12022022 WEEKEND

theatre

Celebrating 50 years of Bahamian theatre

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

AS the Bahamas pre pares to celebrate its 50th anniversary of independence next year, Ringplay Pro ductions, the parent company of Shakespeare In Paradise and the Dundas Centre for the Performing Arts, has decided to mark the golden anniversary by showcasing 50 years of Bahamian theatre.

Starting this past October with Shakespeare in Paradise (SIP) and continuing throughout 2023, they are staging 13 productions, featuring 15 playwrights, numerous actors and musicians.

“The Year of Bahamian Theatre” showcase began with the mounting of the play “First Comes Mourn ing” by J Ben-Hepburn and Patrice Francis, which focused on the tradi tions of funerals and mourning in the Bahamas. Then, in November came “The Landlord” by Sam Boodle, a love story of two neighbours and their long-suffering landlord.

The upcoming December feature will be “Music of the Bahamas”, based on a thesis by the late E Clem ent Bethel that explores uniqueness of Bahamian music, culture and narrations.

“We decided to take the initiative and mount these Bahamian plays whose themes paint a noteworthy picture of what it meant and means to be Bahamian. After all, how does a Bahamian theatre aptly honour Bahamian theatre? By doing so with Bahamian theatre. We took on the ambitious project of doing one play a month for the year, starting with SIP 2022 and ending with SIP 2023,” said Dr Nicolette Bethel of Ringplay Productions.

She hopes this year-long show case will introduce new audiences to Bahamian playwrights, veterans like P Anthony White, Winston Saunders, Susan Wallace and Telcine Turner-Rolle, as well as newcomers such as J Ben-Hepburn and Patrice Francis.

Nicolette said SIP team is looking forward to this resurgence of live theatre.

“There are Bahamians who do not realise that fellow Bahamians wrote and write plays; plays of such high calibre at that. ‘This Year in Baha mian Theatre’ is a way of presenting our playwrights to our people and say, ‘Here’s what we’ve done and here’s what we’re continuing to do’,” she said.

“It is about celebrating our own, which leads to another message we are promoting: that Bahamian is a synonym of excellence. We have out standing talent, and we have a robust culture, the flames of which need to be fanned by our appreciation of ourselves. With these plays, we fan those flames and we spread that mes sage: that celebration can and should begin at home.”

Nicolette said there any ways new people can join in and be a part of the celebrations.

“The other day, the local pest con trol company Struckum tented the theatre for us as a way of supporting our efforts and we are so grateful. It would have been easy for the princi pals of the company to say: ‘We don’t act, we don’t direct…we can’t help.’ What they did instead, was bring what they had and that is what we are asking people to do. Call, write, reach out, show up and let us know how you can help. We’re taking all the help we can get, because theatre is more than just the plays we stage. We need volunteers from all differ ent spheres to lend time and talent to this cause of keeping the Dundas open and keeping live theatre vibrant for now and for generations to come,” she said.

To kick off 2023, the play “Still Standing” by Michael Pintard will be staged in January. February will be “Woman Take Two” by Telcine Turner- Rolle. “Vicious Circle” and “Father’s Day” by Jeanne I Thomp son will be in March.

“The Children’s Teeth” by Nico lette Bethel will be showcased in April, followed by Ian Strachan’s “No Seeds in Babylon” in May.

“Single Seven” and other plays by Susan J Wallace will be staged in June. “Better the Devil You Know” by P Anthony White follows in July. In August, there will be “Miss Ethel’s Kitchen” and “Thessaloni cus” by Patrick Rahming.

September will wind down with “The Settin- Up and After” by James Catalyn. And the closing production will be “You Can Lead a Horse to Water” by Winston Saun ders in October.

books

Bahamas-based author takes readers on a journey through the fantastical

Author and Pastor Julian Mims will debut his first novel, the fantasy adventure “Sandy Black and the 7 Giants,” at a special launch event in Nassau this month.

In his 300-page debut novel, the Los Angelesborn writer – who has been calling the Bahamas his home since 2015 – tells the story of Sandy Black, who shortly before the death of her mother, is told the truth about her father, a man she has never known. The shocking news opens up an extraordinary new world filled with high adventure, fantastical realms and creatures beyond her wildest dreams.

Although this is first book, Julian has been creating imaginary worlds and scenarios since his childhood.

The eldest son of Anthony Ronald Mims, a college football coach, and Virginia Mims, an elementary school teacher, Julian and his family moved frequently as his father’s work took them to Las Vegas, Indiana and to San Diego, where he received much of his elementary and secondary education. The family eventually moved to Mon terrey, California, where Julian completed his high school education, playing football and excelling in poetry and the literary arts.

Moving this often sometimes led to a bit of a lonely existence for the young Julian, however, his parents encouraged his imagination and creativity from a very young age.

He would dream up unique worlds and adven tures with his older sister Sylvia and younger brothers Aaron and Anthony.

Julian ascribes his success to the upbringing of supportive parents who afforded him eclectic exposure to literature and film.

After he completed high school, he moved back to Los Angeles for college. He obtained a Bach elor of Science in Parks, Leisure, and Recreation Management from California State University Northridge while on a football scholarship. It was shortly after that the economy went into a recession and Julian found work in personal pro tection as a bodyguard to celebrities and security in upscale nightclubs in Los Angeles. He also worked coaching high school football and worked with children who have special needs, as well as a trainer at local gyms. It was during this time that he began to focus his creativity and cultivate some of his ideas into scriptwriting.

In 2012, Julian accepted the call to ministry as a pastor. He currently leads an online ministry with weekly Bible-taught messages.

His move the Bahamas came about after he met Dr Tina Bethel, a medical doctor in Nassau, on a dating app in 2013.

The two were married in 2015 and Julian relo cated to the the Bahamas where the couple built a home together. He began work managing and operating their vacation rental business and also became a certified massage therapist. It was here in the Bahamas that he completed his first novel.

