Friday, July 8, 2022
crafts interview home gardening history community puzzles animals
Weekend
Dundas in need of funds Page 03
Beauties on parade Miss Bahamas Universe contestants unveiled
pgs 08 +09
02 | The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, July 8, 2022
home
How to create a gallery wall
W
hen you think of what makes a home a home and not just a house, no doubt you envision family photos in frames and on walls. As I stare at my own walls, which still remain a blank canvas daring me to address them after more than a year, I can’t help it, I feel overwhelmed. There are several walls just crying out for images, whether an original art piece, a print, a black and white photo or colorful family photos, yet I’ve been so project paralyzed that I have not printed, framed or hung a single wall of images. If that’s how you feel, I totally get it because playing with a wall isn’t like juggling furniture. If you don’t like a coffee table here, you can move it there. No, a wall is the hard stuff and you want perfection. So here are a few tips I am going to use to guide me through it in the coming weeks. This is a project we can tackle together. I will focus on a single space -- the stairway wall and start there. It’s 12-feet high, about 4-feet wide and truthfully, I don’t have a vision, except after considering a mirror, I decided it’s the perfect place for a collage of family and travel photos. Because I plan to use various size pieces and will be creating a random art wall, I will start by making templates, cutting out brown paper resembling the size of each piece. I’ll tape each up with
removable painter’s tape until I have achieved the ultimate arrangement. If taping up on a wall seems precarious, you can also measure your wall space and lay out the design of art and photos on the floor, experimenting until you are satisfied. Leave the same amount of space in between photos, generally two to four inches. If you are working with photos but prefer a cleaner look, print all photos the same size and use the same mat and frame for an orderly, cohesive look but remember that the rule of three applies. Hang in threes along one horizontal or vertical line or group in 4, 6, 8, or 9 depending on the wall size. Just a helpful tip generally even numbers work well in regimented groups of the same size. Utilise odd numbers for more random arrangements or collections. If you have knickknacks that you would like to showcase along with your images, try a floating shelf and stand the works on the shelf with different objects. Play around with short, medium and tall objects until everything feels balanced. If your style is even more eclectic introduce hanging planters, wall décor and mirrors in your grouping. The most important thing is showing your unique style in a way that makes you happy. Whatever the area you are working with, don’t leave massive empty space between pieces.
Centre the works above your sofa, console or hallway wall. If you find you have too much empty space then you may need to buy more art instead of spacing the pieces wider! After you have settled on an arrangement, consider frame colour. Do you want them all the same colour or various colours? Do you want them to stand out or be slightly subtler? Only after all that, do you – do we -- start to hang. The centre of an artwork should be about 56”- 60” from the ground. If you are doing a clustered grouping, keep this in mind as this should be your center as you work your way outward. As you stand back and admire your completed work, the gallery wall should showcase your individual style and help make your house a home.
RULE of three applies, making even a small space artistic and cool. (Photo_Woodgrain Cottage)
SIMILAR matting and framing provide a cohesive look, drawing the eye toward the art. (Photo_MKEnvision)
KEEP random shapes of artwork between two and four inches apart. (Photo courtesy of Pampas Gal)
• Brooke Pyfrom is the proprietor of Oasis, Sandyport, and Oasis, East Shirley Street. She sources exceptional pieces from around the world to combine trendy with traditional.
LIFE BY DESIGN
BROOKE PYFROM
The Tribune | Weekend | 03
Friday, July 8, 2022
theatre
Saving the arts – Dundas Theatre needs $150,000 to re-open By JEFFARAH GIBSON | Tribune Features Writer | jgibson@tribunemedia.net
T
he Dundas Centre for the Performing Arts – the only community arts theatre in the Bahamas – is seeking to raise $150,000 to make much needed repairs that will enable the centre to reopen to the general public after being closed for 18 months. In March 2020, the Dundas was closed under Emergency Orders. It was not given permission to open until late summer 2021. During that time, the airconditioning system for the 330-seat Winston V Saunders theatre seized up. Installed in the early 1980s, all units died from inactivity. The centre is appealing to members of the public for donations to repair the airconditioning system so they re-open the theatre. “We are therefore launching a public appeal to help us raise that first $150,000 so that we can get back to work because we have big plans for the next five years. Thanks to the generous gifts of a few benefactors, we have already raised the first $40,000 towards our goal, and we are embarking on a series of fundraising and public awareness campaigns about which you will hear more as we proceed. But first, we want to share some of our achievements over the past two years,” said Dr Nicolette Bethel, chairperson of the Dundas. Although the 80-seat Philip A Burrows Black Box Theatre is functional and available for rent, it alone cannot cover the centre’s operating costs. “The Black Box is operational and functioning, but it is a small space. It cannot accommodate the amount
BACKSTAGE - The Legend of Sammie Swain, 2013 (Photo_Dominic Duncombe)
CLEVELAND Williams plays Sammie Swain, 2013 (Photo_Dominic Duncombe)
SONOVIA Pierre and Alfred Culmer, 2018, Ain’t Misbehaving (Photo_Philip A Burrows)
of people that the main theatre can and we cannot generate the revenue we need to stay open from it,” said Dr Bethel, who is also a writer, playwright and anthropologist. “We can only accommodate about 60 people in the Black Box. When we perform in theatre we only admit people with full vaccination status. We have to be very stringent with the Black.” While shut down, the grounds of the Dundas became the new home for various local food and drink vendors under the umbrella of Tin Ferl. “I know a lot of people thought the Dundas was doing very well because of Tin Ferl. But in fact, the arrangement that we had with them was a nominal arrangement. The rent for them to use the grounds did not cover our overhead. It was not even enough for electricity,” said Dr Bethel. “If we can get the air-conditioning in the main theatre and the roof repairs, we can get the doors opened.” Throughout its 52-year history as a theatre, the Dundas has been a self-supporting entity with no ongoing government or corporate support, producing quality Bahamian theatre through the hard work and dedication of a team of volunteers. But without the main theatre, the board fears the Dundas will not be able to survive. The Dundas board has been completely revamped. Executive members include Adrian Archer as vicechair, Dexter Fernander as treasurer and Claudette Allens as secretary. Completing the executive team are
the manager of the Dundas, Delores Adderley, and the artistic director, Philip A Burrows. The Dundas also has two resident companies: Ringplay Productions, which manages the property, and Shakespeare in Paradise, which produces a theatre festival every October. Together, they are planning big things for 2023. These plans will begin with Shakespeare in Paradise 2022. “We are the only community theatre in the nation. We are working on transforming the Dundas grounds into an active green space for this part of the city, bringing back some food vendors and providing spaces to meet, eat, sit, talk and exercise,” said Dr Bethel. “And as the Bahamas begins to focus more and more on the Orange Economy, we are embarking on a project to professionalise the theatre industry. This will take time, but expect to see the Dundas start to offer workshops and master classes in years to come. And finally, we will continue our developmental plans for the Dundas property. These plans include the creation of the James J Catalyn Outdoor Theatre, the Betty Knowles box office, and the StewartBrown-Pinder multipurpose studio, rehearsal and office building. This $150,000 appeal is only the beginning of a beautiful future.” Donations can be made to the Dundas Civic Centre Royal Bank of Canada account #05745 1181171.
