Friday, August 27, 2021
books interview film gardening history entertainment puzzles
Weekend
Beating COVID burnout Page 07
Shooting stars Bahamian photographer lives the Hollywood dream
pgs 08+09
02 | The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, August 27, 2021
books
Poet survived the storm to bring hope to others By JEFFARAH GIBSON Tribune Features Writer jgibson@tribunemedia.net NO SUBJECT is left untouched in a new book by Bahamian artist, poet and author Joinel Jeune. “The Last Breeze of Spring: Unfettered Thought”, dedicated to victims of Hurricane Dorian, shares the poet’s unique perspective on love, hope, mental health, pain, freedom of speech, spirituality and equality. His point of view is that of a Bahamian of Haitian descent who survived the catastrophic storm, had to leave Marsh Harbour, Abaco, to find a new home, and now wade through the turbulent waters of a pandemic while he holds on to the memory of the friends he lost during the natural disaster that struck the Bahamas in September 2019. Joinel recently held a book signing at the National Art Gallery of the Bahamas. “The inspiration to write this book was born out of love, patience, and my sympathy that resonated with the voiceless,” he told Tribune Weekend. “I felt an undeniable need to put this book together. It took four years to put the selected pieces together, after losing some close friends and all other possessions in the storm, to living in a shelter, followed by the pandemic, I wanted to share my journey and the wisdom I’ve obtained thus far, but also the stories of so many others. I felt that I was destined to write these poems, which I believe, will make a positive impact on the conscience of society.” This is the second book by the poet. It is a collection of poems and essays that mainly focus on social issues, with an essence of spiritual awakening. The book is also about freedom, hope and love; learning how to love oneself in order to better show love to others. Having dealt with so many challenges over the past few years and gaining a new perspective on life, Joinel asked himself what value his hardships had if he did not at least share the wisdom gained. In doing so, he hopes give someone else a new perspective of their own struggles and encourage them to persevere. One of his poems, “The Hawkins Hill Walk”, speaks about his experience of being a Bahamian of Haitian descent. “This was inspired by the plight of most Bahamians of Haitian descent...who have to obtain their Bahamian citizenship and have
JOINEL JEUNE
to deal with a new sense of self and adjusting to a new sense of societal acceptance.” Meanwhile, the poem “Thou Shall Not Kill” is a cry forsociety to change its ways. “Criminality...has become so common in our society and it seems as if we are becoming desensitsed to egregious acts, also the different phobias that are saturated with discrimination and prejudice that aim to divide us,” he said. “Then there’s ‘A Reflective Essay’, which is a personal recollection of what happened before, during and after Hurricane Dorian.” In addition to being an advocate for literacy and poetry, Joinel hopes that all who read his book can identify with his message. “Regardless of their race, nationality or ideology, the common message that most of the poems have is a message of hope. The idea that there is always hope...It reminds me of when I was in the storm, how it was the thought of certain friends, family and what tomorrow might have in store for me that kept me alive. I was being hopeful. And while we are being hopeful, let’s not be afraid to speak the truth,” he said. Upon the book’s initial release on Amazon, it climbed to the number one spot in the new releases category for Caribbean and Latin American poetry. It stayed at number one for two weeks. Two major contributors to the book were Simmone Bowe and Zyandric Jones out of Abaco. Joinel has a lot more to say, which he hopes he can express in writing and through art. “I plan to write more books, poetry, essays and biographies. I told my mother that I would write her story which I’ve already started. I have a novel that’s in the developing stages. As for painting, I lost all of my previous work in the storm. I hope to produce some new work soon. My main goal is to live my purpose. I aspire to inspire. I hope to participate in and even start programmes like the one I founded in Abaco again, and partner with other organisations in our efforts to better help and guide our youth,” he said. For more information, contact jayjeune@ gmail.com.
The Tribune | Weekend | 03
Friday, August 27, 2021
Weekend Inside
Interview 4 – 5
Rapper Mario “Sasha Dunn” Woodside takes a hand-ons approach to bettering the Bahamas by running as an independent candidate in the upcoming elections
Puzzles 6 Entertainment 7
Bahamian blogger finds new ways to inspire during ‘COVID burnout’
Photography 8-9
Bahamian photographer Jamie Bruces reaches for the stars
Books 11
Veteran educator publishes a new type of Christian romance novel
Literary Lives 12 – 13 A giant in baseball history
Forgotten Facts 14
Remembering Hog Island
Animals 15
The lure of butterflies, plus Pet of the Week
Gardening 16
The future of urban gardening Cover: Bahamian fashion photographer Jamie Bruce with model Winnie Harlow
07
‘This is Paradise’ is biggest TV project in Bahamian history LED by award-winning filmmaker Kareem Mortimer, more than 30 Bahamian creatives converged on the island of Eleuthera this summer to film “This is Paradise”, a six-episode dramedy featuring a plethora of Bahamian talent, including writers, directors, and actors. “This is Paradise” tells the story of two women who first encounter each other at a funeral. Polar opposites, the women are shocked to learn that they share a father and now co-own the worn island hotel he left to them both. Conflicted by whether to keep or sell the hotel, the sisters embark on parallel journeys of self-discovery. This series, “the first scripted TV project of this scale produced locally,” according to producer Henrietta Cartwright-Edgecombe, was developed from the ground up by Bahamian creatives. Over eight weeks, a team of writers met in a virtual writer’s room - joining from Nassau, Freeport, and the United States. Bahamian writers Kerel Pinder and Stephen Hanna, Creator Kareem Mortimer, and producer Henrietta Cartwright-Edgecombe collaborated with international writer Timothy Papciak and producer Julia Chatwin to develop the script. Given the COVID-19
protocols, casting and table reads were done virtually over six weeks, leading up to production. Three Bahamian directors - Henrietta Cartwright-Edgecombe, Kareem Mortimer, and Lavado Stubbs each directed two episodes. “The Bahamas is saturated with world-class talent that only needs opportunity to be unlocked,” said Mr Mortimer. “It’s imperative that when the environment presents itself, we invite as many Bahamians onto the train as possible to develop our creative industries further. It was a no-brainer for me to engage two exceptionally talented directors to lend their genius to this project, and I am grateful for their participation.” Atlanta-based Bahamian actress Dana Deveaux and Julia Chatwin, comedians Timico “Sawyerboy” Sawyer, Z’haneo “Sarge”
Newbold, and actors Patrice Johnson, Tara Woodside, Christine Wilson, and D Sean Nottage also appear in the series. Filming, which took place exclusively in Eleuthera, employed a crew of more than 20 individuals and injected more than $150,000 into the island’s economy. “This was an ambitious project to take on, and hopefully, with more funding, community support, and interest, we will see the television industry grow and more productions of this scale in the future,” shared said Ms Cartwright-Edgecombe. Mr Mortimer anticipates “This Is Paradise” will premier in Spring 2022 and has his sights on a second season. “The goal for ‘This Is Paradise’ is to be on an international platform with a second season,” he said.
