Friday, March 1, 2019
art books style film fashion music food puzzles history entertainment
Weekend
‘SLOW’ FASHION Pages 14 & 15
A cut above the rest Italy’s iconic butcher comes to Nassau pages 8 & 9
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Friday, March 1, 2019
food
A night in Portugal By CARA HUNT |Tribune Features Writer | cbrennen@tribunemedia.net
T
he flavours and culture of Portugal came alive during the second instalment of the Place at Our Table last Saturday, which I was lucky enough to attend. Chef Alexandra Maillis-Lynch treated diners of the monthly supper club to a culinary explosion during a four-course, family style meal served at Antonius Roberts’ Hillside House. The premise of the monthly supper club is simple: each month Alexandra will create a special tasting menu from a particular country, region or theme for an intimate group of diners to enjoy. January’s event featured a traditional Vietnamese meal and this month was a trip to Portugal. As Alexandria explains, “I wanted to provide a different dining experience, with cuisine that you cannot normally get get in the Bahamas.” She also wants to show how locally sourced products are served in other parts of the world. There is nothing I love more than good food, enjoyed with good company and good conversation, and based on the reviews I had heard from the first event, I was exited when Alexandra invited my husband and I to attend last
Saturday’s event. I knew we were in for an enjoyable evening. And oh, did we enjoy it! We ate until it felt like we would literally explode. We laughed and joked with our table mates until my sides ached. And sitting at the special chef’s table gave us a fun insight into what goes on behind the scenes as Alexandra sent her creations out to be enjoyed. As a food reporter, I have had the chance to eat at many restaurants, and while every chef or restaurant owner has their own flair when it comes to preparation, there can be certain sameness to local dining options. Not so with Saturday’s dinner. From the appetiser to the desert, there were always new dishes and flavours to experience. Upon arrival I had to remember to pace myself in order to make it through the four courses. First, there was the “nibble” portion of the menu, which included olive sautéed almonds, garlic pate, codfish balls and crab on toast and scallops. Then, the first course included salt cod, shrimp with piri piri sauce, baked fish, potatoes and a Portuguese style salad. The second course was a Caldo a Verda – a green soup that had a surprisingly hearty and savoury flavour.
Alexandra barely allowed diners to rest before bringing out the third course, which included jugged chicken, tripe (OK, I have to admit, this was where my culinary sense of adventure may have stalled, but in the name of good journalism I tasted it for the team), pork chops and a pot roast. These were accompanied by some shredded fried potatoes and some absolutely delicious butter-fried green beans. After the family style dinner, desert was served buffet style – a good move on Alexandra’s part because everyone needed to stretch their legs to make room for the grand finale. And oh, the desert...from the rice pudding to the orange cake, to the port scented flan, I can’t decide which I liked more, but yes, I ate it all. Alexandra is still toying with the themes for the rest of the year, but Ethiopia, Morocco, New Orleans and Brazil, and an evening of completely vegan dishes, are all potential ideas. If you are eager to try new dishes in lovely atmosphere, make sure you reserve your spot at Alexandra’s table during one of her remaining monthly supper clubs.
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Friday, March 1, 2019
Inside Weekend
My perfect Bahamian weekend Chante Basden Pastry chef Q: Saturday breakfast or Sunday lunch?
Interview 4-5 Matthew Pinder carves out his niche as one of the country’s only indie-folk artists Food 7 - 9 The famous ‘Butcher of Panzano’ sets up shop at Baha Mar, plus Sweet Tooth 242 seeks to satisfy all cravings Leisure 10 Jigsaw Bahamas promotes brain training while creating family keepsakes Music 11, 28 A pastor’s daughter falls in love with R&B, plus Queen’s College wins The Music Project for a second time Entertainment 12 Social media show promotes hope, plus the UB Theatre Company puts on its first play Style 14 - 15 Learning all about slow fashion and ‘upcycling’ Fashion 17 Aniska Strachan wants to make little girls’ dreams come true Film 18 - 19 A farewell to Madea, plus Florida’s highest rated festival comes to Grand Bahama Television 20 The cast of ‘Beverly Hills 90210’ returns for limited series, plus Oprah to interview Michael Jackson accusers Literary Lives 22 - 24 Ernest Hemingway’s time in Bimini Forgotten Facts 25 A look at the historic sponging industry Puzzles 26 Animals 27 Why losing a dog is so hard, plus Pet of the Week
Cover photo | Shawn Hanna
“I would have to say Sunday lunch. Between juggling ‘Da Bes Yet’ Bakery & Patisserie and The Chef Factory Abaco, I look forward to my Sundays off. Cooking with family and sharing laughs about our week is something that’s just priceless.”
