11272020 WEEKEND

photography fashion art gardening food entertainment puzzles animals

FASHION REPORT Page 7

Basden’s bake-off Abaconian competes to be best in the world

pgs 04 + 05

02 | The Tribune | Weekend

photography

A Rose-Coloured Lens Sea change

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eauty is all around us in the Bahamas, on land and in the sea.

But many of us are too busy with everyday life to pause and really see and enjoy the astonishing sights that surround us. Veteran photographer ROLAND ROSE captures both the ordinary and extraordinary, and puts it in frame for us so we can see our environment in a new light.

Our water changes from moment to moment. Brilliant at midday, then an emerald green or dark green, to a flashing white green.

The blue sky reflects on its flat calm surface. And the flowering trees offer a striking contrast, ever changing in the sunlight.

Friday, November 27, 2020

The Tribune | Weekend | 03

Friday, November 27, 2020

Weekend Inside

My Perfect Bahamian Weekend Bria Stuart

Teacher’s aide

Interview 4 – 5

Abaco’s Chanté Basden competes to be named world’s Greatest Baker.

Bahamians can vote to help her win.

Puzzles 6 Fashion Report 7

The hits and misses of the American Music Awards red carpet

Food 8 – 9

Take a culinary trip around the world as you learn new international recipes

Gardening 10

The famed bougainvillea – an easy to grow showstopper

Q: What will you be binge-watching this weekend?

“I will be binging Christmas movies.”

Crafts 11

Q: What’s on your weekend menu?

“Chinese food.”

Literary Lives 12 – 13

Q: If you had to be quarantined with a celebrity, who would it be and why?

“Michael B Jordan, because I have a crush on him.”

Scented candles light the way for a mother-of-two The blue angel of the silver screen

Forgotten Facts 14

The life of a lighthouse keeper

Animals 15

Bimini cat travels across the pond, plus Pet of the Week

A COMEDY SPECIAL TO CHASE AWAY YOUR COVID CONCERNS

By JEFFARAH GIBSON Tribune Features Writer jgibson@tribunemedia.net THOUGH the pandemic has thwarted many a plan, local comedian Timico Sawyer, better known as Sawyerboy, will not be deterred from bringing cheer and laughter to his fans. And he is doing so by staging his one-man stand-up comedy show next week.

The one-hour comedy special “Growing Up Bahamian” will feature the entertainer as he shares a variety of jokes centered around his childhood and adolescence. The virtual show happensDecember 2 at 8pm.

Hosting comedy shows has been part of the Sawyerboy brand for the past few years.

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Q: What do you miss the most about having to social distance?

“Seeing and hanging out with my family and friends.”

Q: If you could spend a COVID-19 free weekend anywhere in the world, where it be and why?

“I would love to go back to New York because I love to shop there.”

“I’ve been hosting my own Comedy Thursdays for about three years now at Studio Cafe, but this ‘Growing Up Bahamian’ (special) is different because it’s my very first and probably the first one of this kind,” he said.

“This show is based on my life growing up as a Bahamian right here in the Bahamas. Just me and a mic talking to a socially distanced audience of family and friends. Just like one-hour comedy specials from Kevin Hart, Dave Chapelle and so many others, this one is ‘differenter’ because it’s fully Bahamian.”

Sawyerboy has been keeping his creative juices flowing over the past few months.

Now he is ready to share with his fans stories he is sure to make them laugh and give them a much needed distraction from all that is going on in the world right now.

“I used this pandemic to my advantage and searched for the funny in it to create videos that people can relate to and enjoy, but after a while I missed not being able to do more like hosting and doing stand-up comedy,” he said.

“If you’re a fan of Sawyerboy, looking for great clean fun, a Bahamian, or just simply somebody that loves comedy and

could use something different and more calming in this rough time, then ‘Growing Up Bahamian’ is definitely what you need.

It’s a comedy show for all walks of life, ya grammy, ya pastor, ya teacher, ya teenager, Bahamians overseas, and definitely parents.”

Apart from creating new content, Sawyerboy said he has been spending more time with his kids and cooking.

“I spent a whole lot more time getting to know my kids during this pandemic ...I think my four-year-old is smarter than I am... and just keeping busy improving myself... oh, and eating my own curry chicken for the first time. I’m a big chef now,” he said.

But now the entertainer said he has a need to share his comedy with the wider public, which is why he is eager to perform his oen-man comedy show.

“I just want to be out there doing what I love again, making people laugh in real life. I just want to do my part with pushing Bahamian comedy,” he said.

To purchase tickets for the event, visit www.sawyerboy.com or contact 242-426-1858.

04 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, November 27, 2020

interview

Chanté Basden Baking is in her blood, and now this young Abaconian wants to show the world what the Bahamas has to offer. But first, she tells Cara Hunt, she needs the support of her fellow countrymen to win the title of ‘Greatest Baker 2020’.