04 | The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, August 27, 2021
interview
Mario “Sasha Dunn” Woodside As a rapper, he has always agitated for social improvement, but following a spiritual experience, he now wants to take a more hands-on approach to bettering the Bahamas. He tells Jeffarah Gibson how, as the new independent candidate for Nassau Village, he is focusing on government transparency and clean energy. BAHAMIAN rapper Mario Woodside, who performs under the stage name Sasha Dunn, has always used his music as a vehicle to address social ills and criticise those in government who choose not to exercise their power to make changes that serve the people. He has also been a participant in numerous protests to agitate for a better Bahamas. However, he feels like most of efforts over the years have fallen on deaf ears. Now, he has taken the bull by the horns and is offering himself as one of new faces in the upcoming General Elections on September 16. He will be running as an independent candidate for Nassau Village constituency. Many know Mr Woodside as a businessman, artist, activist and father. But now he is aiming to transition into the role of state builder. “I’ve run my photo studio, Woodside Photoshop and Gallery, for 18 years on Soldier Road. While running my business I also developed my career as a recording artist and hip-hop impresario. Over the years I’ve released multiple mixtapes, music videos and performed on numerous stages, both locally and internationally. Recently, God has blessed me with my fiancée, Vanessa, who then brought forth my daughter Santia Jaliese. Being a father has given my life a new purpose and drive,” he told Tribune Weekend. His daughter, along with a vision he had after the death of his mother last October, are the driving force behind his political aspirations. “Seven days after my mother passed away...I had a very profound spiritual event. While in my greatest state of depression I was shown a vision of the future. I was standing in Parliament and as a bill for true government
Friday, August 27, 2021
“Investment into solar and other alternative energies is part of the fourth industrial revolution and we are far behind. Our economy is currently shackled to a very old mind set. Both the PLP and FNM are focused on drilling for oil when the rest of the world is moving away from fossil fuels and reaping the benefits of renewable energy.” transparency was being passed an uproar began in the House. Being true to my outspoken nature, I started cheering on behalf of the people. My only question to the distinguished gentlemen of the House who were not celebrating was, ‘How can you be mad if this for the people?’ From that point I knew that public office was the new direction I was called to take,” he said. And ever since, Mr Woodside said he has been on the ground, making his presence felt and acquainting himself with the needs of those in the community he is hoping to represent. If elected, he said he will agitate for equity and accountability, among many other issues he sees as pertinent problems. Government transparency is one of his big priorities. “If we can’t remove all of the holes in our system, we will never stop haemorrhaging money into the wrong hands,” he said Another priority, he said, is introducing clean energy alternatives. “Investment into solar and other alternative energies is part of the fourth industrial revolution and we are far behind. “Our economy is currently shackled to a very old mind set. Both the PLP and FNM are focused on drilling for oil when the rest of the world is moving away from fossil fuels and reaping the benefits of renewable energy,” he said. Mr Woodside also has some ideas about additional revenue possibilities. “I’m careful in using the word ‘hemp’ as people don’t seem to understand that cannabis goes beyond personal use. Investment in hemp would allow us to produce our own textiles, products like the rope used in our fishing industry and others that can all increase our GDP (gross domestic product),” he said. The development of the arts is another area that he is passionate about. Having been in the local music and entertainment industry for over a decade, Mr Woodside said he has seen how this area has been neglected by successive governments. “Where other countries have laws and regulations to protect the local artists and art forms, here in the Bahamas successive governments have failed to address the local industry, which has led to a major
The Tribune | Weekend | 05
MARIO WOODSIDE with his wife Vanessa and daughter Santia Jaliese.
state of atrophy in our entertainment and culture. “Rather than focusing on the development of what is naturally Bahamian, they’ve focused on what was viewed as trending in the region. We should be investing in the arts so we can be the trendsetters,” he said. Mr Woodside said there are many of changes he will agitate for as it relates to the local arts, music and culture sector. “The film industry has been growing here and we know the Bahamas is a top choice when it comes to scenic tropical isles. We should be encouraging not only local filmmakers but international filmmakers to MARIO Woodside shoot in our country. on the ground “I truly believe that we as Baha- hopes to capture on Septembe in Nassau Village, the constituenc r 16. y he mians have a unique perspective on life and an abundance of talent. We do an politiamazing job now without any real government aid to cal race. I have only released one speak of. Imagine if the arts became more lucrative song for the year called the ‘The Voice of God’,” he and had more funding, the sky would be our only said. limit,” he said. “The song is more or less a reflection of my state These proposed changes, he said, are solely motiof mind and the current state of our country. It’s vated by his desire to see greater development in this area. Mr Woodside said he wouldn’t be the ben- politically inspired and speaks to the fact that the voice of the masses, our people, is the voice of God eficiary in any way. “I would say I’m on somewhat of a sabbatical now and should be feared by those who have been put in with music as I focus all my energy and time on this power. God hears the cries of His people.”
