The Tribune
Friday, November 25, 2016
art books entertainment film gardening music podcasts food
Weekend
Melanie Griffin Page 4&5
Stepping out Young shoe designer kickstarts career Fashion, pages 14&15
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Friday, November 25, 2016
life through a lens
Sandals celebrations
T 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
WO Prime Ministers, several politicians, more than 400 invited guests and hundreds of hotel visitors celebrated the grand re-opening of Sandals Royal Bahamian Spa Resort and Offshore Island last Friday. The event stretched among pubs and restaurants at the newly-renovated resort, across two pool decks and featured glowing fires with live entertainment Sandals founder Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart was lauded for his vision, shaping a resort brand that Deputy Prime Minister Philip ‘Brave’ Davis’ said reflected his “singular commitment to exceeding customer’s needs through rigid standards of quality for service and innovation”. Sandals Royal Bahamian was given a multi-million-dollar makeover that forced it to close its doors for 10 weeks in the summer. Andrew Holness, Prime Minister of Jamaica, called his compatriot Mr Stewart the “guru of Caribbean tourism” while Perry Christie’s remarks were delivered by Mr Davis. Performances at the celebration included the Royal Bahamas Defence Force Band, Valley Boys Junkanoo rushout, Visage, fire dancers and live artists.
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Friday, November 25, 2016
Inside Weekend Interview
4-5 Felicity Ingraham talks to Melanie Griffin about strong family values, devotion to the church and political life
Food 7
My perfect Bahamian weekend Jacklyn Frazer Miss Plus Beauty Bahamas Q: Saturday breakfast or Sunday lunch? “I would choose a Sunday lunch.” Q: Wine, Kalik, rum or cocktail? “I’m a Kalik Radler type of girl. Or a nice sky juice would suit me well.” Q: Beach or sofa? “I would definitely choose the beach.”
Music 8
Q: What could you not do without? “I can’t do without some down home Bahamian cooking every now and again.”
Bel Canto Singers prepare a Christmastide spectacular
Entertainment 9 ‘Christmas in the ER’ provides seasonal cheer
Art 10 Party time as three local artists take painting to the people
Shopping
11 Where and how to cash in on Black Friday discount offers
Film 12-13 Living Room Coffin is a locally-produced dark comedy plus reviews of new releases Allied and Moana Fashion 14-15 Aidan Barrow has ambitions for the Haus of Assembly luxury brand
Books 17 Vera Chase wants to pass on her passion for writing
Lifestyle 19 Victoria Sarne’s ‘Boxes - part two’ Relationships 20 - 21 Dr Edrika Richardson on foundations and MenSpeak examines the true meaning of holidays
Literary Lives 22-24 Did travel writer Bruce Chatwin blur the lines between truth and fiction? Forgotten Facts 25 A flying visit all of Nassau wanted to see
Gardening 28 Jack Hardy answers his readers’ questions
Photo/CEEJAY JERMAINE
Students at Stapledon School are rearing chickens
Q: Weekend away: where would you go? “A Family Island getaway to Exuma. I’ve always wanted to visit there.”
Things 2 Do this weekend Friday • Battle 4 Atlantis Time: 1pm, 3.30pm, 7pm, 9.30pm Venue: Atlantis The annual college basketball showpiece reaches its climax with the championship game at 3.30pm and three other matches for final positions in the tournament. • Love Lights A Tree Time: 7pm Venue: Mall at Marathon The Cancer Society of the Bahamas hosts its 26th annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony with music, songs and prayers at which people can remember and honour loved ones. Donations welcome with funds raised going towards the Cancer Caring Centre • Still Standing After the Storm Time: 7pm Venue: Count Basie Square, Port Lucaya Marketplace, Freeport Singer-songwriter Tony Lowe and friends A free concert to raise funds for Hurricane Matthew relief, featuring singer-songwriter Tony Lowe and talented musician friends performing “We’ll Rise”, a song to inspire Bahamians to unite in support of each other during challenging times. Local singers, dancers and orators will also perform. People are asked to bring a donation of canned goods
and other non-perishable food items to present to the Salvation Army and Bahamas Red Society Cross Grand Bahama Centre. The donation will benefit hurricane victims and other families in need.
Saturday • Salvation Army Kettle Launch Time: 10.30am Venue: Mall at Marathon food court The Salvation Army’s familiar red kettles come out at the annual launch of their Christmas fund raising campaign to provide special meals for needy individuals and families, toys and clothing for disadvantaged children and personal care products for the elderly and institutionalised. The Royal Bahamas Police Force Pop Band and Claridge Primary School will provide music. • Trinity Methodist Church holiday festival Time: noon Venue: Trinity Methodist Church, Frederick Street Trinity Methodist Church is hosting its annual holiday festival tomorrow at the church grounds. Various items will be on sale including specialties like an extensive collection of plants, fresh-churned homemade ice cream and unique Christmas craft items. Proceeds will benefit Trinity’s outreach ministries.
• Toby’s Tree Trimming Party Time: 2pm Venue: Ardastra Gardens and Zoo Bring the family for Toby’s Tree Trimming Party, at which the first 100 guests will receive complimentary hot chocolate, cookies and treat bags. Members free, mon-members $5 • aliv launch concert and party Time: 7pm Venue: Clifford Park The new mobile service provider hosts a free concert, with performances from the likes of Bodine, Ronnie Butler, Veronica Bishop, Novie, Exile, BahaMian Trae, Faddah Fred and Spicy Dee, Puzzle, Tebby, Cupid, Reuben G and more. (SEE PAGE 10) • Livitation Time: 9pm Venue: Shipwreck, East Bay Street An upbeat, retro party featuring music from the 80s and 90s all the way up to the early 2000s. Entertainment for the event will be provided by Deejay Crx.
Sunday • SuperSprint Time: 8am Venue: Jaws Beach, Clifton The Bahamas Triathlon Association is hosting its last triathlon for the year, featuring a 200m swim, 6km cycle and 1.6km run.
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Friday, November 25, 2016
interview A prominent parliamentarian and devout churchgoer, Melanie Griffin espouses the strong family values instilled in her by her mother and grandmother. Felicity Ingraham talks to one of the most influential women in the Bahamas who is driving change in the social landscape of the country.
Melanie Griffin
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Photos/Shawn Hanna
hen looking at the history of the nation builders of the Bahamas, one motherdaughter duo stands out as the only pair to have graced the halls of Parliament. Melanie Griffin may not have expected that she would follow so closely in her mother’s footsteps while growing up, but she did know that the strong family and personal values that her mother, Telator Strachan, instilled in her, would carry her far throughout her life. They both served in the Upper House as Senators for the government. Mrs Griffin has gone on to serve in the Cabinet and a member of Parliament for Yamacraw in the House of Assembly. She is currently the Minister of Social Services and Community Development. This week. Mrs Griffin spoke to Tribune Weekend about growing up in a family of strong women and how it shaped her own political aspirations. The foundation for their success was laid by the family’s matriarch and Melanie’s grandmother, Deaconess Pearl L Moxey, affectionately known to many as “Mother Moxey”. Mother Moxey was a seamstress, straw vendor and a missionary. With a life deeply embedded in the Church and the Baptist community, she undertook mission trips to the Family Islands and the United States, sharing the Gospel of Christ. Mother Moxey was a mother to many - but raising her daughter and granddaughter to be the kind of phenomenal women that would one day become the only mother-daughter team in government
“Even now, as a part of the team, there are four women in the Cabinet, and we women bring a whole lot to the table. We bring a different perspective from men in looking at the national issues.”
may be one of her greatest accomplishments. Telator Strachan is an icon in the Straw Market and still works there from time to time. She not only served as an ambassador to the millions of tourists who visit downtown Nassau but she has represented her fellow straw craft vendors as president of their association for many years. She stood up for their rights and ensured that they were respected for the meaningful part they play in the tourism industry. She gave birth to Melanie at home on John Road in Bain Town, during the days when a midwife used to come to the home to assist in the birthing process. Mrs Strachan brought her children up with the Church being an integral part of their lives. She was also actively involved in the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) and often took Melanie and her siblings along to branch meetings and community events. Mrs Strachan also served as an ambassador for the country overseas, including participating in the Coconut Grove Festival in Miami when the festival was in its heyday. “She was a part of the movement for change coming into the Majority Rule era, which led to Independence,” Melanie Griffin says about her mother. “I had a wonderful childhood.” With strong family support, Mrs Strachan was able to do her best to raise her children in the Chippingham, Charlotte Ridge area. Mother Pearl’s influence was great on her grandchildren’s lives as well. Eventually, Melanie became just
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Friday, November 25, 2016
as active as her mother in the Church as in politics. She worked in the Church “all her life” in many capacities, including as a youth director, choir director and even in sports. She ascribed to the values of the PLP she learned during her time spent with her mother at meetings, and ended up becoming an active member in the youth arm of the organisation that served a s a precursor to the now Progressive Young Liberals. All along, she was gaining her value system of God, family, community and country. Having received her early education at St Joseph’s Primary School, Mrs Griffin pursued her secondary education at St Augustine’s College and Government High School. She completed her tertiary education at the College of The Bahamas, where she received an Associate of Arts Degree. She also obtained a Diploma in Applied Church Music from the Bahamas Baptist Institute. Mrs Griffin is a recipient of the 2014 40th Anniversary Flamingo Award by the College of The Bahamas for Politics and the 2014 Exceptional Global Service to Humanity Award by Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority International. In 1987, she was drawn to historic Cat Island, and visited there with her mother and a cousin while working on her family tree. They were deep in the south of the island when they received a call that required them to make the journey to the northern end to take a momentous telephone call. Sir Lynden Pindling informed Mrs Strachan that she was chosen to serve as a Senator. The message could not have come in a better location - on the island where their ancestors had worked and toiled with dreams that one day, their descendants would make strides just like these. Just over a decade later, in 1999, Melanie Griffin would be asked to serve in the upper chamber as well. She was the only female
“It takes a lot of sacrifice. It’s more difficult for women; even though they have to do their part, their role in the development of the home is very significant.”