The book release party is set for December 12 at Bay St Elizabeth on Bay Courtyard, Fabulous Ronnie’s Hair Restoration Clinic, opposite Hof fers and Sons on Bay Street.

Doors open at 7.30pm for cocktails while the event itself begins at 8pm and ends at 10pm.

Tickets are free and available via RSVP electronically on or before Wednesday, Decem ber 7, at https://www.eventcreate.com/e/ sandyblackandthe7giantslaunchparty

For further ticket information, call (242) 456-5628.

The author invites readers to lose themselves in the world of “Sandy Black and the 7 Giants”, to experience the bonds of new friendships, the

PASTOR Julian Mims

intensity of battle, and the unbreakable love of family.

Sandra Russell interview

Tea time has always been the highlight of every day for this Long Island entrepreneur. The grandmother-of-six and cancer survivor tells Cara Hunt about realising her dream of sharing the special social activity with the public in an authentically Bahamian way.

It’s always the perfect time for tea, says Sandra Russell, whose new business, Sandtique Collections, focuses on serving up the signature beverage in a uniquely Bahamian way.

“Tea, tea parties and tea sets are just a passion of mine,” the 64-yearold told Tribune Weekend.

Launching her business – which offers tea sets, teas, and set-up assistance – was a huge leap of faith for the mother-of-three and grand mother-of-six, who is also a widow and a cancer survivor. (She wrote a book about her experience called

“My Journey on Faith Street: Come Walk with Me.”)

“I am so grateful to be able to do this at this stage of my life, to turn my passion into a business. Some people questioned why I would want to do this, but I believe that this is the gift, I have been given. This is a dream come true,” she said.

“I remember growing up I would have tea with my grandparents on Long Island. It was my favourite time of day. We would all sit outside on a long wood table having tea.”

Sandra said in those days they didn’t have tea bags and instead

would use local fruit and bush teas such as soursop, fever grass, strong back and pear leaf.

“Sitting and having tea and con versation with them just felt special,” she said.

That feeling has remained with her throughout her life.

“I always enjoyed attending tea parties, drinking tea and decorating and dressing tables for tea parties. I have even entered table decorat ing contests and won prizes, and of course I love helping other people set up their tables as well” she said.

“I have also collected tea pots over the past 30 years.”

Three years ago, Sandra moved to Nassau for a work opportunity, just before the start of the global COVID- 19 pandemic.

“The pandemic started shortly after I moved here and so it gave me a lot of time to think about my future,” she explained.

“Once things started getting back to normal, I hosted a mother-daugh ter party and knew that that was what I wanted to do: have my own business centered around tea and having beautiful tea parties.”

SANDRA with her “Royal Poinciana Collection”

Sandra formulated and refined the idea for her business, Sandtique Collections.

The collection includes a variety of tea sets and teas, and also provides set-up and assistance for clients for their own events.

She is targeting Bahamians and visitors alike.

“I am following a long-life passion of enjoying tea time and beauti ful tea sets and great company, and I want to share it with the world. Tea time is something we can share with the world, even in our tourism sector,” she said.

“Visitors are looking for tea time experiences in our unique style. When you love what you do, it’s not work, and incorporating your gifts and passions in your daily life is a wonderful feeling that brings peace and contentment. I am at a stage in my life where I have tested the market and I am now transitioning my product into a full-time busi ness. Creating my own brand was my ultimate goal and now that I have achieved that, the levelling up of the business is another exciting step.

An important aspect of her business is ensuring her events are authentically Bahamian.

this weekend in history

December 2

• In 1804, at age 35, Napoleon Bonaparte crowns himself the Emperor of the French at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, in the presence of Pope Pius VII (after having served as leader of the French Republic in the role of First Consul since 1799).

The title emphasised that the emperor ruled over “the French people” (the nation) and not over France (the state). He reigned until 1814 and again in 1815.

“One of the things I always noticed at tea parties is that while we may have had authentic Bahamian décor and tea and food, the actual tea set was not Bahamian, and that is something that I wanted to change,” she said.

And so, Sandra partnered with a local designer to create her first Bahamian tea set inspired by the magnificent orange and red hues of the poinciana.

“I wanted designs that would reflect not just the Bahamas, but the

Caribbean as well. And during the time that I was searching for ideas, the poinciana was in full bloom all over Nassau just looking majestic,” she said.

The tea set features a tea pot, four cups and saucers and spoons.

“I am very proud of the design; it captures the colours of the poin ciana beautifully and the red tones are actually perfect for this time of year. I think it will lovely set on your Christmas table,” said Sandra.

The tea seat is called the “Royal Poinciana Collection” and will be officially launched at a private tea party this weekend, before being made available for purchase.

The collection is the first in a series of tea sets Sandra plans to produce.

She has already completed the design work on the second tea set for the Spring, which will be “a yellow flower we all will recognised” followed by Summer set which will be commemorate the country’s 50th anniversary of independence.

These collections will include a few more pieces than the original collection.

Those interested in the collection can contact Sandra at sandtiquecollections@gmail.com

• In 1993, Colombian criminal Pablo Escobar, the head of the notorious Medellín cartel and arguably the world’s most powerful drug trafficker in the 1980s and early ‘90s – is killed during a shoot-out with Colombian special forces using technology provided by the United States.

December 3

• In 1967, Christiaan Barnard of South Africa performs the first human heart transplant at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town. The 53-year-old grocer Louis Washkansky, who was dying from chronic heart disease, received the heart of Denise Darvall, a 25-year-old fatally injured in a car accident.

• In 1992, the world’s first SMS text message is sent by

NAPOLEON

22-year-old engineer Neil Papworth using a personal computer. He sends the text message “Merry Christmas” via the Vodafone network to the phone of a colleague. December 4

• In 1154, Nicholas Breakspear becomes the first Englishman

ever to occupy the papal throne when he is elected Pope Adrian IV. A native of Hertfordshire, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States until his death in 1159 at the age of 58/59.

