, 20 Knowledge. Down: 1 Main road, 2 Ammo, 3 Gap, 4 Cathedral, 5 Iguana, 6 Nigel, 8 Employee, 11 Eschew, 13 Alien, 16 Stag, 18 Fad.
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Sudoku is a number-placing puzzle based on a 9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers 1 to 9 in the empty squares so the each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. The difficulty level of the Conceptis Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday
● The Target uses words in the main body of Chambers 21st Century Dictionary (1999 edition)
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. TODAY’S TARGET Good 21; very good 31; excellent 41 (or more). Solution on Monday
Yesterday’s call 0907 181 2585 Sudokufor Answer today’s target solution *Calls cost 80p per minute plus your telephone company’s network access charge.
BATTLESHIPS CRYPTIC PUZZLE Down 1 No other organisation can compete with it (8) 2 Love isn’t unusual as the theme for her writings (8) 3 Kick from a horse (4) 5 Are tailors so addictive? (5-7) 6 Use a different name for Jacob’s brother (4) 7 A number of European wars (6) 8 Ann set out for French city (6) 11 It’s played for someone’s benefit (7,5) 15 A measure in operation (5) 16 Being stupid I omit to include a phrase (5) 18 Feel a bit upset by a trifling annoyance (8) 19 One who hopes to get as good as he gives (8) 21 Share it with Nora perhaps (6) 22 Charm a number at a fashionable meeting (6) 26 Upwards of 101 meeting points (4) 27 Cut down on meat (4)
Across 1 Three of them make a quarter (6) 4 Ten heart operations could signal danger (8) 9 Faultless beginner? (6) 10 A place of grazing (8) 12 Medicine ball? (4) 13 Writer from the US (5) 14 It becomes inflamed by the lash (4) 17 Unable to say why you can’t solve a crossword? (4,3,5) 20 Last thing an American can bet with? (6,6) 23 Just open a grating (4) 24 In time some fellows improve (5) 25 The French way to get fat (4) 28 To each in turn it appears unfinished (8) 29 Economic growth? (6) 30 Left in error (3,5) 31 Seem to be a soft fruit (6)
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Yesterday’s Easy Solution Across: 1 Chief, 4 Goulash, 8 Rat, 9 By oneself, 10 Oneness, 11 Roomy, 13 Shifty, 15 Thanks, 18 Sudan, 19 Vagrant, 21 Out of true, 23 Ass, 24 Finally, 25 Tally. Down: 1 Curious, 2 In the wind, 3 Fable, 4 Grouse, 5 Unearth, 6 Age, 7 Hefty, 12 Of no avail, 14 Tuneful, 16 Satisfy, 17 Overly, 18 Spoof, 20 Great, 22 Tun.
Yesterday’s Cryptic Solution Across: 1 Right, 4 Arbiter, 8 For, 9 Wineglass, 10 Thirsty, 11 Needy, 13 Dealer, 15 Danube, 18 Sheaf, 19 Towpath, 21 Franchise, 23 Ion, 24 Riposte, 25 Tense. Down: 1 Refuted, 2 Germinate, 3 Towns, 4 Annoys, 5 Begonia, 6 Tea, 7 Rusty, 12 Education, 14 Effects, 16 Enhance, 17 Stripe, 18 Safer, 20 Wrest, 22 Asp.
EASY PUZZLE
Across 1 In jeopardy (2,4) 4 Unseemly (8) 9 River of southwest Asia (6) 10 Ambitious (8) 12 Small cut (4) 13 Legal authority (5) 14 An assumed attitude (4) 17 Mentally confused (6-6) 20 With total dedication (5,3,4) 23 Chance (4) 24 British private soldier (5) 25 Very small (4) 28 Nearly (4-4) 29 Central American country (6) 30 Submissive (8) 31 Savagely cruel (6)
Down 1 Right of selfgovernment (8) 2 Killer of a king (8) 3 Slight mistake (4) 5 Ship’s chief police officer (6-2-4) 6 Reproach bitterly (4) 7 Toxic substance (6) 8 Involving hardship (6) 11 One’s native language (6,6) 15 A country’s warships (5) 16 Povertystricken (5) 18 Prevailing (8) 19 Cooperate (4,4) 21 Scowl angrily (6) 22 Weighing machine (6) 26 Warm and comfortable (4) 27 Trade exhibition (4)
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. Solution on Monday 1
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black squa 29, 34, 36, 3 Across: Bra Congests, C Taxied, Nym Down: Jack Idly, Inept, O cAn you crack the Alphabeater? Each grid TArgeT Diarist, Thra number represents a letter – or black square. TooTHACHe Asache in Alphapuzzle, every letter of the alphabet chat cheat coat each hatch CroSS is hatchet used. But you have to heath complete hate hath heat oaththe grid too! Across: FIE tacet tact teachand teatblack that squares below use thetaco given letters Down: SEED thatch theta TOOTHACHE the grid to start. the grid is ‘rotationally
THE ALPHABEAT
TARGET 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.