04 | The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, July 8, 2022
interview
Valentino Williams Following the release of his new book, this Bahamian pastor will be speaking at a summit in Texas this weekend about his ideas for dynamic, modern leadership in all areas of life. He tells Cara Hunt how the current state of the world is due to people misunderstanding what true leadership means.
“T
rue leaders do not pass the buck. They take whatever they have been given charge of and take the lead no matter what consequences they face.”
The Tribune | Weekend | 05
Friday, July 8, 2022
A
s the senior pastor of his church, Life Changers Ministries International, Valentino Williams is passionate about helping people develop their leadership capabilities. And now he is taking his principles for effective leadership to the United States, where he will be speaking at a conference attended by more than 200 pastors, church and community leaders. “The call to leadership affects everyone and every aspect of life. It affects the economy, politics, education, business, arts and entertainment, religion, marriage, finances, and the list goes on and on. It is one of the most powerful positions an individual can possess. It dictates whether something will succeed or fail. Without great leadership there can be no true success. If you show me a successful (organisation, marriage etcetera), I can guarantee you that their success is a result of great leadership. Plain and simple, leadership makes the difference,” he said. It was this belief that led him to write his book, “Take the Lead - Practical Principles for Effective Living.” The book was the result of a five-year process from the initial idea to publishing. It is the second book that he has written. “I started writing this book five years ago, but there was a three-year gap in the writing process so it took about two years to write and complete,” he explained. Mr Williams said there are many misconceptions about what leadership is and isn’t. “Some people believe that leadership is about name and prestige, holding position or wielding power. But let me make this clear, leadership is more than a name and a position. Leadership is responsibility. The greater your ability to handle
this
weekend in history July 8 • In 1776, the 2,000-pound copper-and-tin bell today known as the famous “Liberty Bell” rings out from the tower of the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia. It summons citizens to the first public reading of the American Declaration of Independence. • In 1951, the city of Paris,
responsibility, the greater your ability to lead,” he said. He believes leadership was originally designed by God to further advance His kingdom. It is something Mr Williams will be doing at the upcoming conference in Houston, Texas. “Looking at the state of the world today, it is clear we are trying to co-exist within a crisis that I’ve dubbed ‘the leadership dilemma’. One might think this leadership dilemma has just recently surfaced, but a retrospective look into the foundation of the world evinces that this dilemma is an age-old problem that can be traced back to the beginning of time,” he said. Mr Williams used the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden as an example. He said that God gave Adam the responsibly for the garden. “It wasn’t soon after when God’s instruction was disobeyed and Adam breached the cardinal rule of leadership. Do not follow, lead. Adam had reneged on his leadership commitment to God and failed to take responsibility for his actions. Instead, he placed the blame on his wife for eating the fruit. As a leader, you must be prepared to model what you require of those whom you lead, no matter how tempting it is not to. True leaders do not pass the buck. They take whatever they have been given charge of and take the lead no matter what consequences they face,” he said. Mr Williams said while there were many takeaways from the biblical story, the point he wishes to make is that Adam’s failure to take the lead changed the course of the world forever. “In order for the state of the world to improve, we must learn from Adam’s mistakes. There must be a greater focus on developing nurturing and building strong and effective leaders in every sector of society.”
Mr Williams today’s leaders have to adapt to the climate they find themselves in. This, he added, was evident during the COVID -19 pandemic. “It changed the way we do just about everything. From the way we travel to the way we shop, from the way we learn to the way we are entertained, from the way we conduct business to the way we manage our finances literally everything has changed.” He said he the pandemic has taught him that leaders cannot remain static. “Static leaders are not open to new ideas or ways of doing things. They refuse to adapt to their environment, thereby leaving them the traditional and parochial mindset.” Mr Williams said there were many business, churches and other organisations that were forced to close during the pandemic because they were not able to adapt to the new normal. “Effective leadership on the other hand is dynamic and evolving, thereby leaving room for pivots and shifts where necessary.” Mr Williams will be addressing these issues when he speaks at the conference this weekend. “I have an affiliate in Houston who is a part of my global fellowship of churches and organisations who has a strong network of leaders that he works with. We both felt it would be beneficial for me to expose them to some of the new concepts of my new book. So, we got to planning the book tour and leadership summit. And what is coming up this weekend is the fruit of it all,” he said. The “Take the Lead” book tour and leadership summit begins tonight in Houston with a welcome reception, followed by the actual summit on Saturday and concludes with a church service on Sunday at the Faith City Church.