• In 1952, heavy smog hovering over London, England lasts for five days and kills least 4,000 people. The smog was caused by a high-pressure air mass that had stalled over the Thames River Valley. Cold air arrived suddenly from the west and the air over London became trapped in place. The problem was made worse by the cold temperatures, which led residents to burn extra coal. The smoke, soot and sulfur dioxide from the industries along with that from cars and consumers caused the heavy smog which smothered the city.

A CUP from this season’s red coloured collection.jpg

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

3 Remark, 4 Tidy, 5 Overall, 6 Apotheosis, 9 Self-willed, 12 Molasses, 14 Produce, 16 Untrue, 19 Fancy, 20 Slur.

THE

targEt thE alphapuzzl

Across

1

CRYPTIC PUZZLE

Academic gets important job, but it’s drudgery (6,4)

6 It strikes one as a mild expletive (4)

10 About five get better in turn (5)

11 Objects of male attention female adores (9)

12 Henry measures the rigging (8)

13 First night - very jittery (5)

15 It provides good tips for writers (7)

17 Gently strike a girl on the knee (7)

19 One needs a couple of rings to get this number (7)

21 Nine to five he goes round the old city (7)

22 One can never be sure if one has it (5)

24 Rare lily found broken in the chaff (8)

27 That’s life! (9)

28 It’s heavenly for me being in bed (5)

29 Celebrated Chinese dynasty (4)

30 Decided to be resolute (10)

Down

1 Bones cut into small pieces? (4)

Kakuro increases from Monday to Sunday. Across

2 Ran up a share account (9) 3 Three points go to my opponent (5)

4 Compound in which there are two animals (7) 5 Arrives on horseback with purse I’d mislaid (5,2) 7 He has a pound remaining - for pressing his suit? (5) 8 Insubstantial desire; possibly say why (5-5) 9 Course taken by some whales? (8) 14 A retiring habit (10) 16 Make annoyed and angry about unfinished ceremony (8) 18 Stable chaps but apparently irritable ones (9) 20 Exploding grenade produces disorder (7) 21 I’ve entered into neat setup that’s simplicity itself (7) 23 A league match (5) 25 A substitute for medicine (5) 26 Farm boss (4)

Yesterday’s Easy Solution

Across: 1 Camelot, 5 Lucid, 8 Gorbachev, 9 Arc, 10 Yarn, 12 Unbiased, 14 Mooted, 15 Cussed, 17 Specific, 18 Aura, 21 Ace, 22 Ho Chi Minh, 24 Deter, 25 Shimmer.

Down: 1 Cagey, 2 Mar, 3 Leak, 4 To hand, 5 Live it up, 6 Ceausescu, 7 Decided, 11 Roosevelt, 13 Decipher, 14 Mustard, 16 Pisces, 19 Abhor, 20 Kiwi, 23 Ism.

Yesterday’s Cryptic Solution

Across: 1 Respect, 5 Rowan, 8 Enigmatic, 9 Tic, 10 Sash, 12 Converse, 14 Snappy, 15 Dreams, 17 Pole Star, 18 Skid, 21 Our, 22 Anthology, 24 Taste, 25 Suspend.

Down: 1 Reeds, 2 Ski, 3 Elms, 4 Tattoo, 5 Recovery, 6 Watermark, 7 Nucleus, 11 Small arms, 13 Apostate, 14 Support, 16 Faiths, 19 Dryad, 20 Boss, 23 One.

EASY PUZZLE

Eager for urgent action (6,2,2)

Insincere pious talk (4)

Subject of conversation (5)

Long involved procedure (9)

Airy (8)

Get as far as (5)

Collection of books (7)

Reversal of progress (7)

Shown to be innocent (7)

Kind of dark cherry (7)

A tense situation (5)

Lively Spanish dance (8)

Attacker (9)

External (5)

Pay attention to (4) 30 Dry land (5,5)

Down 1 Be worthy of (4) 2 Held in esteem (9) 3 Specialist section of market (5) 4 Work done on lathe (7) 5 Protective spectacles (7) 7 Savoury smell (5) 8 Get married (3,3,4) 9 Commentator (8) 14 14th Century plague (5,5) 16 Arm of Mediterranean Sea (8) 18 American crocodilian (9) 20 Puncture conceit of (7) 21 Inhumanly wicked person (7) 23 Passage between rows (5) 25 Unsociable (5) 26 Operatic song (4)

Yesterday’s Sudoku Answer

Yesterday’s Kakuro Answer

across: Hemline, Tripwire, Exuded, Fiddle, Breezily, Join, Tuneful. down: Thorax, Discern, Wilted, Frying, Cowered, Lovely.

*Calls cost 80p your telephone network

theatre

A decade of dedication to uniqueness and quality

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

TEN years of hard work, creativity and innovation have positioned jewellery designer Allia M Dean to finally be able to consider fully expanding into factory mode “where job creation, empowerment and full-fledged economic devel opment is achieved through our brand.”

Speaking on this tremendous mile stone, she told Tribune Weekend about the decade-long evolution of her brand of handmade sustainable Bahamian jewellery and accessories, all architecturally inspired.

“We started with a waste man agement and sustainability focus, using local sea glass and recycled paper. Ten years from launching our business, we are steadfast in our original mantra of advancing the handmade jewellery industry to the calibre of world-renowned brands such as David Yurman and Tiffany & Co by increasing mentality of resourcefulness in the country with a minimalistic approach,” she said.

Alia said this anniversary – which is being marked by “Decade of Ded ication Always” celebrations and sales – represents for her a moment to pause and reflect.

“I have a greater appreciation for initiation, integrity and commitment since starting ten years ago. I have learned that the world is small, rela tionships matter, so take good care of them. You cannot do it all alone, you need a team,” she said.

Among her many accomplish ments for her brand is returning to college to complete a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing.

“There was something different about returning to college after completing my Associates and starting my business. I saw oppor tunity, networking opportunity and approached everything with my business in mind. That time changed the way I approached my day and ultimately how I did busi ness. Hosting the ‘Ultimate Girlboss Party’ to empower other female entrepreneurs on our fifth anniver sary opened the door to the hosting

of events and creating a network of like-minded business persons. Having the ability to pop up in the local and international marketplace gave me a better understanding of what the consumers desire,” she said.