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3 x Destroyer
2 x cruiser
4 x submarine
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● Alternatively, for six Extra Letter clues t text DXBEAT to 84901. Texts cost £1 plus your
KEIJO 4 4
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Friday, May 28, 2021
The Tribune | Weekend | 07
food
Treats that make you go ‘uh-o’ By ALESHA CADET | Tribune Features Writer | acadet@tribunmedia.net
F
ried Oreo cookies were just the start for Marvie Hepburn who wants to share her love of fun-filled food with Bahamians and has created a company to do just that. Marvie discovered the joy of fried Oreos during one of her travels abroad and decided to bring them home to share with others. Since then, she has been experimenting with all kinds of different flavours and textures, and coming up with such creations as a cinnamon bun fried Oreo covered in a special blend she calls “CinnUHdust”. “Fried Oreos was something I did only for friends and family. They kept encouraging me to sell and convinced me that it was definitely something other persons would love. With their help, encouragement and my desire to share my love of fun food with others, I created social media pages and started taking and filling orders,” she said. This eventually led to her coming up with the idea for the Uh-O Factory. After some setbacks, Marvie was able to get the business off the ground thanks to the support from family, friends and members of The Girl Boss Network. “To some it may seem small, but to me it was a victory. Since then, Uh-O has blossomed. We’ve grown our client base, social media, menu, and we’ve been showing up at local pop-ups,” she said. In addition to her popular fried Oreos that come in several flavours – including red velvet and tutti frutti – Marvie makes what she calls “fun fried” Nutter Butters, s’mores marshmallow bars and a milk drink called LITBulbs, which comes in a light bulb shaped container. “The way I see it, fun foods are forever. Whether it’s now or 20 years from now, there will be people like myself who simply enjoy an amazing treat and love creative foods even more,” she said. Marvie, who hopes to one day have her own storefront and even franchise, said the name “Uh-O” comes from inside joke between her and her late mother. “It was an expression used when we made addicting, delicious desserts together. I felt it would be a way to keep her close and honour her memory,” she said. For the remainder of the year, Marvie hopes to have the Uh-O Factory show up as many pop-up and private events as possible, and even maybe at a few cultural events if COVID-19 allows. “We are in the lab working on a few fun flavors to add to our menu for the upcoming holiday season,” she added. The Uh-O Factory is a home-based business that offers pick-up and delivery services. It can be found on Facebook and Instagram under ‘uhofactory’.
10 | The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, May 28, 2021
community Top-ranked mariner sets sights on becoming first Bahamian captain of a Royal Caribbean ship
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s a toddler, Ivanna Seymour’s mother called her a “water baby”. Now, as a mature mariner, Ivanna hopes the crew of a Royal Caribbean cruise ship will one day call her captain. If she makes that rank, and she is working towards it – she’s now the fifth-highest ranking bridge officer in a crew of 1,200 on theNavigator of the Seas – Ivanna will become the first Bahamian woman to captain a cruise ship of that magnitude with responsibility for anywhere between 1,200 and 2,500 other crew members in addition to up to 6,800 guests.