France celebrates its 2,000th anniversary. However, historians estimate the famous City of Lights to be even older, believing it was probably first established in the year 250 BC by a Gallic tribe known as the Parisii, who settled an island (known today as Ile de la Cite) in the Seine River.
Clock” tops the Billboard charts. It is one the bestselling singles of all time and ushers in the rock n’ roll era.
July 10 • In 1040, according to legend, Lady Godiva rides naked on horseback through Coventry to force her husband, the Earl of Mercia, to lower taxes.
July 9 • In 1877, the first All England Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club tournament is held at Wimbledon, which was then an outer-suburb of London. Twenty-one amateurs compete in the Gentlemen’s Singles tournament, the only event at the first Wimbledon. The
LADY Godiva (Painting by John Collier, 1897)
winner, 27-year-old rackets player Spencer Gore, takes home a 25-guinea trophy. • In 1955, Bill Haley & Comets’ single “Rock Around the
• In 1973, the Bahamas becomes a free and sovereign country, ending 325 years of British rule. In 1969, the name Commonwealth of the Bahamas Islands had been adopted, but this was now changed to the Commonwealth of the Bahamas.
audible sign (5) 1 Admission, 7 Amanda, Across: 27 9 Meteors,Friday, 10 Imam, July 12 Gut,8, 2022 13 Haulier, 14 Aim, 15 Ella, 17 Elegiac, 19 Sphere, 20 Footsteps. Down: 1 Admirals, 2 Deem, 3 Mat, 4 Smoulders, 5 Sarnie, 6 Odour, 8 Attracts, 11 Mullet, 13 Hippo, 16 Lamp, 18 Ire.
27 Story’s odd characters getting a protein (4) 28 Comfortable situation for a colourful display? (3,2,5)
06 | The Tribune | Weekend
EMn D E E lA l
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 22; very good 33; excellent 44 (or more). Solution on Monday
Yesterday’s call 0907 181 2585 forAnswer today’s target solution Sudoku *Calls cost 80p per minute plus your telephone company’s network access charge.
BATTLESHIPS CRYPTIC PUZZLE Down 1 Motherly resolution to alter man (8) 2 I can read somehow in bright light (8) 3 You have the right of ownership (4) 5 Priority shown by the vain resident? (5,2,5) 6 Former Olympic boss turns up in Egypt (4) 7 Drink is served about ten by him (6) 8 Resent having to change one’s name (6) 11 It’s too much working to tie on extra (12) 15 Well-equipped resort in a foreign land (5) 16 Container of paper turned into wood (5) 18 They stand to make judgments in the courts (8) 19 Allotted as indicated (8) 21 Throw a line to one in trouble (6) 22 One who mails a bill (6) 26 It sailed in far gone days (4) 27 The carnival produces a lot of sound (4)
Across 1 Presumably he had a good reason for being late (6) 4 He quits for a job at eastern syndicate (8) 9 Monotony I find in strangely muted setting (6) 10 One required to put up the score (8) 12 Study a book about publicity (4) 13 They go round with beers; about ten in number (5) 14 Fail to get a girl’s address (4) 17 Get the job and take a place to work (6,6) 20 I still desire canned drinks they produce (12) 23 Audibly regretted being cross (4) 24 Deftness in a sense (5) 25 Fairy required - some experience necessary (4) 28 Sort of data that’s relevant (8) 29 Minister’s address (6) 30 Pass on the takings (8) 31 It’s written and enclosed (6)
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Yesterday’s Easy Solution Across: 1 Floor, 4 Disrupt, 8 Rut, 9 Go berserk, 10 Overeat, 11 Tacky, 13 Slight, 15 Shears, 18 Stern, 19 Shackle, 21 Inside out, 23 Dud, 24 Freight, 25 Caper. Down: 1 Furious, 2 On the line, 3 Rogue, 4 Debate, 5 Scratch, 6 Use, 7 Tokay, 12 Cracked up, 14 Hangdog, 16 Slender, 17 Escort, 18 Skiff, 20 Attic, 22 Sue.
Yesterday’s Cryptic Solution Across: 1 Hoist, 4 Nullify, 8 Alf, 9 Evergreen, 10 Marshal, 11 Tagus, 13 Nuance, 15 Crusoe, 18 Rayon, 19 Schemer, 21 Cheapjack, 23 Tot, 24 Parasol, 25 Scrum. Down: 1 Head man, 2 Infirmary, 3 Teeth, 4 Needle, 5 Lighter, 6 Ire, 7 Yanks, 12 Gasometer, 14 Canapes, 16 Erratum, 17 Assail, 18 Recap, 20 Hikes, 22 Ear.