Alia was also granted full scholar ship to study garment manufacturing in China.

“(This) caused me to see myself and brand in a new and elevated light that allowed me to gain con fidence. Being selected by IDB as a creative Bahamian delegate at FOROMIC 2018 in Colombia shed light on endless possibilities that come with walking in purpose and living in your truth. There truly is somebody always watching,” she said,

When it comes to her most recent jewellery pieces, Allia said the “You Count” collection campaign is still going strong. It is geared towards bringing awareness to the issue of statelessness and utilises Bahamian currency, whether discarded or still in circulation.

“We are the first and only com pany to recycle and repurpose shredded Bahamian money. We transform the waste material of money that has been deemed null into wearable pieces of art. It has been well received and has sparked the expansion of design ideas,” she said.

“This year we have paired the shredded money and some Baha mian coins like the penny, 15 and 10 cents, with statement fan piece made from raffia (palms), another common material used in Bahamian culture usually found on straw bags. I thought it would be interesting to repurpose the use of raffia from bags to jewellery. By doing this, we struck a perfect balance between modern and Bahamian.”

In addition to the new jewellery designs, the brand also recently ventured into maternity fashion when Allia received the news that she was expecting her first child. It inspired her to design an intricate wrapped headpiece and a jewellery set that has brought in custom order requests from expecting moms for their maternity shoots.

Becoming a new mom, she said, taught her the importance of having a strong team, especially when the brand decided to take part in the recent Jollification.

She encourages the public to follow the company on social media at alwaysbyalliamdean or visit www. alwaysbyallia.com for the latest pop-up schedules, as there will be collaboration efforts with new and upcoming businesses like Candlol ogy. Simultaneously, Allia said she is enhancing the customer experience by increasing access to offerings from a virtual perspective.

“As we continue to expand our reach, we have innovative strategy that will carry us into the new year and next ten years,” said Allia.

ALLIA got the chance to study in China

gardening

Would you like sugar in that?

Good day, gardeners.

There are many sources of sweeten ers around the world, most are empty calories that are best used sparingly. I am unable to drink many locally produced juices, switch ers, or iced teas and the like, because of the huge amounts of sugar that is added to so many of them.

Cakes and treats are usually far too sweet for me as well, and a bite or two is usually more than enough. I cut excess sugar out of my diet years ago and while I do still indulge… errr, maybe I sometimes binge… I do try to be aware of my sugar intake.

I am always interested in finding alternatives, especially considering that most sweetened products made in (the main source of many of our foods) North America are over loaded in high fructose corn syrup. This appears to be because it is the cheapest to produce and corn is sub sidized in the north.

There is no evidence that I find to prove that any type of sweetener is less safe or better than another. For me, processing is the issue. I find it inherently disturbing that food products must be so highly processed and as a personal choice I tend to lean towards those products that are minimally processed, excluding those binge moments, granted. Jellybeans anyone?

There are many sources of sweet eners, all coming from the field at some stage or another, considering that honey cannot be made without flowers. Are you bee-ing friendly in your garden?

Stevia is a highly processed prod uct sourced from the Stevia plant grown in the highlands in countries of South America. Maple syrup is tapped from the sugar maple tree. Sugar beets, sugar cane, agave sugar, coconut sugar, date sugar, rice syrup, molasses, the list goes on. All require something to be grown in order to create sugars for consumption. Of all of these, in our region we can grow sugar cane very easily, although the best cane is grown where the plant can receive ample water. The Everglades of Florida is constantly at a tipping point because of the power of the sugar industry and the nutrient runoff that goes hand in

hand with farming in low land close to the water table and surface water. It has caused much destruction in the past, and will likely do so again in the future, depending upon politics mostly. Politics and industry lob bies only have as much power as the products that they deregulate or sell, and I find it unfortunate that sugar seems to be in just about everything. How we spend our money, or not, gives or takes away power from the industry lobbies.

Other than sugar cane, there is a plant that is possibly outside your house that we can make our own sugar at home with. Read back to coconut sugar. Funnily enough, I was completely unaware that coconut sugar even existed as an option.

“For every 100 g of coconut sugar, there are 100 g of carbohydrates of which 75 g is sugar. In terms of trace elements, 100 g contains 625 milli grams (mg) of potassium and 125 mg of sodium. Compared to granulated sugar and high-fructose corn syrup, coconut sugar has higher levels of iron, zinc, and calcium,” according to research from the Philippines

government’s Food and Nutrition Research Institute.

Also, according to Medical News Today, coconut sugar contains trace amounts of phytonutrients and antioxidants, such as polyphenols, flavonoids, and anthocyanidin.

What does that mean? Not much in the real world other than it being a random factoid to mull. Coconut sugar is made by slicing the tip of the young, unopened inflorescence (flower bud) allowing the sap to flow out, and the sap is collected into a container. From there it is boiled down to remove the water content and in doing so it creates a syrup that can then be

further heated to a granular form, or it can be used in a liquid form. It is simple stuff. It also sounds like a fun project to try at home. So, sweetie, with a little research and a little time, and although sugar is not expensive, we can actually make sugar right here on our shores without the need for gluttonous amounts of water as needed by sugar cane. What are you planting this weekend? As always, I wish you happy gardening.

This week’s column is dedicated to my mother, Heather May Boor man née Bethell, who passed away at home on November 11, 2022. She had a sweet tooth that would have made the tooth fairy very happy. May she rest in sweet peace. I love you, mum.

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

COCONUT sugar is gaining in popularity

entertainment

New this week: ‘Riches,’ Robert Downey Sr and BTS’ RM

By The Associated Press

Here’s a collection curated by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists of what’s arriving on TV, streaming services and music and video game platforms this week.