It’s a career she has been preparing for since she first went to sea, crewing on the Dean’s Shipping mailboat, the MV Legend. At 18 and fresh out of St Augustine’s College, she spent a year working on the ship making regular hops between West Palm Beach, Green Turtle Cay and Marsh Harbour in the Abacos and Nassau. She also crewed on its frequent charters to islands throughout the Bahamas. Ivanna’s love of math, her determination to learn celestial navigation and her instinctual understanding of ship stability and loading factors drove her to go further at sea. She
SECOND officer Ivanna Seymour, fifth ranking bridge officer in a crew of 1,200 on Navigator of the Seas, has her sights set high. She aims to be the first Bahamian captain of a Royal Caribbean ship. did what few have ever done – being one woman among an all-male crew aboard a cargo ship, sometimes out to sea for months. The job was through the Bahamas-based Campbell Shipping. The voyages were worldwide. “We went all over, one day we’d be doing China to Vancouver and the next we’d be doing South America to Europe,” said Ivanna, now 29. In her early 20s, often with crew who hailed from India, she drew on every ounce of mental strength she had. It wasn’t just the obvious concern about being the only woman in a crew of 24 in an isolated world, the worst part was the daily treatment. “In the beginning, I was assigned jobs every day like chipping, painting and mopping when I really wanted to be on the bridge, learning everything I could,” she said. Refusing to break under the gender prejudice, Seymour took it upon herself to learn on her own what she could about cargo loading, ship husbandry, meteorology and celestial navigation. Finally, on her second contract with the company, a new captain recognised her commitment and took the time to teach her. She remained with Campbell Shipping for six and half years, working on bulk carriers, spending Christmases and birthdays thousands of miles from home. Contracts were seven months on, two months off. During the offtime, she studied. She earned licences from South Tyneside College in the UK and elsewhere. Today, Ivanna holds the highest certification earned by a Bahamian woman, Chief Officer Unlimited, and she is close to earning her Master Mariner licence. Her most frightening moment came during a freak storm. “We were a few miles off the coast of China on our way to Canada
when we were hit by a typhoon,” she recalled. “We were literally ‘dancing’ on the bridge. I was sitting in a chair and the rogue wave came up and flung the chair. I slid from the port side all the way to the starboard.” The storm blew up so suddenly, crew members had no time to tie themselves to lifelines. Not worried that she could have been tossed overboard, she was fearful that the 189-metre ship (620 feet long) would capsize,” she said. “I think people think the life aboard cargo ships is easy, but it is much more difficult. You are very isolated, you have to be very strongwilled. You are all alone for long periods of time.” With certifications and licences in hand, Ivanna left the cargo world, took a chance, and applied online for a position at Royal Caribbean. In March 2019, she landed the job and is now second officer in charge of all life-saving and firefighting equipment and appliances and keeping navigational watch on the 3,800-passemger, 1,020-foot-long Navigator of the Seas. She had one good year before the pandemic hit, leading to the ship being at anchor for 14 months. “I love it,” she said. “Coming from cargo ships to passenger ships, it was like starting life over, going from isolation to being with people who are having fun and thoroughly enjoy their job. And I love the atmosphere at Royal Caribbean. They are always encouraging you to learn more, study more, take this training, do that so you can move up within the company. It’s a great atmosphere.” If Ivanna gets her wish to captain a Royal Caribbean Group ship, she will be the first Bahamian, but not the first woman overall. In 2007, Royal Caribbean named Swedish mariner Karin Stahre-Janson captain of Monarch of the Seas, and in 2015, Kate McCue, 43, became the first American female captain when she took the helm of Royal Caribbean Group’s Celebrity Summit. Today, McCue is captain of the luxury cruise line’s newest ship, Celebrity Edge. Ivanna may not have a quarter million Instagram followers like McCue just yet, but she has a family that is continually amazed by and proud of her. “I set out a goal and I am accomplishing it. One day, I will be the first female Bahamian captain on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship. One day in the next eight to 10 years,” she said.
The Tribune | Weekend | 11
Friday, May 28, 2021
books
New releases this week • Legacy by Nora Roberts (mystery/ thriller)
The first time Adrian met her father was the day he tried to kill her... Adrian Rizzo didn’t have the easiest childhood, to put it mildly, but she’s worked hard to put it behind her and to the outside world she is a beautiful young woman with a successful, highprofile career and a wonderful family and friends. When, out of the blue, she receives a death threat in the post, she is shocked but puts it down to someone’s jealousy of her success and tries to forget about it. But Adrian doesn’t realise that it’s more than just spite. Someone is very, very angry about her happy life and will stop at nothing to bring it all crashing down.
• Love The Way You Kiss Me by W Winters and Amelia Wilde (romance)
“I was born into luxury and used to getting what I wanted. What I desired most, with my life in disarray, was the man who sat across from me. He was tall, dark and handsome, but, most notably, forbidden... “He was my protector and my confidant and then he became my lover. I teased him, tempted the two of us and now there’s no way to take it back. With everything I’ve been through, I didn’t expect to fall for him. There’s only so much heartache I can take. No one can know, not a soul, but secrets in the life I lead never last for long.”