EASY PUZZLE
Across 1 Cheap and gaudy (6) 4 Obsessive selfregard (8) 9 Embellish (6) 10 Australian parrot (8) 12 Lie in ambush (4) 13 Elementary (5) 14 A blessing (4) 17 Unintelligible jargon (12) 20 Engage in political scheming (5,3,4) 23 Actor’s part (4) 24 Outspoken (5) 25 Cunning (4) 28 Face up to (8) 29 Regain consciousness (4,2) 30 Embarrassed out of shame (8) 31 State in Swiss confederation (6)
Down 1 Systematic study of religion (8) 2 Person’s entire stock of clothes (8) 3 Sway from side to side (4) 5 Early problems in new project (7,5) 6 To construct (4) 7 Concept (6) 8 Be plentiful (6) 11 Resentment (4,8) 15 Letter denoting first grade (5) 16 Sullen (5) 18 Uncommunicative (8) 19 Make light of (4,4) 21 A summary (6) 22 Brief look (6) 26 Firm hold (4) 27 Very small amount (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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THE ALPHABEATE
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.
U A D E
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The Tribune | Weekend |07
Friday, July 8, 2022
crafts
Crochet chic
By ALESHA CADET | Tribune Features Writer | acadet@tribunemedia.net
C
rochet used to be seen as something grandmothers do, but thanks to social media, this unique type of knitting is making a big
comeback. Not only is it a new skill many acquired during downtime in the pandemic, crochet is now also finding its way into mainstream fashion. This summer, fashionistas predict, crocheting will be one of the big trends. It fits in perfectly with the styles currently being promoted on TikTok, especially the ‘coastal grandmother’ chic and the ‘clean girl’ aesthetic made popular by major influencer Matilda Djerf. Here in the Bahamas, Jonnia “JoJo” Whyms has been somewhat ahead of the curve. In fact, it was five years ago that she first picked up a crochet needle. “This journey as a crochet designer has changed my life in so many ways and became a form of therapy. Every day I challenge myself to design something new,” she told Tribune Weekend. Finally, when she was sufficiently confident in her skills, the 30-yearold crafter decided to launch her brand Krochet Obsession last November. As a home-based business, she offers a variety of crochet clothing items for women and toddlers, as well as accessories and home décor pieces. “I’m inspired by four international crochet designers – Shyler Crochets, Celestial Crocreations, Mihankushea and Jay Styles – all whom I follow on Instagram and TikTok. These beautiful Black women inspire me because they create high-end fashion clothing that you would never imagine could be made from a simple hook and yarn,” she said. Her two other major inspirations are her late mother and grandmother. “I never got the opportunity to meet my mom because she died when I was a toddler, but my oldest sister told me that she crocheted and that’s where I got my talent from. My grandmother was a straw vendor and I have had the privilege to watch her over the years plaiting straw, creating straw bags and designing them, so
“I use a mixture of bright and neutral colours in my pieces. Crochet is a very intricate work of art that cannot be replicated by machine, so each stitch I create is handmade neatly with love.”
JONNIA “JoJo” Whyms has turned her passion for crochet into a business.
the love of craft grew on me,” she said. When she first started, JoJo said she didn’t post lot of her creations on social media because she was afraid that people wouldn’t like the pieces, but it was her small circle of supporters that kept pushing her to continue
creating, posting, and believing in herself and the dream, regardless of what anyone else thought. “I’m so grateful for them. A heartfelt thanks to my circle, y’all know who you are. But most of all I give all the thanks, praise and glory to the Most High for bringing me this far and to this moment,” she said.
“By nature, I am an introvert, but once you get to know me you will grow to love me. I’m a very well mannered, self-disciplined, self-motivated go-getter and once I put my mind to something I’m determined to see it through to completion.” For the summer, JoJo said bright pops of colour, light fabrics and showing of some skin are in. Her most requested products are twopiece beach attire sets and baby photo props. “I use a mixture of bright and neutral colours in my pieces. Crochet is a very intricate work of art that cannot be replicated by machine, so each stitch I create is handmade neatly with love,” she said. “My most memorable client experience was when I made a queen-sized graphghan blanket for a special someone battling cancer. Unfortunately, she passed away; may she rest in peace. It took me roughly one month and couple days to complete this project, but the result was phenomenal, and she loved it.” JoJo’s goals for Krochet Obsession include investing in more materials and the necessary equipment needed to get more exposure both locally and internationally. “Most of all I want to invest in a storefront to cater to locals and tourists. I have strong faith that Krochet Obsession will be a Bahamian handmade brand that people will absolutely love,” she said.
