08112017 weekend

Friday, August 11, 2017

art books film fashion gardening food puzzles entertainment

Weekend

THE CURRENT Pages 12&13

Poolside Pilates Look ab-solutely fabulous Fitness, pages 14&15

02 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, August 11, 2017

life through a lens

Models find their Bahamian roots

T

he ‘Our Roots’ challenge was the second of nine from the third season of ‘The Next Face’ reality modelling contest.

This latest competition saw the nine remaining contestants don creations by local guest designer Kejuana Beneby.

“Kejuana is known for her native culture inspired pieces, with their bold colours and strong prints,” the show’s executive producer and Tribune staff photographer Shawn Hanna said.

“We shot around the Potter’s Cay Dock and the girls were asked to blend into the island-themed setting.”

The competition began with a group of 14 young ladies, which has now been reduced to eight – Lauren, Vernique, Brenda, Jasonique, Aniqua, Yannique, Dana and Danielle remain.

The guest photographer for the challenge was Blair Meadows and the top photo was won by contestant Lauren.

The sponsors for the week’s challenge included The Art Room, Netta’s Fruits and Vegetables, and Bahrezy Transportation. The behindthe-scenes production team included Khristoff Rolle and Hiram Carey.

The beauty team was made up of Ruth Rolle from RSAR Beauty, Cody Rolle from Glow and Glamour, and Jasmine Taylor of Snatched by Jass. The assistant team included Elizabeth Moss, Ras’ Deniro Thompson, Tanya Brown, Khris Pinder and Lanae Lyles.

‘The Next Face’ was inspired by similar shows on US television such as ‘America’s Next Top Model’ and ‘The Face’. The winner will be branded as ‘The Next Face of Shawn T Photography’ and become the brand ambassador for the Perfec-Tone cosmetics brand, participate in Bahamas Fashion Week and in Exuma Fashion Week, receive a gift bag from Rev’or Cosmetics and modelling contracts from the TOCU and PTG agencies.

They will also be featured in a spread in Brutha Magazine.

New episodes of the show are uploaded to YouTube on ‘The Next Face’ channel every Thursday at 8pm.

Jasonique

Yannique

Vernique

Dana

Have you taken a selection of photographs that might make a Life through a lens feature page? If so please submit it to weekend@ tribunemedia.net for consideration

Lauren, winner of this week’s top photo

Aniqua

Brenda

Danielle

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Friday, August 11, 2017

Inside Weekend Interview 4 - 5 Cara Hunt talks to ‘The Facebook Philosopher’ Tyockin Thurston-Bethell about his new motivational book

Entertainment 7 Regatta Time in Abaco celebrates 42 years

Food 8 - 9 Café Madeleine offers a taste of France

Art 11 - 13 Baha Mar’s The Current calls on local artists to submit work, plus the Central Bank Gallery’s Junkanooinspired art through the years

Health and fitness 14 -15 Regina Smith has the perfect Pilates ab workout for the summer

Fashion Report 16 The hits and misses of the Black Girls Rock Awards

Film 17 The Tribune’s Jeffarah Gibson on why “Girls Trip” is so much fun

Television 18 ‘Game of Thrones’ fans shun leaked spoilers

Gardening 19 Jack Hardy on sowing tomato seeds

Books 20 - 21 Pastor Q introduces new Bahamian superhero with his comic book, plus ‘Emma – The Island Girl’ invokes Family Island life in the 1950s and 60s.

Literary Lives 22 - 25 The rise and fall of a daring Canadian stock trader

Forgotten Facts 25 When Fort Charlotte was a living entity

Puzzles 26

Animals 27 Kim Aranha on the invisible surrey horse, plus Pet of the Week

Cover | Shawn Hanna

My perfect Bahamian weekend Melissa Alcena Fine art photographer Q: Beach or sofa?

“Is this a trick question? Beach!”

Q: Saturday breakfast or Sunday lunch?

“More like Sunday brunch, with lots of mimosas.”

Q: Rum, wine, cocktail or Kalik?

“Rum, particularly a good dark and stormy one with homemade ginger beer and a wedge of lime.”

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

“Food. Because I would literally die and I’ve still got plenty of things to accomplish.”

Q: Weekend away, where would you go and why?

“Eleuthera with the boyfriend, cruisin’ in the Wrangler with that dark and stormy in a tumbler and a bunch of OFF!, so I survive.”

Friday

Saturday

• Lobster Fest at Luciano’s Time: 6pm (continues until Sunday) Venue: Luciano’s of Chicago Enjoy three courses of succulent lobster flavours, each optionally paired with a white wine. It’s $55 per person for dinner, plus $20 per person for the wine pairing. Call 323-7770 to make a reservation.

• ‘Unmasked and Bold’ concert Time: 7pm Venue: Golden Gates Assembly Bring the family for an event featuring music by DJ GodSon and performances by Virtuous Gems, Cierra Sweeting, Bryanna Bethel, Chosen Soldiers, Christ Gang and more. Tickets are $10 at the door.

• Miami Carnival Costume Unveiling Time: 7pm Venue: Mas Band Camp, Sir Milo Butler Highway A night of soca and Bahamian music provided by Mas DJs. Get your free ticket online to enter to win an “Enchanted Package” for J’ouvert and Carnival Day. The Bahamas Masqueraders will take to the streets of Miami Carnival with the Wassi One’s Mas Band October 7- 8, 2017. Costumes must be purchased by September 5.

• Fitness OnBoard at Dawn with Alaura Time: 6.30am Venue: Basketball park by Delaport Join PappaSurf in collaboration with IslandFitChix fitness instructor Alaura for an hour long early morning Fitness OnBoard workout flow.

Admission is $20 plus VAT.

• Expectations vs Reality Time: 10am Venue: Louis & Steen’s New Orleans Coffeehouse Gilberta Thompson, author of “I’m 25, now what?”, will be facilitating an open discussion on expectation versus reality. Refreshments will be on sale.

• Soca Party for the Cure Time: 7pm - 10pm Venue: National Art Gallery Get down and dance the night away for a good cause. Hosted by the Natural Empress, the event will see the best soca DJs battle it out. Tickets are $25 and available at any CIBC FirstCaribbean branch.

• Movies in the Square – ‘Womanish Ways’ Time: 7.30pm Venue: Pompey Square ‘Womanish Ways, Freedom, Human

Rights and Democracy: The Women’s Suffrage Movement in the Bahamas 1948-1962’ is a documentary film directed by Marion Bethel. In partnership with Pupstar Entertainment, it will be screened for free. Food will be offered by POW and lemonade

by Seasonal Sunshine Bahamas, with proceeds going to Equality Bahamas.

• Hurricane Ah-Choo Coming Time: 8pm (with an encore on August 19) Venue: Dundas Centre for Performing Arts Enjoy an improv sketch comedy show

by Da Spot 242, plus a spoken word performance by De’Angelo Whyms.

Sunday

• Building Bhakti; Chanting from the Heart with Jim Gelcer Time: 6am (continues until August 16) Venue: Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat Take a healing journey into the teachings and practice of Bhakti, the yoga of devotion, through kirtan. Kirtan is an ancient form of call-and-response chanting that has become increasingly popular in recent years. No previous experience is necessary, just a desire to participate. Visit www.sivanandabahamas.org for more information.

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Friday, August 11, 2017

interview He hopes to follow in the footsteps of some of history’s greatest thinkers and at the same time improve the lives of Bahamians with his unique brand of motivational sayings. ‘The Facebook Philosopher’ tells Cara Hunt all about his new book, which he hopes will be accepted into the school curriculum.

Tyockin Thurston-Bethell

T

yockin Thurston-Bethell goes by the nickname ‘The Facebook Philosopher’, and has even compared himself to the some of greats, including preeminent Greek thinkers Plato and Aristotle.

Earlier this summer, he realised one of his dreams when he published his first inspirational and philosophical book called “Lyrical Gymnastics – Probation of the Mind”, which he hopes will inspire people to live their best lives.

“I went to CC Sweating Junior and Senior Schools and I always liked writing, but there was not anyone to really push me to into it. Schoolwise, I was not the greatest student, but I got by. But I do remember this one time I wrote this poem in the seventh grade that people were really drawn to it, but in school I was more known for being on the track team. I used to run long distance and that was more of the thing I was into,” he told Tribune Weekend.

However, Tyockin said when it came to his blossoming passion for writing, the flame was fanned by his mentor, Nakito Saunders, soon after he graduated from high school and started working.

“My love of writing I think was flamed when I started working. I was working at Hill

“It amazes me that people feel that everything is free in their imagination, but in reality you have to pay.”

York AC. At the time, I was an apprentice for Nakito, and I think he realised that I was not fully as focused as I could be and so he would challenge me with quotes. And so we started this competition where he would hit with me a quote and then I would hit him back with a quote and we would go back and forth. “ Tyockin explained that this interaction really inspired his love of quotes, philosophy and inspirational writings.