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hantéBasden is a third generation baker who hopes to one day expand her family’s businessin Abaco into a space that can cater to people all over the country.

But first, she hopes to showcase not only her own talent, but the Bahamas’, at a virtual international baking contest.

Chanté is currently in the advanced rounds of the Greatest Baker 2020 competition. This online contest recruits’ bakers from around the world to vie for the title of ‘Greatest Baker’ and of course, the bragging rights for their country.

The Greatest Baker competition is the world’s largest online competition for bakers.

In addition to being awarded the 2020 title, the winner will receive a year’s supply of Stuffed Puffs, be featured in the Bake from Scratch magazine, and take home $10,000.

“I entered this competition in hopes of shining a light on the culinary capabilities of our Bahamian people,” Chanté told Tribune Weekend.

“Also, I believe that winning will serve as the inspiration and empowerment needed by many of our youth today.”

The Greatest Baker is a voterbased competition and so if she is to win each round to advance, Chanté requires the help from as many Bahamians as possible.

“Because of the outpouring of support thus far, I have advanced into the top five of my category.

However, there is a long road ahead and it cannot be done alone.

“This competition is carried out until December 10 and the winner is only selected by public votes. Consequently, I am humbly requesting your support in this endeavour.”

As there is no actual physical competition, organisers had to verify her credentials and abilities. It was an easy process.

Chanté holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Baking and Pastry, Culinary Arts, and in Business Administration and Culinary Management. But she was baking long before she ever dreamed of pursuing any degrees.

“I have been in the kitchen from when I could barely reach the counter tops, cooking and baking with my mom and my grandmother. Professionally, I have been baking for six years,” she said.

“What a lot of people may not know about me is that I do have a degree in culinary arts, so I cook as well, but my love is baking, My mom is really the bread maker in the family… I was always fascinated with the art and always thought of ways to reinvent their recipes. Baking has been a part of my life for decades; I love making cakes.

“I choose to bake and decorate each cake as if it was for myself; filled with love.”

Friday, November 27, 2020

“I love that baking really allows me to be innovative, not just in how the design of the cake will look, but I also love creating new flavours as well.”

And she says nothing beats seeing people actually enjoying her treats.

“I get instant gratification when I see people eat something that I have made and they really enjoy it.”

Chanté says although it sounds cliché, her secret ingredient is love.

“It has always been the secret ingredient to my success. I choose to bake and decorate each cake as if it was for myself; filled with love.

Her signature creation, she said, is her Chocolate Lovers’ Dream.

“My signature bake would definitely be my layered chocolate cake.

This rich, moist, decadent cake is love at first bite, to say the least. It is layered with a smooth and creamy chocolate frosting.”

As the Greatest Baker, Chanté said she would love to introduce the world to a national favourite: guava duff.

At the moment, Chanté is running her family’s bakery in Abaco.

In addition to their assorted breads, they sell Chanté’s baked creations.

She would love to be able to expand the business so that one day people throughout all the islands can be able to order and enjoy their treats.

As a professional baker, Chanté says her main advice to aspiring bakers and pastry chefs would be to relax and just enjoy the process.

“A lot of times we try to complicate things and you can actually take the fun out of baking, so just enjoy it. Also, bake with your kids from as early as they seem interested. Let them dig in the flour and the sugar and the salt; don’t worry about the mess. Most children love pizza and so let them make the dough for their pizza. Also, get them used to fire and the heat of the oven and get them used to kitchen safety. Just have fun playing around in the kitchen.”

Both daily voting and monetary donations are accepted by the Greatest Baker competition. Search for Chanté Basden and select either the ‘Daily Vote’ or the ‘Hero Vote’.

Hero votes not only benefit the contestant, but proceeds go towardthe No Kid Hungry Foundation - a national campaign run by Share Our Strength, a nonprofit working to solve problems of hunger and poverty in the United States and around the world.

The Tribune | Weekend | 05

27 Create a kennel containing wood (4) 28 Agreement about terrible mess in evaluation (10)

06 | The Tribune | Weekend

THE ALPHABEAT

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

DAH E BD rAo

Sudoku is a number-placing puzzle based on a 9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers 1 to 9 in the empty squares so the each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. The difficulty level of the Conceptis Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday

● The Target uses words in the main body of Chambers 21st Century Dictionary (1999 edition)

HOW many words of four letters or more can you make from the letters shown here? in making a word, each letter may be used once only. Each must contain the centre letter and there must be at least one nine-letter word. no plurals or verb forms ending in “s”.