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06 | The Tribune | Weekend C THe DAIlY eXpReSS
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The Tribune | Weekend | 07
Friday, August 27, 2021
entertainment IANTHIA Ferguson enjoys sharing her expertise at the recent LitFluential Summer Workshop.
Bahamian blogger finds new ways to inspire during ‘COVID burnout’ By CARA HUNT Tribune Features Writer cbrennen@tribunemedia.net BEING a content creator can be challenging in the best of times, but throw in a global pandemic and finding the inspiration to inspire others becomes a tricky task indeed. Ianthia Ferguson, herself a content creator for seven years, recently created a network of creatives called LitFluential. And just recently she held a summer workshop to help others find some much needed motivation. “I’ve been so blessed and fortunate to have been able to grow such an amazing community online and I’ve always wanted to bring everyone together and bring all of my events and resources under one umbrella,” she explained. “I’ve hosted a book launch, an annual Christmas party for creatives, and after the success of my virtual conference in December, I moved quickly to make that a reality. “I brainstormed names and came up with LitFluential, because we are lit and influential. The dream is for this platform to be a hub and a resource for budding creatives and the millennial woman who’s
passionate about beauty, health, lifestyle, business trends, family, home, finance, being a creative, a blogger or influencer; with a website and social media presence that speaks to these interests. I want LitFLuential to be the 21Ninety, the Create and Cultivate or the XONecole of the region.” Ianthia said she has always been interested in sharing advice, tips and inspiration for budding creatives. And recently she was able to find the forum to do just that. “I decided to host the LitFluential Summer Workshop and Content Planning Party to answer some of the questions I always get about being a blogger, influencer and digital creator,” she said. This workshop dealt with topics such as planning content and keeping your business and personal social media accounts active and consistent She explained that many of the attendees were entrepreneurs with products and services to sell but who had been struggling with telling their brand story online, gaining new clientele and getting the visibility they deserve. “The presentation I curated for them taught them how to define their brand story, how to confidently tell that story online and how to choose
the topics and niches that appeal to their audiences. I also sat down oneon-one with each student and helped them plan and create a 30-day content calendar. This was huge, because a lot of them want to be on social media, but struggle with knowing what to post. I was so happy that I was able to give them some clarity and insight on that and give them a month’s worth of posts and a workbook,” she said. “Some of my favourite parts of the workshop were watching people form partnerships and plan out collaborations on the spot,” she said. And she herself also benefited from the session. “This was actually my first time ever teaching or coaching a class and I’m wondering why I waited so long. It felt really good to share my knowledge, my strategies and process with (attendees) and watch them soak it all up,” she said. Ianthia said she will definitely be holding more workshops, online courses and other digital materials in the future. “My audience has been asking me to provide coaching services for so long, but I think I’ve finally homed
in on my area of expertise with workshops like this.” Those interested can contact Ianthia for replays of the workshops. “Feel free to follow me on Instagram @iamianthia for all of the updates,” she said, She added: “COVID-19 burnout is so real, and I experience it very often. Being a creative in the midst of a pandemic is hard. We’ve already committed our lives and platforms to inspiring and uplifting, entertaining and motivating people and in these times, especially, we sometimes need it too.” Ianthia offered this advice to those experiencing COVID burnout: “Take as many breaks as you need, for as long as you need. Don’t force yourself to ‘be OK’ if you’re not. Unplug from social media if you need to. Get back into the swing of things by physically writing content ideas in a journal. Start slow: a blog a week, a YouTube video a month; remove the pressure of schedules and deadlines. “We’re all in a pandemic. Be honest. Let your audience know how you feel. Talk with other creatives to help boost your mood and remind yourself you are not alone.”