“I read a lot of quotes from different people. In fact, I have an app on my phone, Brilliant Quotes, which I get every day. I love to see the quotes that other people are inspired by and see which ones

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Friday, August 11, 2017

they like to display on their walls,” he said.

“Whenever I see other people’s quotes it just inspires me to write my own and see if I can come up with something better, and I just started coming up with all these quotes.”

Some of the motivational sayings he has come up with, and which he hopes will catch on and inspire his fellow Bahamians in particular, include:

“It amazes me that people feel that everything is free in their imagination, but in reality you have to pay.”

“Even a good thought comes at a price of a headache.”

“More money has to be put in the arts and crafts in schools and out. Creativity is to be explored, not condemned.”

“I’d rather be a man with no face than a man with no heart. “ “Sometimes in the midst of losing your mind you gain untapped knowledge.”

“I prefer broken bones over a broken spirit.”

Tyockin said these sayings became popular with his friends, family and considerable social media following.

“Eventually the idea came to me that it would be a good idea to put them into a book.

It really was like a ‘wow’ moment,” he said. “And a lot of people who I had shared my quotes and things with, including my mentor, encouraged me to go ahead and do a book as well.”

But as often the case, life got in the way and it took a while for the project to come to fruition.

“I wanted to really do the book from last year, but a lot of things happened. And so at the beginning of this year I really challenged myself and was determined that I would get the book out this year. I started working on it straight from January and finally it was ready for print this summer,” he said.

The result is his new book “Lyrical Gymnastics – Probation of the Mind”, which

“I’d rather be a man with no face than a man with no heart.”

he hopes to officially debut in Canada later this year. “ ‘Lyrical Gymnastics’ is really a play on words. I wanted to take two ideas that were somewhat abstract and did not go together, lyrical and gymnastics, and put them together. I like to say that I am word gymnast. Even before I got into the inspirational quotes and writing, I was really, and still

am, into rap, which after all is is really just another form of poetry just set to music,” he explained.

Tyockin said the book was well-received during the soft launch last month.

“I am been compared to ancient philosophers like Plato and I have also been called ‘The Facebook Philosopher’. The reviews are good so far. A few

people have purchased it from me directly and ordered from Amazon and for Kindle. The book is $12. I am planning a next release in Canada, which is also where my brother lives. The Minister of Education is also interested in the book and there is a possibility it can become a part of the (school) curriculum,” he said.

Tyockin said his biggest hope is that he can somehow inspire people to live a better life.

“With this book, I want people to have a deeper level of thinking. I feel it is important that people can learn from the mistakes of others. Why make the same mistake when you can learn from what other people have already done?”

Looking forward, Tyockin say he is already planning on a sequel to “Lyrical Gymnastics”.

“I am already working on ‘Lyrical Gymnastics 2: Mind Blown’. And another project that I am actually working on for Christmas is something different for me; it is a children’s book called ‘It’s Bath Time’,” he said.

Tyockin explained that he got the idea from his aunt.

“She was telling me about this jingle she had made up to get her little boy to take baths and I told her send me the words and I will turn it into a book, and so that’s what I did and it will be coming out in December,” he added.

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Friday, August 11, 2017

entertainment

Regatta Time in Abaco celebrates 42 years

BY DAVID RALPH

R

egatta Time in Abaco, a series of sailboat races, successfully held its 42nd event from June 23 - 29.

This event brings sailors as well as hundreds of land-based visitors to Abaco who enjoy the races and shore parties held nightly at various resorts in several towns.

This is Abaco’s largest tourism event and takes visitors from Hope Town in the South to Green Turtle Cay in the North. Four races and associated awards parties and social events on lay days were all part of the programme.

Coordinated with the racing schedule was an initial party at Pete’s Pub in Little Harbour on June 22 and the huge ‘Cheeseburgers in Paradise’ beach party on Fiddle Cay on June 30. All events were open to the public. This was the second year that Pete’s Pub joined the social parade. This was the party that began the festivities. After the regatta racing concluded, several thousand persons, bringing hundreds of boats, attended the ‘Cheeseburger in Paradise’ beach party where 3,000 hamburgers, 1,000 hot dogs along with rum punches were all given out for free.

This Fiddle Cay beach party hosts power boaters from Florida and other foreign points as well as a few from Abaco. Boats with three and four outboard engines were a common sight. This is by far the largest beach party in the country and has been said to surpass anything like it in Florida.

The regatta brings hundreds of visitors who contribute heavily to the economy of the entire island, including central Abaco businesses.

While most of the entrants come from Florida and ports as far North as Charleston, many of their crew and guests arrive by plane and must then take a cab and ferry to get with their host captain. Of particular note are the liquor and grocery wholesalers who see a significant surge in sales during this event.

Regatta Time began in the mid-1970s as

an enticement to Florida sailors to come to experience the great sailing, beautiful beaches and interesting settlements on Abaco.

It has assisted in developing Abaco’s successful summer tourism season so that now the resorts and marinas are full, and house, golf

cart and boat rentals are completely booked.

Regatta and party sponsors understand the value their products receive at these sponsored social events and look forward to participating. The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism and Mount Gay are

two of the regatta’s larger sponsors.

Local sponsoring businesses supporting the regatta include BTC, Kalik, Coca Cola, Abaco Petroleum, Abaco Groceries and The Moorings. Participating resorts and marinas also give their support and welcome the business influx.

08 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, August 11, 2017

food

Bringing France to the ‘Bahamian Riviera’

By ALESHA CADET Tribune Features Writer acadet@tribunemedia.net

“S

tarbucks on steroids” is how Chef Asteir Dean describes Baha Mar’s new Café

Madeleine.

Opened just a few weeks ago, the French patisserie has already become a hit with guests and locals who are interested in a eatery choice “more on the chill” side.

“When they told me I was going be placed here in Café Madeleine I didn’t know what to expect, but this place is amazing,” said Chef Dean.

“It is good that we get to give Bahamians a taste of France on a spoon or in a cup. It also changes the mentality because a lot of Bahamians don’t really understand the French cuisine. I am glad that we get to do this.”

For Stephanie Ferguson, manager at Café Madeleine, her favourites are the pastries, all made in-house.

Whether you are in search of a place to sit and search the web while enjoying a cup of coffee, or you just want to get away from the hustle and bustle and relax after the work day, she is certain that Café Madeleine is the stop for you.

“We say we are bringing a little bit of France to the Bahamas, even putting a little bit of the language in our greetings at the entrance to make people feel like they are actually in France. Even with the décor, we have one or two French guests that come in and they are actually impressed with the style. We are still working on it. We have books on display with French poems and we have persons that want to buy them,” said Ms Ferguson.

The outside sitting area is very popular for guests who stop by in the morning, she added.

“We are getting a lot of exposure, but a lot of people don’t know that

CAFE Madeline at Baha Mar.

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Friday, August 11, 2017

PHOTOS/SHAWN HANNA

we are open so we want them to know we are here and we have the pastries ready for tasting. They are really good; some of them I have never even heard of before, but of course working here I got to try them,” said Ms Ferguson.

From the hours of 6.30am to 6pm, the menu offers a daily selection of pastries; Greek yoghurts; quiches; the Croque Madame ham, cheese, béchamel and fried egg sandwich; the Lyonnais, a BLT with egg salad and a touch of horseradish; the Dinde turkey sandwich with lettuce, micro greens, tomatoes and with fresh dijonnaise; the pork pâté with French cornichons, as well as baguettes, various salads and more.

From the bread for the sandwiches, to the pastries and gelatos – everything is made in-house.

Beverages include the mojo coffee, iced coffee, espresso drinks, mimosas, the house chocolate, French sodas such as the blood orange and pomegranate.

“My favourite dish would have to be the Gravlax house cured salmon, lemon, capers, chives and crème fraîche baguette,” said Chef Dean.

“With this we take a whole loin of salmon and we cure it in-house. We add flavours like cognac, beets and truffle, and that process happens for about two days.

So we are actually cooking the salmon without using heat. Moreover, the big sellers are the quiche – the caramelised bacon and onion one and the roasted spinach and tomatoes.”

Café Madeleine, Chef Dean believes, adds a unique food option to the Baha Mar property.

“A lot of the products are brought in from France, but we try and balance that by adding a lot of the local and sustainable products. We have danishes, but we add to them things like guava, mango and coconut,” said Chef Dean.

Like with any other restaurant, he emphasised, it is all about the guest experience. This includes the ambiance and the décor.

Expanding on his “Starbucks on steroids” comment, Chef Dean said while Starbucks offers more of a grab-and-go routine, Café Madeleine boasts waiters who are eager to serve guests.

“You get to interact with the chef and the employees. You also get a story by getting a little history. Everyone is always asking for more. They want to know if we are doing any specials and are we introducing any new menu items. I try each week to do a special, again using local and sustainable products,” he said.

Next up for Café Madeleine is taking part in the Hands For Hunger charity event in September.