MOVIES

— Robert Downey Jr affection ately pays tribute to this late father, Robert Downey Sr in “Sr” an intimate documentary the younger Downey spent three years filming with his dad before his death in 2021 at 85. Downey Sr was a noted cult filmmaker in the ‘60s and ’70s. His freewheeling movies also featured his son’s first steps into acting, and had a profound influence on him. “Sr.,” which debuts Friday on Netflix, lovingly celebrates their on and off screen life together.

— Joanna Hogg, the British filmmaker of the stunning two-part memory piece “The Souvenir,” reteams with longtime collabora tor Tilda Swinton in “The Eternal Daughter.” The film, which opens in theatres and on video on demand Friday is a ghost story. Swinton plays a middle-aged filmmaker on a cosy and quiet holiday with her elderly mother, who is also played by Swin ton. “The Eternal Daughter,” which premiered earlier this fall at the Venice Film Festival, hauntingly digs into the joy and guilt that can come from mining one’s family for fiction.

— AP Film Writer Jake Coyle

MUSIC

— Just in time for Christmas, BTS’ RM will release his debut solo album, “Indigo,” today. In a state ment, the singer said he worked on the collection for four years and “it will be very different from my past projects, and a lot of fun friends are gathered in it.” RM has previ ously released a pair of mixtapes, 2018’s “Mono” and 2015’s “RM,” but

“Indigo” has been described as his first full-length effort. The sevenmember K-pop supergroup BTS announced a hiatus for members to pursue individual music releases. In October, Jin debuted his first solo single “The Astronaut.”

— AP Entertainment Writer Mark Kennedy

TELEVISION

to Get Away With Murder” and the Netflix series “Inventing Anna.”

— Family secrets, betrayal and power struggles are abundant in the new Amazon Prime Video series “Riches.” When a self-made cos metics king and the patriarch of an affluent Black family in London suf fers a stroke, his surviving relatives from two sets of families swoop in to take control of his empire. The stakes are high and so is the level of drama. All six-episodes of the show featuring a cast that includes Deborah Ayorinde, Hugh Quarshie, and Sarah Niles, drop on Friday. Show creator and writer Abby Ajayi worked previously on ABC’s “How

— You don’t have to be Clark Griswold to appreciate — or judge — a home’s outdoor holiday display. “The Great Christmas Light Fight” returns to ABC on Monday with two episodes beginning at 8pm ET. Now in its 10th season, each episode follows four families across the US as they trick out the front of their homes with holiday cheer. Carter Oosterhouse and Taniya Nayak choose a winning display and the winning family is awarded a Light Fight trophy and a cash prize of $50,000.

— Alicia Rancilio

VIDEO GAMES

— “Marvel’s Midnight Suns” adds a dash of strategy to the usual superhero slugfest. You are the Hunter, a demon-slayer who’s invited to join more familiar names like Wolverine, Scarlet Witch and Blade in a campaign to stop a terrifying threat from the supernatural side of

the Marvel Universe. It’s not a test of your reflexes — instead, you need to figure out when and where to play cards to unleash your most effective attacks. “Midnight Suns” comes from 2K Games’ Firaxis studio, known for brainier challenges like “Civiliza tion” and “XCOM.” It arrives today on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox X/S. Xbox One and PC.

— Fans of “Dead Space,” the beloved 2008 science fiction thriller, should check out Krafton’s “The Cal listo Protocol.” It’s the debut game from Striking Distance, a studio launched by “Dead Space” co-crea tor Glen Schofield. The protagonist, Jacob Lee, is an inmate of a maxi mum-security penitentiary on one of Jupiter’s moons — and if that’s not bad enough, most of the other prisoners are turning into monsters. At least Jacob has a high-tech arse nal, including a weapon that warps gravity itself. Blast off for Callisto today, for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox X/S. Xbox One and PC.

— Lou Kesten

(Amazon via AP, left, and Netflix via AP)

literary lives Hank Williams (1923-1953)

A Honky Tonkin’ icon of country music

Sir Christopher Ondaatje writes about the American singer, songwriter and musician, regarded as one of the most celebrated and influential musicians of the 20th century, especially in country music.

“If you’re gonna sing, sing ’em something they can understand.”

– Hank Williams

Hank Williams was born Hiram Williams on September 17, 1923, in Mount Olive in Butler County, Alabama. He was the third child of Jessie Lillybelle “Lilly” Williams and Elonzo Huble “Lon” Williams – a lumber company railroad engineer who served in World War I.

His elder brother, Ernest Huble Williams, was born on July 5, 1921, but died two days later. His parents later had a daughter, Irene. He was of Cherokee and Muscogee descent.

He was born with spina bifida occulta, a defect of the spinal column which gave him constant pain. As his father was frequently relocated by the lumber company for which he worked the family lived in many southern Alabama towns. Experi encing facial paralysis caused by a brain aneurysm, his father was hospitalised for eight years and was absent for most of Williams’s childhood. His mother assumed responsibility and opened a boarding house, first in Greenville, Alabama in 1934, and then in Garland, Alabama in 1935. They later moved to Georgina, Alabama where she worked in a cannery and as a night-shift nurse in a hospital. Their house burned down losing all their possessions, and his opportunistic mother opened another boarding house on the other side of town and was able to collect a disability pension for his father, making their existence somewhat easier during the Great Depression. She brought her son his first guitar with funds she got from selling peanuts.

Williams met “Tee-Tot” Payne, a street per former, who gave him guitar lessons in exchange for meals prepared by his mother. He taught him chords and chord progression to accompany blues

singing and Payne’s early influence remained with Williams throughout his life. Payne eventually moved to Montgomery, Alabama where he died in poverty in 1939.

In 1937, Williams’s mother moved and opened another boarding house in Montgomery, Alabama, and the young fourteen-year-old Williams changed his name from Hiram to Hank. He said that “Hank” sounded more like a hillbilly – especially as he was about to enter a talent show the follow ing year at the Empire Theatre. He won the first prize of $15 singing his first original song “WPA Blues” to which he wrote the lyrics. He never did learn to read music, instead basing his composi tions on storytelling and personal experiences.