10 | The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, July 8, 2022
gardening
How to attract beneficial insects
G
ood day, gardeners! I often mention about reducing spraying and promoting beneficial insects in the home garden. How do we go about this? As a commercial nurseryman it is essential for the plant material that I sell, to be free of harmful insects and disease at the time of sale. Preferably with as little visible past damage as possible. For plants in the ground, it is not essential that they be pest free (this too shall pass) unless I am seeking to increase a fruit crop yield. The prime example that I can give you in transitioning from spraying chemical treatments (no beneficials can survive) to targeted and minimal spraying of non-chemical treatments (beneficials are not harmed) is my experience with the pink hibiscus mealybug (Maconellicoccus hirsutus). Crop production costs will be increased if growers or property owners attempt to manage mealybug populations by pesticide applications. Chemical solutions and labour both cost money and time. Pesticide applications will disrupt the effective natural enemies of other crop pests, such as mites, scale insects, and whiteflies leading to the application of additional pesticides to control these pests. These additional pesticide applications can contaminate food, water and farm workers. When I moved back to New Providence after college in the US, I was immediately faced with a severe and growing population of the pink hibiscus mealybug. The use of beneficial insects in an Integrated Pest Management programme (IPM) was my immediate plan of action, but keep in mind, this is not something that can happen overnight. Chemical spraying had been going on for 20 years prior to my joining the nursery. It took me the better part of three years to get the problem under control, as one of the first things that I did was to cancel all use of chemical sprays on the property. I am proud to say that over 20 years later, there has not been a single application of chemical sprays other than a very few exceptions of extremely targeted and very limited crop and pest specific applications, essentially, for emergency
use only, which seldom occurs. i.e. money being lost to the pests. What happened after I quit spraying chemicals? It was chaos. I took the problem plant (hibiscus) off the market entirely. The pink hibiscus mealybug also can cause havoc on many other species of plants. To reduce the spread, I mechanically (by hand and clippers) removed severely infected parts of the plants and disposed of them in a sealed bag. I then employed the use of the mealybug destroyer (Cryptolaemus montrouzieri) imported from a beneficial insect lab (there is such a thing!). Eventually with the use of non-chemical sprays, correct timing, and the encouraging, growing and managing of shepherd’s needle and tropical milkweed, for example, I began to create balance by providing alternate homes for pests. These alternatives allowed general pests to also be present, but as they were not sprayed, the beneficial insects are also allowed a place to thrive. There was still hibiscus around, and although I had stopped selling it and spraying for the pink hibiscus mealybug, it too was still present. It killed some plants. It gnarled some
others. By the encouragement of beneficials through the introduction of them and the keeping of host material and the encouragement of other pest cycles on plants that are of little commercial value, it was a long couple of years of a lesson in tolerance. Eventually the beneficials were thriving and our spraying was reduced to what it is now, for emergency use only. There are alternative sprays available, more so today than 20 years ago, Spinosad and neem oil are two that I promote as a least harmful, natural origin, non-toxic option when applied according to label direction of course. Tolerance is probably the key word in all of this. Some folks may find it difficult to increase their tolerance of pests being present. Patience and perseverance are the words that come to mind as encouragement and for what it is worth, balance in the garden is within reach. Don’t freak out when there is some whitefly and mealybug, especially aphids. Aphids are an important precursor to the presence of beneficial insects. Also, this too shall pass. No pest infects a plant forever. Whitefly
can be wiped off of some plants, bird of paradise for example with its large leaves. No garden is balanced or healthy if it is pest free. Isn’t the promotion and appreciation of life one the main reasons for the garden in the first place? Think food and aesthetics. A balanced garden provides food for a much larger lifecycle than our own. Birds and butterflies, anybody? 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.
The Tribune | Weekend | 11
Friday, July 8, 2022
books
The fabric of the Bahamas – New book tells unique stories from history By JEFFARAH GIBSON | Tribune Features Writer | jgibson@tribunemedia.net
I
t has been nearly a half a century since the Bahamas achieved independence in 1973, so it’s the perfect time to reflect on the changes the country has undergone and learn about the moments that have helped shape the Bahamas’ rich story, history and culture. This Sunday, the country officially marks its 49th anniversary, and one Bahamian author is encouraging people to dive into the pages of a new book he has written to learn about the wild and unique stories about this country came to be. These stories are told in Calsey Thompson’s debut book, “The Bahamian Fabric”, which he said features “layers upon layers of extraordinary events stacked like cards in a deck; compressed and shuffled by time, they lay unsorted and vivid as the moment they occur.” Continuing with this metaphor, he said “The Bahamian Fabric” is a royal flush that depicts and shines a spotlight on events that shaped and express Bahamian people.” Mr Thompson was born in a little fishing settlement on north Abaco called Fox Town. “The population on little Abaco is about 1,500. Almost everyone on that part of the island are fishermen. I went to the all-age school on little Abaco and loved island life. I still do,” he told Tribune Weekend. “I came from a family of 16 children, nine boys and seven girls. It was a Christian home, and we went to church every Sunday. We were not wealthy at first, but as the years passed, things got better. I came to Nassau at the age of 16 to finish high school, and then to work. After I finished school, I worked for about two
“The inspiration spawned from the love I have for the Bahamas and our culture, and how some of the younger people are not concerned about preserving our culture. I just had to do something.” years then I went off to college in the United States for a year. I am presently finishing my associate degree in software engineering at BTVI.”
As much as he loves writing, Mr Thompson also enjoys, music, sports, and meeting new people. “I am a lifelong learner. I write poems, songs, and now I have written my first book. I have a passion for science, computer programing, and I am fascinated with outer space.” But before he gets to space, Mr Thompson believes there are still many stories much closer to home that need to be told; unique historical events that have shaped the Bahamas but which have not yet been written down and shared like they should. To do his part in ensuring these stories reach the public, Mr
Thompson decided to put pen to paper and write his first book. “The inspiration spawned from the love I have for the Bahamas and our culture, and how some of the younger people are not concerned about preserving our culture. I just had to do something,” he said. The book the focuses the cultural heritage of and the role which slavery has played in Bahamian culture, Christianity’s impact on the country, and education’s role in liberating Bahamians from poverty and racism. The author also touches on local legends that through their skills and talents have put the Bahamas on the map. In sharing on these various aspects of Bahamian culture, Mr Thompson hopes to highlight the fact that while the Bahamas is a progressive country, it has much catching up to do. “We have come a long way as a people, and the older generation has fought hard and made great sacrifices for us to enjoy the liberties we have today. We should appreciate that. “I want non-Bahamians that read the book to see more of our culture and why they love the Bahamas so much. I want them to see that we have a unique culture that the world loves, and we should appreciate and preserve it,” he said. For more information about the author and his book, contact calseyhthompson@gmail.com.