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Friday, August 27, 2021
film
Review: Sleek modern horror ‘Candyman’ has got quite a hook By JEFFARAH GIBSON | Tribune Features Writer | jgibson@tribunemedia.net
By MARK KENNEDY AP Entertainment Writer
YAHYA Abdul-Mateen II in a scene from “Candyman”, directed by Nia DaCosta. Photo: Parrish Lewis/Universal Pictures and MGM Pictures via AP
There’s an urban legend that says if you repeat the name “Candyman” aloud five times in front of a mirror, you summon a hook-handed killer. After seeing Nia DaCosta’s film of the same name, you’ll never be tempted to do that. You might even not want anything sweet again. Heck, cancel Halloween. Equal parts cerebral, political and gross-out, “Candyman” is a worthy addition to the library of top-notch social thrillers being built by Jordan Peele and it marks a stunning step forward for director DaCosta, who had just one indie under her belt, the well-received crime drama “Little Woods.” “Candyman” — uh, oh, how many times has his name been typed by now? — is an unusual horror movie set in the luxury lofts and haughty art world of Chicago. It’s here that co-writers DaCosta, Peele and Win Rosenfeld can look at gentrification, police brutality, authenticity, myth and Black identity. It stars Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Anthony, a visual artist struggling to live up to his billing as “the great Black hope of the Chicago arts scene of tomorrow.” He and his girlfriend, gallery owner Brianna (a wonderful Teyonah Parris) live a life of wealth and privilege, sipping Moscato in their gleaming duplex. Prodded to create more gritty work, Anthony finds an odd kind of muse in the Candyman, who it is said roamed Chicago’s notoriously dangerous Cabrini-Green housing projects making poorly behaving children scared straight. The myth goes that the Candyman was a Black artist who fell in love with a white woman he was hired to paint. Her prejudiced father hired hooligans to cut off
his hand and smear his body with honey so he would be stung to death by bees. Then they burned him. The tale is told to Anthony by a Cabrini-Green laundromat owner (Colman Domingo, superb) and yet in this telling the Boogeyman isn’t a vengeful demon meant to keep kids in line, but a victim. Candyman is actually an innocent scapegoat, a way to process a system of white oppression. Peele has described this new riff as a “spiritual sequel” to the original 1992 “Candyman,” which was written and directed by Bernard Rose. In some nice touches, Virginia Madsen and Tony Todd, who were stars of the first film, have roles here, and Vanessa A Williams appears in both films as the same character, Anne-Marie McCoy, Anthony’s mom. “Candyman” gets progressively filthier as it unspools, going from gleaming granite countertops in elegantly lit and airy kitchens to grimy, muddy abandoned and graffitiscarred projects. DaCosta can make a stroll down a well-lit, modern and clean hallway somehow creepy. This is confident, smart filmmaking. There’s a stunning scene in which the Candyman mirrors his prey’s movements and one in an elevator where blood droplets create their own horror-inside-horror. Anthony’s newly unlocked passion to use the Candyman as fuel for his paintings — “I feel really connected to this. I’ve never been this clear before,” he says to his girlfriend — sends him spinning into madness and into his own past, unlocking secrets and fate. There are parts of the plot that seem undeveloped or vestigial, like the girlfriend’s personal history handling artists on the edge — but “Candyman” — oh, no, that’s too many times, he’ll be here soon — is a jolt of macabre adrenaline. Hopefully, it’ll get a lot of buzz. Running time: 91 minutes
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Friday, August 27, 2021
books
A new type of Christian romance novel By ALESHA CADET Tribune Features Reporter acadet@tribunemedia.net FOR many, the pandemic has really brought home the fact that life is short. Aniska Stevens Gibson, a veteran elementary school teacher and kids radio producer, is among those who felt inspired not to waste any more time and simply go for it when it came to fulfilling one of her dreams. In her case, this dream consisted of writing and publishing a Christian romance novel. Her new book, “Loving You”, is now available in Kindle format from Amazon and in paperback from the author herself. Aniska, a wife, mother and mentor, describes the book as a “clean, creative and unique” piece of fiction. “It is not like your traditional romance novels. It takes the reader on a ride with several different romantic stories that are all Christ-centered and brings to the forefront friendship, love, trust, dating, waiting, anticipation and simply doing it God’s way,” she told Tribune Weekend. “Loving You”, she said, includes several different stories about Christians who fall in love while also staying true to the values and standards they follow as believers. “Get ready to fall in love 13 different ways with ‘Loving You’,” she said. The message portrayed in the book, she added, is that love can happen unexpectedly, and it flourishes once given time. “There is nothing wrong with having values, standards and expectations when you choose to date and settle down. The book wants readers to grasp that love is possible, it does not give up on you, it is not rushed, it develops with trust, respect
and friendship. Furthermore, it can be lovely when you state or communicate what you want from the start with a partner. ‘Loving You’ wants readers to grasp that God is interested and wants to be fully involved with your love story,” she said. “The love stories from the book are realistic. There are love stories about college romance, best friends, falling in love after the death of a spouse, falling in love in church, on the job, falling in love after a divorce, abuse and more.” Aniska believes there is a definitely a market for more Christian love stories. “I am a lover of romance and love the Hallmark movies, timeless romance movies from the past and romance movies of the day. I enjoy a romantic flick like anybody else. You can call it corny or mushy, but I dig a good romance movie any day. I do feel God is positioning and calling His people into industries that was once considered secular for years. Christians love romance too,” she said. For Aniska, the Bible is the greatest romance book ever written. “Truly, we learn about all the different types of love from the word of God. It is time for romance novels to be synonymous with Christian love and dating. Therefore, I was motivated to bring Christian love and relationships in a book that mentions the scripture, talks about love despite a person’s background or past, and presents loving relationships built on friendship, trust and God’s guidance. I have not seen enough romance novels out there that cater more to believers or anyone who chooses to date or love differently from what the world portrays,” she said. Aniska said she is not someone who normally
enjoys being in the spotlight, but nevertheless, she is preparing an official launch for the book, to be announced at a later date. “I am looking forward to the public’s views and support of the book. I want the book to be loved and accepted, to help motivate and encourage others in their love stories. I want ‘Loving You’ to impact and cross over from pre-teen to adulthood with falling in love with God’s help. In addition, I want to attract both female and male (readers),” she said. “Finally, I pray that ‘Loving You’ will attract marriage ministries, single persons and individuals who are currently dating. The support would greatly be appreciated. If one person says it inspired them, it would feel like a million to me.” Aniska has been writing since she was a teenager but was always too afraid to show her work to anyone. “Loving You” finally saw the light of day thanks to the efforts of the True Vine Marketing and Publishing Company, which is headed by Dr Felecia Archer. Following “Loving You”, Aniska will be publishing the sequel, “Endless Love”. “I have three other Christian romance novels slated for later dates, such as ‘Fighting Rejection’, ‘Love at First Sight’, ‘A Chance at Love’. In the near future, I will have a book on effectual prayers, bullying and witchcraft in the workplace, and overcoming obstacles,” she said. “Don’t peg me as a romance writer alone. I love variety. I can also write non-fiction stories and share my life story and experiences as well. Furthermore, I love raps, skits, poetry and art. Therefore, I can see also colouring books, teaching resources and children’s literature in my future. Who knows? If it is God’s will, one day I might even write scripts for a romance movie.” For more information and to purchase paperback editions of “Loving You”, contact Aniska at 423-6047.