TODAY’S TARGET Good 19; very good 28; excellent 37 (or more). Solution on Monday

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

BATTLESHIPS CRYPTIC PUZZLE Across 1 It’s half-day closing, pal! (6) 4 Picadors are involved here and there (8) 9 A sailor standing (6) 10 Crack discovered far below the surface (8) 12 Heard I’d watched (4) 13 Glue a piece of wood (5) 14 Ground needed for play (4) 17 Business figures show what may happen after a slump (5,7) 20 It’s used for oiling locks (12) 23 A hot-tempered expression (4) 24 A charming French accent (5) 25 A burning issue (4) 28 Don’t come - give support elsewhere (4,4) 29 Goes off for the booty (6) 30 Having risen a man starts to go (8) 31 Second thoughts about offensive practical jokes (6)

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EASY PUZZLE

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Yesterday’s Easy Solution

Down Across: 1 Hades, 4 Acerbic, 1 Loses a game (8) 8 Mar, 9 Last straw, 10 Redress, 2 Sacked no doubt (2,3,3) 11 Anger, 13 Moving, 15 Detach, 3 Unmarried sisters (4) 18 Tulip, 19 Meander, 21 Ill at 5 They have a down-to-earth ease, 23 Rat, 24 Extract, 25 Toxic. occupation (12) Down: 1 Humdrum, 2 Daredevil, 3 Salve, 4 Assess, 5 Ensnare, 6 Fire out of control? (4) 6 Bar, 7 Cower, 12 Grand Prix, 7 Twice appearing as 14 Naphtha, 16 Heretic, 17 Impart, 18 Twice, 20 Agent, understudy (6) 22 Lot. 8 ADC gets set to review military trainees (6) 11 Sporting event that has its ups and downs (12) Yesterday’s Cryptic Solution 15 Long time at the Pole (5) Across: 1 Dig in, 4 Vacuums, 16 Silly Annie is upset (5) 8 Boo, 9 Valentine, 10 Ringlet, 18 A tonic it may be 11 Extol, 13 Height, 15 Styles, 18 Anger, 19 Integer, 21 Crime a mention in wave, 23 Ada, 24 Trestle, dispatches (8) 25 Ashes.

19 Causes of ill-feeling Down: 1 Deborah, 2 Grounding, 3 Novel, 4 Valets, 5 Content, again? (8) 6 Uri, 7 Spell, 12 Telegraph, 21 An organ two Poles come 14 Harvest, 16 Streaks, 17 Finale, 18 Ascot, 20 Theta, 22 Ice. in to work (6) 22 A pastry dish is made up in layers (6) 26 Willing but handicapped? (4) 27 Box of ship’s timber? (4) Down Across 1 Contemptible (6) 1 Identical (8) 4 Unprepared for 6 7 8 2 Cheerful any surprise (3,5) readiness (8) 9 Legally bound (6) 3 Thwart (4) 10 International 5 Acquired border (8) 12 Feudal automatic bondman (4) reaction (5,2,5) 13 Position on 14 6 Group of a scale (5) criminals (4) 16 14 Stock of 7 Ill feeling (6) money (4) 17 Unemotional 8 Laugh to (6-2-4) scorn (6) 18 19 20 Vice versa (12) 11 Unfair (5,3,4) 23 Chief part in a 15 Lure into trap (5) play (4) 16 Caustic (5) 24 Worth (5) 18 Smart aleck (8) 25 Minus (4) 25 28 Uncertain as to 19 Deliberate (8) outcome (4,4) 27 21 Imperfect (6) 29 Express 22 Wilfully agreement (6) destructive 30 Entrust to person (6) another (8) 31 Be about to 26 Yearn (4) happen (6) 27 Shape (4)

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FIND where the fleet of ships shown is hidden in the grid. The numbers to the right of and below the grid indicate how many of the squares in that row are filled in with ships or parts of ships. The ships do not touch each other, even diagonally. Some squares have been filled in to start you off.

Solution on Monday 1

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Across: 1 Hairpiece, 7 Arrays, 9 Platoon, 10 Sere, 12 Olé, THe ALPH Friday, 13 Squeeze,November 14 Elf, 15 Debt, 27, 2020 17 Rosehip, 19 Stupor, 20 Referenda. black squares: 3 Down: 1 Hipsters, 2 Axle, 3 Ida, 23, 25, 27, 32, 34, 4 Professor, 5 Ironed, 6 Cycle, Across: Glacial, P 8 Sweet pea, 11 Europe, 13 Slate, Braver, Zebra, Old 16 Bird, 18 Hen. Hemline, Igloos, S Down: Gypsy, Jo Overthrow, cAn you crack the Alphabeater?

Each grid Acne, TArgeT Fizz, Bricking, Ad number represents a letter – or black square.