AUTHOR Calsey Thompson (left) presents his new book to former senator and crime consultant Rodney Moncur
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Friday, July 8, 2022
Literary lives – Audrey Munson (1891 -1996)
The tragic tale of the muse of Manhattan Sir Christopher Ondaatje writes about the American artist’s model and film actress – considered America’s first supermodel. She was known as the “American Venus” and is the inspiration for more than twelve statues in New York City.
unveiled in the Grand Ballroom at the Hotel Astor in Times Square in September 1909. She posed for each of the three graces. For the next ten years Munson posed for a series of freestanding statues in state capitols and major public buildings. By 1915 she was so well known that she became Alexander Stirling Calder’s model of choice when he became Director of Sculpture for the Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco in 1915. She eventually posed for sixty per cent of the sculpture created for the event and earned fame as the “Panama Pacific Girl”. “I detest false modesty. For my part I see nothing shocking in our unclothed bodies.” – Audrey Munson She was a celebrity, and was invited to launch a career in the budding film industry. She starred in four silent movies, including Inspiration (1915) in which she appeared nude, one of the first American actresses to do so in a non-pornographic film. In a story of a sculptor’s model, made by the Thanhouser Film Corporation in New Rochelle, New York, the censors were reluctant to ban the film as they would also have to ban all the
“Long after she and everyone else of this generation shall have become dust, Audrey Munson, who posed for three-fifths of all the statuary of the Panama-Pacific exposition, will live in the bronzes and canvasses of the art centres of the world.” – Virginia Richmond Times-Dispatch, August 1, 1915 Audrey Marie Munson was born in Rochester, New York on June 8, 1891. Her parents divorced when she was eight years old, and her mother moved to Providence, Rhode Island. In 1909, she moved back with her mother to New York City, where the seventeen-year-old Audrey looked for work as an actress and chorus girl. Her first job was as a footman in The Boy and the Girl at the Aerial Gardens of the New Amsterdam Theatre (May 31 – June 19, 1909). She also got work in The Girl and the Wizard, Girlies and La Belle Paree. The photographer Felix Benedict Herzog noticed her shopping on Fifth Avenue, and he asked her to
pose for him in his studio in the Lincoln Arcade Building on Broadway and 65th Street. It was Herzog who introduced her to his friends in the art world. She also posed for William de Lettwich Dodge who subsequently introduced her to Isidore Konti – her first sculptor, and her first nude assignment. She went on to pose for several artists including Francis Coates Jones, Harrison Fisher, Archie Gunn and Charles Dana Gibson, as well as photographer Felix Herzog and Harold Genthe. The first acknowledged credit for Audrey Munson was when she posed MUNSON in the silent film Heedless Moths (1921) for Three Graces by Isidore Konti,
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under Munson’s name exaggerated her fate with anecdotes about her career and warnings about the pitfalls of models. Further investigations showed that the articles had been ghost-written by journalist Henry Leyford Gates. Agent-producer Allen Rock took out advertisements showing a $27,500 cheque he said he had paid Munson for a fourth film Heedless Moths, directed by Robert Z Leonard, she was supposed to star in. She later admitted that the $27,500 cheque was just a publicity stunt.
ONE of the many Audrey Munson-inspired statues, entitled “Beauty,” can be seen at the New York Public Library
ARTICLE published in the Spokane Spokesman-Review on October 24, 1926 made by the American Film Company, directed by Tom Ricketts, completed in 1916, was not released and not copyrighted until 1918. The film may never have been released. Munson returned to New York in December 1916, and was for a while feted as a celebrity in New York and Newport, Rhode Island. Her mother urged her to marry Hermann Oelrichs Jr, the son of a Comstock Lode silver heir, but nothing developed. Looking for publicity she wrote to the US State Department denouncing Oelrichs as part of a German network that had crippled her career as a movie star. She announced that she planned to leave the United States and resume her career in England. “I have been so desperate that I have gone to the newspaper offices and have asked the editors to insert an account of my death.” – Audrey Munson
other popular sculptures that were being created in America. Munson’s films were box office successes. Her second film Purity (1916), made by the American Film Company in Santa Barbara, California, is the only one of her films to survive. It was rediscovered in 1993 in a pornographic collection in France and later acquired by the French National Cinema archive. Her third film, also
In 1919, Audrey Munson was living with her mother in a boarding house in New York at 164 West 65th Street, Manhattan owned by Dr Walter Wilkins. Wilkins fell in love with Munson, and on February 27 murdered his wife, Julia, so he could marry Munson. Munson and her mother left New York but were the subject of a nationwide search ending in Toronto, Canada, where
they were arraigned and questioned by the Burns Detective Agency. Munson denied having any romantic relationship with Dr Wilkins – who was tried, found guilty, and sentenced to the electric chair. He hanged himself in his prison cell before the execution could be carried out. The bad publicity marked the end of Munson’s ten-year modelling career. She continued to seek regular newspaper coverage. “What becomes of the artist’s models? I am wondering if many of my readers have not stood before a masterpiece of lovely sculpture or a remarkable painting of a young girl – her very abandonment of draperies accentuating rather than diminishing her modesty and purity – and asked themselves the question: where is she now – this model who was so beautiful? – Audrey Munson By 1920 Munson was not able to get work anywhere, and was living in Syracuse, New York, supported only by her mother who raised money selling kitchen utensils door-todoor. By the end of the year she was working as a ticket-taker in a dime museum. A series of twenty articles in the Hearst-owned Sunday Magazine
Later that summer in 1921, Munson carried out a nationwide search, carried by United Press, searching for the perfect man to marry her. She ended the futile search in August claiming that she didn’t want to get married anyway. She was arrested on October 3, 1921 at the Royal Theatre in St Louis on a morals charge relating to her personal appearance with the film Innocence - a reissue of her second film Purity (1916) in which she had starred. She was acquitted along with her manager Ben Judell. She continued appearing in St. Louis, with screenings of Innocence, adopting a new series of poses from famous paintings. On May 27, 1922, Munson attempted suicide by swallowing a solution of bichloride of mercury. On June 8, 1931, Audrey Munson’s mother petitioned a judge to commit her to a lunatic asylum. The Oswego County judge ordered Munson to be admitted into a psychiatric facility for treatment. She remained in the St Lawrence State Hospital for the insane in Ogdensburg, where she was treated for depression and schizophrenia for sixty-five years. For decades she had no visitor at the asylum, but she was rediscovered by a half-niece Darlene Bradley in 1984 when she was ninety-three. Several years after having a stroke, Munson died on February 20, 1996 at the age of 104. • Sir Christopher Ondaatje is the author of The Last Colonial. The author acknowledges that he has quoted liberally from Wikipedia; and The Curse of Beauty: The Scandalous and Tragic Life of Audrey Munson, America’s First Supermodel (2016) by James Bone.