• The Cave Dwellers by Christina McDowell They are the families considered worthy of a listing in the exclusive Green Book—a discriminative diary created by the niece of Edith Roosevelt’s social secretary. Their aristocratic bloodlines are woven into the
very fabric of Washington— generation after generation. Their old money and manner lurk through the cobblestone streets of Georgetown, Kalorama, and Capitol Hill. They only socialise within their inner circle, turning a blind eye to those who come and go on the political merry-goround. These parents and their children live in gilded existences of power and privilege. But what they have failed to understand is that the world is changing. And when the family of one of their own is held hostage and brutally murdered, everything about their legacy is called into question. They’re called The Cave Dwellers.
• Maverick: A Biography of Thomas Sowell by Jason L Riley (non-fiction)
Thomas Sowell is one of the great social theorists of our age. In a career spanning more than a half century, he has written over thirty books, covering topics from economic history and social inequality to political theory, race, and culture. His bold and unsentimental assaults on liberal orthodoxy have endeared him to many readers but have also enraged fellow intellectuals, the civil-rights establishment, and much of the mainstream media. The result has been a lack of acknowledgment of his scholarship among critics who prioritize political correctness. In the first-ever biography of Sowell, Jason L Riley gives this iconic thinker his due and responds to the detractors. Maverick showcases Sowell’s most significant writings and traces the life events that shaped his ideas and resulted in a Black orphan from the Jim Crow South becoming one of our foremost public intellectuals.
12 | The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, May 28, 2021
literary lives - Audrey Hepburn (1929 -1993) – Part I
A Dutch girl survives WWII to become one of Hollywood’s most iconic stars Sir Christopher Ondaatje remembers the British actress and humanitarian recognised as a film and fashion icon, and one of the greatest screen legends in Golden Age Hollywood. “I probably hold the distinction of being one movie star who, by all laws of logic, should never have made it. At each stage of my career, I lacked the experience.” - Audrey Hepburn Audrey Hepburn was born Audrey Kathleen Ruston on May 4, 1929, at 48 Rue Keyenveld in Ixelles, Brussels in Belgium. Her mother was a Dutch noblewoman, the daughter of Baron Aarnoud van Heemstra, Mayor of Arnhem from 1910 to 1920, and then Governor of Dutch Surinam from 1921 to 1928. Her father, Victor Ruston, had been Honorary British Consul in Semarang in the Dutch East Indies, and prior to his marriage to Hepburn’s mother had been married to Cornelia Bisschop – a Dutch heiress. He changed his name to Hepburn-Ruston, mistakenly believing himself descended from James Hepburn, third husband of Mary, Queen of Scots.
Hepburn’s parents married in Batavia, Dutch East Indies, in September 1926. Soon afterwards they moved to London where Ruston worked for tin merchants MacLaine, Watson and Company – eventually moving to Brussels and settling in the municipality of Linkebeek in 1932. Hepburn’s early childhood was privileged, learning Dutch and English from her parents and varying degrees of French, German, Spanish and Italian from travelling with her father. In the mid 1930s, Hepburn’s parents recruited and collected donations for the British Union of Fascists. After a nasty scene in Brussels, Hepburn’s father left the family and moved to London and became more estranged and more involved with the Fascist movement. Hepburn, then six years old and known as Adriaantje in the family, remembers her father leaving, and counted it as the most traumatic incident of her life. Her parents
divorced in June 1939 and her father never visited his daughter again. However, in the 1960s, Hepburn located her father in Dublin through the Red Cross, and although they remained emotionally detached, she supported him financially for the rest of her life. In 1935, Hepburn’s mother moved with the young Adriaantje and her two half brothers from her former marriage to the family estate in Arnhem, from where she was sent to Kent, England and educated at a small independent school in Elham. When Britain declared War on Germany in 1939, Hepburn’s mother brought her daughter back to Arnhem hoping that, as during the First World War, the Netherlands would remain neutral, and would not be subject to a German attack. Hepburn went to the Arnhem Conservatory from 1939 to 1945, taking ballet lessons under the tutelage of Winja Marova, becoming her star pupil. After the Germans
invaded the Netherlands in 1940, Hepburn used the name of Edda van Heemstra – because an English sounding name was considered dangerous. “Had we known that we were going to be occupied for five years, we might have all shot ourselves. We thought it might be over next week ... six months ... next year ... that’s how we got through.” - Audrey Hepburn Hepburn’s uncle, Otto van Limburg Stirum, was executed for an act of sabotage by the Resistance Movement. One of her half-brothers was deported to Belgium to work in a German labour camp, and her other half-brotherhid to avoid the same fate. After her uncle’s execution, Hepburn moved with her mother to nearby Velp to live with her grandfather Baron Aarnoud van Heemstra. While there, Hepburn
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Friday, May 28, 2021