FLYWeigHT As Alphapuzzle, every alphabet Do ethylin felt file filet filth filthyletter fitly of the CroSS e is used. you flit have to complete flew flightBut flighty FLYWEIGHT gilt the grid too!

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105 and 60 Solution on Monday A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

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The Tribune | Weekend | 07

Friday, November 27, 2020

fashion The Weekend Fashion Report

American Music Awards 2020

FAIL

FAIL

HIT

SPLIT

Taraji P Henderson

Doja Cat

Jennifer Lopez

Ciara

Karin says: “OK, I’m still scratching my head why this award show actually happened, but let’s get to the fashion.

Taraji looks like she’s on an ‘80s prime time soap, playing the believed-to-be dead diva who has returned to get her revenge. It’s too much and ages her.”

Karin says: “Doja has had rough of couple months with her online scandals and all, and this isn’t helping.

This looks like she couldn’t get a hold of a designer gown and decided to go the DIY route with some garbage bags and leftover blue trim.”

Karin says: “You know what, I’ll take it. Everyone else looked like a hot mess. I actually quite like the waterfall neckline of the top. I’m not in love with the skirt, but she makes it work.

Same for the wet hair look.”

Karin says: “I’m not mad. It doesn’t quite work, but at least she tried something different. It’s basically a comically giant red cloak (with some horrible velvet lapels), but it’s not hideous.”

Cara says: “This outfit has so much going on and I am so confused. The coat dress by itself would be OK, I guess, but now its crowded by the neck piece. I don’t get what that thing on her head is. It’s like she stepped out of the shower and threw on her blinged out shower robe and turban.”

Cara says: “So, you finally get to get all dressed up this year and you choose to throw on some brown garbage bags. OK, I guess it could be a metaphor for 2020. Her hair and make-up are on point though.”

Cara says: “This is my favourite look of the four (which isn’t saying much.)

J Lo is the queen of the high spilt, legpushed-out pose, so this is standard fare for her and she knows what works for her. The wavy hair is different, I like it.”

Cara says: “Ciara’s outfit is what Little Red Riding Hood would wear if she was was going to a dominatrix party after her quick visit to Granny. First, where are her hands? Second, who decided this was cute? It’s a no for me.”

PHOTOS/ABC

With Karin Herig and Cara Hunt

10 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, November 27, 2020

gardening

Bougainvillea – a showstopper and easy to grow

A

is for aloe, B is for bougainvillea, C is for chimera, D is for dogwood, E is for everybody can garden. I will go with B is for bougainvillea today (even though there are many other exciting things happening in the garden that will have to wait until later). I have mentioned in an earlier article that there is a caterpillar/moth (Lepidoptera) commonly called the bougainvillea looper caterpillar that affects the leaves of bougainvillea plants. They will not kill a plant, but they can cause aesthetic damage. They are easily dealt with by pruning the plant (which in turn promotes more branching, leaves, and flower bracts, meaning more colour), and then spraying with Bacillus thuringiensis or Spinosad, or not, the “problem” will go away if it is not treated. The bougainvillea looper caterpillar will happen every year, several times, that is as sure as the sun will rise. Scout for leaves that have been chewed on the edges (if they are small plants, similar damage can be caused by snails and slugs).

Many varieties of bougainvillea exist, there are many natural hybrids and breeding takes place on all continents, in the field and in the greenhouse.

The most used variety locally is ‘Barbara Karst’ which is typically referred to as “red” followed closely by a purple variety named ‘New River’ or similar. The colors of Bougainvillea range from pure white, white tinged with pink, gold/yellow, orange, orange with pink blushes, pinks, and purples, not quite red, very reddish purple, reddish orange, and so on…. The variety of descriptions can lead to much confusion and debate as to what one person calls red, orange, or purple.

Dwarf, semi-dwarf, thornless, vining, variegated, there are many different sub-categories.

Depending on the source there are at least 250, and maybe over 300 different varieties of bougainvillea. That is a lot to choose from, if they were all commonly available. I find this plant extremely joyful and cheery, and if I were operating in a larger market space, bougainvillea is one of the handful of plants that I would choose to specialize in and grow as much of it as I had room for.

Pruning is key to making this plant easier to deal with. The more it is pruned, the more color it gets and the more manageable the bougainvillea looper caterpillar is to deal with. Timing of the pruning is critical to create a mass of color. There will be an explosion of color regardless of whether the plant is pruned or not but the effect can be exaggerated and manipulated to give a ball or a wall full of color and there are some very impressive displays of this throughout the islands. The full flowering bougainvillea can be a showstopper.

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hen seeking to prune, it is best done following a flowering cycle, and usually again, before the next flowering cycle as they flower on new growth. It takes a keen eye to time it right, and I thoroughly enjoy seeing a bougainvillea planting that is maintained in a way that highlights the magnificence of this plant. Bonsai artists are fond of bougainvillea as they are easily to shape, and when contained and trained to take on a ‘bonsaied’ structure or character, the color display is quite difficult to match. Bougainvillea is salt tolerant and does well near the shore so long as it is out of the wind.