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section

Helping the Community

BTC’s summer with the RBDF Rangers

T

he Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) was honoured at the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) Rangers graduation ceremony last Friday for sponsoring the initiative this year at the Programme SURE facility off Gladstone Road.

The sponsorship played a part of telecommunications company’s “Limitless Summer” campaign, which supported various wholesome activities for the country’s youth to participate in.

The RBDF Rangers Camp received $5,000 from the company. BTC Vice President of Marketing Janet Brown said: “BTC is all about building the community and building the country. The youth, we feel, is a part of the country as is the most important assets. So when programmes like this come about, we jump at the opportunity to help with the development and give young people the opportunity to take another step with what they want to do in their lives.”

The programme coordinator, Lieutenant Delvonne Duncombe, added: “Just seeing this type of success always makes me very happy. I’m very passionate about youth development and more passionate about seeing the youth of our nation be successful.

I think that is one of the things that drives me, drives the Defence Force, and drives this programme. We’re about building leaders.

We believe that young people have a lot to

“We’re about building leaders.

We believe that young people have a lot to offer, and this programme is just one of many that show commitment to youth development in the country.”

offer, and this programme is just one of many that show commitment to youth development in the country.”

During the ceremony, a number of students reflected on the memories they shared while training at the camp.

A few outstanding individuals were also honoured for their overall performance.

Sixteen-year-old Judy Forbes won the Award of Excellence for the Advanced Training Course. Ms Forbes said that she aspires to be the commodore of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force one day.

She said: “I actually feel great about this award because I put in a lot of work into it. Great effort brings great work.”

Meanwhile, Destiny Seymour, 17, won the Most Outstanding RBDF Militarisation

Helping the Community

Recruit Award.

“It feels more than great. I really can’t find words to explain it. This is really my first time receiving a plaque from the Rangers programme. So, I’m very elated,” she said.

Ms Seymour said that she has been a part of the programme for eight years unofficially and six years officially. She also expects to start university next semester but plans to return to the RBDF in hopes of pursuing a PhD. BTC remains committed to the development of youth in the country. The company looks forward to supporting and investing more into the future of the Bahamas.

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Friday, August 11, 2017

art

Banking on local talent The Central Bank presents...

Junkanoo in art

Assistant Curator Jodi Minnis highlights current exhibitions at the Central Bank of the Bahamas Art Gallery.

This week, the focus is on Junkanooinspired art.

S

ince 1984, the Central Bank of the Bahamas has established an unwavering commitment to investing in the visual arts.

The manifestation of that commitment is seen in its multifarious

“Junkanoo Cowbeller” by Brent

“Our Pride and Joy” by Eric Ellis

“Junkanoo” by Robert Johnson art collection. The collection is an amalgamation of student artwork juxtaposed with works by some of the most noted artists in Bahamian history.

Through annual art competitions and exhibitions, the bank has become a motivating agent to college students and graduates for recognising budding artists in such individuals. Moreover, while understanding the importance of Bahamian art history, the Central Bank of the Bahamas made key investments in artworks by artists such as the late Brent Malone and Jackson Burnside.

A thought-provoking component of the collection lies in observing of how student artists and mature artists tackled reoccurring themes. “Our Pride and Joy” (1991) by Eric Ellis, “Junkanoo Cowbeller” (1984) by Brent Malone and “Junkanoo” (2000) by

Robert Johnson gives a great example of this.

The prevalence of Junkanoo seen in artworks of all mediums is almost expected because its value sits at the centre of Bahamian cultural identity.

Hailing from Steventon, Exuma, Eric Ellis’ artwork acknowledges Bahamian culture through an African diasporic lens. Ellis’ “Our Pride and Joy” pays homage to cubism.

Cubism, pioneered by Pablo Picasso and George Braque, relied heavily on the influence of African sculptures, particularly masks. Therefore, Ellis’ rendition of Junkanoo, a parade derived from the practices of slaves brought to the Caribbean from parts of West Africa, in a cubist style does not seem disassociated.

On the other hand, Bahamian

master artist Brent Malone’s realism in his portrayal of a Junkanoo cowbeller lends itself to discussion about his source of inspiration. Junkanoo competition guidelines limits the amount of cloth a Junkanooer can wear on Bay Street, therefore his attire begs the question which “rush” the subject participated in. His garments, a T-shirt draped with what can be suggested as Androsia print and crepe paper hanging from his knitted hat, proposes that he may have participated with a scrap group or during a people’s parade.

The slight contrapposto seen on the shoulders alludes to the side to side motion necessary for shaking cowbells.

Unlike in Ellis’ “Our Pride and Joy”, no instrument is seen.

However, “Junkanoo” by Robert Johnson fuses the allusion of a cowbeller in Malone’s work and the blatant drums in Ellis’ by presenting three Junkanooers: one beller and two drummers. Johnson’s work is without a doubt inspired by the work of Malone.

The brushwork evokes thoughts of the painting style of Malone’s “Metamorphosis” (1979, The National Collection). Herein, the relationship between theme, inspiration and source is seen again.

The Bahamas places artistic inspiration at the fingertips of its artists.

However, the longevity of their practices relies on sponsorship, investments and collector-artist relationships. The Central Bank of the Bahamas stands with other corporations who see the value of investing in certain subsections of Bahamian art and culture.

Pledges, as such this, grant artists creative mobility and expands the national identity. Bahamians, from a young age, are able to be inspired by their culture due to investments in the arts.

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Friday, August 11, 2017

art

Baha Mar calling on local artists Ambitious exhibit to cover 150 years of culture

By JEFFARAH GIBSON Tribune Features Writer jgibson@tribunemedia.net

T

HE creative arts team at Baha Mar are in the process of developing a permanent exhibition that will tell the story of the Bahamas’ history and culture with a hugely diverse selection of art.

The ‘Fair Wind’ permanent exhibition will be housed at the resort’s convention centre for guests and locals to experience. The team members of the art programme are currently developing the exhibition, which they say will be a sort of survey of Bahamian art and a reflection of history and culture spanning more than 150 years.

Work featured in this exhibition will embody many disciplines and practices of art that connect to the evolution of Bahamian culture.

‘Fair Wind’ is considered a “very ambitious” project that will take about 18 months to complete, said Creative Arts Director John Cox at a mix and mingle event at Baha Mar’s The Current gallery last week.

Natascha Vazquez, who is the programming director for the gallery, said they are in the process of developing chapters for the exhibition now.

“These are like themes where we are looking for pre-Independence artwork like Arawaks and Christopher Columbus’ arrival, all the way up to contemporary practices. We are starting with pre-Independence work, so any work that starts from 1973 and way before that time like, the Arawaks to the colonial presence, the British, coming into womanhood, island life, tourism will be featured,” she told Tribune Weekend.

To illustrate the vision further, Natascha said there will be, for example, two walls dedicated to Junkanoo-inspired works of art.

“So right now where we are sending out invitations to specific artists. We

PHOTO/TERREL W CAREY

are looking for work that is very specific to the themes that we have,” she said.

In order to populate the convention centre with art, the team needs at least 200 pieces, and those can include craft work, quilts, sculptures, video and ceramics installations.

“We want it to be very diverse. We don’t want it to be like paintings on a pedestal kind of thing, which is why we are looking for different kinds of art,” she said.

“We want it to be a narrative. We want it to have a story. We want people to be able to look at artwork that may have been created in the 1940s and somehow link it back to something that was created today in a kind of a celebration of culture.”

The creative arts team was given the exciting task of curating the artwork for the entire multimillion dollar

resort, which aims to make the rich culture of the Bahamas another aspect of its unique guest experience.

Baha Mar has stated that it aims to have one of the largest collections of Bahamian art in the country, some of which will be produced in on-site studios, and other work that will be exhibited in public spaces and in the guest rooms.

Each of the hotels, the SLS Baha Mar, the Rosewood and the Grand Hyatt, come with a different platform, history and atmosphere.

“The Bahamas does not have a platform like this. We have the National Art Gallery, which is an amazing institution. However, the space is a bit smaller. The space we have is so massive and there is a lot of potential because it gives visitors an incentive to experience the Bahamas,” said Natascha.

Jordanna Kelly, who is also a part of the creative arts team at Baha Mar, said they are constantly looking for Bahamian artists to submit portfolios because there will be host of opportunities for them.

Natascha added that artists are encouraged to make their portfolios as clear, concise and professional as possible.

“We are in dialogue with designers who are designing the SLS, the Rosewood and the Hyatt. And they come to us and say, ‘Can you put us in contact with an artist?’ We want artists to know that it is very important to design a very cohesive and organised portfolio, so that we can send it out to these designers for consideration. We want them to think of it like business.

If it’s not done professionally then we can’t send them for consideration,” she said.

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Friday, August 11, 2017

art

Defining the Bahamas in a new way

By ALESHA CADET Tribune Features Writer acadet@tribunemedia.net

B

AHAMIAN artists and art enthusiasts flocked to the Baha Mar resort last Friday to experience one of the hotel’s newest attractions – The Current Art Studio.