performed silent ballet dance performances to raise money for the Dutch Resistance. She also gave underground concerts to raise money, delivered underground newspapers, messages and food to downed Allied flyers hiding in the woods north of Velp. She worked in a Velp hospital at the centre of resistance activities, and her family hid a paratrooper in their home during the Battle of Arnhem. Sadly, she also witnessed the transportation of Jews by train to concentration camps. “More than once I was at the station seeing trainloads of Jews being transported, seeing all these faces over the top of the wagon ... one little boy standing with his parents on the platform, very pale, very blond, wearing a coat that was much too big for him. I was a child observing a child.” - Audrey Hepburn Conditions deteriorated badly in Arnhem after the D-Day landings and a Dutch famine followed the winter of 1944. The Germans blocked food supplies for the Dutch in retaliation and Hepburn’s family was reduced to making flour out of tulip bulbs. Hepburn developed acute anaemia and oedema as a result of the malnutrition. The van Heemstra family also lost many of their properties, including their principal estate in Arnhem. They were seriously affected financially. It was a severe blow when the family lost their fortune. After the war ended in 1945, Hepburn moved with her mother to Amsterdam where she began ballet lessons under Sonia Gaskell, a leading Dutch ballet figure, and Russian teacher Olga Tarasova. In Amsterdam with no money, Hepburn’s mother worked as a cook and housekeeper for a wealthy family while Hepburn made her film debut – as an air stewardess in Dutch in Seven Lessons (1948). She then moved to London where she got a ballet scholarship with Ballet Rambert. She supported herself with part-time model work and dropped “Ruston” from her surname. Sadly, she was also informed that, despite her talent, her weak constitution from wartime malnutrition would never allow her to reach her goal of being a prima ballerina. It was only
then that she decided to concentrate on acting.
- AH Weiler The New York Times
“I’ve been lucky. Opportunities don’t often come along. So, when they do, you have to grab them.”
Not surprisingly, Hepburn was signed to a seven-picture contract with Paramount Pictures, with 12 months in between films to allow her time for stage work.
- Audrey Hepburn Hepburn was then offered a bit-part in a small 1952 film being shot in both English and French, Monte Carlo Baby (Nous Irons à Monte Carlo). Curiously the French novelist Colette was at the Hôtel de Paris in Monte Carlo and caught a glimpse of her. Fascinated with her face, she immediately decided to cast Hepburn in the title role in the Broadway play Gigi. She had never spoken a word on stage before and needed private coaching. When Gigi opened at the Fulton Theatre on November 24, 1951, she received considerable praise despite criticism that the English stage version was inferior to the French film adaptation. Hepburn was a hit and praised by both Life magazine and The New York Times. It was a new face and a surprising new character. The play ran for 219 performances, closing on May 31, 1952, before going on tour to Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Chicago, Detroit, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, and closing on May 16, 1963, in San Francisco. During the successful Gigi tour, Hollywood scouts reported the success of the new acting star, and even though Elizabeth Taylor had been chosen by the producers of Roman Holiday (1953) to play the part of Princess Ann, a European princess who escapes the reins of royalty to experience a wild night out in Rome with an American newsman played by Gregory Peck, the film’s director William Wyler was so impressed with Hepburn’s screen test that he cast Hepburn instead. A star was born. “She had everything I was looking for: charm, innocence, and talent. She was also very funny. She was absolutely enchanting.” - William Wyler Soon after filming started the plan was to have only Gregory Peck’s name in large type above the Roman Holiday title. But Peck, realising the Hepburn discovery, insisted that
Paramount did not waste any time. They chose Billy Wilder’s romantic comedy Sabrina (1954) for Hepburn’s next starring role. In a Cinderella-like-story, wealthy brothers Humphrey Bogart and William Holden compete for their chauffeur’s daughter. Hepburn was again nominated for the 1955 Academy Award for Best Actress (losing to Grace Kelly in The Country Girl), but won the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a leading role. HEPBURN had ambitions to become a prima ballerina, but effects from malnutrition during the war prevented her from achieving her dream her name appear before the title in type as large as his. So despite her negligible film experience and her first Hollywood film, the producers wisely listened to Gregory Peck’s demand. “You’ve got to change that because she’ll be a big star, and I’ll look like a big jerk.” - Gregory Peck Roman Holiday was an immediate box-office success, and Hepburn gained critical acclaim for her portrayal, unexpectedly winning an Academy Award for Best Actress, a BAFTA Award for Best British Actress in a Leading Role, and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama in 1953. “Although she is ... a newcomer to films, Audrey Hepburn, the British actress who is being starred for the first time as Princess Ann, is a slender, elfin, and wistful beauty, alternately regal and childlike in her profound appreciation of newfound, simple pleasures and love. Although she bravely smiles her acknowledgement of the end of that affair, she remains a pitifully lonely figure facing a stuffy future.