Melanie Griffin and her mother, Telator Strachan representing the PLP in the Senate at the time, and she served along with Senators Obie Wilchcombe, Fred Mitchell and Dr Marcus Bethel. Standing on the shoulders of strong Bahamian women, Minister Griffin continues to serve in government today. She has represented the Yamacraw constituency in Parliament since 2002, and is currently in her second stint as Minister of Social Services and Community Development. “It is important for us to acknowledge and promote women and the important role they play in national development,” she said. “Having worked with men in politics - that foursome in the Senate at that time - we were a formidable team and worked very well together. Even now, as a part of the team, there are four women in the Cabinet, and we women bring a whole lot to the table. We bring a different perspective from men in looking at the national issues.” As an advocate for child and family welfare, women and the elderly, Mrs Griffin has made a major impact on
the social landscape of the country, particularly through the enactment of four major pieces of legislation - The Residential Care Facilities Act 2004, the Child Protection Act, 2007; the Domestic Violence (Protection Orders) Act, 2007 and the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities) Bill Act, 2014. She is also a champion for the rights of persons with disabilities and in September, 2013, Mrs Griffin led a delegation to the United Nations to sign on to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities on behalf of the Bahamian government and people. Last year, the government officially ratified the Convention. She was also instrumental in the implementation of social assistance by way of an allowance for special needs children under the age of 16 years certified disabled. Most recently, Mrs Griffin has been successful in modernising the Ministry. “We have been able to modernise the way that we provide social assistance to our people,” she said. “Instead of paper-intensive food cou-
pons, we have put in place the prepaid card, which preserves the dignity of our clients.” The card has helped to eliminate long lines at the various social service offices at the end of every month. This, she said, is especially important for senior citizens. They can avoid transportation issues or being affected by the weather. Their funds are loaded onto their card at the end of every month and they can go straight to the food store. In addition, the card allows them to buy as little or as much food as they want when they want it. This allows them to better manage their food budgets and the things they need. The RISE (Renewing, Inspiring, Sustaining and Empowering) programme, a conditional cash transfer programme, is currently being piloted by the ministry. “These initiatives will go a long way in creating a new way of providing social assistance and breaking the cycle of poverty in families,” she said. With all this work in national affairs, Mrs Griffin has not forgotten the church. She
is a licenced Minister at Judea Baptist Church, where she also serves as the Chairman of the Trustee Board and member of the Usher Board and Choir. She enjoys singing in praise and worship and lives by her motto: “Making a difference for Christ.” The founder of the Eastern Community Association, Mrs Griffin was instrumental in the formation of its Youth Marching and Concert Band and the establishment of its Community Festival and Christmas and Tree Lighting Service. Among her other community initiatives is the annual Yamacraw Community basketball tournament. “It takes a lot of sacrifice,” she mused about being a woman serving in national development. “It’s more difficult for women; even though they have to do their part, their role in the development of the home is very significant. They must take care of the details in the home before they can say they want to help in the national arena. “You must have strong family support or it will be extremely difficult,” she advised, praising her husband, Leon, who “has been there from day one” and to her supportive family for encouraging her on her path to success. Raising her daughter, Celine Leonice, has kept her grounded and in touch with the needs of the mothers of the Bahamas. “I always have a good feeling about being able to help people and work with a family or a person and see their lives turn around,” she added. “I love our country. We have a beautiful country and in spite of it all, we are a beautiful people. Once we can work together and focus on building our country together, I think it will be better for us. A lot of people mean well; many of us have the same focus, but a different means of getting there. “I don’t think there is anywhere else in the world I would rather live than in the Bahamas.”
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Friday, November 25, 2016
section
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Friday, November 25, 2016
food
From classroom to chicken coop By CARA HUNT cbrennen@tribunemedia.net
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tudents at Stapledon School are gaining practical handson experience in agricultural studies through their school’s project of raising and selling organic chickens and eggs. “We want to provide hands-on learning experiences for our students and working in agriculture studies with their hands has been proven to be a therapeutic tool for children with special needs,” Principal Amanda Moncur told Tribune Weekend. The school, in Dolphin Drive, Chippingham, has raised chickens and a variety of produce periodically over the years as part of its agriculture studies, designed to give students a practical approach to what they learn in the classroom. “The market for the chickens is really good as well, especially because these chickens are healthy and organic with no GMOs and are only fed a blend of corn and soy feed,” she added. Preparing the chickens for sale is a school project - everyone is involved from the senior students, who are responsible for feeding, watering and caring for them, to the teachers and staff who supervise the slaughter and preparation for sale. After the birds are slaughtered, they are placed in a hot water basin and an electric plucker before students and staff finish the cleaning and freezing process. The process has been quite a learning experience and confidence booster for the students, some of whom initially were afraid to go anywhere near the birds. “We usually prepare the chickens once a week; we have about 500 chickens that we will be selling over the next few weeks,” Ms Moncur said. “The money from the sale will go towards purchasing some audio visual equipment for the auditorium. “Some of the funds will also be used for the senior class trip. We try to provide them with experiences that
they may not otherwise have and so we will be taking the seniors on a class trip, maybe to Atlantis or Blue Lagoon.” The school will soon also go into the organic egg business with the arrival of new hens. “We got the layers about two weeks ago and we should have eggs for sale next month,” she added. Ms Moncur noted that the school suffered a setback due to the passage of Hurricane Matthew last month. “The storm did put a dampener on things,” she said. “We lost most of the crops that we had planted in our garden and we had some tanks with halibut and only a few of the smaller ones swam up the filter and survived but the rest died. Also our chickens were stressed in the storm, something we know happened at a lot of farms. We believe that is why they did not grow as much as we thought they would. “Most of our chickens the last time we did this grew four to five pounds. This year, they grew between three to four pounds and the effects of the storm are probably to blame for that.” People interested in purchasing organic chickens that would also help the school in its fund-raising efforts can call the school office for further details.
PHOTOS/SHAWN HANNA
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Friday, November 25, 2016
music
Bel Canto brings Christmastide cheer
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new venue - The Balmoral Club - and acclaimed operatic tenor Gary Seydell feature in this year’s “Christmastide”, the traditional December concerts presented by the renowned Bel Canto Singers. After an international summer tour in Montreal and Quebec, Canada, Bel Canto have been working on the annual special arrangements of Christmas carols, anthems and spirituals under the direction of Eldridge McPhee. The Christmastide concert has grown into a favourite holiday tradition in New Providence. Over 600 people come from all over the island each year to attend the concerts, which the singers present as a gift to the music community to raise funds for charities and good causes. Bel Canto will be hosting the 2016 Christmastide Gala over two nights early next month. For the first time, the singers will perform at The Balmoral Club on Friday, December 2 at 7.15pm and as a part of the festivities, there will be a silent auction with wine and gourmet cuisine provided. A concert only performance will be held at Christ Church Cathedral on Sunday, December 4, at 8pm. Gala tickets are $125 and the concert only performance tickets are $25 respectively. This year’s concerts will include arrangements of favourite Christmas carols, many of which were arranged for the world class Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Mr Seydell, from Delaware, has performed throughout the United States, Australia, Fiji, Finland, New Zealand, Italy and Ukraine, as is the guest soloist. “For the past 10 years, I have been realizing my vision: to work with individuals, through musical productions, to have an impact on the lives of our members, thereby impacting their communities. The mark of a good leader is discipline; and after having studied music for some 35 years, I know that talent and discipline create success. This formula is not unique to music,” said Mr. McPhee
Gary Seydell, the acclaimed tenor, will be the guest soloist at the Christmastide concerts Mr McPhee, who has executed many collaborations with musicians both at home and internationally, said: “For the past 10 years, I have been realising my vision: to work with individuals, through musical productions, to have an impact on the lives of our members, thereby impacting their communities. The mark of a good leader is discipline; and after having studied music for some 35 years, I know that talent and discipline create success. This formula is not unique to music. “I have seen BCS members grow as musicians as well as husbands, wives, partners and parents. More importantly, I have seen members of this group come to learn and to
understand what it means to become points of light in their workplaces, churches, civic organisations, and at play.” Through its annual production of Christmastide, Bel Canto has raised more than $90,000 for charities including The AIDS Foundation. This year, Grand Bahamas United’s hurricane relief fund has been added to the list of worthy non-profit organisations that will benefit from the proceeds of the Gala night. Burns House - Commonwealth Brewery are sponsors. • For tickets or further information, email info@belcantosingersbahamas. com or call 242.376.2772
Free concert helps to launch aliv IN celebration of its grand opening, ‘aliv’ - the country’s second mobile service provider - is getting some of the biggest acts in local music together for one night. Twenty Bahamian music stars are set to perform at the free concert tomorrow night at Clifford Park. The showcase runs from 7pm to midnight. Performers set to hit the stage include veterans such as Ronnie Butler, KB, Bodine and Tingum Dem featuring Fred Ferguson and much more. The concert will include a night of music, fun and giveaways, with food and drink on sale throughout the night. ‘aliv’ launched earlier this week and is expected to open six new retail locations across New Providence, Grand Bahama, Abaco and Eleuthera. Diana Sands, public relations manager for ‘aliv’, said the free concert gives the public an opportunity celebrate the historic lifting of a monopoly previously held on telephone services. “Its really just an opportunity for us to celebrate,” she told Tribune Weekend. “We want everyone to come out and join us. This is historic because we were able to break a monopoly and that deserves to be celebrated,” she told Tribune Weekend. As the company settles in as the newest mobile service provider it hopes to “ignite the cellular revolution in the Bahamas and reinvent how consumers interact with their mobile devices”. “A true digital lifestyle partner, the aliv network is built on next generation LTE technology to ensure an unsurpassed consumer experience. With groundbreaking consumer plans, a laser focus on exemplary customer care, aliv is determined to deliver a never before seen experience for the people of the Bahamas. This is the start of your new day,” a statement by the company said.