Q: Wine, rum, cocktail or Kalik?
“What’s better than a glass of wine with a little Sade playing in the background? Wine soothes me after a hard day’s work and helps me escape into my own little world.”
Q: Beach or sofa?
“I’m an island girl at heart. When I’m not making beautiful pastries at the bakery, you can find me surfing the
waves. There’s just something about the beach that I can’t seem to get enough of.”
Q: What is the one thing that you can’t live without?
“My cellphone. I operate an online business and constantly have to stay linked in. Besides that, it helps me to stay connected to family and friends abroad, the latest news, trends and so much more.”
Q: Weekend away, where would you go?
“Exuma. I’m all about relaxation and picturesque scenery, so this makes it the ideal spot. Parasailing over turquoise waters, running around on pink sandy beaches, and watching the sunset. I find pleasure in enjoying everything that the Bahamas has to offer.”
Things 2 Do this weekend Friday • UB Theatre Company presents “The Colored Museum” Time: 3pm (encore performances on Saturday and Sunday at 3pm) Venue: University of the Bahamas Performing Arts Centre SEE PAGE 12 • Rake n’ Scrape Night Time: 9pm - 11 pm Venue: The Farm, Marshall Road There will be a live performances by Elon Moxey and Blaudy, backed by Da Rhythm Band. Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door. • Willis and the Illest Unplugged Time: 9pm - midnight Venue: Pirate Republic The reggae band will performing live and unplugged. There is a $20 cover charge which includes a free drink. • Midnight Mas J’Ouvert Time: 11.30pm Venue: Arawak Cay Carnival band Enigma promises revellers will have the dirtiest fun they’ll ever have with all their clothes on. It’s bacchanal with powder, foam, water and soca vibes. The beach mash-up will feature
DJ Tank, Xtra Large, Ajay Unruly, DJ Chris and Jon Doe. There will be Kalik bucket specials, costume prizes and Island Luck giveaways.
Saturday
• Out of the Box with Danny Davis Time: 10am Venue: National Art Gallery Build a customised box with a unique self-locking lid design with woodworker and NE9 artist Danny Davis. This fun workshop will fuel your curiosity as you walk away with a box that will inspire you to engage the wooden form and its possibilities. No prior woodworking knowledge is required. • Nassau Night Market Time: 6pm Venue: Market Slope, next to the Straw Market Experience flavourful foods and specialty drinks. Browse through stalls selling local arts and crafts, and enjoy this street festival under. • Movie Night At The Barn Time: 5pm Venue: Camperdown Riding Club Come and bring the kids for a pony ride from 5pm to 6pm, then visit
the concession stand for pizza and popcorn for a screening of “Ralph Breaks the Internet”. Tickets are $10 per person for the movie and $5 per pony ride. Don’t forget a blanket, cushion or chair. • Festival of Colours J’Ouvert Time: 7pm Venue: Botanical Gardens Nassau’s messiest party returns. Organisers are promising a bigger, drunker, wetter, madder festival.
Sunday
• Jazz at Jacaranda Time: 6.30pm Venue: Jacaranda House, Parliament Street Enjoy the best jazz in town while sitting around the pool sipping a glass of wine and nibbling on tapas menu. Owned by successive members of the Oakes family since 1949, the historic Jacaranda House takes audiences back to time when gardens were lush and homes had a classic elegance. There is a $15 cover charge. In case of inclement weather, the audience will be moved into the drawing room.
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interview He is a man with a guitar; one of the country’s only indie folk musicians. He tells Leandra Rolle how despite not being a ‘traditionally Bahamian’ artist, he wants to touch the hearts of as many people as possible with his ‘brutally honest’ lyrics and mellow tunes.