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Friday, August 27, 2021
literary lives - Willie Mays WILLIE MAYS, now age 90, is the oldest living Baseball Hall of Famer.
A giant of baseball history - Part I Sir Christopher Ondaatje writes about the centre fielder nicknamed “The Say Hey Kid”, who spent almost all of his 22-season Major League Baseball career playing for New York/San Francisco Giants (1951-52, 1954-72) before finishing his career with the New York Mets (197273). He is still regarded as being one of the greatest baseball players of all time. Willie Howard Mays, Jr, was born on May 6, 1931, in Westfield, Alabama – primarily a Black company town near Fairfield, Alabama. His father, Cat Mays, was a talented baseball player with the Black team at the local iron plant. Annie Satterwhite, his mother, was a gifted basketball and track star in high school. His parents were married and separated when Mays
was three. He was raised by his father and two girls, Sarah and Ernestine. Cat Mays worked as a railway porter and later at the steel mills in Westfield. He taught young Willie to catch a baseball even before he could walk. He got him to sit on the bench with him in the Birmingham Industrial League team when he was ten. His favourite baseball players were Joe DiMaggio, Ted Williams and Stan Musial. At Fairfield Industrial High School, he was on the basketball team. He played quarterback, fullback and punter on the football team. He did not graduate from Fairfield until 1950. Mays professional baseball career began in 1948 when he played briefly with the Chattanooga ChooChoos – a Negro minor league team during the summer. Later that year Mays joined the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro American Team, managed by Piper Davis, who had been a teammate of Mays’ father on the industrial team. When Fairfield Industrial principal EJ Oliver threatened to suspend Mays for playing professional baseball, Piper Davis and Mays’ father worked out an agreement that Mays would only play home games for the Black Barons, but in return would be allowed to still play high school football. Mays helped Birmingham advance to the 1948 Negro World Series, which they lost 4 – 1 to the Homestead Grays. He hit .262 for the season and was spectacular in his fielding and baserunning.
‘THE CATCH’ that lives on in legend; Mays hauls in Vic Wertz’s drive near the wall in Game 1 of the 1954 World Series. A number of Major League Baseball teams wanted to sign Willie Mays, but they had to wait until he graduated from high school before they could offer him a contract. The Boston Braves and Brooklyn Dodgers both wanted him, but New York Giants scout Eddie Montague was the one who signed him to a $4,000 contract. Mays spent most of 1950 with the Class B Trenton Giants of the Interstate League,
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Friday, August 27, 2021
“And my father didn’t have money for me to go to college. And at that particular time they didn’t have Black quarterbacks, and I don’t think I could have made it in basketball, because I was only five foot-eleven inches. So I just picked baseball.” - Willie Mays batting .353. Promoted to the Class AAA Minneapolis Millers of the American Association in 1951, he batted .477 in 35 games. Mays was called up to the New York Giants on May 24, 1951. May initially was reluctant to accept the offer, being scared to face major league pitchers. However, Leo Durocher, the New York manager, called Mays directly and said: “Quit costing the ball club money with long-distance phone calls and join the team.” Mays appeared in his first major league game on May 25, 1951, against the Philadelphia Phillies at Shibe Park, batting third. He had no hits in his first 12 times at bat, but in his 13th, he hit a home run over the left field roof of the Polo Grounds off Warren Spahn. Again, he was hitless in his next 12 times at bat, and Leo Durocher dropped him down to eighth in the batting order, telling Mays to stop trying to pull the ball and just make contact. Mays took the advice and made four hits on June 2 and June 3. By the end of the month his batting average was .300. He would bat close to .290 for the remainder of the season. Although his .274 average, 68 RBI and 20 home runs (in 121 games) would be the lowest totals in his career, he still won the National League Rookie of the Year Award. On August 11, 1951, the NY Giants were 13 and a half games behind the Brooklyn Dodgers, but the Giants went 40 - 18 in the season’s final 58 games and won their last seven games tied with the Dodgers. During the pennant race Mays was a huge contributor to several Giant victories. On October 3, Mays was in the on-deck circle when Bobby Thomson hit the shot that won the three-game National League tie-breaker series 2 – 1. The NY Giants met the New York Yankees in the 1951 World Series. Joe DiMaggio, May’s boyhood hero, was playing for the Yankees. The NY Giants lost in six games. Mays, disappointingly, hit poorly, with the losing 4 – 2. Mays was drafted to the United States Army to serve in the Korean War after the 1951 season ended. But he was able to start the 1952 season with the Giants, batting .236 with four home runs in thirty-four games. He reported on May 29, 1952, to Fort Eustis where he spent most of his time playing in military baseball teams with other major leaguers. He missed 206 games due to military service. Discharged on March 1, 1954, he reported to Giants’ spring training the following day. Mays began the 1954 season with a 414 feet home run against Carl Erskine on Opening Day. When he batted .250 in his first 20 games, Leo Durocher moved him down from third to fifth in the batting order andtold him again to stop trying to pull the ball and get hits instead to right field. Mays then stood straighter at the plate and kept his feet closer to each