They flower more profusely when they are dry, they do not like wet soils. There is a bougainvillea for most every garden!

Keep an eye on peppers, tomatoes et cetera for whitefly under the leaves. Peppers with naturally crinkly leaves do exist, but it can also signal that there is a pest present.

Mealy bug will continue showing up on citrus and hibiscus. Scale shows up now and again on sugar apple. A routine spraying of a non-toxic, non-chemical insecticide such as neem oil, horticultural oil, insecticidal soap, etcetera, will help to keep these potentially harmful insects within an “acceptable” level. Promote beneficial insects Happy gardening!

• Adam Boorman is the nursery manager at the Fox Hill Nursery. You can contact him with any questions you may have, or topics you would like to see discussed, at gardening242@gmail.com.

Friday, November 27, 2020

The Tribune | Weekend |11

crafts

Shedding light on the scented candle craze

By ALESHA CADET | Tribune Features Writer | acadet@tribunemedia.net

T

here is nothing quite like a scented candle when it comes to evoking treasured memories and creating a relaxing environment.

And no one knows this better than Tavara Simon, whose obsession with scented candles started a decade ago.

After enjoying store-bought candles for many years, Tavara decided to make her own. Not only for her personal use, but also to share with others. So she decided to launch her own candle company called Glow.

“Although officially licenced in 2014, my interest in the art of candle-making extends much further back. In fact, it took about 10 years of research, an obsessive collection of candle recipes and ideas, and many long nights of trial and error before selling my first candle,” she told Tribune Weekend.

“As with every evolving thing, there is learning and growing along the way. We are so much better than when we started and getting better each step of the way.

Glow has become a fulfilling means of creative expression through which I get to pour my heart into candle-making, fragrance products and gifting.”

The mother-of-two particularly enjoys making candles that suit and honour the Bahamas’ tropical environment.

“Our sunny climate, our beautiful sandy beaches and turquoise seas; our pride for home is emphasised throughout our signature scent range which highlights our vibrant culture and tropical style, with options like Goombay Punch and Junkanoo Fever. Glow’s brand image is clean, fresh and tropical inspired. Our waxes are gluten free, toxin free, paraben free, phthalate free, and come from renewable sources. Our all-natural wooden and hemp core wicks are the perfect companion and provide clean, hot burn for the best scent throw,” said Ms Simon.

“Whatever the occasion or lack thereof, I believe that something truly magical happens when you indulge yourself or someone else in Glow. My focus is to make Glow an experience; one that uplifts and invokes joy.”

The Glow Candle Company currently offers over 40 different scents between the Signature and Luxe lines, however, Ms Simon said in her at-home workshop

there are close to 100 fragrance oils for more mixing options.

“I just have fun with it. I love how I feel when I’m glowing. I just put my whole heart into it, then I put it out there and let the customers decide. It’s all about trying new things and having fun with it,” she said.

“Glow has also been an inspiration and a learning tool for my kids, not only teaching them candle-making, but also life lessons about entrepreneurship, hard work, sacrifice, earning, saving and investing in opportunities for financial stability. My son will be 13 in a few weeks and my daughter is nine, and every day they inspire me to be my best self.”

Although home-based, Glow operates an online boutique. “ On August 2, 2020 our online store was launched; a goal three years in the making. That date was chosen specifically to honour and celebrate the birthday of one of my closest friends, who sadly passed away just two days before the launch. With a broken heart I pressed towards the finish line because I know that is what she would have told me to do. I will forever carry Rozie in my spirit.

Her zest for life, unselfish giving and service to others are the very essence of Glow and will live on through what we do every day,” said Ms Simon.

12 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, November 27, 2020

literary lives - Marlene Dietrich

The blue angel of the silver screen – Part I Sir Christopher Ondaatje reminds us of the GermanAmerican actress and singer whose performance as Lola-Lola in The Blue Angel brought her international fame and a contract with Paramount Pictures in Hollywood.

“I had no desire to be a film actress, to be always beautiful with somebody constantly straightening out your every eyelash. It was always a big bother to me. I am not a myth.”

- Marlene Dietrich Marlene Dietrich was born Marie Magdalene Dietrich on December 27, 1901 in Rote Insel in Schöneberg, now a district of Berlin. Her mother was from an affluent Berlin family who owned a jewellery and clock-making firm. Her father, Louis Erich Otto Dietrich, was a police officer. She had one sister, Elisabeth, who was one year older.