I
Matthew Pinder
n a country where the sounds of rake n’ scrape, soca and Junkanoo dominate, it is not always easy for artists to successfully explore other genres of music. Add to this the challenge all local artists face in getting adequately compensated for their work, and music becomes a very difficult career to pursue. However, Bahamian singer/songwriter Matthew Pinder is not letting that deter him. The indie folk musician – who can maybe best be compared to Grammy Award-winning artists Bon Iver and Sufjan Stevens – is passionate about his craft and eager to bring something new and authentic to the table.
“We should celebrate both the old traditions and the new innovations that young artists are bringing forward.”
Music has been a huge part of Matthew’s life since he was very young. He was introduced to the guitar as a child, but it wasn’t until his college years that he found himself turning to music as a source of therapy and a means of self-expression. “I started writing my own songs when I was 20 and I haven’t stopped since then. I made friends with people that loved to sing, like me, and I started performing at open mics and coffee houses while at university,” he told Tribune Weekend. After returning home from college, Matthew said he went through a serious readjustment phase. It was during this period that he met a man named
Clifford Cash, who would change his life forever. “Cliff had a home recording studio and invited me over to record some of my original songs. I was hooked into the process. I had never been in an environment like Cliff’s studio. He and I recorded six songs together which became my first little album,” he said. While many artists’ albums deal with loss and heartbreak, there’s also ones centered on determination, perseverance and overcoming. And it was those latter themes that the Nassau native wanted to focus on with his debut album, “Too Young to Understand”. He describes his music as mainly acoustic guitar driven with an overall “chill” vibe. Songs on this album
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Friday, March 1, 2019
feature lyrics that express raw honesty, the depths of human desire, and the promise of better days ahead. For Matthew, this album was about figuring out life and accepting that there will be ups and downs. “Lyrics are probably the most important thing to me when I think about writing and music in general,” he said. Since releasing his first album, Matthew’s passion for music has continued to grow. And this growing enthusiasm led to him connect with Texan producer Chris Jacobie. “It was then when I decided that I would go all in with my music. Working with Jacobie, we had the goal of creating my best work possible. I am excited to release the album we created and see where this can take me,” he said. Matthew’s upcoming album, entitled “Give Me Some Time”, exposes a more vulnerable side of the artist as he deals with balancing heartbreak and hope. It is scheduled to debut on April 12 . But in the meantime fans can check out his newly released single, “Golden Hour”, which has already been streamed over 100,000
“It’s easy to feel boxed in artistically when you live in such a small place. But don’t apologise for being influenced by things that might not be considered ‘traditionally Bahamian’.” times on Spotify. There is also an accompanying video on YouTube. Matthew penned the song while sitting on his back porch staring at the ocean and thinking about a past relationship. “I’m inspired by the human condition. I write about what I feel, what I go through and how that is connected to everything around me. So ‘Golden Hour’ was written about a feeling and a place, and how those two things were tied together. I wrote it very much in the moment and I don’t think I could have captured the emotion of the
song if I were anywhere else at that time. We also shot a music video for the song in Spanish Wells and I think my director, Sam Street, really captured the feel and vibe of the song. I’ve been really blown away by the feedback I’ve received about the song,” he said. Matthew’s ultimate goal is for his songs to be heard by as many people as possible and that people relate to his songs, find meaning in them, and ultimately apply the messages in the lyrics to their lives. “I want fans to hear the lyrics I write and feel a connection with the songs. When
I first started performing here in Nassau I felt a disconnect from my audience. I felt like the songs I was singing weren’t really getting through to the Bahamian audience. Over time this has changed a lot,” he explained. The singer/songwriter sees himself performing to wider audiences in the future. He said Nassau is beginning to feel smaller and smaller, so he really hopes that he gets the opportunity to play abroad. The future indeed looks bright for the Bahamian artist, but as Mathew stressed, his journey has not been without its trials and challenges. “One of the challenges in being a performing artist in Nassau is getting paid a fair wage. It’s understandable that venues need to get a big crowd for it to be worth it for them to pay the band more, but that is a struggle at every gig,” he said.