MAYS and manager Leo Durocher of the 1954 World Champion New York Giants pose with Durocher’s wife, actress Laraine Day, for the cover of Sports Illustrated. other. This almost immediately improved his batting average. He batted .450 with 25 RBI in his next 20 games. On June 25, Mays hit a home run in a 6 – 2 victory over the Chicago Cubs. He was selected to the National League All-Star team andwould be part of twenty-four straight National League All-Star teams over 20 seasons. He had 38 home runs by July 28, but then Durocher, the coach, told Mays to stop hitting them, explaining that the team wanted him to get on base more. May only hit five more home runs after 8 July, but increased his batting average from .326 to .345, helping to win the Giants first batting title since 1930. Mays, with his 41 home runs, won the National League Most Valuable Player Award and the Hickok Belt. The NY Giants won the National League Pennant and the 1954 World Series, beating the Cleveland Indians in four straight games. One of the most memorable incidents in the 1954 World Series is an over-the-shoulder catch by Willie Mays. “The Catch”, a running catch by Mays – an estimated 455 feet from home plate at the Polo Grounds – off a long drive off the bat of Vic Wertz during the eighth innings of the first game, prevented two Cleveland Indian runners from scoring, preserving a tied game. The catch is regarded as the greatest catch of all baseball history. Mays did not even look at the ball for the last 20 feet as he ran, saying later that he was still going to be running if he was to get to where the ball was headed. He grabbed it out of the air over his left shoulder – an almost impossible feat. The Giants won the game in the tenth inning on a three-run home run by Dusty Rhodes, with Mays scoring the winning run. Willie Mays added base stealing to his talents in the 1955 season, upping his total from eight to twenty-four. In May, Durocher asked Mays to go for more home runs, and he led the league with 51. He led the league with a .659 slugging percentage,
and batted .319 as the N.Y. Giants finished third. During the final game of the 1955 season, Durocher informed Mays that he would not be returning as the Giants manager. Shocked by the news Mays replied, “But Mr Leo, it’s going to be different with you gone. You won’t be there to help me.” Durocher replied: “Willie Mays doesn’t need help from anyone.” Mays struggled in 1956 with the new Giants manager Bill Rigney, who criticised Mays publicly. It wasn’t easy for Mays who hit 36 home runs and stole 40 bases. His batting average of .296 was his lowest total of a decade. The Mays/Rigney relationship improved in 1957. Rigney stopped giving Mays as much direction, and the player’s confidence resumed. On April 21, 1957, against the Philadelphia Phillies, May reached second base on an error, stole third, and scored the winning run on a Hank Sauer single. He stole home in a 4 – 3 loss to the Chicago Cubs on May 21, 1957, the first season that Golden Gloves were presented, and Mays won the first of 12 consecutive Golden Gloves for his play in centre field. Mays topped three categories in the National League in 1957: runs scored; batting average; and home runs. He also stole thirty-eight bases that year. Manager Rigney urged Mays to challenge Babe Ruth’s record of 60 home runs in a season. As he had in 1954, Mays vied for the National League batting title – but finished with .347 as against Philadelphia’s Richie Ashburn who batted .350. He did, however, win the League Player of the Month award with Stan Musial in May, batting .350; and won a second such award in September, batting .434. He played all but two games for the Giants but hit only 29 home runs. Horace Stoneham (1903-1990), the owner of the New York/San Francisco Giants from 1936 to 1976, made Mays the highest paid player in baseball with a $75,000 contract for 1959. He continued to be the highest paid player right until the 1972 season, with the exception of 1962 when he was paid $90,000 – the same as Mickey Mantle, and in 1966 when Sandy Koufax was paid more. The Giants ended in a disappointing third place in 1959, losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Mays was booed by the San Francisco Giants fans. After two years in Seals Stadium in San Francisco, the Giants moved to Candlestick Park in 1960. Tricky winds in the Park affected Mays’ power hitting and he hit only 12 home runs. But he learned how to judge the winds. On September 15, he tied a National League record with three triples in an eleven innings 8 – 6 win over the Philadelphia Phillies. But he hit only 29 home runs. Alvin Dark was hired to manage the Giants before the start of the 1961 season, and the improving Giants finished the season in third place. Mays had one of his best games on April 30, hitting four home runs and driving in eight runs against the Milwaukee Braves. Mays finished the season with 40 home runs and led the league with 129 runs scored and batted .308. However, the San Francisco fans expected more, and they continued to boo him during his first four seasons in California. Eventually these boos subsided after Mays’ four home runs game in 1961, and in 1962 when the Giants enjoyed their best season since moving to San Francisco in 1958. • Sir Christopher Ondaatje is the author of The Last Colonial. Hr acknowledges that he has quoted liberally from Wikipedia; Willie Mays: The Life, The Legend (2010) by James S. Hirsch; and 24: Life Stories and Lessons from the Say Hey Kid (2020) by Willie Mays (with John Shea).
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Friday, August 27, 2021
history THE ESSO fuel dock on Hog Island.
How I remember Hog Island FOR years, I gazed across Nassau Harbour, looking at Hog Island. It wasn’t until Huntington Hartford appeared on the scene that the name Paradise Island popped up, and on May 23, 1964, The Bahamas government ruled that “from and after the coming into force of this act, the island lying to the north of the island of New Providence, heretofore known as Hog Island, shall be called and referred to as Paradise Island”. Slowly at first, but at an everincreasing speed, the personality of Hog Island changed from an industrial area to what Paradise Island is today. This picture of what used to be Esso’s retail fuel dock on Hog Island reminds me of my first job, in Esso’s marketing department. For the first few weeks, I worked in every department to get a grounding of what their business was about. My day started at 7.30am, when I stepped aboard Esso’s boat to their oil-storage plant located across the harbour.