Dietrich’s family nicknamed her “Lena” which gradually merged with her first name. After age 11 this became her name. Dietrich attended Auguste-Viktoria Girls School and graduated from Viktoria-Luise Schule in 1918. She studied the violin and her first job was in a Berlin pit orchestra for silent films. She was fired after only four weeks.

Her first theatrical appearance was as a chorus girl for Guido Thielscher’s Girl-Kabarett Vaudeville, and for Rudolf Nelson revues in Berlin. She auditioned unsuccessfully for Max Reinhardt’s Academy but wound up as a chorus girl anyway in his theatre.

Marlene Dietrich’s first film debut was a tiny part in The Little Napoleon (1923). Her next bitpart was in Tragedy of Love (1923) where she met her husband Rudolf Sieber. They were married that same year and her daughter Marie Elisabeth Sieber was born the following December.

She worked in film and on the stage in Berlin and Vienna in the 1920s: Pandora’s Box, The Taming of the Shrew and A Midsummer Night’s

Dream. However, she got more attention in musicals: Broadway, Es Liegt in der Luft and Zwei Krawatten.

In 1929, she got the part of Lola-Lola the cabaret singer who caused the downfall of a respectable schoolmaster in The Blue Angel (1930). Josef von Sternberg directed the film and it was with his help and recommendation that she moved to the United States under contract to Paramount Studios.

“America took me into her bosom when there was no longer a country worthy of the name, but in my heart I am German. German in my soul.”

- Marlene Dietrich Paramount decided to market Dietrich as the German answer to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s Swedish star Greta Garbo. Dietrich starred in six films directed by von Sternberg at Paramount between 1930 and 1935. He forced her to lose weight and was militant with his coaching of her training to be an actress. She willingly did what he said and in 1930 was cast in Morocco (1930), which earned her only Academy Award nomination. This was followed by Dishonoured (1931) and Shanghai Express (1932) – the highest grossing film of 1932.

She worked again with von Sternberg in Blonde Venus (1932) and Song of Songs (1933). Her last two films with von Sternberg, The Scarlett

Empress (1934) and The Devil is a Woman (1935) were their least successful and lowest grossing.

Paramount eventually fired von Sternberg, and she made Desire (1936) with Frank Borzage, and I Loved a Soldier (1936) – which was scrapped when Paramount dispensed with the director Ernst Lubitsch.

Dietrich was lured away from Paramount by David O Selznick who made The Garden of Allah (1936), and then made Knight Without Armor (1937) with the English producer Alexander Korda. She received $450,000 for Knight Without Armor and was the highest paid actress at that time. However, her popularity went into a steep decline and nobody wanted to make a film with her. She too, along with Greta Garbo, Katharine Hepburn and Joan Crawford were labelled “box office poison”.

“Most people who make movies are in real life a bitter disappointment. I, on the other hand, am so much better in real life.”

- Marlene Dietrich Before the outbreak of World War II, Dietrich later admitted, she was approached by Nazi party officials and offered a lot of money and guarantees if she returned to Germany to be a leading German film star in the Third Reich. She refused,

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and instead applied for US citizenship. She returned to Paramount Pictures and made Angel (1937), who re-hired Ernst Lubitsch to direct the romantic comedy. The film did not get a good reception and Paramount decided to buy out the remainder of Dietrich’s contract.

Josef von Sternberg still had considerable influence on Dietrich’s career. After all, she had made several successful films with him. So when he urged her in 1939 to accept Joe Pasternak’s offer to play a cowboy saloon girl in Destry Rides Again, for a lot less money than she was used to getting, she accepted. The film co-starred James Stewart and the bawdy role revived her career. It is one of her best films and her song, “See What the Boys in the Back Room Will Have”, became a big hit when recorded with Decca Records. She played similar saloon roles in Seven Sinners (1940) and The Spoilers (1942), both co-starring John Wayne.

Dietrich renounced her German citizenship and became a United States citizen in 1939. In December 1941, the US entered World War II and Dietrich was one of the first stars to help sell war bonds. She travelled tirelessly in 1942 and 1943 and was reported to have sold more war bonds than any other celebrity. She followed her US appearances with tours for allied troops in Algeria, Italy, the UK, France, the Netherlands and even Germany with Generals James Gavin and George Patton. Billy Wilder later joked that she had spent more time on the front lines than General Eisenhower.

DIETRICH in her first American film, Morroco. This became her signature look.

DIETRICH with her husband Rudolf Sieber and their daughter Maria.

“Glamour is assurance. It is a kind of knowing that you are all right in every way, mentally and physically and in appearance, and that, whatever the occasion or the situation, you are equal to it.”

- Marlene Dietrich Marlene Dietrich developed into a seasoned stage performer in revues for allied troops. She included songs from her films – which were always popular, and a “mind-reading” act taught her by Orson Welles. She told audiences that she could read their minds. She would then walk over to a soldier and ask him to concentrate on something.