Fuelled by success he started to play his Silver tone guitar on the sidewalk in front of the local WSFA radio station until they invited him to perform on air. Listeners asked to hear more from “the singing kid” encouraging the radio station, possibly influenced by his mother, to hire him to host his own 15-minute show twice a week for a salary of $15 a week.

“I was a pretty good imitator of Roy Acuff, but then I found out they already had a Roy Acuff, so I started singin’ like myself.”

– Hank Williams

In 1938, Elonzo Williams was temporarily released from the hospital and arrived unan nounced at the family home in Montgomery. He stayed for his son’s fifteenth birthday, but his mother didn’t let him stay. She claimed her hus band was dead.

Williams’s popular radio show spurred his musi cal career, giving him enough money to start his own band, which he called the Drifting Cowboys. This band started playing in clubs and private gatherings in central and southern Alabama. His mother became their manager.

“There ain’t nobody I’d rather have alongside me in a fight than my mama with a broken bottle in her hand.”

– Hank Williams

He dropped out of school so he could work full-time, and his mother began booking dates and driving them to their shows. They expanded their territory to include western Georgia and the Florida Panhandle. They started playing theatres, movie houses, and later in honky-tonks. This is

lem during these tours and he started using some of the band’s revenues on liquor. However, he always returned to Montgomery to host his radio show.

The 1940s were a difficult time for Williams, particularly after 1941 when America entered World War II. He was medically disqualified from service because of his spinal injury, and all the other members of his band were drafted. Although only 18 years old, his growing alcohol problem made it difficult for him to find band replacements. In August 1942, WSFA radio sta tion dismissed him for “habitual drunkenness”. He met his idol Roy Acuff backstage who warned him of the dangers of alcohol.

“You’ve got a million-dollar talent, son, but a ten-cent brain.”

– Roy Acuff

He was reduced to finding work in a Mobile, Alabama shipbuilding company, and singing in bars for soldiers on leave. He met Audrey Shep pard at a medicine show in Banks, Alabama and she convinced him to marry her. The marriage was later declared illegal because Sheppard’s divorce from the first husband was not final. When he got back to Montgomery WSFA re-hired Williams to perform for them again. He wrote songs for his weekly performance, and published his first songbook Original Songs of Hank Williams. The book only printed lyrics – with no music – and his wife Audrey Sheppard became his manager – co-writing one of the songs “My Darling Baby Girl”. Other songs included “Mother is Gone”, “Won’t You Please Come Back”, and “Tramp on the Street”. Sheppard sometimes accompa nied Williams in some of his live concerts. They auditioned for Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry – but were rejected. They also approached the AcuffRose Music publishing company, and convinced Fred Rose to allow Williams to sing a song for him. He liked what he heard and signed Williams to a six-song contract, which they leveraged to get

a contract with Sterling Records. On 11 Decem ber 1946 he made his first recording that included: “Wealth Won’t Save Your Soul” and “When God Comes and Gathers His Jewels”. His next record ings “Never Again” and “Honky Tonkin” got the attention of MGM Records with whom he signed in 1947. “Move It on Over” became an enormous country hit.

In 1948, Williams moved to Shreveport, Loui siana and joined the Louisiana Hayride that gave him wide coverage in the Southeast. He started to host a show on KWKH and toured western Louisi ana and eastern Texas – always getting back for the Saturday weekly Louisiana Hayride show. He was increasingly popular and released “Lovesick Blues” in 1949, which stayed at Number One on the Billboard charts for four consecutive months.

That June he made his debut at the Grand Ole Opry, earning $1,000 a show. It was quite a year, topped off when his wife Audrey gave birth to Randall Hank Williams (later changed to Hank Williams Jr). He toured with the Grand Ole Opry in Europe, performing for American military bases in England, Germany and the Azores. In all, Williams had seven hit songs in 1949, including “Lovesick Blues”, “Wedding Bells”, “Mind Your Own Business”, “You’re Gonna Change (or I’m Gonna Leave)”, and “My Bucket’s Got a Hole In It”.

In 1950, Williams introduced “Luke the Drifter”, an anonymous name for his religious recordings, which were recitations rather than songs, travelling from place to place philosophiz ing about life. Hit songs that year included “My Son Calls Another Man Daddy”, “Nobody’s Lone some For Me”, “Long Gone Lonesome Blues”, “Moanin’ the Blues”, and the incredible “Cold, Cold Heart” that became one of his best recog nised songs, recorded by Tony Bennett, which stayed on the charts for twenty-seven weeks, peak ing at number one. He toured in the U.S. with Bob Hope in 1951, and with his steel guitar player Don Helms, he flew to New York and appeared on television for the first time singing “Hey Good Looking’” on the Perry Como Show.

But despite his success and popularity alcohol and drugs plagued his career. He fell off the back of a truck in November 1951 reactivating his old back pains and started consuming painkillers, including morphine, added to alcohol. On 21 May 1951 he had to be taken to North Louisiana Sanatorium for the treatment of alcoholism. In December he had a spinal fusion. In the spring of 1952 he sang “Cold, Cold Heart”, and “I Can’t Help It (if I’m Still in Love with You)” on the Kate Smith Show in New York. He also had a brief extramarital affair with dancer Bobbie Jett and fathered a daughter, Jett Williams.

“To sing like a hillbilly, you had to have lived like a hillbilly. You had to have smellled a lot of mule manure.”

Audrey Williams divorced Hank Williams in 1952, the year that he had successes with “Jamba laya”, “Settin’ the Woods on Fire” and “I Won’t Be Home No More”. He met Billie Jean Jones at the Grand Ole Opry and started visiting her fre quently in Shreveport, causing him to miss many Grand Old Opry appearances. On August 11, 1952 he was dismissed from the Grand Ole Opry for habitual drunkenness and missing shows.

“If you think I’m a drunk, you should a seen my old man.”