“(She is) a young lady of extraordinary range of sensitive and moving expressions within such a frail and slender frame. She is even more luminous as the daughter and pet of the servants’ hall than she was as a princess last year, and no more than that can be said.” -Bosley Crowther The New York Times Hepburn returned to the stage in 1954 playing a water nymph in Ondine who falls in love with a human. Again, she won plaudits for her performance in the fantasy play – and was able to translate the play’s intangibles into the language of the theatre. She won the 1954 Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play, and also won the heart of her co-star Mel Ferrer. They began a relationship and were married in Switzerland on September 25, 1954. To be continued... •Sir Christopher Ondaatje is the author of The Last Colonial. He acknowledges that he had quoted liberally from Wikipedia; Audrey Hepburn (1994) by Warren G. Harris; Audrey Hepburn, an Elegant Spirit (2005) by Sean Ferrer; Audrey Hepburn: A Biography (2009) by Martin Gitlin; and Dutch Girl: Audrey Hepburn and World War II (2019) by Robert Matzen.
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history
The adventures of Frank Chapman – Part II A voyage on the Gloria
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n another visit to the Bahamas in 1902, Frank M Chapman, an authority on birds and the curator of ornithology at the American Museum of Natural History, sailed from Miami, on the Gloria, en route to Mangrove Cay, Andros - a trip that was expected to take three or four days. They left Miami on May 4 and dropped anchor at Mangrove Cay on May 17. Here is his account of the journey: “Calms, squalls, head winds, deceptive currents, shoals, reefs and coral heads all fell to our lot . . . at nightfall, the Bahamian pilot ran us hard and fast aground, on a lee shore, at high tide . . . the whole expedition seemed threatened with an untimely end. Indeed, subsequent experience in these waters indicated that, on this occasion, we must have been under the protection of a special Providence. We were without barometer or adequate charts and not a man aboard the ship had ever been over the route before. Sighting Great Isaac’s light at sunset, we continued running all night . . . with a northeast wind, in the hope of passing northward of the Joulter Cays. At daybreak, land was in sight to the southward but, comparatively speaking, we hadn’t much more idea what it was, than Columbus had, under not dissimilar conditions in these waters, some years before. We, however, understand the language of the Bahamians and, overhauling a sponging sloop, whose captain expressed his wonder at ‘de fly away ting’ bearing down on him. We learned that the land ahead of us was Red Bay Settlement! . . . we had gone to the leeward, instead of to the windward, of the Joulter Cays and were at the northwest, not the northeast, of Andros and, apparently, would have to put back virtually to the place we had left the preceding evening . . . When the captain of the sponger learned that we drew only three-and-a-half
PAUL C ARANHA
FORGOTTEN FACTS feet of water, with our centre board up, he offered (for two pounds, but accepted two dollars) to pilot us through a passage immediately north of Andros., a route that promised to save us two days; we placed the Gloria in his hands, with the result that we ran aground. We had abundant opportunity, next day, to visit the surrounding cays but, aided by an exceptionally high tide and much work at the capstan, by the crew and various Andros islanders, who had been attracted by the mishap, the Gloria was drawn, inch by inch, into deeper water. The following day, we reached Nicholls Town, near the northeast extremity of Andros … Asking for the post office, we were shown to a one-room building where, ignoring our enquiry about outgoing mail, the very dignified, very reserved and very formal Resident Magistrate proceeded to inquire whence, and how, we had come and whither we were going. We answered that we were from Florida. ‘Ah, a foreign country’, he observed. Had we ‘made entry at the Biminis? Nassau?” No, we said, Nicholls Town was our first port, whereupon this representative of
THE GLORIA King Edward, in a voice vibrant with the authority of the whole British Government, said ‘Do you know, sirs, that you have committed a great crime?’ We had landed on English territory without calling at a duly accredited port of entry . . . we were subject to arrest, fine and imprisonment, as smugglers and pirates. We explained and apologised and the magisterial authority, having been duly asserted, were permitted, with a warning, to proceed on our way. We had just experienced an amusing bit of comic opera made even more amusing when, several weeks later, we learned that this Resident Magistrate had been apprehended for larceny in office.” ORNITHOLOGIST Frank M Chapman (1864 - 1945)
• For questions and comments, send an e-mail to islandairman@ gmail.com
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animals
Whale strandings By KIM ARANHA Animal Matters