She would then announce: “Oh, think of something else. I can’t possibly talk about that!”

Several of her songs were also recorded for the Morale Operations Branch of the Office of Strategic Services, including “Lili Marlene”, and were used to demoralise enemy soldiers.

THE FILM that catapulted Dietrich to stardom, Der blaue Engel (The Blue Angel, 1930).

After the war was over Dietrich was reunited with her sister Elisabeth, who had run a cinema in Belsen, Germany during the war. However, she later disowned her and her family for entertaining Nazi officers who ran the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. Dietrich’s mother remained in Berlin during the war. Her husband Rudolf Sieber moved with Dietrich to California, getting a job as an assistant director at Paramount Pictures. He spent most of his life estranged from Dietrich on a ranch in the San Fernando Valley. Her daughter

Maria Riva, born in Berlin in 1924, later became an actress and published a candid biography of her mother, Marlene Dietrich (2005).

Dietrich received the Medal of Freedom from Harry S Truman in November 1947 for her outstanding work entertaining troops during the Second World War. She also received the Légion d’honneur from the French Government for her wartime work.

NEXT WEEK: Marlene Dietrich reinvents herself once again as a cabaret star.

•Sir Christopher Ondaatje is the author of The Last Colonial. He acknowledges that he has quoted liberally from Wikipedia; Nehmt nur mein Leben/Take Just my Life (1979) by Marlene Dietrich; Marlene (1989) by Salvator Attanasio; and Marlene Dietrich (2005) by Maria Riva.

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history

The life of a lighthouse keeper Forgotten facts | Paul C Aranha

I

f Cay Lobos (considered the most remote of Bahamian lighthouses) were still a functioning lighthouse, the keepers would enjoy electricity, radio, television, internet and other mod cons, but when these lighthouses were built, unless they were close to a settlement (Hope Town, Inagua), there wouldn’t even be nobody popping in for a chat, so let’s take a look.

On the north side of Bay Street, about opposite Hoffer Sport, there is a base for the Royal Bahamas Defence Force. This site used to be the headquarters of the Imperial Lighthouse Service.

In 1836, when the service built its first lighthouse, at Hole-in-the Wall on the southern tip of Great Abaco, there were carefully created protocols to keep each light station supplied with the myriad things needed to sustain the people and the light. Although there were numerous settlements in the Abacos, there was no road connecting the new lighthouse to civilisation, and it remained that way well into the 20th century.

Each lighthouse required two keepers – principal and an assistant, who lived, with wife and children (if any), in purpose-built, ‘hurricaneproof’ houses. Nevertheless, hurricanes could, and did, cause damage. If a house lost its roof, the inhabitants found refuge in the lighthouse tower.

Because of the lack of educational facilities, children were taught by their parents, and a small library was provided. In the 1940s, a circular library was introduced to broaden the selection of books and magazines. The absence of many of those amenities of life that most of us consider essential is one of the sacrifices the families had to cope with.

The length of time spent on a station was two years and, for each complete year, one month’s paid leave was granted, plus the normal supply of essentials. Supplies were delivered monthly to each lighthouse, sufficient to maintain a reserve of provisions to last for three months, and, over the years, the quality of the provisions improved and only high-quality foodstuffs were sent.

One or more boats were provided, so the keepers could add fresh fish and other seafood to their daily rations. In some places it was possible to grow vegetables, but many stations were too barren and exposed to the sea. It was a lonely life, but the keepers seem to have ‘lived well’.

The lamps burned kerosene and were lit each day from 15 minutes before sunset until sunrise the next morning and climbing staircases was an integral part of the job. Whichever keeper was on duty did a lot of climbing that night.

RICHMOND House; the ground floor houses the office of the lighthouse service and the inspector lived upstairs

THE LIGHTHOUSE tender ‘Firebird’

THE LIGHTHOUSE tender ‘Firebird’ Kerosene was shipped in wooden cases, each containing two five-gallon tins and oil stocks were never allowed to fall below a two-month supply,

by which time the station tanks would be topped up to the normal six-month supply.

Until 1868, when the first lighthouse tender – a topsail schooner of about 200 tonnes named Richmond - reached Nassau, supplies had been delivered by chartered ships. The engine-driven Firebird was a more modern tender and less affected by bad weather. Particularly at the lonelier light stations, the arrival of the tender was a most welcome event for the dwellers. Not only did mail, stores and books arrive, but also eagerly awaited news from the outside world.

Where there is life, there is death, and this is true of light stations, where the dead have to be buried in the station grounds, as was the case of a keeper at Castle Island, who fell from the gallery of the tower. Many graves are those of young children.