– Hank Williams

Williams returned to Shreveport, Louisiana to perform on KWKH and WBAM shows when he was sober but his abuse of alcohol resulted in non-appearances. He made his last recording ses sion on September 23, 1952 with “Your Cheatin’ Heart”, “I Could Never be Ashamed of You”, and “Take These Chains from My Heart”. In October 1952, he married Billie Jean Jones.

By the end of 1952 Williams began to have serious heart problems. He met Horace Marshall in Oklahoma City, who said he was a doctor – but he wasn’t. He was a convicted forger recently released from Oklahoma State Penitentiary. He claimed to be a Doctor of Science – but had actually only bought a DSC title for $25 from the Chicago School of Applied Science, insisting the document be titled “Doctor of Science and Psychology”.

Under the different name of Dr CW Lemon he prescribed Williams amphetamines, Seconal, chloral hydrate, and morphine – which worsened Williams’s heart condition.

Hank Williams gave his final concert in Austin, Texas at the Skyline Club on December 19, 1952, although he was booked to perform at the Munici pal Auditorium in Charleston, West Virginia on December 31, 1952. He couldn’t fly as there was an ice storm in Nashville. Instead, he hired a college student, Charles Carr, to drive him to the concert. He never got there because of the ice storm, and ordered Carr to change direction to Canton, Ohio for a New Year’s Day Concert there.

They arrived at the Andrew Jackson Hotel in Knoxville, Tennessee where Williams was barely able to stand – deeply affected by the combina tion of chloral hydrate and alcohol. They sent for a doctor who injected Williams with vitamin B12 containing morphine. Checking out of the hotel at midnight, Williams had to be carried to the back of his car. He was coughing and vomiting. Driving through Bristol, Virginia, Carr stopped at a small restaurant and asked Williams if he wanted to eat anything. He said he did not – his last words. By the time they got to Oak Hill, West Virginia Wil liams was dead.

Williams’s final single, released in November 1952 while he was still alive, was titled “I’ll Never Get Out of This World Alive”. He was 30 years old.

• Sir Christopher Ondaatje is the author of The Last Colonial. He acknowledges that he has quoted liberally from Wikipedia; Hank Williams and the Grand Ole Opry: The Making of an American Icon (1994) by Colin Escott; and from The Lost Notebooks of Hank Williams (2011) by Neil Spencer.

– Hank Williams

WILLIAMS and his first wife Audrey Sheppard in a publicity photo for MGM Records, c. 1952

HANK Williams publicity photo for WSM in 1951

history

Bahama Islands – Then and now

Columbus was the first of a long line of visitors to give an ecstatic description of the beauty of the Bahamian beaches and the clear fish-filled waters sur rounding the islands.”

But a more-recent picture was painted by Hans W Hannau in book “Bahama Islands in Full Colour”, first published in 1969 featuring 48 pages of colour pictures.

The Bahamas Islands, he writes, “are the South Sea Islands of the Atlantic…they have thousands of miles of perfect coral-sand beaches, many still free of footprints. The warm waters are pellu cid, ranging in colour from Gulf Stream blue to a dancing green that is as pretty as the leaves of spring. The climate is all but flawless…fish fill the waters.

He continues: “The modern discovery of the Bahamas has been made by the wealthy and imaginative…looking for out-of-the-way perfec tion, hideaways where life has a leisurely and friendly flavour.

“In the Bahamas, boatmen, artists, fisher men and millionaires found what they sought… [and] have shown the way to the multitudes who are following them…The men and women who are building tomorrows in the Bahamas are not imitators. The homes, the resorts the marinas, the architecture – the entire life they are fashioning, on so many islands that were so long asleep – have a special flavour of their own…There is a free and easy British colonial flavour…and the music of Africa.

“The voices of the islanders have a special lilt, that is all their own…They truly believe that people live longer in the Bahamas and are inter ested in showing visitors how this is done.

“The vibrant optimism strums across miles of water. Jets land at many airports. Yachtsmen are being welcomed at new marinas everywhere. Movie stars and moviemakers wander afar. Under sea adventurers have their favourite reefs, and each confides that his is the most beautiful in the world. It is a land that offers opportunities for all – those who want to get away from it all and those who want to pioneer on a new frontier.”

In the 21st century, so much has changed that it is hard to believe that Hans Hannau would recognise the place, yet so much of what he wrote is still true.

Bahamians (most of them) are still friendly; few (if any) beaches have not been walked on, but footprints are never permanently left behind; more and more of the rich and famous find islands that were long asleep – where they build their own paradises on earth; more jets land on more islands.

The climate is still all but flawless…and our waters are, once again, teeming with protected turtles.

• For questions and comments, please send an e-mail to islandairman@gmail.com

animals

Animal matters

Kim Aranha

See ya’ later alligator…. in a while crocodile

Acouple of weeks ago I saw a photograph of a simply enormous croco dile which piqued my curiosity. I really know very little about crocodiles. I know that they differ from the alligator, but that the two are loosely related.

When I was in Africa, I saw some from a distance, but there were so many other creatures to be interested in, and the same applies to Australia. Crocodile Dundee is probably as much as I know about crocs in Australia, though having had an extensive vaca tion there I feel I must have seen one and was not impressed enough to remember.

But, oh my gosh, these crocodiles grow up to 20 feet long! How could I have ever forgotten seeing something that gigantic?

The alligator is technically a mem ber of the crocodile family. They are part of the same Crocodylidae family. Interesting fact is that although al ligators and crocs belong to the same group of reptiles, there is only one place in the world where they can be seen living side by side, and that is South Florida. This was a piece of information that amazed me. I have been all over South Florida, on air boat rides and boat trips, and never knew that there were crocodiles there too!

If you were to hold a beauty contest between the two of them, there is no doubt the alligator would win hands down. They have a significantly round er snout and they are a much prettier green than the croc. The alligator hides his teeth when he closes his mouth, while the crocodile has a visible under bite, which reduces his eligibility in the charm category. Moreover, the more attractive alligator is noticeably less

PET OF THE WEEK

aggressive than his croc cousins. They say if there were to be a fight between the two it is likely that the crocodile would win, though the alligator is a formidable fighter as well.