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Friday, November 25, 2016
entertainment
Doctor, doctor, I must get home for Christmas By ALESHA CADET Tribune Features Reporter acadet@tribunemedia.net
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HRISTMAS is heading to the ER this holiday season as DEP Productions brings to the stage another highly anticipated comedy. “Christmas at the ER”, which takes place at the University of the Bahamas’ Performing Arts Centre on December 9 and 10, follows a group of locals who find themselves in a hospital emergency room after becoming ill due to inhaling toxic air at a Christmas Ball. Their main focus is to see “the doctor” as quickly as possible so that they can go home before the clock strikes midnight. As told by the play’s writer and director Dario “Erics” Poitier, many of the patients just want to be in the comfort of their own homes to open their gifts with loved ones and prepare for the annual Junkanoo celebrations. “We will highlight some of the worst customer service ever experienced by mankind in our ER. The twist in plot goes on to educate our audience on the true meaning of Christmas, which is the birth of Jesus Christ. This stage play promises to be one that will keep you on the edge of your seat. You literally will laugh until you cry from start to finish. There are many surprises throughout the play and a profound guest appearance by Branville McCartney. I absolutely love this play and believe it is my best work to-date. I can’t wait to share it with the world,” said Dario. The writer is known for popular stage plays such as “A Wedding in Nassau” and “ Flight 242”. Dario said DEP Productions is here to stay and aims eventually to take filming in the Bahamas to an unparalleled level. “I enjoy making people laugh and I missed my audience. I always wanted to write a Christmas play but I didn’t want it to be the norm. You have to grasp the audience’s attention right
Branville McCartney, the leader of the Democratic National Alliance, will make a cameo appearance in Dario “Erics” Poitier’s new comedy, “Christmas at the ER” next month warding, and with every play produced thus far, it gets easier. “The entire cast have all pulled their weight. They literally ran behind me to start rehearsing for this event. They believed in me before I was done revising the script. I can clearly state that they all know their role and are playing their part. This entire production has been like a puzzle. I can now see everything being put together. God is definitely in the midst,” said Dario. Cast members include Darren Goodman, Cravon Ellis, La’Donya Pratt, Brandee Rolle, Kadesh Collie, Armand Williams, Shantell Fowler, ChaQuinta Skippings, Kharson Ranger, Lathyra Ranger and Roland Solomon. “Christmas at the ER” takes place away and I intend to do just that. after what we all went through after at the University of the Bahamas’ Laughter is good for the soul as per the the storm,” he said. He spoke of his supporting cast, say- Performing Arts Centre on December Bible. It is my gift to not only Nassau 9 and 10, beginning at 7pm. ing the experience has truly been rebut the Bahamas at large, especially
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Friday, November 25, 2016
art
Painting by numbers PHOTOS/AARON DAVIS
Local artists team up for first 3rilogy event By ALESHA CADET Tribune Features Writer acadet@tribunemedia.net
Jamaal Rolle
Allan Pachino Wallace (centre) checks an easel
Stefan L Davis (right) shows off his work on the night
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ITH SO much combined talent, the possibilities were endless at the newest event to hit the art scene in the
Bahamas. Three local artists - Stefan L Davis, Allan Pachino Wallace and Jamaal Rolle - are now known as “3rilogy” collectively and successfully hosted their first art show last Friday that attracted a full house. Calling the social gathering, ParticiPAINT, guests were invited to paint, drink and party at The Art Room on East Bay Street. It was no hard task attracting a crowd as the three artists are individually known as popular brands within their respective fields of work. Mr Davis, owner of Airbrush Junkies, has run a successful business in the Mall at Marathon for over 25 years; Mr Pachino Wallace is an award-winning artist whose work has been featured on international news stations and blogs. His murals are also prominently featured throughout the country, notably the mural at the Lukka Kairi restaurant on Woodes Rodgers Wharf; and Tribune readers will need no introduction to Jamaal Rolle - aka The Celebrity Artist and the newspaper’s daily cartoonist - who has painted and presented portraits of world figures such as Pope Francis, President Obama and Oprah Winfrey. “ParticiPAINTS” noted that the main highlight of this event was the featured artists’ stage performances, in which Mr Pachino Wallace took to the stage and wowed the crowd with a freestyle expressive portrait.
Timico Sawyer, aka SawyerBoy, tried his hand at art
The crowd
A would-be artist tries out her talent The other two followed by actually creating portraits painted upside down. Mr Davis created a pop art style rendering of Jamaican Reggae star Bob Marley while Mr Rolle painted the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, and even wore a glove and danced as he painted. “These paintings were offered up for grabs as prizes for the Bob Marley song contest and the highly contested moonwalk competition. Another feature was Scharad Lightbourne, aka Dj SL,
Jamal Rolle working on a painting whose unconventional set-up towered above everyone as he kept the mood grown and sexy with his soundtracks. The attendees enjoyed an atmosphere where art, wine, music and socialising converged,” Mr Rolle told Tribune Weekend. He said since the event they have received a tremendous amount of positive feedback with attendees complimenting the soundtrack, the food, the art and the atmosphere that garnered such a
diverse crowd of particiPAINTERS. “There is clearly a huge appetite for more ParticiPAINT events,” he said. “The overall goal is to force the interconnecting of art and entertainment by creating the quintessential social atmosphere. As artists, it is paramount that we inspire others to use their Godgiven gifts as a blessing to the world. 3rilogy also intends on hosting workshops catered to helping school kids in the near future.”
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Friday, November 25, 2016
shopping
Discount dreams day Dedicated shopper Cara Hunt offers advice on how to cash on Black Friday offers in the Bahamas
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oday is Black Friday - the one calendar day designed to totally fulfil a shopaholic’s dreams. Can you say mega sales all weekend long? And although Black Friday is an American tradition, always held the day after Thanksgiving and designed to boost Christmas sales, Bahamians with their love of “tings” have happily claimed the holiday as their own. While in the past that might have meant jumping on a plane and heading overseas, local merchants have recognised that Black Friday is the perfect opportunity to encourage shopping at home. So whether you are in the market for household items to begin your rebuilding efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew, getting a jump start on your Christmas gift giving, looking to stock your liquor cabinet or just a cute outfit to wear, take some time to take advantage of the extended shopping hours and mass discounts being offered across New Providence. To help you plan your shopping, Tribune Weekend has compiled a list of several places to hit. The stores at Harbour Bay will open at six o’clock this morning with specials happening all over the plaza. Shoppers are encouraged to check the shopping centre’s Facebook page every hour
on the hour for more information about specials. Similarly the South West Plaza on Carmichael Road promise visitors to their stores will benefit from sales all weekend. Consider shopping at the Rubins outlet, which advertises up to 75 per cent off, or celebrate a great deal at Bristol Wines and Spirit which has big discounts on Patron among other things. CBS Bahamas will have massive sales of up to 75 per cent will help you take the sting out of hurricane related repairs or getting your house painted for the holidays. Not only is The Mall at Marathon the place to see Santa, but Kelly’s House and Home started their holiday sale yesterday, making it the perfect time to start shopping for all the items you need to trim your Christmas tree. What’s the one thing that’s better than shoes? Shoes on sale of course ... and with The Shoe Village offering Black Friday discounts you won’t have to feel guilty about buying your favourite style in every colour. Other stores such as Bella Donna and JaDazzles are also offering savings with Bella Donna opening its doors at 5am. BTC will also be having a Black Friday special with a special ‘door buster’ offer of a free Samsung J2 prime phone with the purchase of $29.99 2G data from 5am to 7am at Southwest Plaza while supplies last, then for $69.99 any time after 7am until stores close at all their locations nationwide. Check the social media pages of your favourite stores to see what other deals will be available. • cbrennen@tribunemedia.net
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Friday, November 25, 2016
film PHOT0/DANIEL SMITH/PARAMOUNT PICTURES
review
Love in the fog of war ALLIED RUNNING TIME: 124 MINS
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eeply nostalgic moviemaking is rendered with digital precision in Robert Zemeckis’ highly manicured World War II romance “Allied”. Zemeckis’ control of his camera is absolute, if self-consciously so. In “Allied”, with Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard, he has resurrected the espionage thriller in all its classical glamour with a knowingness that is both impressively grand and stiffly hollow. The crisp period images of “Allied” never feel far removed from their storyboards. “Allied”, despite its high-wattage stars, feels a bit like an R-rated “Tintin”. For Zemeckis, the director of “Back to the Future” and “Cast Away”, the distance between animation and liveaction is little to none, and beside the point, anyway. He has lately been on a laudable mission to re-empower the
big-screen drama with well-crafted, special effects-assisted spectacles that project human-sized stories onto widescreen canvases. “Allied”, big and sturdy, always fills the screen. But its gleaming surfaces are missing something underneath. The film begins with a lone parachutist drifting as softly as a leaf onto the Moroccan desert in 1942. He is Max Vatan (Pitt), a Canadian spy working for the British, so handsomely outfitted that he could have fallen not from the sky but out of another firmament: “Lawrence of Arabia”. He is promptly picked up by his contact and handed a case full of guns, a wad of cash and - most lethal of all - a wedding ring. He rendezvous with a French agent in Casablanca, a location chosen as if to summon the spirits of old-fashioned cinema. From his first encounter in a nightclub with Marianne Beausejour (Cotillard), they are already in their roles. While secretly plotting to assassinate a Nazi official, they pose as a married couple. Under Marianne’s guidance, they go to great lengths to put up appearances. Once at home, she sends him to smoke on the roof since that’s where, she says, husbands go after having sex with their wives. She’s thorough, he notes. “That’s how I’ve survived,” she says. His facade is less impervious. Max’s supposedly Parisian French is “pure Quebec”, she teases. Their mission unfolds briskly, with curiously little suspense. But the more important drama is in the cracks to PHOTO: AP
review
A new Disney heroine surfaces MOANA RUNNING TIME: 113 MINS
A Disney animation film about a bright and spirited young woman who feels stifled by outmoded expectations and dreams of exploring beyond the
Moana is an excellent character with spirit, doubts, drive and a heck of a voice.
