dance history art music puzzles animals books interview
A voyage of knowledge, help and hope
By ALESHA CADET
Tribune Features Reporter acadet@tribunemedia.net
SINCE docking in Nassau earlier this month, the world’s largest foating bookfair, Logos Hope, has been drawing waves of excitement from Bahamians of all ages. Project Manager Ruchir Rana said the response has been “truly encouraging,” as thousands have already stepped aboard to experience what the ship has to ofer.
“Since the ofcial opening of Logos Hope in Nassau on October 3, the ship has welcomed 6,176 visitors in the frst week alone,” Mr Rana shared. Among them, he said, nearly 2,500 were school children who came aboard as part of organised educational visits.
“The enthusiasm and curiosity from the local community have been overwhelming, with many visitors expressing their appreciation for the unique experience the ship ofers,” said Mr Rana.
From afordable books to warm hospitality, the Logos Hope experience has resonated deeply with Bahamian visitors. Mr Rana said the crew has received a steady stream of heart-warming feedback that speaks to the impact of the ship’s visit.
“One visitor mentioned, “I had the best tour guide. She was kind, friendly, and even after the tour, she shopped around with me and kept me company. 10/10 experience.” Another guest shared how meaningful it was to reconnect with the ship after 15 years, saying they still have the cookbooks from the last visit,” said Mr Rana.
There were also fun and personal moments that highlighted the friendly atmosphere aboard.
“We have also had visitors expressing deep appreciation for the friendliness of the team, with one even giving a shoutout to the accommodating and cute cashier, Mr German,” Mr Rana added.
“The enthusiasm and curiosity from the local community have been overwhelming, with many visitors expressing their appreciation for the unique experience the ship offers.”
He said beyond the fun moments, others have spoken about being inspired by the ship’s vision and the kindness of the crew. “For us, these stories truly refect the heart of Logos Hope, bringing people together and leaving a lasting impression of knowledge, help and hope,” said Mr Rana. He also recalled how the team’s journey to opening day was not without its challenges. “When the advance preparation team arrived in Nassau,
they encountered challenges concerning visitor access to the port. Despite multiple meetings to fnd a workable solution, uncertainty remained as time grew short. With just 48 hours before opening, a system for online visitor registration had to be implemented,” said Mr Rana. However, he said that a last-minute breakthrough showcased the spirit of Bahamian hospitality. Amidst the uncertainty, Mr Rana said a breakthrough came when
the port manager personally reached out to ofer his assistance.
“He ensured that provisions were made for visitors’ entrance, resulting in the dismantling of the original gate and the construction of a new access point.
The advance preparation team expressed deep gratitude for the swift action and kindness shown. To this day, they recall this gesture as a refection of the warmth and compassion of the Bahamian people,” said Mr Rana.
Since its arrival, the Logos Hope team has also been active beyond the port, engaging with schools, youth groups, and community organisations.
“Several school visits and youth events have already taken place, creating opportunities for students and young people to connect with our international crew,” said Mr Rana.
The team’s outreach activities have included visits to prisons, orphanages, and community centres, where they have been able to spend time with residents, share stories, and ofer encouragement. Mr Rana said the response so far has been overwhelmingly positive, and it’s been amazing to see the warmth and hospitality of the Bahamian people throughout these interactions.
As the ship continues its stay until October 20, visitors can expect even more to look forward to. “Visitors can look forward to a diverse range of activities both on board and on shore. These include engaging cultural performances, interactive programmes for families, and opportunities to meet our international crew. The onboard bookfair remains a major attraction, ofering thousands of afordable titles across a wide variety of genres,” said the project manager.
For Mr Rana and his team, the Logos Hope’s time in Nassau has been about leaving a lasting impression of unity, learning, and shared inspiration.
“It has been a privilege to connect with the Bahamian community, and we look forward to seeing even more visitors experience the knowledge, help, and hope the ship has to ofer,” he said.
books
Jonny Cake
As he launches his latest single, Jonny Cake spoke to CARA HUNT about fnding relevance in his writing and a new project to give back to his fans
Jonny Cake is hitting deep as he examines the Bahamian dating landscape in his newest single - Man for Everything.