• For questions and comments, e-mail islandairman@gmail.com

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Friday, November 27, 2020

animals

You don’t have to be big to be ‘Bigs’

By KIM ARANHA Animal Matters

B

igs the cat was born in March of 2019 in Bimini and had high aspirations.

He immediately attached himself to local hotelier Jenny Cook; he had big eyes, a big meow and an even bigger personality. We must presume that Bigs had heard through the grapevine that Jenny was heading back to England to settle in Suffolk near her aging parents. Bigs wanted to be part of that great adventure. This was a real “island boy” born under the planking of a dock to a feral mother and an unknown father.

Jenny already had a dog, Mr Finn, and she really wasn’t too sure how the two would cope with each other.

Mr Finn was no longer a puppy and Bigs was a tiny kitten. But much to her surprise and delight the bonding was immediate. Actually, they both appeared to enjoy each other’s company enormously. What was even more amazing was the connection between Bigs and Jenny; she just knew he was meant to be hers, in spite if the fact that she was gearing up to move to the UK. Obviously, Bigs was going to be moving with her.

During her last months in Bimini running her resort, Jenny was concerned the guests may object to a cat, especially as so many people suffer from allergies, but they all loved him and he was a popular feature along with Mr Finn. She would watch them both play and would say to herself, “Who would have ever thought Finn’s sidekick would be a cat!” He loved to attend the yoga classes and demanded to be a part of mealtime, and he was not above stealing the food off your plate.

His name Bigs was short for Biggie Smalls, the rapper, because this was a cat with a big personality and tons of attitude all, wrapped up in a small cat body.

No matter how many friends he made at the resort, he always wanted to sleep with his new family: Jenny and Mr Finn, all snuggled up, receiving and giving so much love. He taught elderly Mr Finn to play; their connection was positively fraternal.

As August 2019 neared, Jenny arranged for Bigs to travel with Mr Finn and her. Finn is a companion

BIGS and his canine brother, Mr Finn animal, so Bigs had to travel in the hold, but none of the adventures of that six-day trip - starting with a seaplane ride and ending with a long car ride - fazed Bigs. He loved England, and on his first night there, he went for a walk with Mr Finn, just as brothers do.

He settled into English country life well but retained that independent streak that he must have inherited from his feral mama. He loved to walk around the neighbourhood and visit the neighbours. He had a special affinity for the elderly. Bigs loved

BIGS the Bimini boy travelled all the way to England Jenny’s dad and was blissful sleeping in his lap.

He was such a happy cat. He had friends and loved visiting them, he was king of the car rides, looking out the window, and slept every night with his family in bed or under the bed. As he grew older and matured he became more independent and used the cat flap day and night to explore. He would go and visit a new girlfriend he had, he would hang out at her house when Jenny worked. He loved his home, and his family meant the world to the Bimini boy.

Then one day, the unthinkable happened. On one of his wanders he was tragically hit by a car. He died quickly and a neighbour, one of his many friends, found him and brought him home.

Jenny and Mr Finn were devastated, and set to burying him in the garden. I will use Jenny’s words to describe what happened next: “A friend came to help me dig a grave in the garden for him. As we lay Bigs into the hole, I suddenly saw my sunglasses, which I had lost months before, laying in the dirt right there. I realised that where Bigs has gone was so full of bright golden light that he was telling me I’d need my sunglasses on!”

He was just an amazing boy who loved to play and loved tummy scratches. He loved stalking and he loved his brother Mr Finn and his mama Jenny. They are left behind to remember him and know that their lives were touched by something very special, and for some reason it was taken away all too early. There is never any way of making sense about why these things happen. The pain and the sorrow are brutal, but the happy memories of so many special moments even in such a short life are what keep the sun shining brightly in our lives. Remember, Bigs sent Jenny her sunglasses for that very reason.

pet of the week

AFFABLE ANNETTE

Annette is about two years old and would love to have a home of her own, probably not with another dog, but surprisingly this young lady seems to like cats. If you have just the right spot for Annette, please come to the BHS to meet her, or call 323-5138 for more information.

Annette awaits your arrival.

By THE BAHAMAS HUMANE SOCIETY

P

layful Annette was thrilled with the arrival of a duvet in her kennel recently! So thrilled she loved it and played with it and pulled it about, and the inevitable happened, but she sure had a lot of joy while it lasted!

Annette arrived at the Bahamas Humane Society with an eye that was so badly infected, it had to be removed, but she hasn’t let that slow her down one little bit.

PHOTO/Shelley Hardman

• BHS Raffle tickets are now available! The grand prize is $10,000 worth of groceries from Super Value, and the other prizes are amazingly useful coupons, too.

Tickets are $5 each or a book of 21 for $100. Pick yours up today at the BHS or at Fox Hill Nursery.

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