Marion Cotillard and Brad Pitt are an undeniably alluring couple, but their connection feels slight in Allied. their elaborate pretense, the hints to their true selves. As a pair, they are an undeniably alluring couple, but their connection feels slight. Pitt, particularly, comes off too flat in the film’s first half. Those who come to “Allied” intrigued by the swirl of gossip around the stars will inevitably leave disappointed. But Zemeckis is, if nothing else, a master of the set piece. In “Allied”, he arranges them like bookends, staging a sumptuous sex scene in a sand storm and the birth, nine months later, amid bombs. The latter comes because, despite forging a relationship on falsehoods, Max and Marianne fall in love, return to London and settle into married life in a flat. The twist in Steven Knight’s script, however, is that once they are living happily with their baby, Max’s superiors inform him that his wife is not who she
says she is, but is a German spy. He has 72 hours to test her, during which he employs their espionage tricks against Marianne, a duplicity that is its own kind of betrayal. Here, “Allied” amounts to something more than great costumes and excellent production design. The most convincing emotion in the thoroughly choreographed “Allied” is its melancholy sense of mortality. Marianne and Max, as a couple, are forged in an unguarded moment amid war; they don’t expect to live past the next day. We feel the war rampaging through in faces like the rookie pilot, frightful before his first mission, not to return, we later hear. The fog of war is so thick in “Allied” that it blows even into the bedroom of two people in love. JAKE COYLE AP Film Writer
confines of her home. Sound familiar? It’s the premise of “Moana” - but it’s also that of “The Little Mermaid”, ”Beauty and the Beast”, “Mulan”, ”Brave” and scores of other animated films about teenage girls. But “Moana” is wonderful and joyous, a classic Disney pic to the core, bursting with stunning visuals, good hearted humour, adventure and some truly catchy songs from “Hamilton” maestro Lin-Manuel Miranda. On Moana’s island, everything looks like a dream: saturated colours and lush landscapes surrounded by an ocean, the lifelike waters of which are a technical and artistic marvel. But Moana’s people distrust the ocean and outsiders and keep themselves isolated from the rest of the world. Moana, however, is drawn to the sea, and the sea, a character in its own right, is likewise drawn to her. She has been selected as its chosen one. Thus, when things on the idyllic island
start to decay, it’s Moana, encouraged by her quirky grandmother Tala, who takes the initiative to sail away to try to return the stolen heart to the fabled island of Te Fiti and save her people. She journeys first to get the help of Maui, a cocky showoff who has his own agenda that doesn’t involve taking orders from a pushy teen, and then across the ocean where Moana, Maui and a dimwitted chicken encounter all kids of obstacles, including a band of hostile coconuts (a terrific gag), a glam rock hermit crab at the bottom of the ocean and a vindictive lava monster. The fable of “Moana” is sweet, often funny, spiritual and epic. Moana is an excellent character with spirit, doubts, drive and a heck of a voice. She is a perfect addition to the roster of modern Disney heroines and one whom young girls will admire for years to come. LINDSAY BAHR AP Film Writer
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Friday, November 25, 2016
film
A cryptic comedy By CARA HUNT cbrennen@tribunemedia.net
I
magine having a coffin delivered to your front door. That is the premise behind ‘Living Room Coffin’, the screenplay by Michael Sarrow, which follows one woman’s journey to discover why she was sent such a morbid gift. The film is set to have its world premiere at the Bahamas International Film Festival next month and Mr Sarrow chatted with Tribune Weekend about how he came up with the idea for the dark comedy. “Living Room Coffin is heavily influenced by the absurdist plays of the 50s and 60s,” he said. “I admire their ability to combine all sorts of humour with dark, thoughtprovoking themes. Tonally, if you combine Samuel Beckett with the Coen brothers, I hope the film will land in that same ballpark. “I definitely tried to make something different. A film that would break out of the mould of so many American indies. Jennifer Prediger’s amazing performance as Iris really captures the absurd situation and existential fright of having a coffin dropped into your living room. I hope people enjoy the humour and drama but then they also talk about the film in the lobby afterwards.” ‘Living Room Coffin’ stars Jennifer Prediger, Blake Berris, Brittany Freeth, Debra Wilson, Eden Riegel, HM Wynant, Ian Michaels, Irene Rossen and Jeremiah Birkett. The project has been five years in the making since Mr Sarrow first penned the original script. “After writing the screenplay, I was bounced around from agency to management company trying to get the film made (along with my producer Ian Michaels.) Eventually, we decided to make
Jennifer Prediger, as Iris, and Blake Berris, as Seth, in a scene from ‘Living Room Coffin’
Eden Riegel plays Polly, the woman in the coffin it completely independently.” And now he is thrilled that audiences have a chance to finally see it. “I couldn’t be more excited. This is the first chance anyone will get to see the film in a theatre so it’s a humbling experience. And who doesn’t want to go to the Bahamas?” The Florida native has always enjoyed writing “weird highconcept short stories”. “That transitioned into screenplays and then, naturally, into directing those stories for the screen. After graduating from University of Miami film school, I moved to Los Angeles and took a
job at a commercial production company. I’ve just been grinding away - writing screenplays, directing short films, etc - until I could finally get this personal project off the ground. I’ve got a pair of high-concept screenplays that I’d love to tackle next. Film festivals provide a great way to meet future collaborators,” he said. • ‘Living Room Coffin’ will be shown on Tuesday, December 6, at 4.30pm in Romora Bay, Harbour Island, and on Friday, December 9, at 5pm at the Galleria Theatre at the Mall at Marathon. The Bahamas International Film Festival runs from December 5 to 8 in Harbour Island and December 8 to 11 in Nassau.
14| The Tribune | Weekend
The Tribune | Weekend | 15
Friday, November 25, 2016
Friday, November 25, 2016
fashion Aidan Barrow
Kickstarting the Assembly line Young Bahamian designer hopes to leave her footprints in business By JEFFARAH GIBSON Tribune Features Writer jgibson@tribunemedia.net
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AHAMIAN footwear designer Aidan Barrow is close to getting her latest creative venture off the ground but needs more resources and backing to see her vision emerge from the factory and onto the feet of consumers. Aidan is the owner and creator of “Haus of Assembly”, a new Bahamian luxury resort wear line that embodies island style and island living. At Haus of Assembly, Aidan and her team hand-craft espadrilles while utilising authentic Bahamian textiles from throughout the islands. Since creating the Haus of Assembly line, Aidan’s big dream for the collection becoming an internationally renowned luxury resort wear brand has not changed. However, if this is to be a reality the designer needs more resources and support in order to produce the brand of shoes and accessories on a much larger scale. To that end, Aidan launched a campaign on Kickstarter, a crowdfunding website that helps artists, musicians, filmmakers, designers and other creators find the resources and support they need to realise their ideas. Aidan, a 2011 graduate from Kingsway Academy, has set a goal of $7,500 for the project, which must
Aidan Barrow says the Haus of Assembly design aesthetic is “expressed through beading, embroidery, prints, and bold colour contrasts: signatures of our country and our brand”. be raised by December 20, or the venture will not be funded by pledges already made through Kickstarter. Yesterday, the project had raised a total of $4,460. “So far, we’ve received extremely positive responses. We’ve received over 50 per cent funding for our Kickstarter campaign in less than one week. Hopefully, we’ll receive the rest within our timeframe. Because, with Kickstarter, if you don’t receive 100 per cent of your goal, you don’t receive any of the funding,” she told Tribune Weekend. Aidan, 22, is optimistic that the goal will be met so that she can continue with what has been a long-time dream. “As a kid, every summer, I would travel to Exuma to spend time with my grandmother. While I was there, I would help her to plait straw, which she would then use to make bags. At the end of each season, we came back to Nassau to sell our goods in the Straw Market. Seeing the joy that our accessories brought to tourists made this something that I wanted to be a part of forever,” she said. In the fall of 2011, Aidan enrolled in The Savannah College of Art and Design majoring in Accessory and Footwear Design. During that time she learnt about the concept of a lifestyle brand, corporate structure and the commercial design process. She also learned the design process from beginning to end, an experience that helped give context to her dream which is to “create a lifestyle brand, focused on accessories and footwear inspired by all aspects of the Bahamian culture”. “One of the first steps to launching a
brand, I thought, would probably be to think of a name. Of course, the obvious choice would have been to continue to use my own name Aidan Anaïs, which I had been using on all of my labels for the past five years prior. However, it wasn’t until I started designing the brand itself that I realised that maybe the company wasn’t about me. Sure, as the creative director, it would be coming from my point of view. However, I saw it as being something bigger than that,” she said. Aidan, who took part in the Miss Talented Teen competiton a few year ago, said Haus of Assembly is about bringing a modern interpretation to the Bahamas’ cultural heritage through her point of view. “This design aesthetic is expressed through beading, embroidery, prints, and bold colour contrasts: signatures of our country and our brand,” she said. “The reason that I chose “Haus of Assembly” as the name itself is that is that I want us to be recognised as an establishment. Not just a brand based out of the Bahamas, but the style that defines it.” She added: “I think that our unique interpretation of our culture makes our brand distinctive. Our style is unique and is only paralleled by the quality and authenticity of our products. When you buy our products, you’re not just buying into the line, you’re buying into the lifestyle. It’s cool, it’s modern, and it’s Bahamian,” she told Tribune Weekend. Currently, Haus of Assembly only caters to women, but is expected to add items for male shoppers as well.
16 | The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, November 25, 2016
fashion With Cara Hunt and Farah Gibson
FAIL
SPLIT
SPLIT
HIT
FAIL
Tracee Ellis Ross Actor
Simone Biles Olympic gymnast
Demi Lovato Singer-songwriter
Gabourey Sidibie Actor
Amber Heard Actor
Cara says: “I just can’t get past the idea that she is wearing shiny gift wrapping paper. The dress is fine style wise; I just really don’t like the fabric of the dress. It is slightly cheap looking. Also I really dislike mid-calf length dresses with ankle strap shoes. It cuts off the leg.” Farah says: “No one can ever take away Tracee Ellis Ross’ beauty. But I do think they should take away her stylist, because this is a hot mess. I am all for metallic colours during the Fall/ Winter, but the style and cut of this dress is not in the least complimenting. It was just a really bad choice.”
Cara says: “Royal blue and black is a combination I really like. The dress is cute enough, but it’s not that dazzling or special really. Those shoes are a bit too strappy for the dress I think, but overall the look is ok.” Farah says: “This look is simple and flawless. However, I am wondering what is it about Simone that is making her looking 20 years older. Don’t mind the grown woman appearance, Simone is just trying to creep out of her teen years. I suggest the 19-yearold do so at a much slower rate because I don’t know any young woman in their teens fighting to look 40.”
Cara says: “Ohh, I liked it Farah, I think it was cute and a great fit for her. I think the style and shape of the dress is a nice and relaxed and fun. This is the perfect length dress for the strappy sandals. Love the soft undo as well.” Farah says: “You know when they say a person looks effortlessly beautiful? This look Demi sported is effortless sans the beautiful part. Come on, she could have tried a little bit harder to at least look like she cared about being on the red carpet. I mean if you are going to have a demeanour that says ‘I don’t want to be here’, at least make sure you look good.”
Cara says: “Once again the horrid strappy shoe has struck - this time cutting off Gabourey’s legs. It’s just an unfortunate fashion choice. I love that jewel tone of her dress though. Not a fan of the necklace, but love her hair and clutch.” Farah says: “This dress is the perfect cut, style and fit for Gabourey’s curvy figure because it accentuates all the right parts. She definitely nailed this ensemble and looks incredible doing so.”
Cara says: “Can I count the ways that this is a hot mess? First let’s look at the pantyhose strap around her neck, then let’s look at the horrid eighties prom puff sleeves, the cheap lace and the God awful ruffles on the bodice. I just hate this dress.” Farah says: “People are still wearing dresses like the one Amber wore in 2016? That dress is so 20th century and resembles those lace tablecloths that everyone’s grandmother probably had in her house. Not to mention, that nude colour does absolutely nothing for her skin tone.”