The new single examines the contemporary local dating landscape where fnancial dependencies intersect with romantic connections
Jonny said that he wanted to explore how some women navigate relationships by relying on different partners for various needs, from rent and bills to beauty maintenance and lifestyle expenses.
"This isn't about judgment; it's about reality," says Jonny Cake. "One man for the bills, another for the hair, someone else for the nails and clothes. I'm painting a picture of what's actually happening in
modern dating culture—raw and unfltered."
The track features Jonny Cake's signature fusion of authentic Rake ’n Scrape instrumentation — saw, washboard, and accordion — with cutting-edge production.
The release marks another successful collaboration with producer Shine 242, who previously produced Jonny Cake's "Flicken Road" and was featured on the hit "Old Head". Engineering by King Jumpa at Rock Sound Records — a partnership spanning over a decade — ensures the track honors traditional Bahamian sounds while pushing sonic boundaries.
Jonny Cake has been on the music scene since 2012 creating rap and reggae beats before he added rake n scrape to his repoitiore in 2020.
He was infuenced by his musically talented parents and gained an appreciation for contemporary and traditional genres. As a teenager, he became skilled on the trombone, bass guitar and piano and then while in college merged the rap style in his compositions with the rake ’n scrape.
His frst two singles, Get em Ricky and Flicken Road, were released to great response and since then the singer says he is loving performing and builds the connection with his fans.
Jonny said: “I have found amazing support the people are really enjoying the music… Bahamians do support Bahamians.”
interview
He said that fans mean everything to him.
“The inspiration for my music mainly comes from my fans. I listen when they ask to hear me write on certain topics. I listen to their style suggestions and then add my own twist. Relevance is key to my writing,” he explained.
Jonny is set to host a special concert next weekend as a special give-back to his fans.
The “Big Daddy Concert and Birthday Bash” is a give-back concert scheduled for October 24 at The Pond, Fire Trail Road. The event is scheduled to start at 9pm. The concert, which is free to attend will feature performances by other Bahamian artists like Shine 242, Julien Believe, Ironn, TonAsh, Z Da Energy, Shaniese and Ri The Artist. DJ Rev will host the celebration and it will backed by the Pond Band.
This dynamic event is powered by CT Management, Bad Flamingo Records, The Pond Band and sponsored by Hot 91.7 FM, Vibes 93.1FM, Asure Win, Kalik, Superior Care Emergency Transport Services, Big Party World, King Smokes and My LED Videowall Services.
Jonny Cake’s latest single "Man for Everything" is now available on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and all major streaming platforms.
October 17
1346 – At the Battle of Neville's Cross, the English defeated the Scots, who, as allies of the French, had invaded England in an attempt to distract Edward III from the siege of Calais, France.
2018 – Recreational marijuana became legal in Canada.
October 18
1851 – American author Herman Melville's classic novel Moby Dick was frst published (as The Whale), in London.
1931 – American gangster Al Capone was convicted of federal
income-tax evasion and was subsequently sentenced to 11 years in prison.
October 19 1789 – John Jay, a Founding Father of the United States, was sworn in as the frst chief justice of the US Supreme Court. 1812 – Napoleon began his disastrous retreat from Russia.
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.
Yesterday’s Answers
The roar of the cannon
BY CARA HUNT
Tribune Features Writer cbrennen@tribunemedia.net
THE thunder of history once again rolled across Nassau Harbour as John Watling’s Distillery recently unveiled its newest attraction — the Cannon Firing Experience — at the storied 1789 Buena Vista Estate, home of The Rum of The Bahamas.
Afectionately known as “Bam Bam”, the 1.75-inch feld cannon was frst fred on July 2, 2025, during the United States Embassy’s celebration of America’s 249th Independence Day. The inaugural fring was led by US Chargé d’Afaires
Kim Furnish, joined by Governor General Dame Cynthia Pratt, Prime Minister Philip Davis and Archbishop Patrick Pinder. The moment served as a powerful symbol of the enduring friendship between the United States and The Bahamas.
shaped the nation. This experience allows both locals and visitors to feel history come alive in a tangible, unforgettable way.”