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here appears to have been a rash of whale strandings of late. I was recently reading about a baby minke whale who somehow got herself into the Thames River all the way up to the Richmond Lock. The sightings were plenty; she got herself as far as Barnes and they were able to secure her to tow her to safety, but somehow, she was able to escape and get to the Richmond area, stuck on boat rollers in the actual lock. Scores of rescue workers came to her aid: police, fire crews and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. She was hosed down with water, and they were able to move her to the Whipsnade Zoo to enable a veterinarian to evaluate her and decide if she could be released back into the wild. Alas, during her time stuck in the river she was most certainly starved and was malnourished. Her condition was rapidly deteriorating and they put her to sleep humanely to avoid additional suffering. They thought that the young whale was probably no more than two years old and would have, therefore, been dependent upon her mother for sustenance. In spite of her youth, she was 13 feet 8 inches long. All grown up, she would have been approximately 33 feet long. The minke whale is the smallest of the great whales and they are found throughout the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. There will be a postmortem to try and see what her overall physical condition was. There are thousands of strandings of whales and porpoises during every calendar year. In the United Kingdom alone there are some one thousand, and of that one thousand about forty are minke whales. We will probably not know why or how this particular female got separated from her mother, but we do know that the outcome was disastrous, and this lovely animal had to be euthanised in spite of all the people who tried to save her. The mystery is simply this: Why are there all these strandings?
Lots of people have theories, but there is nothing concrete that we can hang our hat on and try to change to protect and help these animals. Back in February, a group of 28 pilot whales beached themselves in New Zealand twice over the period of two days. Sadly, they were originally a group of fifty near a place called Farewell Spit, which is strangely known for being the site of mass beachings. Scores of rescuers came out and were successful in floating the 28 survivors. The first time they floated them they stayed curiously near shore and proceeded to beach themselves a second time. However, the second floating proved the charm and they stayed away and went on their way. As hard as we try to find out the reasons, and with all the research, we still do not know the definitive reason for why whales strand themselves. It appears that it has been going on since the beginning of time. There are records of whale beachings from as far back as 300 BC. Nowadays there seem to be more strandings, but is that because communications are better and we are hearing of them more frequently? The internet allows us to know what is happening on the other side of the world within minutes. In the old days it would take months, if the newspapers bothered to write about it at all.
A MAN hoses down a young female minke whale that was stuck at Richmond Lock, London, earlier this month after it became stranded in the River Thames in south-west London. (Photo/David Kors via AP) There is a theory that because of all the chemicals in the sea and pollution in the water some whales are being born deformed and mentally impaired. This theory has not been substantiated. Another common concept is that man-made sonar is interfering with the whale’s echolocation, causing the whale to become disoriented. We don’t know yet what the cause is, but it’s most certainly an unfortunate occurrence and we should all be tremendously grateful to those wonderful and compassionate souls who do everything in their power to save those gentle giants of the sea. The same theories also apply to the frequent porpoise beachings that occur, sometime hundreds at a time.
pet of the week
near future. If you’ve been looking for a dog that’s beyond those puppy antics, Nefertiti might just be the right fit for you. Give the Bahamas Humane Society a call at 323-5138 to find out more information. Nefertiti looks forward to meeting you!
A queen among dogs By THE BAHAMAS HUMANE SOCIETY
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ew to the BHS, Nefertiti was a bit overwhelmed by the whole crate experience, but she perked right up when volunteer Shelley brought her out to the garden. Nefertiti’s about three years old and fairly mellow. She’s good with people and might even get along with a cat or two. She hasn’t yet been dog-tested, but that’s in her
Does one confused porpoise swim towards shallow water and the rest of the pod follow blindly? Yet they are such very intelligent animals, surely, they would not behave like a bunch of lemmings? It is sad, and the little whale swimming up the Thames in London would have made the most marvellous story if only the outcome had been different. If only we could save all the animals in need and keep the environment safer for them. There are so many things that we can do to help Mother Earth become a safer place for all who inhabit her, and yet it is frustrating to realise how many people do not give a toss. One step at a time, I guess.