There are many different species of crocodiles. In fact, 15 types of them, and several species of alligator. I will not bore you listing them all. The biggest, heaviest, boldest and most aggressive is the saltwater crocodile found in Australia and India. They grow beyond 19 feet and some people claim to have seen them as large as 20 feet; their aggression keeps most people at bay.

The Nile crocodile in Africa grows up to 18 ft long and is heavyset. ore people are killed by crocs than any other animal on Africa. The West African crocodile is frequently blamed for the Nile’s bad behaviour.

The alligator and croc also differ in

A distinctive new friend

By The Bahamas Humane Society

“Do you mind? I’m snooz ing here!”

Bert is one of many young er cats available for adoption at the Bahamas Humane Society. Bert has no trouble sharing his space with the other cats, but he’s not too sure he’d want to be living with a dog.

Bert loves his naps and is quite social when he’s awake. His eyes are very distinctive! Have you been needing a calmer companion in your life?

One who’ll curl up with you

location. Crocodiles are usually found in saltwater habitats, while alligators prefer freshwater areas. Crocs can swim as far as 1,000 miles, but they are not good swimmers, preferring to not dive more than a few feet deep. Alliga tors do not like swimming in the ocean, and only end up there is they have been swept out to sea.

The crocodile is neither furry nor cute, and is often portrayed as the ‘bad guy’ in nature documentaries, leaping out at unsuspecting zebras or migrating wildebeest. The alligator is dangerous, too, and is known to attack family pets. Only last year there were more than three humans killed by them.

These similar reptiles both play essential roles in the ecosystem where they live. They are both apex preda tors. The crocodile’s role in the African ecosystem is vital as he cleans up carcasses of other species and helps

while you snooze or watch TV? Then Bert might be the perfect companion for you. To meet him, please drop by the BHS or call 325-6742 for more information. Bert looks forward to meeting you.

• BHS Raffle tickets are now available! Tickets are $5 each or a book of 21 for $100. The grand prize is $10,000 worth of groceries from Super Value. The draw will be held on December 29. Tickets are available at the BHS or Fox Hill Nursery.

maintain the balance of nature. Alliga tors also help keep animal populations balanced; they dig holes and create habitats for fish and juvenile marine life.

Crocodiles are hunted for bush meat and for their skins. They are also threatened by growing human incur sion into their natural habitats. The alligator is not immune to hunting and being eaten. It was sad when research ing the biggest of both species to see so many were listed as having been killed.

Two fun facts: A group of crocs in water are called a “float” and on land a “bask”. A group of alligators in or out of water are known as a “congrega tion”.

A croc’s brain the size of a walnut, but they are still the smartest of all the reptiles. An alligator brain is only the size of a lima bean (an edamame).

By volume, there are more crocs around the world because they are found in more places. Alligators are native to only the United States, Mexico and China.

American alligators are found in the southeast United States. The majority of American alligators inhabit Florida and Louisiana, with over a million al ligators in each state. Southern Florida is the only place where both alligators and crocodiles live side by side fresh water.

There used to be crocodiles in the Bahamas some 1,200 years ago. They were here when Columbus came, and it is believed that they met extinction in the late 19th century. They were hunted for their meat and their skin, until there were none.

An American alligator in Gatorland in Florida

American crocodile

artArtist Dyah Neilson to show new pieces at Oasis tonight

From underwater scenes to dry land, and from coastlines to the thick of Bahamian coppice forests, soft colours and tropical scenes play a prominent role in the work of Bahamian artist Dyah Neilson, who is known for the use of metaphors in many of her acrylic paintings.

And her newest exhibition, Flora and Fauna, which opens today at Oasis in Sandyport, is certain to please long-time fans of her work and win over some new ones.

From 6pm to 9pm tonight, mem bers of the public are encouraged to stop in and see some of Dyah’s newest paintings along with the many other offerings in Oasis.

The 26-year-old artist said nature is her biggest inspiration for the pieces that will be on display and available for purchase at the event.

“Specifically for this event, I’m taking my inspiration from the natural Bahamian environment, pulling from the beauty in our sur roundings,” she said.

Dyah’s intricate brush strokes detail the feathers of local birds, the shimmer of fish scales, the delicate markings on sea shells, and the unique texture and shape of tropical plants and flowers. In many cases, those details are contrasted with shades of blue and green that sweep across the canvas, inspired by the unmatched colours of Bahamian waters and vegetation.

Dyah said her love and appre ciation for nature were developed early in her childhood, fostered by her father who made sure to expose her to native flora and fauna.

“My dad would take us driving around Nassau and on walks to

look at the tide pools and all the different birds,” she said.

“We felt so fortunate to grow up in a country with this extraor dinary natural beauty. So, that’s really played a tremendous role in both my life and my art.”

Twenty of Dyah’s pieces will be featured at Oasis, ranging in size from large to small, some framed and some unframed.

“We want it to be so that people with different budgets can still come in and find something they can take home,” she said.

Dyah, who has been employed at Oasis for three years now, said the show has been a long time coming. And she thanked Oasis Proprietor Brooke Pyfrom for the opportunity, and for the generous decision to not take any commis sion on the sale of her pieces.

Brooke said the decision to host the show and to allow Dyah to take home the full value of the art sales seemed like the best decision.

“Dyah has been such a funda mental part of our team for some time now, so I wanted to find a way to really support her, thank her and make it worth her while,” said Brooke.

“We’ve been really wanting to work together in this way and bring her art into the store, so we’re excited to finally be doing that.”

Brooke and Dyah said it’s their hope that the event will be a good start to the holiday season for anyone who has time to support.

“I just want everybody to come and have a good time before Christmas,” said the artist.

“People can come in, have drinks, socialise, and get to see both what Oasis has to offer and what I have to offer, and build more relationships that way.”

“Specifically for this event, I’m taking my inspiration from the natural Bahamian environment, pulling from the beauty in our surroundings.”