Before each fring, the AMMC’s West Indian Guard — a modern ceremonial unit — performs a brief presentation honouring the legacy of the West Indian Regiment, the historic British colonial corps established in 1795, just six years after Buena Vista was built. Comprised largely of Caribbean soldiers of African descent, the Regiment once garrisoned Fort Charlotte and defended Nassau’s shores. Today, the Guard carries that tradition forward, symbolising strength, discipline, and Bahamian pride.
“We’re reigniting the stories that shaped the nation. This experience allows both locals and visitors to feel history come alive in a tangible, unforgettable way.”
As of October 15, visitors to the Buena Vista Estate can now experience the might of Bam Bam for themselves. The free-to-the-public Cannon Firing Experience invites guests to witness — and for one lucky participant each day, to command — the fring of the cannon overlooking Nassau Harbour. The event takes place daily at noon, except on national holidays, and marks another milestone in John Watling’s partnership with the Antiquities, Monuments and Museums Corporation (AMMC) to celebrate and preserve Bahamian,” said Pepin Argamasilla, co-founder of John Watling’s Distillery. “We’re reigniting the stories that
Each day, one visitor may purchase the right to fre the cannon – and receives an ofcial certifcate.
“After the blast, the lucky visitor is invited to raise a glass of JOHN WATLING’S Amber rum — a refreshing salute to craftsmanship and celebration,” added Mr Argamasilla. “The sound of that cannon isn’t just an echo of the past. It’s proof that preservation can be thrilling, meaningful, and fun. Every visitor who fres that cannon becomes part of The Bahamas’ living story.”
The Cannon Firing Experience is presented in conjunction with John Watling’s Distillery and the AMMC’s Water Battery Restoration Project.
Don Cornish, director of the AMMC, said: “The Water Battery restoration and cannon fring experience show how heritage can inspire participation. Through partnerships like this, Bahamian history doesn’t gather dust — it roars to life. John Watling’s Distillery is proving that preservation and celebration can go hand in hand.”
JOHN Watlings Distillery
Disha Fraser
A crackingday out
CROWDS came out for the 53rd Annual Conch Cracking in McLean’s Town in Grand Bahama recently.
The traditional event is a fxture in the calendar, and includes the conch cracking, but also other events – such as a conch salad eating contest and a beer drinking contest.
Photos: Vandyke Hepburn
Inside Kendra Frorup’s world of play and memory
By BLAKE BELCHER
WHEN I frst joined the NAGB team, one of the frst pieces I wrote about was Kendra Frorup’s Duran, Duran. The piece is about resilience—the efort, time, and repetition required to achieve something. Several pairs of tattered boxing gloves hang from thick rubber panels. The gloves are visibly worn but they drape delicately on the foor.
I didn’t know I’d discover another gem of Frorup’s in NAGB's collection: A Constant Internal Smile. Similarly, boxing shows up as a motif: a vintage punching bag hangs from an iron frame, casting a shadow over a stack of prints. On top, three young boys pose together, smiling innocently—a bright blue target printed over one of their faces. It might catch you of guard at frst, but I think Kendra is inviting us to think about the ways we hide hurt or trouble behind something as benign as a smile. We do it to push through life’s obstacles. Beneath, we can only glimpse the edge of the paper stack, like the spine of a book, leaving us
to wonder if there are more faces hidden. And what will become of them?
Her work is tactile, alive, and immediate—perhaps owing to her love for foraging found materials. She’s a self-proclaimed “whimsical collector”, constantly searching and gathering bits and bobs of discarded things. These objects have lived past lives—touched by other people, left behind because they were no longer considered valuable, or simply lost. One person’s trash is Kendra’s treasure.
She also imbues her work with history by using items inherited from family members. I see it as cyclical. Something gets left behind, Kendra reworks it by tacking materials, printing on top, and combining objects in clever and unexpected ways to breathe new life into them. Her borderline obsessive collecting is refected in the work itself. Patterns and textures abound. Layers of transparency both reveal and hide small visual surprises. The work invites you to linger. You look at it one day, then notice something you missed the next, revealing layers over time.
So much of Frorup’s media-bending practice is rooted in play—whether it’s
audio of her daughter laughing, a carousel-like installation, or a sculpture with a bouncy base that invites you to rock it back and forth like a game. The work is full of craft, but never crafty—it’s usually highly technical, hybrid, and feels like something you’ve never seen before. She’s an inventor.