All too familiar with the struggles of being a new artist, his advice for up and coming artists is to make music that’s authentic and brutally honest. “It’s easy to feel boxed in artistically when you live in such a small place. But don’t apologise for being influenced by things that might not be considered ‘traditionally Bahamian’,” he said. “We should celebrate both the old traditions and the new innovations that young artists are bringing forward. There’s beauty that comes with change. So push boundaries, stand in the deeper water, and be confident in taking risks artistically.” If you want to find out more about Matthew’s upcoming shows, new music and other projects he’s working on, you can follow him on Facebook (Matthew Pinder Music) and Instagram (@ matthewpindermusic).
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Friday, March 1, 2019
food
Satisfying the Bahamas’ sweet tooth By ALESHA CADET | Tribune Features Reporter | acadet@tribunemedia.net
A
few years ago, self-starters in the United States and other countries were able to turn the business of baking and selling cakes and cupcakes into million-dollar ventures. Inspired by the numerous success stories, others tried their hand at it, and the market quickly became oversaturated. However, here in the Bahamas there is still room for pastry chefs and passionate bakers to make their mark with fancy cakes and cupcakes. Lynnae Fowler, owner of Sweet Tooth 242, is once such entrepreneur who has delved in to the cake business and found not only success, but also an outlet for her creativity and many opportunities to meet new people from various backgrounds and cultures. “I’ve been allowed to freely express myself through the arts while
simultaneously satisfying my customers. I’ve also become an innovative and forward thinker when it comes to rebranding traditional pastries and adding modern twists to create a beautiful and tasty product,” she told Tribune Weekend. “What I enjoy most about the field of culinary arts is the continued diversity it has to offer. There is never a dull moment, and new trends always seem to make their way into the field. In particular, pastries.” My Sweet Tooth 242 confections range from cakes to cupcakes, cookies, turnovers, as well as fruit salads and platters for corporate events. Lynnae said the feedback she receives from her customers always exceeds her expectations. “Baking has been an outlet for me to creatively express myself in ways that require precision with many complex components while still creating a
tasty products for others to enjoy. The profitable part has simply become a bonus. My most memorable experience was definitely my first client encounter. I felt a sense of gratitude in knowing they chose to trust me with their big day when they could have chose someone who may have been seemingly more seasoned in the field versus the new kid on the block,” she said. She is appreciative of her parents, Lynden and Kirsten Fowler, and siblings Lyndira and Lyneisha Fowler, who has always motivated her to break down barriers. “They’ve been a great push on this culinary journey from the day I decided to pursue culinary arts. My other top influencers would have to be my mentors, and my grandmother Annie Knowles easily fits into this category as she has been my mentor from when I was a little girl and has taught
me everything I know in regards to baking and decorating. My other two influencers are Chef Eldred Saunders, a former lecturer and mentor, and Chef Christopher Chea. I’ve been taught and became more skilled in my career thanks to these two influential men. They’ve taught me discipline, accountability and what it means to be a chef of skill but also integrity. I am where I am today with the help of them,” said Lynnae. She hopes Sweet Tooth 242 will soon become a household name in the Bahamas. “For the remainder of the year my desire is to continue to...keep (my customers) satisfied and coming back for more that I have to offer. I also plan to triple my clientele numbers while still maintaining perfection in every order,” said Lynnae.