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history
A paradise for the rich and famous
F
rank C Munson is an unsung hero in our history of tourism. He was the president of the Munson Steamship Line and the owner of the New Colonial Hotel, which is now the British Colonial. In the winter season, his ships carried tourists (and cargoes) between New York and Nassau. To provide ‘island-style’ diversions for visitors, Munson bought land on Hog Island and built bungalows, complete with changing rooms, and a restaurant. Entrance to the property was on the harbourside of Hog Island and a tree-lined road connected to the beach on the north side. Munson called it Paradise Beach and countless tourists and postcards made Paradise Beach world-famous. Eventually, the tail wagged the dog and Paradise became the name of the entire island. The Paradise Island that we know today bears little resemblance to the Hog Island of my youth where, at night, few lights, if any, shone on the north side of Nassau Harbour. Normal humans travelled by boat, but if you were young and strong, which the Eastern Road chaps must have been, you swam there and back. The late Eugene Pyfrom was one of those swimmers, until the day when, from his father’s small sailboat, he saw a large, hungry-looking shark swimming near the narrows. Rich foreigners fell in love with Hog Island, bought land and built (winter) homes on the western part of the island. The wider, eastern section was owned by a rich Swedish industrialist named Axel WennerGren, who turned it into his personal Shangri-La, complete with his man-made canal, a shortcut between Nassau Harbour to the ocean. A pattern of roads now decorates the eastern section, while most of the western part is devoid of roads. Western residents still commute to Nassau by boat - and many of them insist on calling it Hog Island. The lighthouse (no longer in service) at the western tip is now dwarfed by high-rise hotels, but for many years the biggest industrial plant was the oil-storage depot of Esso Standard Oil, SA Ltd. To its west had been the original location of Symonette’s Shipyard, before it relocated to East Bay Street.
There were other expatriates who owned homes ‘in the west’ while ‘the east’. remained the domain of Wenner-Gren – until 1961, when he sold to Huntington Hartford for $9.5 million. Hunt was responsible for the name change. In 1966, Hartford was followed by the Mary Carter Paint Company (James M Crosby and I G Davis, Jr). The price was $3.5 million for 75 percent. In 1968, the company was sold and the name changed to Resorts International under James M Crosby and Davis. In 1986, after the death of James Crosby, the company was briefly controlled by Donald Trump, before being acquired in 1988 by Merv Griffin, creator of the incrediblyprofitable gameshows Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune – reportedly for $300 million. He sold to Sol Kerzner’s Sun International Hotels Ltd in 1994 and, in 2002, the name was changed to Kerzner International. In 2014, Toronto-based Brookfield Asset Management led a consortium of eighteen lenders, who put up $2.6 billion and Atlantis is now owned and operated by Brookfield Hospitality. Those who live in the shadow of the old lighthouse on the western end are apt to use the name Hog Island, but not even they would dispute the siren call to the rich and famous of Paradise. • For questions and comments, please send an e-mail to islandairman@gmail.com
In their excellent book, The Paradise Island Story, Jim and Anne Lawlor wrote that “…a few Americans became attracted to Hog Island…Among these pioneers were Mr and Mrs. George Bullock, Mr and Mrs Irving Cox, Mr and Mrs R Agassiz and Mrs Eliot Bacon…
created a settlement, with a ‘cottage’ atmosphere…referred to as the ‘American Colony’”, which grew into the small, but very exclusive Porcupine Club, where only Americans (very rich ones) were allowed to become members - such as Vincent Astor, Andrew Mellon, J P Morgan.