I sit with a resin-cast sugar apple made by Frorup on my desk. Some days it reminds me of a jewel when the light hits it. Other days it looks like candy. That’s what makes Kendra’s work special to me: there’s always something new to discover in it. It conjures a kind of magic that shows us how to look at the world diferently and think about the things we discard.
• The National Art Gallery of The Bahamas (NAGB) is a contemporary art museum dedicated to collecting and celebrating Bahamian art through exhibitions, public programmes, and community collaborations. NAGB is home to a diverse collection of Bahamian art that encourages self-exploration and discovery. Admission is free for residents of The Bahamas every Sunday. Get all the information for your next visit at nagb.org.bs.
Qpid’s stirring new sound
By ALESHA CADET
Tribune Features Reporter acadet@tribunemedia.net
BAHAMIAN singer and songwriter Qpid is striking a new emotional chord with his latest single, Hurt Me With the Music, the frst track from his new album Goat-Skin & Glory.
Known for hits like Gimmie My Culture, Qpid’s new release marks a bold shift from his signature island sound to something deeper, rawer, and more refective.
According to a statement shared by Ruth D Bowe, a member of Qpid’s management team, the new single blends heartfelt vulnerability with a haunting, Western-inspired tone as it explores heartbreak, healing, and the redemptive power of returning to one’s creative roots.
“Written as both confession and declaration, the single sets the tone for an album that refuses to stay inside the box of party anthems and island clichés,” said Ms Bowe.
Through his management team, the singer shared: “This song is about losing, fnding, and reclaiming love for music after being broken in other ways. It’s also the beginning of my evolution as an artist and as a man.”
The upcoming album, Goat-Skin & Glory, promises to take listeners on a journey through Qpid’s pain, resilience, and rebirth.
“With roots in Bahamian culture and a spirit infuenced by artists like Exuma, the project promises to stretch beyond the familiar and inspire deeper refection,” said Ms Bowe.
With Hurt Me With the Music now available on all major streaming platforms, Qpid’s latest chapter is blending artistry, honesty, and the unmistakable rhythm of the Bahamas into a sound that feels both timeless and transformative.
dance
Four aim for the stars
By CARA HUNT Tribune Features Writer cbrennen@tribunemedia.net
FOUR talented young dancers from Whitley Sterling’s W2 Dance Club in Nassau traveled to Maryland’s Towson University's acclaimed Department of Dance to audition for the Bachelor of Fine Arts dance programme.
It was a milestone moment for the dancers who got to experience frsthand the opportunities available to serious dance students pursuing higher education in the United States.
Rylie Ward, Quiana Bain, Israel Nottage, and Bryannah Ingraham made the journey to Towson University's campus in Maryland, where they were warmly welcomed by faculty, students, and the dance community. The visit was coordinated by Professor Lindsey Bauer and supported by the Shirley Hall Bass Foundation as part of its ongoing advocacy for expanded performing arts education pathways.
In addition to organsing the trip, Ms Bauer has also played an important role in the Shirley Hall Bass Legacy Project’s National Performing Arts Curriculum consultancy.
Before traveling to the United States for the audition, Shirley Hall Bass Foundation JEDI Ofcer and former ballerina Shara Goldsmith prepared the students with technique classes in classical ballet. Towson University's Department of Dance, accredited by the National Association of Schools of Dance since 1984, ofers a BFA in Dance Performance and Choreography, as well as a K-12 certifcation track that combines rigorous technique-based training with a strong liberal arts education. Graduates have gone on to become principal dancers and choreographers in prestigious companies, owners and artistic
them and become friends on Instagram."
directors at private studios, teachers, and leaders in the arts. They were also able to meet the international student organisation representative from Siberia.
“The student ambassadors at Towson were really kind," said Bauer, who chaperoned the students throughout their visit. "They had time to chat with
A highlight of the visit was meeting with Vincent E Thomas, Professor of Dance at Towson University and Founder/Artistic Director of VTDance. "It was very sweet,”Ms Bauer said.
"One of the students asked if Vincent could share his dance journey, which was a really beautiful story to tell."