AP PHOTOS
The Weekend Fashion Report 2016 Glamour Woman of the Year
The Tribune | Weekend |17
Friday, November 25, 2016
books
Passing on a passion for writing up a home plans to set rs Vera Chase dence for young write ey vi th ro h P ic h ew w N in in ily Islands from the Famate on literacy, history tr can concen n culture. ia and Baham
By FAY KNOWLES
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HEN writer, storyteller, poet, published author and historian of the early Bahamas Vera Chase was requested by the Ministry of Education in 2011 to read stories to primary school students and encourage them to do the same, she said it was one of the most rewarding experiences of her life. “I met students aged 10 to 12 who revealed the careers they aspired to - cardiologists, teachers, chefs, contractors, police officers, lawyers and designers,” she said. “Our session ended with each student displaying their talent.” Vera is passionate about children being well versed in Bahamian history and culture and “that they will write on par with international writers of their age, particularly with those in other Commonwealth countries”. She also hopes that “one day student writers seven to 17 years of age in the Family Islands will have accommodation (a home) in Nassau so they can travel to our capital for literary and cultural events”. She is seeking partners/sponsors for this initiative and explained that teachers at the home will concentrate on literacy, history and Bahamian culture. “This home/base will not only provide accommodations for students and parents, but there will be meeting rooms, a computer room, library, chapel and cafeteria. Also gardens of vegetables and flowers.” Vera is the Founding Member and President of the non-profit organisation The Commonwealth Writers of the Bahamas (TCWB), which consists of adult and junior writers in New Providence and the Family Islands. TCWB assists writers with publishing information, promotes literacy, Bahamian history and culture, visits schools and mentors junior writers.
Every year, she hosts the Storytellers Convention and the Writing Awards for participants in the annual National Short Story/Poetry Competition. Junior writers will travel to Nassau from Hope Town Primary, Abaco; Nicholls Town Primary, Andros; Orange Creek and Old Bight Primary Schools, Cat Island; and Mary Star of the Sea, Grand Bahama for the 11th annual Writing Awards on February 18, 2017. They will join participants in New Providence from Genesis Academy, RM Bailey Senior High, St Francis and St Joseph Primary and individual students from St Augustine’s College, Aquinas and Nassau Christian Academy.
Vera is Creator, Co-Director of Marketing and Public Relations, Project Manager and Historical Expert for “The Pompey Project”, which will culminate in the upcoming motion picture ‘Pompey: A Slave’s Revolt (1830)’. She said: “Back in the nineties, I kept seeing the name Pompey everywhere.” She did some research and, in 1997, wrote the Pompey Story, published as “Charlotte Rolle is My Name” in her book “Take Me Back to Guanahani”. Vera is also the author of “Pirates Paradise” and “Islands My Islands”. Her fourth book “In Search of Bahamian History”, a documentation of events and people in the early Bahamas, will
be released shortly. She took second place in the National Poetry Competition of the Bahamas in 2000. She is past Advisory Board Member, Haynes Library, Governor’s Harbour, and past Vice President of The Writers Society. Ever the history buff, in September, 2013, she hosted “An Evening In Barcelona Fiesta”, showcasing the history of Spain in the early Bahamas. In addition, Vera has written the script for “Meet Me In Moscow”, which will be a feature film, released in several languages and set in Toronto, the Bahamas and Russia. She writes mostly at night “when the house is quiet”, starting around 8pm and often blogging and writing until 1am. Vera was born and brought up in Nassau. She is married to retired Bahamasair pilot Brandford Edison Chase. They have three children and four grandchildren. A retired Royal Bank of Canada Loans Supervisor after a 36-year career, Vera attended Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School and Xavier’s College for Girls. She loves reading, writing, cooking, travelling, and gardening. She has a bucket list of what she wants to achieve in her lifetime, which is inserted in her Bible. “Already I have been able to tick off quite a few of these,” she said. • Connect with Vera Chase at thecommonwealthwritersofthebahamas.com, find her on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn (as Vera Jane Chase) or email commonwealthwriters@yahoo.com. For more information on The Pompey Project, visit pompeyproject.com.
18 | The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, November 25, 2016
podcasts
Broadway’s backstage secrets By STEPHEN HUNT shunt@tribunemedia.net
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roadway has been in the news this week - thanks to the cast of ‘Hamilton’ and their message for the next US vice president. ‘Hamilton’, of course, is something of an unstoppable juggernaut at the theatre, booked out until the latter part of next year. But was it always so? This week’s shows peer behind the scenes on Broadway.
Theater People Patrick Hinds is the enthusiastic host behind the Theater People podcast, a show that seeks to get to know the people who stage the plays and musicals known around the world. In a recent episode, he chatted to Thomas Kail, the Tony-winning director of ‘Hamilton’. But Hinds doesn’t just explore the show of the moment, he chats at length with Kail about the build-up to the show, and Kail’s past before that, as director of the likes of ‘In The Heights’ and ‘Magic/Bird.’ Kail is a fascinating guest to listen to, observing how he feels the role of director is akin to that of a sports coach, and how he has also been drawn towards directing the likes of ‘Lombardi’ in his career, the story of legendary Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi. He also tells of how the runaway success of ‘Hamilton’ started to come to light as they worked on the production, and public interest hit fever pitch even without much in the way of pre-press for the show. It’s a great listen and makes a very good companion piece for the next podcast, Broadway Backstory. Website: http://www.theaterppl.com/ portfolio-view/hamilton-director-thomas-kail/
Broadway Backstory Broadway Backstory also comes from Patrick Hinds, this time teaming up with Today Tix to take a look at how shows came to reach Broadway. The first show under the microscope
is ‘In The Heights’, directed by Thomas Kail and with music and lyrics by LinManuel Miranda. Following the footsteps of the show from creation to success is fascinating, with so many places along the way where things could have gone wrong, but just fell together right - from the invitation to use a theatre space inside a drama bookshop that happened to have the spare space after a fire forced its relocation, to the connections made that brought the show its producers. There’s also the changing face of the show itself, with Miranda saying how a key plot element, involving a gay character exploring his situation in a Latino neighbourhood, was re-thought after a producer pointed out it had been done before. Miranda initially bridled against the change until the producer sent him to watch ‘Avenue Q’ and there, Miranda saw his main plot play out in a subplot of the other show and admitted that something needed to change. This is a thorough exploration of the history behind the show, and really makes you appreciate the years of effort it takes to transform an idea into a reality. Website: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/broadway-backstory
‘In The Heights’ is set in a Latino neighbourhood
Theatre History This show is one I wish I could love - but they are presently plagued by technical troubles, it would seem. I listened to two different shows, and each had substantial difficulties with the sound quality. And yet, if you can listen through the murk, the expertise on hand is top notch. In one show, we had Adam Roberts join host Michael Lueger to talk about music theory in musicals - such as the signature tunes of different characters and how the music can signify their development, such as with Henry Higgins in ‘My Fair Lady’. He also spotlights moments where artists confound expectations, such as in ‘A Chorus Line’, where the audience expects individual leads to emerge, but each member of the chorus line has their own story, their own song, their own motifs and the audience is left to choose for themselves the characters they are drawn towards.
Thomas Kail - Tony-winning director of ‘Hamilton
Lin-Manuel Miranda - wrote music and lyrics for ‘In The Heights’
‘Hamilton’ has been a runaway success on Broadway The second show, a look at performances of medieval plays in the 21st century, suffered most of all from poor sound quality - but again the expertise in the discussion was top notch. I do hope they get their technical
hiccups sorted - if they do, this is a show that really can open your eyes to aspects of the theatre industry. http://howlround.com/theatre-historypodcast-12-music-theory-and-musicalswith-adam-roberts
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Friday, November 25, 2016
ia or
ne Sa r
Vi ct
design your lifestyle PART
Boxes 2 Victoria Sarne continues her examination of lifechanging moments
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e all build psychological boxes, some of which are very sturdily put together metaphorically with lots of strong tape and packing material so that they won’t fall apart on us and spill the contents. This is where we create our identity, generate our thoughts and our feelings and form a perception of ourselves that we feel comfortable or uncomfortable with. Within this box is our idea of how we should present ourselves to friends, family, society and the world at large. This is where we think we find our place in the world. If we do this, if we define ourselves within the narrow confines of this box does it free us to live safer more complete lives? Or does it protect us from our own fears and misgivings? For most of us the answer probably lies in how honest we can be in our internal dialogues and that it is all a mix. It may well make us feel safe and secure in some ways but it can also be a constraint, an imaginary and emotional fabrication keeping us penned in a small intellectual environment, unadventurous, timid and afraid to explore the outer limits of our particular universe, our lives, our lifestyle and our abilities; unwilling and unable to fulfill our hopes and dreams. It takes guts to undo the tape, leave the box and go exploring literally and metaphorically. It’s necessary because it’s not enough to just exist. Then there are the boxes we place other people in guided by our maybe superficial perception of them; the way
“It takes guts to undo the tape, leave the box and go exploring literally and metaphorically.” they present themselves to us and the world; the way they speak, the way they dress, their jobs, their house, their car, their activities. On this basis, we rush to judgement because it’s so much easier to categorise someone and place them neatly in a pigeonhole that we can identify with; it makes us feel comfortable and in control. It may even give us, rightly or wrongly, a sense of power whether or not we eventually find out if we were correct in this original judgment. I wonder how often we get it right? I suspect we frequently make incorrect and superficial assessments with which we are
satisfied as they fit our conditioned preconceptions. But there is nearly always something more interesting to all of us; back-stories, experiences and ideas which many of us would not necessarily reveal spontaneously, depending on our own ways of expressing ourselves and our self-imposed restraint. Some of these ways of curbing ourselves may be valid in order for us to co-exist with each other in society or to further the ideal of doing no harm to anyone. Others which may reflect our inhibitions, our sense of personal validity or secret fears are counter-productive to leading a real and grounded life.
I like the idea of emptying the boxes, the real and the imagined, letting all the contents spill out onto the floor, pawing through the contents and really examining them; making decisions about what is valuable and worth keeping and what is junk to be discarded. Then ruthlessly crushing the boxes once they are emptied and rendered useless. Liberating and opening ourselves up to the endless possibilities and potential. • Victoria Sarne can be reached at vixanwriter@mac.com, or visit the website www.lifelineswritingservice.com.