During a mix and mingle event, John Cox, the property’s creative arts director, spoke about the objective and goals for the studio going forward. The Current is set to officially open this September.

“I’ve said to a few people before, I really would like to see us move Bahamian art, especially the visual arts, to a position where we have a seat at the table with art in the world.

And I think we see that in small snippets here and there, with individual artists working and participating in exhibitions all over the world in residencies and being educated in the highest institutions,” he said.

“This opportunity that we have here to build another platform in the community to help artists advance themselves or gain more visibility is something that I don’t take lightly and something the team doesn’t take lightly.”

Team members at The Current include: Jordanna Kelly, gallery manager; Natasha Vasquez, programming manager responsible for developing academic and cultural outreach, and Cydney Colby, branding manager and designer.

“Over the last two decades we have seen a significant increase, advancement and evolution of the creative industry and product of all of our practices. We curated a major part of Baha Mar and we were able to populate all four towers fully with Bahamian art,” said Mr Cox. “And if you think about hooks in the wall, there are about 8,500 hooks in the walls in all of the towers with a piece of art. That is something that

PHOTOS: TERREL W. CAREY/TRIBUNE STAFF

“Although the sun, sand and sea are beautiful, we want a new type of experience that might help define us as a people.”

we should be proud of, because I don’t think it is something that has been done before.”

Hoping to build on this effort going forward while maintaining a connection to the local community, Mr Cox said The Current will offer residency programmes, exhibitions and retail.

“We really think that there is a lot more to the Bahamas than sun, sand and sea. Although the sun, sand and sea are beautiful, we want a new type of experience that might help define us as a people.

We think that the art sets us up to do that perfectly. We are going to open the studio in phases, with a limited amount of hours and days opened for the public, and later evolve in the Summer of 2018. Our hours will be 10am to 6 pm, Wednesday to Sunday,” said Mr Cox. Artists will be invited to make proposals and work in-house. The Current is prepared to host up to six artists at a time during residencies.

“If you are doing a large project for us we will give you permission to do something around the property and you can come to the studio to actually execute the work. We have a commercial gallery within the space here, and we imagine that those exhibitions will turn around and rotate every six weeks. We will also be doing workshops and lecturers. Guests can come in and sit in on a talk that we are having. So it is going to be that type of experience for people,” said Mr Cox.

16 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, August 11, 2017

celebrity The Weekend Fashion Report Black Girls Rock Awards

PHOTOS/CHARLES SYKES/INVISION/AP

With Karin Herig and Cara Hunt

FAIL

FAIL

HIT

SPLIT

SPLIT

Taraji P Henson in David Koma

SZA in Philipp Plein

Issa Rae in in Leilou

by Aleksandra Dojcinovic

Dascha Polanco in Tome

Yara Shahidi in Elie Saab

Karin says: “Great, it’s a big red sack that she’s belted together. Dascha may have found success with ‘Orange is the New Black’, but has yet to have a single hit on the red carpet. To be nice, her hair and makeup look really good here.”

Cara says: “This is an unfortunate look. First, it is way too big, and even though I get she is trying to be sexy with the plunging neckline, the dress just looks like it is about to fall off her. Also, that necklace really doesn’t make that much of a statement as you can’t really see it.”

Karin says: “I’m a huge Elie Saab fan, but I don’t like this. It looks too much like a granny’s sweater dress that has been shortened and jazzed up.

I hate the high neck and bow especially.”

Cara says: “More fabulous hair! I think this dress is a lot of fun. The ruffles are not too much and I really like the hint of shimmer in the fabric and the cut-outs. The hemline hits at a good spot and those shoes are hot. I think this is my favourite of the week.”

Karin says: “This screams tough and sexy, but I’m not sure I like it. She’s almost bordering on a look straight out of ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’.

The pieces of the dress are just sewn together a bit too arbitrarily.”

Cara says: “Oh my! I really don’t like it. I don’t like the dress or the shoes or the makeup. And while I’m all for natural hair, I am used to Taraji having a much softer look, and she looks a bit too harsh with this style.”

Karin says: “Cheap and almost trashy. Like she just rolled out of bed and stuck on some ‘sexy’ dress she had in the back of her closet. The clinging satin is not flattering, neither are those clunky heels.

And the hair is simply too much.”

Cara says: “I was distracted by the massive hair and the awkward pose, which made it a bit difficult to see the dress, but what I do like is the detail at the bottom of the gown.

I think the satin is a bit too shiny, if that is possible, and the cut-outs look average. So overall the dress is just OK.”

Karin says: “This is lovely.

Very classy. Yes, we’ve seen the sheer dress over the black bodysuit a hundred times, but it looks fresh for some reason.

I’m also in love with her hair.”

Cara says: “I had to look at this a few times, because initially I was on the fence because of the black granny undergarment underneath, but after a little reflection it is growing on me. The beading is lovely and I like the black trim on the neckline; it’s a nice accent. That hair is giving her life as well.”

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Friday, August 11, 2017

film (L-R) Jada Pinkett-Smith, Tiffany Haddish and Queen Latifah in a scene from “Girls Trip”.

our clique of two was vastly outnum-

becomes so monotone we forget what it feels like to be swept away by the feeling of freedom that comes from kicking back and relaxing while watching talented entertainers do their thing.

Oh, and you will definitely enjoy the vibrant 90s soundtrack!

Pack your bags for a ‘Girls Trip’

BY JEFFARAH GIBSON Tribune Features Writer jgibson@tribunemedia.net

I

am a young, black, Bahamian woman who prefers watching movies and television shows with a predominantly black cast over those featuring any other race.

But sadly, black stories told by black people, especially women, are few and far between. So when a movie like “Girls Trip”, starring heavy hitters like Regina Hall, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Queen Latifah and Tiffany Haddish, made it to local theatres, my interest was most definitely piqued.

I am not a cinema fanatic, and it usually takes some nudging for me to go out and see a new movie or even binge-watch those shows that everyone around me has proclaimed a “must see”. Nevertheless, I found myself at Galleria Cinemas last Thursday night with my close gal pal who wanted to make it a “Girls Trip”. Surprisingly,

bered by much larger groups.

Based on box office numbers, this was a trend globally, as “Girls Trip” continues to attract women of all ages since its release on July 21. After a $31-million debut, the comedy saw only a 36 per cent drop in its second weekend, grossing more than $90 million worldwide so far on a budget of less than $30 million.

This party-packed comedy produced

by Will Packer and Malcolm D Lee tells the story of best friends Ryan, Sasha, Lisa and Dina. They are in for the adventure of a lifetime when they travel to New Orleans for the annual Essence Festival. Along the way, they rekindle their sisterhood and rediscover their wild side by doing enough dancing, drinking, brawling and romancing to make the Big Easy blush.

It’s an old-school party movie, with likeable and funny characters enjoying various experiences and coming out the better for it on the other side.

Despite its predictability, some corniness here and there, and a slightly

It’s a reminder to let down your hair and get ‘lit’

Tiffany Haddish, who plays Dina, has been declared the film’s breakout star. rushed climax, “Girls Trip” stays true to its comedy genre, featuring perfectly timed jokes from start to finish.

Members of my audience at times took so long to recover from laughing that they missed some of the dialogue in the next scene.

There are several reasons why I would recommend heading out for a “Girls Trip” this weekend while it is still showing at the local theatre:

It will awaken your party spirit For those who haven’t enjoyed a night out in a long time, “Girls Trip” is sure to be the right movie to enliven your social life. Sometimes life

Seeing four black women enjoy themselves and share jokes in an unapologetic way communicated to me the message that no matter what stage of life you are in, whether that be single, married, or single in motherhood, it’s fine to breathe a sigh and have fun with friends. ‘Twerk’ if you feel like; flirt with someone if you feel like it, and tell raunchy jokes amongst friends if I you feel like. The cast does this and a whole a lot more in this fun movie.

It’s proof that good friendships can re-energise you Hands down, the movie is a perfect opportunity to round up your crew of girls and sisters to watch another clique of sisters. “Girls Trip’ promotes camaraderie and a sense of sisterhood that transcends even the rockiest moments of life. If nothing else, “Girls Trip” is a celebration of black women and female friendship.

18 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, August 11, 2017

television

‘Game of Thrones’ fans shun spoilers from HBO hack Nikolaj CosterWaldau as Jamie Lannister in a scene from “Game of Thrones”.

PHOTO/MACALL B POLAY

NEW YORK (AP) — For many “Game of Thrones” fans, the routine spoilers are bad enough: You miss an episode, then stumble on an unsought plot twist before you’ve had a chance to catch up.

Worse than that is the threat of leaked details, or even a whole episode, by hackers currently targeting HBO and its most doted-on series.

“It’s the worst news since the Red Wedding,” says Camden Wicker, a self-professed “GOT” superfan in San Diego.