Thomas, who is also an Urban Bush Women BOLD Facilitator and was awarded the
double-majoring within Towson's BFA curriculum, which many dance students pursue alongside felds like exercise science, psychology, mass communication, and business.
"You can Zoom anything and get a virtual tour, but actually being in a place where you can feel what it feels like and smell the air and see the leaves changing and understand the temperature and watch people relate to one another – it really makes all the diference," shared Bryannah's mother, refecting on the transformative nature of the in-person visit.
The students presented Ms Bauer with a handmade Bahamian gift, a gesture that embodied the cultural exchange at the heart of the Shirley Hall Bass Foundation's mission. This initiative directly supports the foundation's work towards comprehensive performing arts education from K-tertiary levels in The Bahamas, while simultaneously opening doors for Bahamian students to pursue training abroad.
The Foundation has been actively working with The Bahamas Ministry of Education on developing national performing arts standards and curriculum for grades K-12, advocating for a performing arts degree program at the University of The Bahamas, and supporting the new conservatory CAPAS.
2024 Robert M Trotter Distinguished Visiting Professor at the University of Oregon, brought inspiring perspectives to the young dancers.
The students experienced the full Towson University community, participating in auditions, touring campus facilities, and even leaving their mark on the Freedom Wall – a campus gathering space for self-expression. They enjoyed speaking with current students and learned about the possibilities of
"Parents and students alike need support in understanding what options are available while we advocate for a comprehensive education through our national performing arts initiative," said Cristin Carole, Director of the Shirley Hall Bass Foundation.
The Shirley Hall Bass Foundation preserves the legacy of pioneering performing artist Shirley Hall Bass and strengthens connections within the African Diaspora through equitable and accessible performing arts education and programming in The Bahamas, Chicago, and beyond.
TOWSON University Professor Vincent Thomas with Bahamian Dance Students
Gardening with intention
GOOD day, gardeners. Are you having problems with growing things in your garden, house, or ofce? Are you someone that doesn’t give the garden a frst thought let alone a second one? Have you attempted to grow something, followed all recommendations or suggestions only to fnd that it does not meet your expectations or desired results? If any of these questions resonate with you, there is a better way! I am not here to tell you or anyone else to do or not to do anything, I am only here to share my experiences and to share some of the lessons that I have learned in my 30+ years of being a student and practitioner of horticulture and agriculture. One of the lessons that I have learned is that if something has not worked by one method more than once, then there is no point in doing the same thing again. Repetition of the same thing expecting diferent results… insanity. No, I am not
talking about our national political situation. Maybe I am. As for the garden, imagine that this can possibly, depending upon one’s mind set to growth, translate into all parts of life. This is the joy of gardening. Gardening lessons, the ones learned from others or the ones self-taught, all lessons are transferable. When something does not work, for example growing tomatoes in a particular garden plot, what to do diferently to achieve the desired results when one way hasn’t worked? Well, there are so many factors involved, that it is difcult to decide at times which factor to change next time around to see if the results vary. Do I change the variety of tomato that I am growing? Do I change part of the soil base? Do I change the entire soil base? Do I change the water that I use to grow with? Do I change the nutrients that I provide to the garden? Do I change the amount of light received? This is only the beginning. Sometimes one little change, changes everything.
Methodical notetaking, controlled and measured observations to track responses, recording any expected or unexpected results, all are part of the process. Accountability. Don’t blame the tomato. We the gardeners are the ones in control, but we cannot change the weather. Does this seem a bit fighty? Why do I not provide concrete solutions to any given problem? Even one little adjustment can make large changes. We all garden in our own ways, each and all with slight variations.
Notetaking is very helpful. If Mrs Jones and I, for example, grow the same variety in the same plot, in the same way, chances are there will not be exactly the same result received for each of us. It may be very close that it is negligible and a non-issue, but I can all but guarantee that the results will never be exactly the same. It gets a bit esoteric if one were to consider a bit further. Consider the fact that diferent frequencies of the light spectrum when measured and tested
on a crop creates diferent results. Or the fact that studies have been done time and again using frequencies of sound on a particular crop and diferent results have been recorded when all other variables have been maintained equally. Why do I take it all the way there? It all has an efect, that is why.