PAUL C ARANHA
FORGOTTEN FACTS
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animals
Precious potcakes By KIM ARANHA Animal Matters I wrote about how the Bahamas Humane Society is experiencing an influx of surrenders and because of this we have had to suspend taking in any more animals until we have adopted out or airlifted the present animals to new homes. This sounds like the obvious quick fix, and though it really remains the only fix, it most certainly is not quick. The potcake is a very well received dog in other countries, though it is, for some reason, vilified in the Bahamas. The dog that is born on the streets and shows the most resilient of personalities is not a respected member of our culture, far from it. People shoo them away at best, others throw rocks at them, kick them, tie them to trees in the bush to slowly starve to death, abandon them in parking lots, and a host of other inventive and cruel tactics to rid themselves of this disrespected animal. It is a bit confusing because on one hand people living here ignore and neglect their “national dog”, but then these same people get quite funny if they hear that “their” potcakes are being sent to foreign countries. Are we “selling” a national treasure, they ask indignantly. I remember when we were planning an island-wide spay and neuter programme, we were being accused by quite a lot of people of wanting to stamp out the potcake - what nonsense! To start with, why would anybody want to do that and how would that even be possible? These are amazingly resilient animals, sturdy and strong. You go on Facebook and enjoy cruising through the animal pages. There are so many people who are proud and excited to be the owners of potcakes. They talk about the superior intelligence of these dogs; they extoll the virtues of owning a dog who is quick to learn and wants to please. I do not pretend that they are all perfect, the potcake has most definitely a mind of its own and possesses a stubborn streak that can
POTCAKE Boss weighs in at 87 pounds. He was found at the Bar 20 corner off Mackey Street. present a challenge when the owner wants one thing and the companion dog doesn’t. It takes patience and understanding, and persuasion; frequently you have to meet in the middle at first. I think your stubborn dog meets you in the middle in the hopes that you will finally figure out that he is right and that you will eventually do it his way. They are inventive, intuitive, fiercely protective and loyal. So why are they looked down on in their own country and admired in others? Is this the same syndrome that causes us to sell short our own
professionals for those of another country?Potcakes abound - many of them neglected so their actual beauty cannot be seen. If you pick up one of the more disheveled ones from the street and give him a bath, food and care for a couple of months, this sorry looking dog turns into a beautiful animal, and then watch people asking you if they could have him. The same creature that they would have happily crossed the street to avoid suddenly becomes interesting because he has transformed into a magnificent animal. Two of my many potcakes, who have sadly passed away in the past
pet of the week
would love to get out of the shelter as soon as possible. If you are willing to foster or adopt me, I would be so grateful. I’d need to be inside for a while to learn some home comforts but I’ll come out of my shell in no time. Plus, I’m super cute. I’m included in the Summer Adoption Drive (reduced price for pups and dogs!), so come in and meet me, or call 323-5138 for more information. I look forward to meeting you and having more head scratches!”
A pup with flourish By THE BAHAMAS HUMANE SOCIETY
“H
i! My rescuers named me Flower because of my delicate nature. I’m about five months old. I am the sweetest pup but it takes a while for me to trust you. I spent half an hour with a volunteer last week and then I couldn’t get enough head scratches. They felt sooooo good! I’m one of hundreds of pups and dogs in need of a home, but given I’m one of the shy ones, I really
year at 15 and 13 years old, both weighed over 80 pounds and were always the subject of great admiration. People did not want to believe that they were “only” potcakes. They were so big and strong with shiny coats … how was that possible? Because they were properly cared for. Why then do we do not care for these animals, feed them, spay and neuter them to control the population, speak kindly to them and respect them as part of our heritage? These dogs have come into being over the years from massive cross breeding with many pedigree breeds allowed to roam by unscrupulous owners. It is magnificent mixture that is frequently coveted by other countries and considered deserving of becoming a recognised breed who could compete in international dog shows. Here in the Bahamas, there are actually people, and I have heard it with my own ears, who ask if the shelter has any dogs for adoption and when we reply “yes”, they ask what breed, when you say potcake the response is, “No, I mean do you have any real dogs?” Quite honestly, how do you begin to answer that question without being a bit rude? We nicely explain all the qualities of the potcake, and the person at the receiving end nods patiently, a bit bored with the explanation, and will undoubtedly go off and buy some “real” dog that will be allowed to roam, and the cycle continues… will it never end?
(Photo/Steph Hickman)
If you can’t adopt, foster. If you can’t foster, volunteer. If you can’t volunteer, donate. If you can’t donate, educate! Help make a difference!
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community
The mascot life
By ALESHA CADET | Tribune Features Writer | acadet@tribunemedia.net
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ROM ‘Peppa Pig’ and ‘Elmo’, to the FNM’s ‘Torchy’ and the PLP’s ‘Crabs’, there is no mascot the husband-and-wife team of Deangelo and Tamika Marshall won’t have fun with. Because, as their motto goes, “Everyone deserves a mascot”. With their business, The Mascot Company, this playful duo strives to bring life-size fun to every event and occasion. “We facilitate our customers’ dreams and imaginations of characters and turn them into reality. We supply up to 25 different characters from children’s favourites to political icons. We also provide customised mascots for business establishments and our services range from entertainment performances to rentals of our mascots,” said Deangelo. Of the many mascots that they do, Sesame Street’s Elmo is actually their favourite. The fluffy red Muppet, Deangelo said, remains a big hit, even after all these years, and is always a true crowd-pleaser wherever he shows up. In addition to Elmo and fellow Muppets like the Cookie Monster, other popular mascots include Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Paw Patrol characters, Spider-Man, Shimmer and Shine, Disney’s Elsa, Princess Sophia, Poppy, and P J Mask. The Marshalls also offer seasonal characters like Bunny for Easter, Grinch for Christmas, as well political characters like the FNM mascot Torchy and the PLP mascot Crabs. “The selection process is quite simple; we research the most trending symbols and characters that would sell. We specialise in children’s parties….Every time we appear and see the kids’ eyes light up and the parents engage (is a memorable experience),” explained Deangelo. While Deangelo himself can’t wear the costumes due to his height and size, Tamika sometimes dons one alongside their staff. He admits that the costumes can sometimes be hot and unwieldy for the wearer (the heaviest being the Baby Shark costume), but said his staff always rises to the occasion. Performing as mascots, he added, gives them the opportunity to really lean into their characters’ personalities. However, they don’t try to imitate the characters’ voices because they don’t want to disappoint the kids who are hoping to hear the original. The plans for The Mascot Company are to expand their reach via social media platforms, procure more characters, and hopefully for the first time, “provide a visual treat and performance at our nation’s cultural events.” While they have faced many challenges in building their business, Deangelo and Tamika said it has helped them grow as a couple and as people, who can now be proud of what they have accomplished. They are also proud and pleased to represent their communities of Bain Town and Chippingham; to show that success stories are possible.
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