But the news isn’t all bad. Despite recent script leaks and an episode prematurely put online by Indian pay-TV, Sunday’s “GOT” airing was the series’ most-watched ever, seen by 10.2 million viewers.

Wicker was one of them. When “GOT”-time arrives each Sunday, “the phones are off,” he says, as he and his flatmates huddle in the front of the screen. Afterward, they talk about the episode. Maybe watch it all over again.

“It’s a camaraderie,” says Wicker.

Hacks and leaks can undermine that camaraderie.

“Just when I thought White Walkers were the biggest threat,” he says, “this goes and happens.”

The phone isn’t off for Adiya Taylor of New York.

For her, a big part of watching “GOT” is the collective experience, which for her includes live-tweeting during the hour, then checking Twitter afterward for a group post-mortem.

“Between tweets, the messages in my work Slack group and the articles online the next day, watching at 9pm on Sunday is a lot more fun than watching early for the sake of getting it first,” she says.

Ben Storey is a “GOT” fan who, with his wife, makes Sunday night an appointment for viewing of each “GOT” episode. But he’s also a teacher who has modelled a college course on the mythic

world of Westeros.

A lecturer at Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business, Storey teaches an alternate-reality “Game of Thrones” as a way of creating rival business strategies.

“My students learn real-world business lessons from taking part in imaginary scenarios,” he says. “They’ll try negotiations with each other. They’ll try to assassinate each other.”

He acknowledges that many of his students would avail themselves of every scrap of ill-gained information they could. But then, “they would be sad about it,” he says. “Leaks are a major threat to appointment viewing and to

the fan community.”

Mike Onorato says his circle of “GOT” confederates falls into two groups: those who don’t want to know and those who do everything they can to find out.

But the latter group is a minority, he says. He counts himself among the former, who insist consuming “GOT” in its prescribed weekly doses.

“I look so forward to Sunday nights,” says Onorato. “Cheating to learn what’s going to happen is akin to snooping to find the Christmas gifts before Christmas morning.

“Having to wait is part of the fun,” he says, “and then debating with your friends what it all meant and trying to predict what will happen next.”

Onorato, who works in public relations in Cranford, New Jersey, loves to bring discussion of each Sunday-night airing to his office Monday morning.

“But if someone didn’t watch yet,” he adds, “you close the door so you don’t ruin it for that person.”

Among these “GOT” faithful there’s a dedication to keeping it pure that no leaks or hacks can betray. As Onorato puts it: “We’re all in this together.”

FRAZIER MOORE AP Television Writer

Fox to counter ABC’s ‘American Idol’ with new contest BEVERLY HILLS, California (AP) — Fox will counter its onetime powerhouse “American Idol” with a new singing contest, “The Four.”

The network cancelled its long-running “American Idol” last year because of dwindling ratings and rising costs, only to see it snapped up

by ABC for an early 2018 debut.

Fox Television Group CEO Dana Walden, announcing the new series Tuesday, said there’s room for a “fresh” take on the contest format as she defended the axing of “American Idol.”

While other shows are “more about celebrity panels and less about star-making,” Walden told a TV critics’ meeting, “The Four” will be the opposite.

The show’s prize: a career guided by the show’s panel, which Fox indicated is likely to be drawn from music producers, songwriters and perhaps a pop star-mentor.

Specifics on the air date, panelists and host for “The Four” will be coming later, Fox said.

LYNN ELBER AP Television Writer

Ryan Seacrest will return to host the ‘American Idol’ revival.

The Tribune | Weekend | 19

Friday, August 11, 2017

gardening

All about tomatoes Home gardeners who want to get the most from their labours will time the sowing of their seeds to ensure the earliest production of crops, says Jack Hardy.

T

he major home vegetable for most gardeners is the tomato, and it is by our tomatoes that we are judged. We could have grown tomato plants through the summer heat, but we would not have had any fruit production.

Full-sized tomatoes demand cool nights with temperatures of 68 degrees or lower in order to self-pollinate successfully. We cannot expect regular cool nights until the last week or so in October, and it takes 120 days for a tomato to grow from seed and produce ripe fruit. If tomato vines are flowering in late October we can expect ripe fruit in late November or early December.

For that to happen (let me pause to do the math here) it means planting tomato seeds in the middle of August.

That is now. The vegetable season has started.

An old cookery book once started a recipe with the words, “First catch your chicken�. A visit to your local nursery may be necessary to ensure you have fresh viable seeds that will produce the

Smaller tomatoes ripen earlier and often offer superior taste. type of tomato you will enjoy eating.

Hybrid tomatoes are guaranteed to be productive and I recommend them for the first sowing of the season. Because we are close neighbours of the United States we are encouraged to purchase things that are big, tomatoes included.

A medium-sized tomato of four to six ounces ripens earlier than giant beefsteaks and often offers superior taste.

Europeans in general prefer smaller tomatoes. Do not let size alone affect your choice when buying seeds.

Then there is the matter of what we do with our tomatoes. If we use them mostly for salads we can add cherry tomatoes to the list because their flavour is usually more intense than regular slicing tomatoes and the size is very handy for halving or quartering.

If you often cook your tomatoes to produce sauces you will need an Italian type paste tomato.

Read the seed package information before buying. All tomatoes are either determinate or indeterminate. Determinate tomatoes produce their crop in a flush and then die. They are ideal for farmers, not gardeners. We use indeterminate tomatoes that produce for weeks or months after the initial harvest.

Once you have your seeds you should only plant as many as you will need. A good rule of thumb is one plant for each member of the household. For planting purposes I use black plastic seed trays from the nursery that have 25 circular compartments and cost less than $2. I wet some potting mix and fill the compartments without

applying too much pressure and compressing the mix. An open tray or wooden box with potting soil will also give you a good start.

Tomato seeds take a week to ten days to appear above ground and in about four weeks will develop sturdy roots. Transplant your seedlings to gallon pots containing potting mix and look after them while you get your garden dug over, weeded and fertilized.

At this stage it is a good idea to use Miracle-Gro fertilizer once a week as it will not burn young plants and allows for absorption of nutrients through the leaves as well as roots.

The final transplant to your garden should take place on a cool, cloudy day in late September or early October.

Plants should be at least two feet apart and supported in wire towers or tied to fibre poles. If you use poles you may find it handy to employ plastic ribbon to tie your vines to the pole. Water the garden thoroughly for several days to ensure the tomato roots are well seated. Feed the plants with 6-6-6 granular fertilizer after one month and each month after that.

Some people may complain about transplanting twice but it really is the best way. It gives you three distinct stages of growth that promote root development to the maximum. Besides which, potting and transplanting are two of the great pleasures of home gardening.

You may come across articles on tomatoes written for northern US gardeners that recommend pruning tomato plants. This is a technique for

short season production and is not necessary in the Bahamas.

Let us go back to the stage where we transplanted our seedlings from the seed tray to gallon pots. We now have an empty seed tray. Fill it with moist potting soil and start a new set of tomatoes. You can do this throughout the season and it allows you to pull up tomato vines that are past their best even though they are still producing.

The important factor is to keep your tomatoes coming without any appreciable droughts or gluts in production.

March is usually the last month for sowing tomato seeds for the season.

We should be aware that the growing of all vegetables between now and Christmas is an uphill venture, swimming against the current, walking into the wind. The days are getting shorter and this affects the virility of most plants. All vegetables will show renewed vigour when the winter solstice has passed. Some Bahamian gardeners leave all vegetable growing until the new year but by so doing miss out on a great deal of the productive season.

If you are like me you suffer in the summer and fall when the only tomatoes available are imported, tasteless and corky. That plucking and slicing of the first ripe tomato of the season from your own garden is a great experience and I am sure you, like me, want that experience at the earliest possible opportunity. • For questions and comments e-mail j.hardy@coralwave.com.

20 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, August 11, 2017

books

PHOTOS/SHAWN HANNA; ILLUSTRATIONS BY FRANCO MONCUR

Author brings island values of yesteryear to life

By ALESHA CADET Tribune Features Writer acadet@tribunemedia.net

G

iving her readers a feel for what life was like in the Family Islands in the 1950s and 60s is the goal of Emily Rahming’s new book, “Emma – The Island Girl”.

The colourfully illustrated book is written primarily for children, but the author said she is sure adults can also appreciate the harkening back to a more idyllic era and island culture.

Chapter titles include “Down Home”, “Know Ya Roots”, “Brown Eyed Girl” and “Oh Sweet Andros”. The illustrations in the book were created by artist Franco Moncur.

Each story, as told by the character of Emma, showcases traditional family values and the importance of fostering a sense of community in young children. These are authentic experiences from Ms Rahming’s own childhood growing up Long Bay Cays, South Andros.

Ms Rahming has served in the children’s division of her church for more 40 years and has been coordinating the Heritage Summer Youth Camp as president of the South Andros Handicraft and Manufacturing Association (SAHMA) for the last 13 years.

“Being instrumental in organising the SAHMA, the major objective of the association is to pass on cultural heritage and craft to the next generation. So we instituted the SAHMA Heritage Summer Youth Camp.