PAUL C ARANHA
FORGOTTEN FACTS On the way to Hog Island we drove the barge over the undersea pipelines looking for oil slicks. On arrival, we opened the valves on the pipelines
to Nassau, turned on the pumps and watched the pressure gauge on each line. A steady pressure indication meant that the pipelines were not leaking, and we then climbed to the top of each of the five storage tanks, to measure how much fuel was in each. These readings should agree with what was there the night before. Only once do I remember a leak in one of the underwater fuel lines. We had to drive the barge slowly over the pipelines, looking very carefully for any oil slick. Finding it was easy and the barge was anchored in place, so a diver could descend to the sea floor and clamp a repair collar around the leak. The diver would stay submerged until the pump was turned on and the pressure remained steady. The diver wore a heavy diving helmet, while another man worked a hand pump on deck to supply air to his submerged colleague. To the west of Esso’s plant was (Sir) Roland Symonette’s Shipyard, which later moved to East Bay
Street. The move was a foretaste of the downturn in industrial activity. Fuel was imported from a refinery in Aruba, transported in the tanks of the m/v Inagua Shipper, which tied up at the Esso dock and pumped gasoline, kerosene, Diesel oil and aviation fuel into the waiting tanks. On arrival, the Shipper was so low in the water that one could look down on it. As the fuel was pumped ashore, the ship would rise up continuously and people on the dock saw the hull at eye-level. Esso had the only fuel farm in the Bahamas and sold fuels to its competitors – Sinclair Cuba Oil Company, Texaco. Whenever anyone told me that Sinclair or Texaco gas was better than Esso, I could change the topic by pointing out that both of our competitors bought their fuels from Esso. • For questions and comments, please send an e-mail to islandairman@gmail.com
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Friday, August 27, 2021
animals
Ah, the joy of
butterflies... Animal matters | KIM ARANHA
SOME of my most gentle childhood memories seem to have butterflies fluttering around the place. I have this rather stereotypical memory of running through a field of quite tall weeds and wild flowers, somewhere in Europe, Switzerland perhaps, and a cloud of white butterflies rising up from the tall plants like a cloud. The grass on my legs and the skirt of my little dress swirling - it all seams too perfect, movie-like. But I promise I do have that memory. I recollect being concerned that they would get tangled up in my long blonde hair, but they didn’t. I do remember being absolutely delighted to see this amazing living cloud of wings catching the sun and flying randomly before resettling behind me. I really wish that my father had taken a photograph of that moment. I guess in those days cameras were not as easily available as they are on our phones these days. Today, mothers and fathers are able to record every wonderful moment in their children’s lives. Recently, I am starting to allow myself to hope that, in some places, butterflies are still alive and well. I saw a wonderful video clip of butterflies all over a private garden in Georgetown, Exuma, and it made my heart sing. It was an idyllic clip of birds chirping, butterflies going from plant to plant and the amazing blue sea in the distance. I bet you that the owner of that garden does not spray insecticide
PET OF THE WEEK
Brotherly duo By The Bahamas Humane Society
SIBLINGS Mutt and Jeff are recent arrivals at the Bahamas Humane Society and will be ready for adoption once they’ve been neutered. They’re both pretty mellow in spite of the unfamiliar surroundings and should quickly
indiscriminately everywhere. Not long ago I went to a local plant nursery, and I was so happy to see lots of butterflies all over the colourful lantana and penta. The butterflies in the nursery were monarch butterflies and are so very graceful to observe. The monarch butterfly is well known for its enormous migrations in California and Mexico. They only live for six to eight months. It’s strange that such grace and beauty is so sparsely rewarded by nature. Some seriously ugly creatures live for so long, however, this gossamer beauty stays with us for such a short time. The mummy butterfly works hard to produce her children. She lays her eggs one by one, each on a leaf of the milkweed plant. She secrets a form of glue to attach the egg to the leaf. She usually lays between 300 and 500 eggs over a two- to five-week period. Can you imagine how much work that can be? The eggs hatch after a few short days and become caterpillars, and we know the rest of that story. Caterpillars are built to eat like machines. Most parents will recall the marvellous book “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” by Eric Carle where this colourful caterpillar eats his way through the book in an enchanting series of illustrations. A classic and delightful read for families. Of course, the monarch butterfly is the only caterpillar that restricts
settle into a new home of their own. The pair would like to stay together, but it’s not a requirement for adoption. If you have ever needed a pair of friendly brothers in your life, Mutt and Jeff are the duo for you. Call the BHS at 323-5138 for more information or come in to meet them. Mutt and Jeff, and many other adoption cats and kittens, look
THE MAJESTIC monarch butterfly. itself to the milkweed plant, as we all know, because sometimes we wake up in the morning and go outside to admire our perfect gardens - or they were perfect the night before – only to find they were ravaged during the night by some very hungry caterpillars. I know that feeling of anger, but please try to take a deep breath and don’t give in to your initial reaction of “Kill, kill, kill”. No, please don’t kill. Those unattractive plant destroyers are doing what nature created them to do, and soon will turn into a most splendid creatures gracing your garden with a surreal fairytale feel as they dot from plant to plant. I am told that the best plants to attract butterflies in the Bahamas include lantana, milkweed and penta. However, before you go that route, please remember that to encourage butterflies is to encourage caterpillars. It is impossible to have one without the other; with the pleasure of having an enchanted garden comes the pain of
forward to seeing you. • The BHS Thrift Shop is open. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 11am to 3pm and Saturday from 10am to 2pm. We sell gently used items to raise funds for the shelter. If you’d like to donate, we’d be grateful to accept your donation. If the shop is closed, please leave them in the main shelter. Thank you!