Photo/Linda Gill-Aranha
•The BHS Thrift Shop is open. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 11am to 3pm and Saturday from 10am to 2pm. We sell gently used items to raise funds for the shelter. If you’d like to donate, we’d be grateful to accept your donation. If the shop is closed, please leave them in the main shelter. Thank you!
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gardening
Caring for St Augustine grass
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t Augustine turf grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum) is most often referred to locally as crab grass (I have no idea why) and it is the most commonly used grass in the Bahamas. Again, I have no idea why, except to say that it is lower in cost than most other lawn grass types available. There’s a catch here; low cost up-front equals higher cost in the long run, specifically due to its heavy nutrient needs, high demand for water (especially in extended periods of drought), and a large amount of pest and disease issues that often require herbicides or pesticides to remedy, all of which comes at a cost annually or biannually at the least. St Augustine grass is widely adapted to warm, humid regions of the world. It produces a deep green, lush, and dense lawn that withstands a moderate amount of salt. There are several cultivars available in the market, with some being more shade tolerant than others, as well as some dwarf cultivars that are less commonly available. The predominant cultivar available in our market is called ‘Floritam” which was jointly released by the University of Florida and Texas A & M university in the 1970s. ‘Floritam’ was developed specifically for its resistance to chinch bug (Blissus insularus), but that resistance has mostly been lost over time and chinch bug regularly causes brown patches and is a major pest of all St Augustine types. ‘Floritam’ does not tolerant shade as well as some other cultivars, and typically requires at least six hours of direct sun each day. It is easy and quick to establish, but it is only established through vegetative propagation, meaning that plant parts with growing points are used for planting rather than seed (sod, plugs, sprigs). Seed for St Augustine is not available. One thing that is important to note: ‘Floritam’ is not tolerant of herbicides (weed killer, weed and feed, etcetera) that contain Atrazine, specifically when applied at temperatures above 85°Fahrenheit (like for most of the time for many of our islands). Atrazine is a common component of many lawn grass herbicides, so, it is important to take note of the active ingredient in any weed and feed or herbicide that you may be looking to purchase and avoid Atrazine on ‘Floritam’ when temperatures are nearing or above 85° F. Another common mistake in the care of St Augustine grass locally is that of mowing too low. The recommended height for mowing standard cultivars of St Augustine grass is 3.5 to 4 inches. This height gives the most dense and healthy lawn. Anything less, and the grass is at risk being scalped which leads to brown patches and defeats the purpose of the attempt at a lush, green lawn. Mowing too low often occurs when the schedule of mowing is irregular and I especially see it occur when it is left too long between mowing, when
many people have the impetus to cut St Augustine shorter than is recommended (your place of purchase should be informing of preferred mowing heights!) to attempt to keep it lower for longer periods of time. Mowing too low does not serve to create a dense, thick, lush lawn that many desire. I will be honest; I despise St Augustine grass. While it can serve to create a lovely looking lawn when maintained properly, it is a demanding grass in regard to mowing, spraying, fertilizing, watering, et al (cost input). St Augustine does not tolerate foot traffic very well, and it does not tolerate vehicular traffic at all. It is hungry, it is thirsty (except when we get heavy rains) and it is prone to pests and disease. Beware when shopping for treatments, and double-check labels to ensure that products are suitable for the specific type of grass that makes up your lawn (again, your place of
ST AUGUSTINE grass, better known as crab grass locally, should never be mowed too low purchase should inform you of the specific cultivar being sold or used). I prefer Zoysia grasses, for many reasons that I intend to write about later. A gorgeous lawn requires work, time, and cost inputs such as chemicals and gasoline to maintain that postcard look that many wish to see. Consider the necessary inputs if you are planning to establish a new lawn, and I would highly suggest researching other types such as Zoysia that may cost more up front, but I guarantee you that they will save that same amount of money in the time ahead in the ease of care and less demand for cost inputs. Mow regularly, water only when needed, and spray for pests, fungus etcetera as a preventative (again, consult with your place of purchase to ensure that they inform you of correct timing of preventative treatments to avoid overuse of chemicals, both for cost factors, and environmental factors). Good luck with that St Augustine grass, and as always, I wish you happy gardening! • Adam Boorman is the nursery manager at the Fox Hill Nursery. You can contact him with any questions you may have, or topics you would like to see discussed, at gardening242@gmail.com.