From that experienced, she said, the idea for her book was born.

“The youths were taught by the older members of the community how life was in early years. I was motivated to record my experiences for the young and to have records for my children,” she told Tribune Weekend.

“Emma – The Island Girl” is now available locally at the Logos Bookstore in the Harbour Bay Shopping Plaza; and from Xulon Press Publisher, Amazon, Barnes and Nobles, and from the author herself by e-mailing emilyrahming@hotmail.com or calling 359-0356.

Emma The Island Girl.

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Friday, August 11, 2017

books

Comic book artist and writer “Pastor Q”

A Bahamian superhero Pastor releases first volume of new comic

early last week.

“Pastor Q”, as he is known to his followers, created the artwork for the book under the umbrella of LAB Productions.

A big fan of science fiction and superheroes, he has been drawing comics and writing scripts since he was 11 years old, always dreaming of creating his own story one day.

“The plot of the story follows Micah Paradise, who is the ‘Sword of the Bahamas’ – a designation for its Minister of National Defence – and the COAT of Arms, a multidimensional Coalition of Alternate Territories. So there will be many stories of Micah and the characASTOR Lequient ters in the book, defending not Bethel, founder of only the Bahamas she lives in – Epic Church, recently designated dimension 242 – but fulfilled one of his also her interactions and battles childhood dreams when with other dimensions,” he said. he released a comic book about While he was always a fan the adventures of a female superof the big American comics, hero who protects the Bahamas.

Pastor Q said he became “Micah Paradise” is the name inspired to create his own of the comic. It follows Micah, superhero after reading the the central character, who does ‘Captain Bahamas’ comic everything in her power to keep strip by Erle Bethell. her country safe. It was launched “That used to come out

P

weekly when I was 12 years old and it actually inspired me to want to make superhero comics around the Bahamas, with Bahamian characters and themes,” he told Tribune Weekend.

“But the character herself, Micah, I took a lot of inspiration from patriotic themed heroes like Captain Britain and Captain America, as well as super powered heroines like Wonder Woman and Carol Danvers’ Ms Marvel.”

Since the idea for the comic had been percolating for several years, it didn’t take Pastor Q long to get the plot of the story finalised.

“I’m always fantasising about stories and worlds, and characters and plots. So once I finalised who the characters were, what their powers were, how they looked and what their story was, it was fairly easy to create the setting and story for this dimension 242 world,” he explained.

Creating “Micah Paradise”, he said, was a labour of love for him, but he also wants the comic to serve a greater purpose.

“One of the reasons for making the comic was also because I wanted to get young Bahamians more interested in reading. Words can be intimidating or even boring to many of our youth today, as I used to work with a national literacy programme and found out that illiteracy is a huge issue in the Bahamas.

Young people are more apt to pick up a book with pictures than pick up one with just words,” he said.

“Also, when I was younger I found myself reading these comics with a dictionary and looking up any words which I did not understand because I wanted to understand the story. It expanded my vocabulary and gave me a better understanding of the English language. So one of my intentions for this comic book is to get more young people to read.”

“Micah Paradise” is available for purchase at Nassau Stationers on Rosetta Street.

22 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, August 11, 2017

literary lives nathanial naismith

The rise and fall of a daring stock trader

This historic Sind Club

Sir Christopher Ondaatje reminisces about a chance meeting with a man who banked on Velcro and lost it all, finding himself late in life in the unusual position of assistant manager at a historic club in Pakistan.

“M

oney...has often been a cause of the delusion of multitudes...Men, it has been well said, think in herds; it will be seen that they go mad in herds, while they only recover their senses slowly, and one by one.”

--Charles Mackay in “Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds”, 1852

When I decided to uncover the secrets of the seven years (1842-49) that Sir Richard Francis Burton spent in India in 1993, I knew my work was cut out for me. I would follow in Burton’s footsteps over thousands of miles, trekking across deserts where ancient tribes meet modern civilisation in the valley of the mighty Indus River.

There were numerous individuals I wanted to meet in Pakistan, and I had hopes that they would lead to many other unscheduled encounters. But I certainly never expected on the morning of my very first day to bump into an old business acquaintance from Canada now living in Pakistan.

Not only that, he turned out to have a penchant for Burton, too.

It happened at the Sind Club in Karachi, the capital of the province of what is now spelt Sindh. The Sind Club was founded in 1871 with 76 inaugural members, all British civil servants. Pakistani and Indian members were accepted only in the early 1950s. Today there are nearly 2,000 members, some of them residents of the club. The clubhouse, completed in 1883, is a grand building. Long, low porches stretch away on either

side of a main entrance portico, and a balconied second storey runs the entire width of the building. In the grounds there are elegant gardens, tennis and squash courts, and attentive servants. Everything is protected from the turmoil of Karachi behind high walls and a large, black, wroughtiron gate. The club quickly proved to be a haven for my turbulent research on Burton.

I had arrived from London in the small hours, around 1.30am. There had been little chance for a sleep. At dawn, the muezzin had called the faithful to prayer in the city.

A multitude of crows, kites and even a few falcons were soaring overhead and making a commotion outside my window. Then, at 6.15am, a tall, elderly club bearer had appeared, dressed totally in white in long pajamas with a fez-like hat embroidered in red with the motto “Sind Club”.

Mohammed Younus was very apologetic at the earliness of the hour, but he had a message for me. After I had asked him for some strong coffee, he produced a card with the words “Nathaniel Naismith, Assistant Manager, Sind Club” printed on it. The name seemed to ring a bell somewhere in my mind, but I thought this was probably just a formal introduction or welcome from the club.

“Mr Manager wants to see you Sir. After breakfast,” Younus tried to explain further in English, then gave up the struggle. So I said: “Fine.

OK. 11 o’clock.” “Acha,” he replied.

I spent the first part of the first morning on my research notes, then sauntered around the clubhouse. The furnishings were in the colonial style, with the silver cups and trophies typical of colonial clubs in my childhood in Ceylon. There was a verandah attached to the dining room, overlooking the garden, and a drawing room, bridge room, reading room

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Friday, August 11, 2017

and cocktail bar. However, no liquor was served anywhere in the club, as Karachi was officially dry. Nor was I allowed to take photographs. It seemed like a world within a world, unrelated to the modern city.

At 11am I made my way to the club offices. The moment I stepped in, I recognised him, and was transported back a quarter of a century. To Toronto, 1969, to be precise. Nathaniel Naismith—of course. It all came flooding back, even some of the financial details.

He and I were in the same stockbroking firm, Pitfield Mackay Ross and Company. I was then in my mid-thirties and worked in the newly formed institutional broking division. Naismith was at least 10 years older and head of the stock-trading desk. Although he was English and schooled at Winchester, he had been to McGill University in Montreal before joining Pitfield. We overlapped for a few years in the 1960s.

Although we were never friends, from time to time we used to talk.

The trading desk and floor were rough places in those days. Millions of dollars swapped hands throughout the day and everything was done by word of mouth through a multitude of telephone lines. The system worked, and it worked efficiently. I remembered Naismith as being quite powerful in the firm. He controlled the trading desk with a rod of steel. He alone made the decisions, with the complete confidence of the senior directors. He drank with the traders after work and no doubt settled some nasty situations in the Nag’s Head, or the Oak Room, or Winston’s, or any of the local watering holes on Bay or King Street. He was well paid, married, and rumoured to be keeping a part-Chinese mistress somewhere east of the King Edward Hotel.

Then he got a big break. Pitfield Mackay Ross underwrote a new Canadian company, Velok Ltd, which in 1957 had entered into a licencing agreement with a Swiss company, Velcro SA, to produce and distribute Velcro tape in the Western Hemisphere as well as Asia and the Pacific.

Velcro fasteners are now famous, but few people know that Velcro was the invention of George de Mestral. In 1941, while walking his dog in some Alpine countryside, he noticed that cockleburs continually fastened themselves to his trousers. Examining them under a microscope, he found multiple tiny hooks on the surface of each bur and loops of fabric on his trousers.

He appreciated the application of the

“All that mumbojumbo stock market stuff seems unreal now. It’s a game that works only when everyone plays along. And when the music stops, some people get left without a chair to sit on.”

Inside Karachi’s Sind Club

A street in Karachi circa 1900

discovery right away, but it took him eight years of tinkering to perfect a manufacturing process.

Some smart investors bought the stock soon after Velok went public in 1959. By the mid-1960s, when Velok changed its name to Velcro, sales were approaching $10 million a year, with the shares trading at between $31 and $32. I remembered buying some shares in 1965 with whatever

meagre funds I had available. I would certainly have bought more if I had had more cash. Many of the directors of Pitfield, and its traders, had already taken hefty positions in the company.

The stock continued to climb, when Velcro was used in the Apollo moon flight programme and airlines began using the Velcro fastener to keep seat pads in place. By late 1966, I recalled that Velcro stock was trading at an amazing $280, undaunted by a bear market. Many bold investors, including Naismith, borrowed against their increased portfolio value and bought

yet more stock.