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Friday, March 1, 2019
food
Italy’s top butcher opens restaurant in Nassau By CARA HUNT |Tribune Features Writer | cbrennen@tribunemedia.net
A
lthough he comes from eight generations of Italian butchers, Dario Cecchini admits that the first time he tasted a T-bone steak was on his 18th birthday. Now, the man known as ‘The Butcher from Panzano’ can share some of the finest meat with diners at his new restaurant, Carna by Dario Cecchini at the SLS Baha Mar resort. “Growing up, my family was not wealthy. We were just too poor to eat anything except the cuts of meat our customers weren’t buying” he told Tribune Weekend. Dario was born in 1955 in the Tuscan village of Panzano, where his father was the butcher, the eighth generation of Cecchini butchers spanning more than 250 years. He studied veterinary science at the university in Pisa, but in 1976, three years into his six-year course, had to
take over the family business from his dying father. But what may have started as a family obligation blossomed into a passion that has led him to share his love of meat with diners all over the world. Today, Dario is known for his unique style, which focuses on promoting butchery as an art form in which respect must be paid to the animal. He is a firm believer there are no “premium” or “lower” cuts of meat, but rather all the parts of the animal are useful if butchered and cooked in an appropriate way. It is a lesson he himself learned from his grandmother, who took those discarded cuts of meat and created such memorable dishes that they remain some of his favourites today. “My grandmother made the most delicious meals,” he said. “My favourite meat is beef knee caps, very simply
Tuscan Porterhouse steak
prepared ,and with it I have a cup of broth and a glass of wine.” For Dario, simple meals prepared with love, and a nod to the way grandma used to cook, is definitely the way to go. “Too often people are in too much of a hurry when they cook, but you need to think about how your grandmother used to cook. You need to prepare your food with passion. Food is love, and love requires patience.” Dario hopes guests of Carna will experience his passion for meat first-hand. “I am very happy to have the restaurant open. I want people to feel like they are a guest in my home and taste the happiness in my food,” he said. “I am also excited to interact with the Bahamian people who are also very passionate and learn more about their cuisine. I have tried chicken souse which very much reminds me of
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Friday, March 1, 2019
“Too often people are in too much of a hurry when they cook, but you need to think about how your grandmother used to cook. You need to prepare your food with passion.”
Whole roasted lobster
‘The Butcher of Panzano’, Dario Cecchini PHOTOS BY SHAWN HANNA AND COURTESY OF CARNA
Wood-grilled and broiled Tomahawk steak
Wagyu beef steak tartare with truffles
Carna specialty cocktail
the chicken soup my grandmother used to make.” Baha Mar President Graeme Davis said said they are honoured to have Carna as one of their restaurants. “At Baha Mar, we pride ourselves on having created a world-class culinary destination in the Caribbean, and we’re honoured that Dario chose to partner with us to launch his first dining concept outside of Italy,” said Mr Davis. “Dario’s traditions and dedication to storytelling through cuisine beautifully complement our existing signature restaurants. We’re pleased to introduce our guests and the Nassau community to Dario’s spectacular culinary experience and the elegant and sophisticated Carna steakhouse at Baha Mar.” “To welcome Dario and Carna to the sbe family is a very exciting moment for us,” said Sam Nazarian, founder and CEO of sbe. “We always aim to deliver extraordinary and innovative culinary concepts around the world, and as the only steakhouse of its kind, Carna certainly brings a distinctive experience to the Bahamas, the SLS brand, and most importantly, to our guests This week, sbe also announced that Umami Burger, the premium burger chain launched its latest artist series collaboration with Dario Cecchini to create “The Butcher’s Burger” as an exclusive culinary creation available at Baha Mar.
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leisure
Putting together
the pieces
R
ecognising the unique ability of puzzles to not only entertain but improve brainpower, Bahamian rapper Antoine “Megaton” Thompson has created customizable jigsaw puzzles using the photos his clients provide. Both the young and old have come to love the creations of Jigsaw Bahamas. “Jigsaw Bahamas launched with the idea that joy can be simple and shared. To this date we’ve produced more than 5,000 variations of our stock and customizable puzzles,” Megaton explained. “We realised the benefit of doing a jigsaw puzzle – for delaying dementia and Alzheimer’s, lowering stress levels, improving your visual-spatial reasoning as well as exercising both the left and right sides of your brain – and a need for a niche market that can be engaging and educational on all levels.” His initial idea was to offer a unique take on the Bahamian tradition of Junkanoo; something to be enjoyed by both visitors and locals alike. But when customers realised that these images were locally sourced and printed, they began to request customised images as gift ideas. “From start to finish the process is a relatively short one. Once our customers send a clear, relatively high resolution image, we print and adhere the image to a template in the puzzle piece amount they’ve selected, run this template through our machine and package for delivery,” he said. The jigsaw puzzle now becomes much more than a brainteaser; it’s a keepsake that brings people together to engage in a shared experience. And as it is in his nature to entertain, Jigsaw Bahamas is an extension of how Megaton gets to do that. “The feedback has been continuously positive and
Customized puzzles by Jigsaw Bahamas
By JEFFARAH GIBSON | Tribune Features Writer jgibson@tribunemedia.net
encouraging. To know that something as simple as a puzzle helps too positively contribute to someone’s everyday life is an amazing feeling. To help bring a smile to someone’s face, brighten someone’s day in a way, or even just to make a moment that much more special or commemorative in the tiniest way is enough of an incentive to continue to look for ways to expand and innovate,” he said. For the immediate future, Megaton said the goals company wants to achieve include launching more sizes in puzzles, designs that expand beyond the scope of Junkanoo into more of Bahamian traditions. “Variations that truly help our clients to engage in fun and laughter, witty family banter or quiet reflection,’ he said. Currently the puzzles come in 63, 100, 140 or 300 pieces. “Puzzles are recommended for anyone ages five and up. It’s a great way to engage families and loved ones outside of today’s technological norms. We’ve had puzzles purchased for kids as young as four and for a client who was 90 years young,” he said.