20 | The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, November 25, 2016
relationships
Seeking true meaning of holidays By JEFFARAH GIBSON Tribune Features Writer jgibson@tribunemedia.net
M
en will have their say once again concerning dating, relationships, matters of the heart and life when the “MenSpeak” social returns with its holiday edition next week. Held under the umbrella of “The Good Man” campaign, a movement that promotes the support, understanding and respect of men while inspiring positive relationships with both sexes, MenSpeak Holiday Edition will be held on December 3 at Courtyard Marriott, West Bay and Nassau Street, at 7pm. It will feature a gourmet meal prepared by local celebrity chefs Jamall Petty and Simeon Hall Jr, who are also regular members of the panel. There will also be a holiday fashion show co-ordinated by emerging stylist JB Styles and a members of the #MenSpeak and #WomenSpeak panels will have a style makeover at the event. The event will be hosted by founder Simmone L Bowe and entertainer Epic Forealz. It will take the form of a family meal with family style dining and conversation that will centre on tips on how to have an amazing holiday. There will be live music and carols. There panel will include Epic Forealz, Simeon Hall Jr, Keith Rolle, Pastor Javon and Sandena Neely, Cedric and Melisa Hall, Tecoyo Bridgewater, Dianne Gibson and Dr Tamalia Hanchell. “The purpose of the holiday edition is to address the holiday blues that some people experience, depressed about being single or not having the kind of relationship they desire,” Ms Bowe told Tribune Weekend. “Holidays can put pressure on people to perform based on the lives other people and their picture of what happiness is. This can be deceiving. Our conversation over dinner will show how people can create satisfying holiday traditions and experiences, embrace the positive
Panelists at a previous MenSpeak event
Simmone L Bowe hopes men will find the true meaning of the holidays
Co-host Epic Forealz
Men have their say on dating, relationships and matters of the heart and life. relationships they have and can build new ones.” She said attendees look forward to the healthy exchange that usually takes place during the conversations led by the panelists. “What comes up the most at every conversation are the misconceptions women have about what men really want and how they think like men needing to be forceful, tough, progressive, handy around the house, not being emotional or having feelings, not wanting the same things that a woman wants in a relationship: intimacy, affection, encouragement, and support. And while women get an understanding of how men really feel about a myriad of issues, the panelists also at times get very vulnerable, sharing their fears and insecurities. “The highlight of the last MenSpeak was the focus on men in creative fields like photography, fashion, music, culinary arts, poetry, training and psychology. The men shared how they have had to battle negative stereotypes for choosing to follow unconventional careers. They also shared about their journey to pursue their passion - the sacrifices, their fears, the satisfaction of achieving their dreams.
“The men shared that women make the mistake of looking for a father figure in their mate in that they want their man to be polished and complete, not knowing that their mother had to go through the growth process with their dad as he evolved as a person to become the hero they look up to. The point they are making is that they would love for their partner or mate to not demand perfection but understanding, patience and openness as they both grow as people. They want women to listen to them and support them,” she said. Ms Bowe said she hopes participants of MenSpeak experience the true meaning of the holidays. “I hope they embrace who they are, celebrate who they are, the relationships they have, and the experiences they create and to know that they can have amazing holidays and special occasions no matter what. People can celebrate and live life outside the rules that society and social media creates to make people feel unsatisfied and unhappy about themselves and their lives,” she said. •For more information log onto The Good Man Campaign’s Facebook page.
The Tribune | Weekend | 21
Friday, November 25, 2016
relationships
To build something good start with the foundation By DR EDRICA RICHARDSON
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alf of all marriages end in divorce. One main reason is that the foundation was not solid. If you are married, even if you aren’t, it is important that your personal relationships are built on a solid foundation. If you are going to build something that will last, you must have a plan. Part of that plan, and an important one, is the foundation. The word ‘foundation’ means to set something permanently. Foundations are the key to maintaining all the goodness in your relationship. They will determine the quality and success of your relationships years down the track. Start by talking about some of the hard stuff: where do you see this going? What is your vision? Being open to love doesn’t just mean having fun with your new person and enjoying every minute you spend with them. You also have to be vulnerable and share parts of yourself you may not be use to putting front and centre. Here are a couple of ways to build the foundation: 1 Know each other’s love language One of my first articles was on Dr Gary Chapman’s essential tool to healthy love. Love languages are the different ways that we all communicate and understand love. Remember you might be showing love to your partner in every way that you know how and still, they might be telling you that you don’t love them enough. Well, it’s no secret anymore! You need to learn their love language, and exhibit that not yours. 2 Understand love is an action Love is understanding how your partner feels loved, and then doing it. People often think that love is a feeling, and that once the feeling disappears there is little hope for their relationship. Well, that’s absolutely not true! Love is a verb; so understand love as an action and a choice, and then do it. You will have an incredibly happy and fulfilling relationship.
When you laugh with your partner, it shows that you enjoy each other’s company. 3 Laugh together They say laughter is the most powerful thing! Did you know laughter is even used as a form of therapy because of its positive effect on us? When you laugh with your partner, it shows that you enjoy each other’s company. 4 Don’t cross the line This is one of the most important things to remember for a successful relationship. There are just certain things that we never want to say or do to our partner. These are things that you consider ‘crossing the line.’ For you that may mean losing your temper, yelling at your partner, saying hateful things, using manipulation, going to sleep angry, not saying sorry when you know you should have, bringing your partner down, or getting aggressive towards your partner. These are all damaging things for a relationship, and it becomes easier and easier to do it again and again. If you
want a happy and successful relationship, try really hard not to ‘cross the line’. Being part of a healthy, working relationship means letting your feelings be known - not hiding how much you like someone just to avoid getting hurt. If you really want to build a solid relationship foundation, you need to be ready for whatever comes your way. A relationship is not based on the length of time you’ve spent together; it is based on the foundation you’ve built together. Trust yourself. A solid relationship foundation is built on the joy that comes from being with someone you care about and are excited to be spending time with. We can all build beautiful visions together, through respect. If you use these foundations in your relationship, you will have an incredibly long-lasting, happy and successful relationship.
• Dr Edrica D Richardson is a licenced marriage and family therapist in multiple states in the US and an AAMFT approved supervisor. Her clinical specialties include relationship issues, infidelity, family counselling and life coaching, to name a few. She works with adolescents, couples and families. For more information, visit her website at www.dredrich.com
22 | The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, November 25, 2016
literary lives bruce chatwin
Crossing the borders between truth and fiction Sir Christopher Ondaatje questions the authenticity of the English travel writer, novelist and journalist who authored some of the finest travel books ever.
I
n 1980 I read a short novel ‘The Viceroy of Ouidah’ ... and I was spellbound. It was by the travel writer Bruce Chatwin. I had not read anything by him before but had heard that some of his factual reporting was fictional and it influenced my feeling for his work. While reading his book, something clicked because Chatwin’s subject seemed strangely familiar. I was, at the time, researching biographical material on the great explorer and ethnologist Sir Richard Francis Burton in preparation for a journey I was planning - to trek across Africa following in the footsteps of Burton’s and John Hanning Speke’s 1858 quest to find the source of the Nile. In doing so I came across a rare, two-volume book that Burton had published in 1864 after he had returned from his expedition. By then he had married Isabel Arundell, and shortly after
Patagonia, to where Chatwin headed in 1974. His enigmatic message “Have gone to Patagonia” to his employers ended his career at The Sunday Times Magazine.
“The Songlines, which Chatwin used as a metaphor for the human need to wander, was nominated for the prestigious Thomas Cook Travel Award but he was forced to withdraw it from consideration and admitted the work was fictional.”
this entered the Foreign Service as Consul to the island of Fernando Po (now Bioko) in Equatorial Guinea. In 1863, already established in his consulate, he set out for Dahomey (present day Benin) on an official government mission to beg the Negro King there to stop his part in the slave trade, cannibalism and mass ritual murder of military captives. Britain had already passed laws against slavery. Burton’s two-volume book, ‘A Mission to Gelele, King of Dahomey’ (with notices of the so-called “Amazons”, The Grand Customs, The Yearly Customs, The Human Sacrifices, The Present State of the Slave Trade … ) is an extraordinary document which I read with fascination and horror. So as I started reading Chatwin’s
The Tribune | Weekend | 23
Friday, November 25, 2016
“Chatwin revels in the savagery of his story telling, and his grotesque descriptions of immorality and the West African habits of the time make one shudder at the ruthless, barbaric rise to power as Francisco Manuel da Silva sells literally thousands of war prisoners to the Portuguese for slaves.”
Bruce Chatwin - “incredibly creative literary ability” 1980 ‘The Viceroy of Ouidah’ I realised that he had to have been inspired and influenced by Burton’s treatise - almost as if he had taken a few pages of Burton’s book and then created his own novella. It was, however, not quite the same. In actual fact Chatwin travelled to Dahomey in 1972, learned about Francisco Félix de Sousa (1754-1859), a Brazilian 19th-century slave trader who was deeply influential in the politics of pre-colonial West Africa, and who eventually became Viceroy of Ouidah in Dahomey. Chatwin returned to the country in December, 1976, (by then renamed the People’s Republic of Benin) and started research for his book on de Sousa. However, in January, 1977, a coup took place and Chatwin was arrested, accused of being a
mercenary and detained for three days. Following his release, Chatwin left Benin and went to Brazil to continue his research on de Sousa. Exasperated by the lack of documented evidence on de Sousa, Chatwin instead decided to write a fictionalised biography of him using another name, Francisco Manuel da Silva. ‘The Viceroy of Ouidah’ is a surreal story of a poor, white Brazilian adventurer who sails to Dahomey to trade for slaves and amass his fortune. Da Silva marries a local girl, has affairs with countless others and procreates a multitude of multi-coloured offspring who still meet every year to honour their ancestor in Ouidah. Chatwin’s telling of the story reveals his incredibly creative literary ability. Da Silva’s ambitions exceed his wildest dreams,
and the avaricious slave trader pits his gruesome activities against bloodthirsty kings and finds that his ghastly ventures lead him to become Viceroy of Ouidah. Chatwin revels in the savagery of his story telling, and his grotesque descriptions of immorality and the West African habits of the time make one shudder at the ruthless, barbaric rise to power as da Silva sells literally thousands of war prisoners to the Portuguese for slaves. The savagery of life in Dahomey eventually consumes da Silva’s wealth and his sanity, but not before Chatwin has forced us to endure the horrors of cruelty and gore. ‘The Viceroy of Ouidah’ is one of the most powerful novels I have ever read and it spurred me to learn more about the author and to read his other books.