But, as always, if something seems too good to be true, it usually is. The market broke, like a taut wire snapping under too much strain. It happened in early June of 1969. All across Bay Street there were horrendous stories of personal bankruptcies. Naismith was one of the casualties.

And now here he was standing in front of me, offering his hand. Still short and quite stocky, but dressed in a safari suit, brown shoes and a club Continued on page 24

24 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, August 11, 2017

An old postcard featuring the Sind Club Continued from page 23 “Hello Christopher. I saw your name on the member guest list and I knew there couldn’t be too many Ondaatjes around. I’ve been looking forward to seeing you. But do you remember me? A lot of

water has passed under the bridge since those heady Bay Street days.”

“Of course I remember you.

Who wouldn’t? But then you disappeared. No one had any idea what had happened to

you. Not even the directors. I guess you know that some of us left Pitfield Mackay Ross and started our own firm?”

“Oh yes. I’ve tried to keep in touch. But it’s hard to get real news once you get off

the train. Anyway, let’s sit down. There’s nothing to drink here, as you know. Not even a beer. So let’s have a lime and soda. It’s thirst quenching and doesn’t get you into trouble.

Sometimes someone brings in a bottle of Black Label from abroad and we have a few snorts, but strictly in private.

I hear you are right out of the financial world now, like me. I suppose I’m really a colonial, too. All that mumbo-jumbo stock market stuff seems unreal now. It’s a game that works only when everyone plays along. And when the music stops, some people get left without a chair to sit on.

But I suppose I’m talking too much. What are you doing here?”

I told Naismith about my research on Burton in India.

However, to be truthful, what I really wanted to hear about was what he was doing in Karachi.

“You know Burton was here in the 1840s when the original club was just a shack in the servants’ quarters. When a competition was held to select the best design for the club, he warned against the use of Gothic architecture. He said that ‘the Veneto-Gothic, so fit for Venice, is so unfit for Karachi’, or something like that. So when Le Mesurier was chosen to design the club he must have taken Burton’s advice. The first Sind Club building, which now houses the ladies bar and dining room, was designed as you see in a southern Italianate style.

The other blocks, which were constructed later, continued to follow the Indo-Italianate style of the original building.

Thank God everything was set back from the road. One feels safe here. You know, for a long time, there used to be a large sign in front of the club saying ‘Natives and dogs not allowed’. It was removed only the day after Jinnah took his oath as governor-general of Pakistan in ‘47. How things have changed! But I think for the better.”

“When did you come here?”

I interjected.

“Ah, that’s a long story and I’m not sure you want to hear all of it.” He paused, then went on. “You remember when Velcro collapsed. The banks, particularly the Royal Bank of Canada, called in my loans. I had sell my stock. It didn’t cover half of what I had borrowed, so I realised I was virtually bankrupt. Of course Pitfield and the board weren’t particularly sympathetic and I suppose the Royal Bank, as Pitfield’s bankers, must have put pressure on the board to try to get some of their money back. I pleaded with the directors but they said I would have to sell whatever assets I had. That meant my house, car, everything. My wife left and went back to her parents in England, temporarily I thought, while I tried to sort things out. But it was impossible. Eventually I lost my job and even though they gave me a decent severance settlement, most of it went to the Royal Bank. Then I moved into a two-room apartment near King and Yonge Street with this girlfriend of mine. But that didn’t last long.

Frankly I was at my wits’ end.

No job, no money, nowhere to stay, and I still owed a hell of a lot of money. I tried to get another job but, if you remember the early 1970s in Canada, you know there was nothing going. Brokerage firms were laying off people left, right and centre.

“Finally, I went back to England and lived with my parents for a bit. My marriage at last broke up. I tried to get some kind of job in the City— no luck. God! It was a terrible time for me.

“And then, my father had an English friend of his from Citibank in Karachi for dinner and he said he could fix me up on the currency trading desk if I was prepared to go to Pakistan. Actually the Citibank job worked out quite well for a while, but trading currency isn’t the same as being in charge of a large stock trading operation. It’s

The Tribune | Weekend | 25

Friday, August 11, 2017

Forgotten facts Paul C Aranha George de Mestral (1907 – 1990) was a Swiss electrical engineer who invented the hook and loop fastener known as Velcro.

When Fort Charlotte was a living entity

W actually a completely different business.

Everything is measured against the US dollar or Sterling and it was hard to keep up with the collapsing eastern currencies—particularly the Rupee. I just didn’t understand the market.”

“So how did the club job come about?” I asked.

“I was a member anyway, which made things a bit easier. Everyone knew me.

So in 1983, nearing retirement, I was offered this job at the club and I took it.

It’s a perfect job for me. I miss England sometimes, the Worcester Cricket Ground with the cathedral, Old Bosham and the sailing, the London theatre. But I don’t miss Canada or Bay Street at all.

My real mistake was believing too much in the system and the pieces of paper.

I know it was wonderful while it lasted but now it seems more like a nightmare.

I’ve come to realise that nothing lasts forever, and I’m much more philosophical about success and failure. I guess you may have some idea what I am talking about, since you’ve chucked the Canadian financial scene too to do something different. Burton has always been one

of my heroes. I think you’ll find much more here than you bargained for. Sindh shaped every aspect of Burton’s life.

It has changed me. My bet is that it’ll change you too… But now I must get back to work. Members will be coming in for lunch soon. Look after yourself.

Sindh can be an unruly place outside these club walls. Good luck, and let me know if there is anything I can do for you.”

I left him to his job, went off to the verandah of the club, and looked out at the immaculate gardens. A few members had already arrived for what looked like a business lunch. Naismith’s rise and fall had disturbed me more than I cared to admit. With a different roll of the dice, I knew that something like this could easily have happened to me.

NEXT WEEK: English critic and satirist Craig Brown • Sir Christopher Ondaatje is an adventurer and writer resident in the Bahamas. A Sri Lankan-born Canadian-Englishman, he is the author of several books, including “The Last Colonial”.

hen I was a child and saw pictures of Roman ruins I always wondered why ancient houses never had roofs. Did it never rain?

When I look at Fort Charlotte, Fort Fincastle and, the oldest of all, Fort Montagu, I realise that I see mere monuments to days long past.

And to understand true their meaning, I need to imagine how things used to be and what went on, in and around that monument.

In this painting, there are no buildings between Fort Charlotte and the sea – thanks to Lord Dunmore’s decision to set aside 100 acres of land where nothing could be built because he did not want residents to be caught in exchanges of cannon fire between an invading fleet and the fort. The land was used to grow food for the garrison.

It is thanks to the Governor’s foresight that we can now enjoy open air activities at Clifford Park.

The soldiers carry arms and are well-supplied with cannon balls for the big guns, while the man scans the horizon through his telescope, on lookout for any invading fleet.

Remember that only 21 years before this fort was built, American marines had defeated Fort Montagu and captured Nassau in what was the very first amphibious landing by the newly-created Marine Corps.

Dunmore was concerned about threats from America, France and Spain.

The harbour is crowded with ocean-going sailing ships, telling us that trade must have been good, but New Providence and Hog Island both look underpopulated, which they were.

Something that has not changed is the obelisk, on the right edge of the scene, which was built to guide ships over the harbour bar. The obelisk no longer serves a useful purpose and there is no signage to tell why it was erected. The last time I examined it, I found six very-familiar letters in red paint – A R A N H A. Some relative of mine liked graffiti.

But the single, most-significant item in the design of Fort Charlotte is the fact that unlike most forts, an important section is built underground – built into the hill on which it sits. The entire Fort Montagu is exposed to enemy guns, but much of Fort Charlotte was impervious to the weapons of the day. Sadly, the outline of the fort was changed, not for the better, when government added bleachers for spectators of the once-popular sound and light show.