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Friday, March 1, 2019
music
Defying expectations A pastor’s daughter falls in love with R&B By JEFFARAH GIBSON Tribune Features Writer jgibson@tribunemedia.net
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HARISA Smith received major backlash after transitioning from being a worship singer in church to being a professional jazz and R&B performer. This was one of the most difficult things the 24-year-old has had to overcome during the process of launching her career in the local music industry. But thanks to the support of her family, friends and her team, the young artist remains committed to making her big break. Her newest single solidifies the direction she wants to go in, a direction that was questioned and criticised by many who knew of her musical background. But Charisa said she hasn’t changed her mind about becoming a professional secular artist instead of performing gospel music, which was what people expected of her. She has fallen in love with R&B, she added.
1 2 3
“I grew up singing in church. So the backlash of my transition wasn’t a pretty one, but I’m very grateful for my parents, Pastors Dion and Patrice Smith, for always believing in my talent and supporting me,” Tribune Weekend. Charisa’s musical influences come from her mother and from jazz and R&B greats like Sarah Vaughn, Ella Fitzgerald, Anita Baker, Nina Simone, Nat King Cole, Lionel Richie and Roberta Flack. Contemporary artists such as Lauren Hill, Beyoncé and Maxwell, as well as Caribbean and local musicians like Wendi and Dyson Knight, Patrice Murrell, Lady E, Sweet Emily, Destra, to name a few, have also influenced her style. Charisa Smith hopes to make her big break with R&B tunes. And many of these influences are evident when listening to her new “After listening and singing along extremely grateful to Sketch Carey for single, “Get Gone”. The soulful ballad many different genres I find that I conworking with me and bringing out the was produced by the Grammy Award nect more to the style of R&B music, nominee Sketch Carey, and was written best in me musically to get the project and you can sometimes tell through done.” by Charisa and Travis Edgecombe. my performances that I have a special Charisa loves the message of the “I was blessed to have the opporconnection with R&B that it’s my song, which speaks to letting go of all tunity to work with the talented niche. R&B also gives me the freedom negativity – something she has had to Christopher ‘Sketch’ Carey. Initially to experiment with riffs and runs and do along this journey. my nerves took complete control, but explore the texture of my voice which I “The message, I believe, will put eventually everything fell into place listeners in an empowered mood, while find very liberating,” she said. and we were able to foster an atmosCharisa is currently working on a phere of creativity and pure vibes,” the the style of the R&B genre will put music video for her latest single as well them in a sexy, sultry mood,” she said. singer said. as her debut EP, which will be released Charisa got her professional start “I’ve always wanted to say that I’ve later this year. three years ago performing as the Jam spent a day in the studio as the famous To keep up with the singer’s career, Session lead singer. She is currently the folk would, but in actuality I’ve probvisit the Facebook page “Charisa”, Inslead singer of the band Essence where ably spent about four hours over the tagram “Charisa Smith” and YouTube she has been given the opportunity to span of two days. Around the time Channel “Charisa Official”, or e-mail perform for for many different people of me recording the song it was hard edgymanagementbahamas@gmail.com from all over the world at the the for me to spend a lot of time in the or call 467-1936. studio because I had a lot going on. I’m Grand Hyatt’s Jazz Bar.