Chatwin is a character who has fashioned himself. Bruce Chatwin was born in Sheffield, England, in 1940 and from a lowly job as a porter in Sotheby’s in London, was moved to the cataloguing department of the Antiquities and Impressionist Art departments. With a keen eye for art he learned to describe objects in a concise manner, and to learn something of their history. His judgment and knowledge eventually helped him to become an expert on Antiquities and Impressionist Art and he would later run both departments. It was a meteoric rise and he travelled extensively for his job, including two journeys to Afghanistan. He had very good judgement and would buy
Continued on page 24
24 | The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, November 25, 2016
The early cover of ‘The Viceroy of Ouidah’ Continued from page 23 antiques in foreign markets and then resell them at a profit to supplement his Sotheby’s income. During this early part of his life he had affairs with both men and women. One of these was Elizabeth Chanler - a descendant of John Jacob Astor - who had worked in Sotheby’s in New York and had transferred to London in 1961. Both independent, they shared a love of travel. Chatwin went to Sudan and
had his first encounter with a nomadic tribe whose life intrigued him. He remained fascinated by nomads and the nomadic existence for the rest of his life. In 1965, Chatwin and Elizabeth Chanler married, much to the surprise of his friends, and although Chatwin was bisexual throughout their marriage, she knew and accepted it. He had many affairs, mostly with men, and the couple remained childless. In the mid 1960s, Chatwin became increasingly discontented with his
job at Sotheby’s. He felt he was being “used” by Peter Wilson, then chairman of the company. But he was good at his work and, in 1966, Chatwin was promoted to a director of Sotheby’s. He was 26. It was an important appointment but he was only made a junior director with no voting rights. Disappointed, Chatwin resigned. Frustrated, he then enrolled at the University of Edinburgh to study Archaeology. However he left after only two years, without a degree, finding academic life tiresome. Instead Chatwin devoted himself to journalism in the years between 1969 and 1972, travelling extensively, writing an unsuccessful book ‘The Nomadic Alternative’ which Jonathan Cape refused to publish, curating an exhibit on Nomadic Art of the Asian Steppes at the Asia House Gallery in New York, and trying to sell his articles and photographs, and also ideas for film documentaries. In 1972, The Sunday Times Magazine hired Chatwin as an advisor on art and architecture and he travelled for them on many international assignments, occasionally writing for them. Two years later he went to Peru and then to Patagonia, sending a telegraph to his employers with the enigmatic message “Have gone to Patagonia”. This was the end of Chatwin’s career at The Sunday Times Magazine. Chatwin’s six months in Patagonia resulted in his book ‘In Patagonia’ which was published in 1977. It contained 15 excellent black and white photographs by Chatwin, and established the start of his career as a travel writer. He described ‘In Patagonia’ as “the narrative of an actual journey”. Local residents, however, contradicted Chatwin’s account of events and it marked the first time the author was accused that what he presented as fact was, in truth, fiction. Nevertheless the book was praised, getting rave reviews, two prizes (including the Hawthorn Prize and the E M Forster Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters) and expanding Chatwin’s circle of influential friends. He was heralded as a writer of unusual talents. It was after ‘In Patagonia’ in 1972 that Chatwin travelled to Ouidah, returned in 1976, and wrote what I consider to be his masterpiece ‘The Viceroy of Ouidah’, later made into the Werner Herzog film ‘Cobra Verde’. Curiously Chatwin’s next book was entirely different. ‘On the Black Hill’ (1982) is about two Welsh farmers twin brothers - who live their entire lives in a farmhouse within the Welsh
borders. Again the book was praised and it won the James Tait Black Memorial Prize and the Whitbread Prize for Best First Novel, even though ‘The Viceroy of Ouidah’ was in fact his first novel. It too was made into a film. In 1983 and 1984, Chatwin travelled to Australia to research Aboriginal culture which resulted in probably his most popular and respected book, ‘The Songlines’ (1987), about a narrator whose biography is almost identical to Chatwin’s. The book became a bestseller in both the United Kingdom and the United States, but was criticised in Australia as not being an accurate document about the Aborigines and being of shallow research, dependent on Theodore Strehlow’s book ‘Songs of Central Australia’ and only being reliant on non-Aboriginal people for information. ‘The Songlines’, which Chatwin used as a metaphor for the human need to wander, was nominated for the prestigious Thomas Cook Travel Award but he was forced to withdraw it from consideration and admitted the work was fictional. The book is still popular with travellers to Australia and was made into an opera ‘The Man with Footsoles of Wind’ in 1993. ‘The Songlines’ brought Chatwin considerable success but, while travelling in Switzerland, he collapsed on the street, following which a Swiss clinic diagnosed him as being HIV positive. He never spoke about his illness and set to work on his next book ‘Utz’ (1988), a novel about the obsession that leads people to collect. Set in Prague, the book describes the life and death of Kasper Utz, a man obsessed with his collection of Meissen porcelain. Again the book was well received and was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. Chatwin died, aged 48, at a hospital in Nice on January 18, 1989. A collection of his journalism ‘What Am I Doing Here?’ was published that same year. His ashes were scattered near a Byzantine chapel above Kardamyli in the Peloponnese, close to where the great travel writer Patrick Leigh Fermor, one of his mentors, lived. He had lived there for several months completing ‘The Songlines’. NEXT WEEK: Fiametto Rocco and the revolutionary malaria cure • Sir Christopher Ondaatje is an adventurer and writer resident in the Bahamas. A Sri Lankan-born CanadianEnglishman, he is the author of several books, including “The Last Colonial”.
The Tribune | Weekend | 25
Friday, November 25, 2016
forgotten facts
A flying visit all Nassau wanted to witness
Bahamas Airways Limited’s first plane - a twin-engined Douglas Dolphin - advertising for business
By PAUL C ARANHA
H
arold Christie’s 1936 announcement that his dream of a Bahamian airline was about to come true captured the imagination of the inhabitants of Nassau and quickly became the talk of the town. Days later, when it was revealed that the twin-engined Douglas Dolphin amphibian would arrive on November 22, the fact that it was a Sunday did nothing to dampen the excitement, not even among churchgoers. Extending into the waters of Nassau Harbour, from the headquarters of Pan American Airways, was a long dock,
with a floating platform, at its northern extremity, providing easy mooring for seaplanes and amphibians. To the west of the dock was a ramp (now the location of the BASRA base), up which amphibians could be taxied out of the water. Spectators milled around the Eastern Parade, scanning the sky for a glimpse of the plane that Christie had bought from the fabulously-rich Alfred Vanderbilt II. They knew that the well-liked Charlie Collar, Bahamas Airways Limited’s first pilot, was flying the plane from West Palm Beach with Christie as a passenger. Ever the promoter, with an uncanny flair for showmanship, Christie did not miss this golden opportunity to show off his latest prize. He made sure that
Capt Collar gave the townspeople a suitable flying-display, so all could admire his magnificent, red flying machine, formerly a rich man’s toy, before its first touchdown. On board, Christie and Collar could not hear the excited roar from the crowd as the new plane made an impressive arrival and circled twice over Nassau, before making its first touchdown in Nassau Harbour, then taxiing to the Pan American ramp, to its parking space. Bahamas Airways was in business. Next morning, Rubie Watkins became Bahamas Airways’ first customer, when she boarded the Douglas Dolphin for a flight to Rock Sound, Eleuthera, to pick up her seriously-ill father, Capt Rupert Watkins.
Not only was this Bahamas Airways’ first revenue flight, it was also its first ‘air ambulance’ flight (though this term was not yet in use) and, on arrival in Nassau, the patient was taken to the Bahamas General Hospital (now the Princess Margaret Hospital), where he made a rapid recovery. For the next 34 plus years, such hospital flights played an important role, affecting the revenue of the airline and the wellbeing of the people in the Out Islands, both Bahamians and visitors. • Paul Aranha’s manuscript on the history of Bahamas Airways Limited has been sent to potential publishers and should be on sale in time for Christmas 2017. • islandairman@gmail.com
H AM TARGET U N RTHE
26 | The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, NovemberChambers 25, 2016 21st
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.
Century Dictionary (1999 edition)
section
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
F L U HAM UNR
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CRYPTIC PUZZLE Across 1 Where good drivers may be handicapped (4,6) 6 Enough for a poet, no two ways about it (4) 10 Sign for some scales (5) 11 Divide into parts and bury the body (9) 12 Plain words about a border flower (8) 13 He keeps on accumulating endless unhappiness (5) 15 It’s a strain becoming a skilled craftsman (7) 17 Locate suite at different position (7) 19 Mussolini is in debt and impoverished (7) 21 Rent trouble is a big blow (7) 22 Room aboard (5) 24 Rescues a number surrounded by barbarians (8) 27 At sea for the most part? (2,3,4) 28 Cattle drive (5) 29 It may still be classed as a dark horse (4) 30 He’s bad-tempered having to go over to settle a quarrel (10)
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Down 1 Medal metal (4) 2 Wild bear I’d let free (9) 3 Superstitious attraction (5) 4 Fabulous supporter of royalty (7) 5 Models in sedentary occupation? (7) 7 One doesn’t have to have them (5) 8 Morale went out, yet bore fruit (10) 9 He puts a word in when required (8) 14 Demonstrating a method of quartering (10) 16 Supported when given a temporary transfer (8) 18 A very low story may cause humiliation (9) 20 Despondency I spread about (7) 21 Special gifts of money (7) 23 Swimming club he joined (5) 25 Maybe Poe’s a past expert at telling fabulous tales (5) 26 Pointless search for a way through (4)
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Yesterday’s Easy Solution Across: 1 Pitiful, 5 Chief, 8 Next of kin, 9 Cod, 10 Code, 12 Intrigue, 14 Rustle, 15 Enmity, 17 Delegate, 18 Comb, 21 Let, 22 Of one mind, 24 Godly, 25 Gunnery. Down: 1 Panic, 2 Tax, 3 Flop, 4 Liking, 5 Confront, 6 Incognito, 7 Fidgety, 11 Desolated, 13 Old Glory, 14 Red flag, 16 Strong, 19 Badly, 20 Lean, 23 Ire.
Yesterday’s Cryptic Solution Across: 1 Gurnard, 5 Pride, 8 Potpourri, 9 Tar, 10 Sage, 12 Scottish, 14 Breaks, 15 Ensign, 17 Grasping, 18 Unit, 21 Tot, 22 Easter egg, 24 Darts, 25 Detroit. Down: 1 Gapes, 2 Rat, 3 Ahoy, 4 Direct, 5 Pristine, 6 Intuition, 7 Earthen, 11 Goes after, 13 Skippers, 14 Bigoted, 16 Unused, 19 Tight, 20 Meet, 23 Ego.