While to the casual observer the results may appear so similar as to be perceived as equal, when observed in higher detail the diferences come to be seen. What does all of this mean? In keeping it simple, it means that there are many ways to look at things, and something as ancient and as benefcial as growing a tomato plant can be afected in many ways by many things. Set the intention, bring into focus the goal such as “this crop of tomato plants will be successful”. Approach it with past results in mind, and when making changes in method or practice to adjust one thing at a time if results were close to the desired result but just short, and if the results were disappointing, to adjust
drastically, possibly. Possibly? Man, hey.
As always, I wish you happy gardening.
• Adam Boorman is the nursery manager at Fox Hill Nursery on Bernard Road. You can contact him with any questions you may have, or topics you would like to see discussed, at gardening242@gmail. com.
By KIM ARANHA
IHAVE frequently said that during our lives certain dogs come along who are just more special, diferent, exceptional even, than others.
These super special canines leave behind a void that never completely closes up. We learn to live without them but we never forget them or the impact they had on our lives.
One such dog was Buddy Meyers. Buddy has left us and made many of his friends feel that void, none more that Miss Fox Hill Nursery herself.
Buddy’s story as I know it starts on January 3, 2021, when Buddy’s soon to be Mamma was scrolling through Facebook when she saw a post from a lady looking for help as a sickly dog had made his way into her yard. She was good enough to care but she didn’t want him and didn’t want him hanging around.
Some things are just meant to be.
Another person saw this same post and along with his fveyear-old daughter went to take a look.
Unbeknownst to him when he picked up his phone to call his sister she was already interested in the same dog.
Coincidence or meant to be?
With 32,000 members of the page Knowles Knows, what are the chances of a brother and sister looking at the same dog?
The Animal Ambulance service was ready and available to lend a hand to pick up and bring the dog to Fox Hill Nursery.
Buddy was in rough shape but when the fve-year-old Angel declared his name was “Buddy”, there was no turning back.
Mr Buddy became a crusade and the project to give him a few years of real quality life began.
They fgured that he was approximately 6-7 years old, and probably pretty rough years, the streets had taken their toll on the old man.
As the months grew, Buddy got better and better. He had heartworm – and his lungs were damaged. Covered in scars from fghts or worse, who knows
animals
Buddy, the “goodest” boy
what unkindness he might have known?
Buddy didn’t let that afect his gentle and loving nature. He was a big, loveable teddy bear of a dog who loved everybody and who everyone loved in return.
He was such a good old boy, in fact he was the “goodest of boys”. His Mamma tells me he “loved his food, his many beds, air-conditioning and me. In that order!!!”
He worked at Fox Hill Nursery alongside his savior Amanda and in the mornings when she would be getting ready for work, he would be on terrace making sure she was almost ready - barking at her to hurry up and open up the shop, when he saw her shoes go on, he was in top gear to get to his workstation.
Apart from Buddy being an exceptional character and good friend to Amanda he started something else very special.
Buddy made friends.
One of the people he befriended was a young student from LW Young. He met Buddy and before long the two had formed a bond and this young person would stop by on some afternoons after school to see his friend Buddy, he would ask if Buddy could come out of the ofce so that they could sit together.
Buddy loved this. Just him and the boy sitting over on the side. The boy giving him treats or pats on the head.
One day, Amanda overheard the boy talking to Buddy, "Man Buddy I need you to pray for me cuz I have exams this week." I am sure Buddy did! The friendship continued to blossom.
Miss Fox Hill Nursery asked the boy if he needed any help with his school supplies for the following year. He replied that he certainly did. Amanda vowed to help Buddy’s buddy.
She approached the school head and the rest is history. Buddy’s Brigade was born.
Amanda asked her friends to assist in collecting supplies for a few kids and it has mushroomed into a full-grown assistance for that school.
Amanda assured me that Buddie's Brigade will continue in memory of Mr Bud. This year did 50 backpacks full of supplies.
I will take her at her word but I saw how he looked at he in Fox Hill Nursery - he knew who had saved him and brought him back to enjoy his golden senior years, loved, cared for and respected.
How many dogs do any of us know who, through a simple friendship with a boy, started a movement of help and love named for him.
The “Goodest of boys” made a diference that will impact the lives of many children and we will ever remember him through that.