• E-mail comments and responses to islandairman@gmail.com

u G E n TarGeTE D THe

(across or down)

26 | The Tribune | Weekend

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

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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

A G n u G E E D n

the alphabet networkchambers access charge.you have to c 21st Friday, August 11, 2017 grid too! use letters and b century below the gri Dictionary grid is ‘rotati (1999 symmetrical’ edition) words, it look you turn the HOW many words of four letters down. soluti or more can you make from the

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0907 1

you turn the page upside HOW many words of four letters (Deduct thr ureide yurt down. solution tomorrow. each extra cl or more can you make from the lettersYesterday’s shown here? in making a saturday’s solution full s Yesterday’s call 0907 181 2585 for word,Sudoku each letter may be used Black squares: 3, 0907 8, 12, 1 today’s target solution *Calls cost 8 Answer Kakuro Answer *Calls cost 80p 15,per 19,minute 20, 21, 24, 26, 29, once only. Each must contain the plus your telep plus your telephone company’s network a 31, 33, 35, 37. across: charge. centre letter and there must be atnetwork access Trade, Unionism, least one nine-letter word. no Embow, Scarf, Spoke – Helpline 0333 202 3390 PLay M plurals or verb forms ending *SP: in “s”. true trued truly turd tuyere

CRYPTIC PUZZLE Down 1 A fighting opponent (8) 2 A new stricter limit (8) 3 Advanced the time for sacrifice (4) 5 By whom hotel guests may be taken in (12) 6 Port is left in it, in more than one way (4) 7 They’re purely symbolic (6) 8 Stay outside or go (6) 11 The rear squad is ordered to base (12) 15 Animal arrived, then left (5) 16 Study I’m making of fabric (5) 18 Missing physical exercise (8) 19 Criterion followed by a cavalry regiment (8) 21 Scold a number in a sharp way (6) 22 Possibly signed the sketch (6) 26 Understandably one is nervous on it (4) 27 He’s got to go inside (4)

Across 1 Father will take part it’s a promise (6) 4 He struggles to make a living (8) 9 A coin’s tossed in a gambling situation (6) 10 Greek hero is sick, gripped by pains (8) 12 Loud anger and passion (4) 13 The speed at which some work should be done (5) 14 Animals rush round (4) 17 In need of a rest-cure? (4,3,5) 20 It’s useful for making a comeback (6,6) 23 When he’s around, one moves quickly (4) 24 Angry enough to change sides (5) 25 Nothing to write, to be frank (4) 28 A bad actor? (4-4) 29 He attacked the Romans, but turned tail at first (6) 30 Entertainer, possibly Sudanese (8) 31 Followed in a persistent way (6)

1

2

3

4

9

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8

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19

10 11

12

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20 21

22

23

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Yesterday’s Easy Solution Across: 1 Logic, 4 Restful, 8 Tie, 9 New Guinea, 10 Run-down, 11 Trash, 13 Leaves, 15 Prison, 18 Add up, 19 Aspirin, 21 Ascension, 23 Lie, 24 Dungeon, 25 Heavy.

Down: 1 Literal, 2 Greenland, 3 Congo, 4 Rowing, 5 Stutter, 6 Fan, 7 Leash, 12 Australia, 14 Expanse, 16 Nunnery, 17 Malign, 18 Award, 20 Punch, 22 Can.

Today’s TarGeT Good 12; very good 18; excellent 24 (or more). solution tomorrow. saTUrday’s soLUTion dilute duel duet duly duty elude elute eluted erudite erUdiTeLy etude lieu lure lured lurid lute rude rudely rued rule ruled rutile true trued truly turd tuyere ureide yurt

Yesterday’s Cryptic Solution Across: 1 Blunt, 4 Charger, 8 Lea, 9 Union dues, 10 Notable, 11 Icons, 13 Enrols, 15 By-pass, 18 Sedan, 19 Crew cut, 21 Erudition, 23 Use, 24 Tonight, 25 Sites.

Down: 1 Balance, 2 Unaltered, 3 Thumb, 4 Crimea, 5 Annuity, 6 Gnu, 7 Rises, 12 On account, 14 Landing, 16 Sitters, 17 Script, 18 Spent, 20 Ernes, 22 Urn.

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

*SP: Spoke – Helpline 0333 202 3390

EASY PUZZLE

Across 1 Provide money for (6) 4 Physical disability (8) 9 Gruesome (6) 10 Infinite time (8) 12 Fortune (4) 13 Biting (5) 14 Passing mood of pique (4) 17 Good enough (12) 20 Behave creditably (3,2,7) 23 Western US state (4) 24 Courteous (5) 25 Aromatic culinary plant (4) 28 Interfering person (8) 29 Small stones and sand (6) 30 Short pause for rest (8) 31 Expenditure (6)

Down 1 Destroy (8) 2 Savageness (8) 3 Very keen (4) 5 Hostile (12) 6 Disastrous (4) 7 Small, exclusive group (6) 8 Climax of story (6) 11 Very healthy (3,2,1,6) 15 Valuable attribute (5) 16 Ruin financially (5) 18 Sudden, far-reaching change (8) 19 In spoken form (8) 21 Confused sound of voices (6) 22 A lot of trouble (6) 26 Encourage in wrongdoing (4) 27 German married woman (4)

Slingshot, Him, Form, Zero, Owl, Obviously, Vexed, Zippy, Marquess, Cycle. down: Rim, Exam, Influx, Drown, Odour, Knight, Averse, Joust, Unity, Abhors, Tsar, Pal.

Extra letter clues

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

full solution

0907 181 2558 *Calls cost 80p per minute plus your telephone company’s network access charge.

PLay More Cro

The Tribune | Weekend | 27

Friday, August 11, 2017

animals

The invisible surrey horse

E

very day is pretty much the same as the other if you are a surrey horse in Nassau. You go to work, stand around, pull a bunch of tourists, frequently in overloaded carriages, come back and do it all over again, if there are ships in that is.

The one thing that the surrey horse is to most people in the street is invisible. Nobody actually notices if they are overloaded. Nobody looks at their watch to see if they are out when they should be resting in the cool. Nobody really cares, and that explains why, when a surrey is blatantly violating the law, the police on the street do absolutely nothing, probably because they never saw them. Invisible to all, except the driver and owner who have to get their money’s worth at the end of the day.

I was at a meeting the other day and it was mentioned that the horses are looking much better than before. That is an actual fact, but we must keep in mind that many of these horses are relatively new to the island. However, credit where credit is due, they are being kept better. The conversation turned to those horses that are no longer on the road. I questioned where they are – some died and some are retired…where? Nobody could answer that question. Are they simply in a stall until they pass away to the great paddock in the sky? When I was younger you would see horses quite frequently tethered in fields. They used to be horses now and then in the field on Infant View Road. I haven’t seen that for years. So where are they? What do they do all day?

There is always so much talk about surrey horses – talk, talk, talk….but little has changed; little has improved.

The Bahamas Humane Society does it best. We have a horse committee that is chaired by one of the members

Teenage pup special

PET OF THE WEEK

By The Bahamas Humane Society

C

olleen would like you to know about tomorrow’s Teenage Pup Special at the Bahamas Humane Society. Colleen is one of many teenage pups available for adoption (about six months old). All are spayed/neutered and fully vaccinated. They’re very sociable with other dogs as they’ve had a lot of opportunities to play with each other at the shelter and most of them are very people-friendly. Colleen is part Labrador, part potcake, and loves people! With the right training she’d be happy to be a house dog.

The special is for one day only – this Saturday, from 10am to 4pm, so come in to the BHS to meet the pups and make your choice, or call 323-5138 for more information. Colleen will greet you with a smile!

of our board. She attends the surrey inspections, as she is knowledgeable about horses, and for her efforts she gets insulted by the drivers and owners in ribald four letter words. We as a country need to realise that our visitors look at how we treat our animals. Do we have enough fresh water for these horses, is the shelter adequate, are they provided with food during the day, are

PHOTO/LINDA GILL-ARANHA

Animal matters Kim Aranha

the properly shod?

The people of the Bahamas pick up a lot of the tab to keep these horses in business. The Ministry of Tourism pays the insurance on these surreys (and the liability insurance). That ministry money is money that the people of the Bahamas have provided through VAT and various taxes. We do need to remember that money spent by our government

equates to “our money”. Governments get their money from the people in various different methods. They then choose where to spend it, but the money comes from the people.

The surrey industry, though very small, has a lot of power, influence, and at times almost a stranglehold on the entire government ministry structure. So many different departments and ministries have a stake in its existence and welfare. Perhaps that is why nobody does anything for these hardworking and unappreciated creatures.

Their apparent transparency making it easy for the RBPF to ignore. Their presence in Festival Place is precarious as they are next to an emergency exit that is always locked and barricaded with countless vehicles (taxis?) in spite of the fact that clearly written on the ground is “NO PARKING” Who cares? Apparently nobody; nobody moves the illegally parked vehicles; invisible to the RBPF, too!

Has anybody for a single moment bothered to think of what would happen if there was a fire or an explosion and those horses spook, pulling carriages behind them while they are corralled in Festival Place? Tourists and Bahamians alike will be injured, maybe even killed, the horses will be injured, but then again, I guess, who cares?

The BHS has begged, pleaded and asked that access to the emergency exit be made available. Nothing. The same people who treat the horses as an invisible commodity clearly have turned a deaf ear to the experienced suggestions and requests of the oldest charity in the Bahamas whose knowledgeable volunteers continue to be dedicated to improve the welfare of all animals in the Bahama islands, After listening to all the woes, the problem and the reasons why nothing can be done without a million different meetings and amendments, or new laws and bills, I say let’s make the surrey horse visible again.

Let’s try and get things changed and improved. We need a sanctuary for these horses when they retire. All of this needs money. The BHS struggles to make ends meet now with all our commitments, but there are lots of animal lovers out there, and if we all banded together, help could be right around the corner. But first the surrey horse must stop being invisible to so many.

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Friday, August 11, 2017

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