Photo/ Linda Gill-Aranha
dealing with (and tolerating) hungry caterpillars. Some of us are frequently plagued with the very large and uber-hungry green caterpillar who actually bites if you are not careful. I have been researching and cannot find out what they turn into. Because of their size, I assume that they probably turn into our beloved “money bat”. I would be grateful if any of my readers could confirm this for me. The bottom line is that I have a fragile hope, a thin silken dream, that perhaps we will see more butterflies again, but this can only be achieved if we tolerate the existence of caterpillars. AUTHORS NOTE: I am delighted to tell my readers that the poor little, abused potcake Omar, has been adopted into a fantastic home and will know love and kindness for the rest of his life. Thank you to those offering to help Anybody wishing to contact me can do so at berryislandgirl@gmail.com.
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Friday, August 27, 2021
gardening
Power in seeds: Urban gardening gains By By KATHERINE ROTH Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — On an assemblage of vacant lots and other pockets of unused land in the Bronx, gardeners from low-income neighbourhoods have banded together to create over a dozen “farm hubs,” coordinating their community gardens and their harvest. Several years ago, some discovered that, together, their small gardens could grow enough peppers to mass-produce hot sauce — Bronx Hot Sauce, to be precise, with profits from the sales reinvested in their communities. During the pandemic, the farm hubs of the Bronx have again proved their might, producing health-boosting crops like garlic, kale and collard greens. “The trick is, how can we learn from the pandemic so that we become genuinely resilient?” says Raymond Figueroa-Reyes, president of the New York City Community Garden Coalition. “When the pandemic hit, urban farming went into hyper-productivity mode. People saw that the (food) donations coming in were are not adequate in terms of quantity or quality, and there is no dignity in waiting on that type of charity,” he says. The farm hubs are part of an urban gardening movement across the country dedicated to empowering residents of poorer neighbourhoods by encouraging them to grow fresh food. Areas (both urban and rural) with little access to healthy, fresh food have been called “food deserts,” and tend to have high rates of diabetes and other diseases, such as hypertension and obesity. In cities, where many see the phenomenon as inseparable from deeper issues of race and equity, some community leaders prefer terms like “food prisons” or “food apartheid.” Ron Finley in Los Angeles has been at the forefront of urban gardening for years. He sees gardening as both therapeutic and an act of defiance. “Growing your own food is like printing your own money,” says Finley, who runs the nonprofit Ron Finley Project. “It’s not just about food, it’s about freedom. It’s our revolution, and our eco-lution.” Finley grew up in South Central Los Angeles, where he says he had to drive 45 minutes just to get a fresh tomato. His efforts to rejuvenate communities through gardening have included planting vegetables on neglected
URBAN gardening advocate Ron Finley in a garden in Los Angeles. (Stephen Ziegler via AP) parkways and other pieces of unused land, and teaching online classes to global audiences about the power of growing food. Millions of Americans live in neighbourhoods without healthy food options. The same neighbourhoods are magnets for fast-food restaurants and the packaged foods available at drug stores and convenience stores. “The drive-thru is killing more people in our communities than the drive-by,” Finley says. “I want people to come back to reality, to touch the soil and take back some of the things that have been taken away. When you plant a seed, it will multiply. It’s a currency. It’s a valuable resource. That’s empowering. It’s about more than food.” In the Bronx, Karen Washington, who has spent decades promoting urban farming, said it is about “food justice.” (She helped coordinate the pepper-growing that led to Bronx Hot Sauce; the company they worked with, Small Axe Peppers, now makes hot sauce with community-grown peppers from Queens, Detroit, Chicago, Oakland and other cities.)
“Healthy food is a human right, along with clean water,” she said. A board member of the New York Botanical Garden, Washington has worked with neighbourhoods to turn empty lots into community gardens, and helped launch City Farms Market, which brings affordable fresh produce grown in community gardens or on upstate farms to a weekly farmers market in the Bronx. She co-founded Black Urban Growers and helped found the Black Farmer Fund, which aims to provide access to capital for black farmers and entrepreneurs. COVID had a big impact on people wanting to grow their own food, and Washington said she sees more people growing food on city terraces and in yards across the country. “It really gained urgency during the early stages of COVID, before the vaccines came out. If we are going to fight viruses, especially in these neighborhoods with a lot of diabetes and obesity, we need to start eating healthy,” Washington says. Figueroa-Reyes concurs. “Folks said, we gotta get into these
unused spaces and we gotta grow food,” he says. “There is a collective effort around organising farm hubs with the idea of growing more immune-boosting food and getting it to where it’s needed most.” Through its Bronx Green-Up programme, the New York Botanical Garden has long provided technical support to community gardens. It stepped up efforts when the pandemic hit, working directly with community farm hubs; organising biweekly Zoom meetings to help with problem solving, resource sharing and harvest distribution; and providing more than 10,000 herb and vegetable seedlings. “We came together with longtime community partners early in the pandemic, realising that food insecurity has always been a big issue in the Bronx,” says Ursula Chanse, the programme’s director. “There’s definitely a lot of community gardening interest now, and more urban farm spaces,” she says. • Adam Boorman will return soon with regular gardening column.