. 7 Rings by Ariana Grande . Without Me by Halsey
. Sunflower (Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse) by Post Malone & Swae Lee
4 5
. Thank U, Next by Ariana Grande
. Please Me by Cardi B & Bruno Mars
6 7 8
. Happier by Marshmello & Bastille
. Sicko Mode by Travis Scott
. Break Up With Your Girlfriend, I’m Bored by Ariana Grande
9 10
. High Hopes by Panic! At the Disco . Wow. by Post Malone
Billboard’s top 10 songs
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Friday, March 1, 2019
entertainment
Social media show shines a light on hope By JEFFARAH GIBSON Tribune Features Writer jgibson@tribunemedia.net
W
hat helped Kennetha McCartney get through some of the toughest times in her life was watching interviews with Christians sharing their experiences of how they were able to overcome similar challenges. Knowing the impact this had on her, the motivational speaker decided to create a platform that can offer others the same hope, encouragement and inspiration.
Her social media show, “Shine the Light”, airs weekly and features various personalities. “When I experienced the most challenging periods of my life I was strengthened, comforted, given hope and direction through watching interviews. And seeing how important vision is to a person’s life, my purpose is to try my endeavour best to provide the same opportunity to inspire others,” she told Tribune Weekend. The show puts the spotlight on skilled individuals who have advanced in their craft and fields, from pastors to business owners. “The aim of the show is to highlight business owners, CEOs, credible professionals and passionate individuals who are highly skilled in their specified fields. In so doing so, viewers acquire insight, focus and direction for their businesses, careers and personal growth and empowerment,” she said. Since launching “Shine the Light”, Kennetha said viewers have shared stories with her of how they were impacted by her show, “My viewing audience continues to show a steady increase. A number of my viewers are quite interested in the range of persons I have been able to interview, my taste in fashion, photos and motivational flyers. Most of my viewers leave with a greater sense faith in themselves and completely inspired to do the impossible,” she said.
Motivational speaker Kennetha McCartney
Pastor Dave Burrows with ‘Shine the Light’ host Kennetha McCartney.
Rev Angela Palacious (left) was guest on Kennetha McCartney’s ‘Shine the Light’ show. But most of all, Kennetha said that she wants the gospel of Christ to be shared through the show. “The true essence of the gospel encompasses all aspects of mankind. Therefore, ‘Shine the Light’ spreads the gospel through seeking insight
from individuals who are accomplished and proficient in matters relating to the mind, body and spirit. Such interviews allow my followers to acquire pertinent information to improve their overall health and well-being,” she said.
UB Theatre Company performs ‘The Colored Museum” as its first stage play The University of the Bahamas (UB) Theatre Company’s first theatrical production, “The Colored Museum”, celebrated its successful debut on Tuesday. Written in the late 1980s by African American playwright George Costello Wolfe, the 11 vignettes that make up the play explore themes of racism, stereotypes, intra-community conflicts in black culture, and the ongoing legacy of slavery and segregation. “The Colored Museum” remains culturally relevant to the Bahamas and to the wider Black diasporic experience. UB’s production of the play was spearheaded by Dr Craig
Smith, Chair of English Studies, who was assisted by Philippa Moss-Collie, Business Enterprise; Dr Phillip Smith, Assistant Professor of English Studies, and advised by Dr First reading for “The Colored Museum”. Nicolette Bethel, Chair of Social set in the United States, are Sciences. relevant to the black experi“ ‘The Colored Museum’ is ence in general. a very important play which He noted that issues of follows the journey of black “hair, sexuality, self-identipeople in the new world,” fication” are issues that we explained Dr Smith. He also continue to struggle with in suggested that the issues highlighted in the play, though the Bahamas in 2019.