EASY PUZZLE
Across 1 Seize for military use (10) 6 An adhesive (4) 10 Scoundrel (5) 11 Specify as condition (9) 12 Bitter criticism (8) 13 Light narrow boat (5) 15 To collapse (7) 17 Brass musical instrument (7) 19 Burdensome (7) 21 Take cover (7) 22 Ancient Greek philosopher (5) 24 Hostilities (8) 27 Resourceful (9) 28 Social group (5) 29 Stop marching (4) 30 Plant food (10)
Down 1 Caution (4) 2 Relative size (9) 3 Vigilant (5) 4 Notwithstanding (7) 5 Distinguished (7) 7 Find out (5) 8 Basic (10) 9 Point in time (8) 14 Achieve (10) 16 Intense (8) 18 Behave pretentiously (3,2,4) 20 Be enough (7) 21 Portion (7) 23 Blacksmith’s block (5) 25 The whole (5) 26 Tolerate (4)
you turnforthe page u 0907 181 2585 Yesterday’s Yesterday’s 090 HOW many words of four Call letters today’s Target solution down. Solution tom *Calls c Sudoku Answer Kakuro Answer *Calls cost 80p per minute or more can you make from the plus your plus your telephone company’s netwo letters shown here? In making network a access charge. Yesterday’s solu word, each letter may be *SP: used Black squares: 4 Spoke – Helpline 0333 202 3390 PLAY 11, 16, 18, 21, 23, 2 once only. Each must contain the 30, 31, 32, 38. Ac centre letter and there must be at Weeping, Willow, least one nine-letter word. No Interim, Behalf, V plurals or verb forms ending in “s”.
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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
Sibyl, Agree, Mut Squeak, Masseur Isomer, Majesty. Down: Whisk, Wa Exterior, Upon, Liberated, Nail, C Raja, Diversity, F Buttress, Twofold Curry.
Extra letter c
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PLAY MORE
The Tribune | Weekend | 27
Friday, November 25, 2016
animals
‘Tis the season to be jolly - and generous
T
he days of December are rushing at us and, for me anyway, Christmas feels like it was only a couple of months ago. Every year I try to give guidance to pet owners around the country on what to look out for and what not to do … and what to do. Most years I try to encourage a little giving for those without homes. I was at Jollification last weekend and the Bahamas Humane Society (BHS) had a terrific booth with so many toys and animal-related gifts for humans and pets alike. Many who came by to look and see were quite amazed at the selection and variety of what there was for sale. This year the BHS has a wonderful, and very affordable, calendar. All the photographs that won a first prize in our photographic competition are featured. Some of them are astounding, especially the ones shot by kids. This calendar has all the Bahamian holidays and space for notes at a wonderful low price of $10. It makes a great stocking stuffer and helps feed an animal in need. We also have a large selection of amusing and diverse bumper magnets, all in the classic shape of a paw print. Two new ones join the magnet family this year: one red one that says “My pet and I survived Hurricane Matthew” and another in bright pink that tells us “Love is a four legged word”. Still available are all the old classics and “I love my Potcake”. If you need a gift for your dog or cat, we have a big selection of chew and rawhide toys for the dogs, plush toys for both cat and dog and various colourful “mice” for the feline members of the family. Collars, leashes, T-shirts and shampoo and Christmas/ note cards are also available.
Adorable Adderley By The Bahamas Humane Society
PET OF THE WEEK
“I
’m Adderley. I love people, especially those who have enough energy to keep up with me and my outgoing personality. I tend to be a bit overwhelming for younger children, but give me a teenager and another friendly dog and I’m good to go. “I have been at the Bahamas Humane Society for many months now and am eagerly looking forward to a home of my own. I’m a happy-go-lucky seven-month old female who would love a house full of warm beds and snuggles. “Do you have the home for me? If so, come down to the Bahamas Humane Society (BHS) at Dunmore Avenue, Chippingham, to meet me or call 323-5138 for more information. “Adoption hours are 11am to 4pm Monday to Friday and 10am to 4pm on Saturday.I look forward to meeting you soon!”
PATRICIA VAZQUEZ
Animal matters Kim Aranha
• The second annual Joy of Jewelery Christmas Sale is tomorrow at the BHS Thrift Shop, next door to the main shelter. Hours are 10am to 2pm. Come and check
out our selection at a wide range of prices and head home with that perfect gift for your loved one or yourself. All proceeds go to the BHS.
A Bahamas Humane Society magnet
For people who have everything and need nothing, what is nicer than to give a donation in their name? We have gift receipts that can be given as a present and the person will know that they played a major part in saving a life. Right now, my favourite BHS promotion is “Bobbles for Bones”. You donate $25 and a Christmas tree ball is hand-decorated and the name of the pet you wish to honour (past or present) is written on the bobble. There will be three Christmas trees around Nassau, maybe more, and they will be decorated with the bobbles bearing the name of beloved pets. If the pet is deceased then on the back is written “Fly little Angel”. We are hoping that this will add to the Christmas spirit and will encourage people to think more of animals during this holiday season.
We also thought it to be a way that people can make a contribution to the BHS without it being too much; especially after the hurricane we at the shelter are very aware of what people are facing this year and we do not want to ask for more than people can donate comfortably. The BHS fashion show at the British Colonial Hilton was Tuesday last week and was amazingly well attended … full to capacity and the food was superb. Beautifully organised by Diane Morley, of Cole’s of Nassau, and her daughter, Tara Morley Nolan, there were tons of wonderful prizes and beautiful clothes shown on the runway by local residents. Even our BHS board member Dr Amanda Pinder was showing off some elegant Christmas outfits. A delicious three-course luncheon was served and the event was a huge success. The BHS is also featuring its grand raffle this month; the tickets are $2 each and the grand prize is $10,000 of groceries from Super Value. Various other home-oriented gift certificates are features from Bahamasair, BTC, CVS and AID, an air conditioning unit generously donated by Geoffrey Jones, a food processor from Kelly’s House and Home and a laptop from Custom Computers. An anonymous donation of a $500 gift certificate at Furniture Plus and a gift certificate at John Bull … all useful prizes for a post-hurricane Christmas season. In spite of the tough times and the hardships, the roofless homes and damaged gardens, people continue to help each other and be generous and the Bahamas Humane Society is enormously grateful to those kind souls and business who step up whenever asked. The good, the kind and the generous people we encounter weekly far outnumber the uncaring, the rude and the callous ... so we at the shelter consider ourselves to be blessed. Please contact us at 323 5138 if any of the promotions mentioned interest you.
28| The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, November 25, 2016
gardening
Q&A Problems with pear trees and tangerine seeds, starting again after the hurricane and a unique rose. Jack Hardy answers and gives advice to his readers
Q
Can you please let me know when can I plant three pear trees from the pot to the ground? Thanks in advance, always read your articles here in Long Island - AB A Dear AB, Any time would do once the plants are well rooted, but personally I would wait until the end of October when the weather turns distinctly cooler and that would be better for them. Q I have been following your gardening segment in The Tribune. It’s very nice. I planted some tangerine seeds that sprouted but they have remained the same size for the past three months. I would like for you to see them and give some advice or take care of them for me. Thanking you in advance - AA A Oh dear, AA. I’m afraid I have some bad news for you. The chances of you ever picking choice fruit from a seed-grown tangerine tree are slim to none, and the wait will be longer than seven years. When it comes to fruit trees you must buy grafted saplings
upright and parallel to the main tree stem. These are called water shoots and should be pruned away even though the leaves are usually larger than normal and look very healthy.
The chances of picking choice fruit from a seed-grown tangerine tree are “slim to none”
A John F Kennedy rose. GH will have a unique plant from his seedling from a nursery. The only exceptions are for fruit trees that have never been hybridised such as Barbados cherry, Surinam cherry, grumichama, ju-jube and wax jambu. All commercial fruits are hybrids. A dear friend of mine, talking about citrus said: “If it is sour and ugly with big long thorns it will grow from seed and produce fruit; if it is smooth, pretty and delicious it won’t.” That, I’m afraid, is a fact of life. If you decide to buy a grafted sapling you will have to ask your nursery staff about compatibility. Some tangerine trees must have a companion tree of a certain type nearby to ensure pollination, but there are some that can grow and produce fruit on their own. Your nursery will help you. Q I have begun following your articles the last three weeks. I find them informative. This is my third year gardening and it is my desire to assist persons in Nassau in developing urban container gardens. I have made attempts to grow tomatoes and peppers from seed but damping-off prevails but I will try applying fungicide. It seems as though we have rainy weather for the next week so my con-
Citrus trees, like key limes, need pruning to remove dead branches cern is start tomato seeds now but dealing with torrential rain. I usually put my seeds under a big tree in a shady spot with dappled sun once they germinate. - N-HA. A Dear N-H A, You seem to be on the ball and doing everything right! I wish you all the best in your efforts to promote container gardens. Even a few herbs and scallions can make our meals more delicious. Fresh peppers, tomatoes and lettuce will really convert people to healthy eating and the joy of home gardening. Q I have a problem with our key lime trees, they have some dead branches that need removal. The last time (a few years ago) when we cut out the dead branches more branches died. I don’t want that to happen again, hence my query. Can you help please? - YM A Dear YM, You are on the right track because all citrus trees need to have dead branches cut away. The way to prevent the problem you describe is to make your cut in the healthy part of a partly dead branch. Make the cut about a quarter of an inch above a leaf node. Sterilise your pruner’s blades in boiling water before you start. Also, look for branches that grow vertically
Q First I love and look forward to your column every weekend, excellent info. The last time I wrote to you I tried to describe a garden pest that was eating my rose bushes at the roots. I have since found out that I have an infestation of grubs that eventually turn into a brown beetle. I am using Sevin liquid but it is slow going. Any recommendations please? Also I thought you might like to know I have a rose bush about 18 inches high now that sprang from a seed from a rose called John F Kennedy. This is a first for me and I am very excited. I might add that JFK puts out white roses that sometimes measure seven inches across and extremely fragrant. I am looking forward to flowers from this plant. - GH A Dear GH, When bugs get big enough they graduate to the use of Baygon (or your favourite spray), away from plants, of course. Your JFK seedling will not produce a copy of the parent plant. What is exciting is that you will have a unique plant that you can (unofficially) name yourself. Modern roses are from crosses between multiple hybrids and thousands are produced every year, only a handful being developed and stabilised for commercial use. I know what a JFK looks like. Send a photo of the new rose once it flowers. It should be very interesting. Q Oh, reading and enjoying your article “Herbs” while just finishing my Sunday breakfast - now I feel hungry again! You must be a good cook. Unfortunately Matthew left us with just three radishes. But we will start all over again and have your good advice in mind. - KS A Sorry you - along with so many others - have to start making your gardens productive again. We must count our blessings and be glad we have hurricanes and not earthquakes or tornados. At least we get warning and can prepare. Yes, I enjoy cooking. My wife is an excellent cook and my live-in daughter is a trained chef so access to the stove and barbecue is often a matter of negotiation. • For questions and answers email j.hardy@coralwave.com