The formation of UB’s Theatre Company is a part of the push by the English Studies department to promote the importance of literature and cultural studies. The department hopes to attract more students interested in the dramatic arts who can now take minor courses in Film and Drama. “ “With the UB Theatre Company and the minors, students will now be exposed to both the theoretical and the practical aspects of theatre,” said Dr Smith. “(It) will allow us to begin to provide students with the
exposure and experience of being on stage and build that committed core of people that we want to bring into the theatre as we professionalise,” added Dr Bethel. Telling relevant and moving stories through humour, music, imagery, and sometimes caustic language, “The Colored Museum” is expected to delight the Bahamian public. Tickets are available at the Chapter One bookstore, the University of the Bahamas Performing Arts Centre box office and the Black Box Theatre. The play runs until March 3. For more information, call 302-4381.
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celebrity
PART
I
The Weekend Fashion Report Vanity Fair Oscar Party
With Karin Herig and Cara Hunt
HIT
HIT
FAIL
HIT
FAIL
Billy Porter ”Pose”
Jennifer Lopez ”Shades of Blue”
Danai Gurira ”Black Panther”
Kerry Washington ”Scandal”
Karin says: “This was certainly the most attention-grabbing ensemble of the night; the most outrageous. I suppose it’s the reversal of the tuxedo tailored for women. Apparently it as a tribute to an icon of the New York ball culture, Hector Xtravaganza. Billy almost stole Gaga’s thunder on the night with this. Cara says: “Let me say I am just here for the fashion, not the controversy. I’m sure everyone has an opinion on his outfit choice, but from my standpoint he won the Oscars – best dressed, most outrageous, most fabulous. most slay-worthy... everything. Give him all the awards!”
Karin says: “Jenny, the mermaid from the block. It’s a tiny bit Vegas showgirl (I get the feeling that’s her preferred aesthetic), but it’s also pretty. That blue/black combo will all the glitter really works for her. And I love the old-fashioned wavy hairdo.” Cara says: “So I have to say this is quite cute. And I am loving Jenny’s hair; those curls are popping. I definitely prefer this dress to the one she wore during the show. This one is a bit vintage yet futuristic all at once.”
Kendall Jenner ”Keeping Up With the Kardashians”
Karin says: “After that gold bedspread she wore to the awards ceremony this is a major improvement. I love the sharp cut of the trousers and the long matching jacket. It’s sexy and it screams ‘I mean business’. But I bet it was still a comfy outfit for all the partyhopping that was going on last Sunday.” Cara says: “Oh, so she definitely redeemed herself from that fashion disaster she wore earlier on the night. This white suit is pretty fabulous on her and just different enough to be a hit for me. She looks very stylish.”
Karin says: “Kerry looks like a little girl playing dress-up...in a really ugly dress. I really like her new pixie cut, but what a way to debut it. Maybe if it had been a different colour, maybe if the cups hadn’t looked so bra-like...I don’t know. It’s just an awful choice (the nude lip just exacerbates things). Cara says: “Oh Kerry...The colour is so bland; it’s almost the same tone as your skin. And even your make-up makes you look so pale and washed out. Also, I think that the dress is just an awkward length; too short to be full length and too long to be a tea length. And I hate the white belt.”
Karin says: “She most definitely forgot her pants at home. For all the try-hard effort to make a splash, the dress doesn’t even look sexy, just ridiculous. How did she even sit down in this thing? The Kardashian/Jenner clan seem to have reached a new level of desperation for attention.” Cara says: “I am always here for being a bit sexy, but never down with being sleazy, and this is definitely the latter. Sorry, but it’s just a bit tasteless and really not cute. I really think sometimes Kendall tries a bit too hard.”
• Check out page 16 for more red carpet fashions
16 | The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, March 1, 2019
celebrity
PART
II
The Weekend Fashion Report Vanity Fair Oscar Party
HIT
FAIL
FAIL
FAIL
FAIL
Lupita Nyong’o ”Black Panther”
Zoë Kravitz ”Big Little Lies”
Awkwafina ”Crazy Rich Asians”
Heidi Klum ”Project Runway”
Karin says: “I normally dislike these feathery, Muppet fur dresses, but I actually really love this. It looks fun and it’s a style Lupita hasn’t worn before. I even like the oneshoulder and high-low look she’s got going on. It shouldn’t work, but it does.” Cara says: “OK, so if anyone can pull off being smothered in feathers it’s my girl Lupita. She just makes what should be ridiculous look so chic and fun. I am totally here for this look.”
Karin says: “This is just a whole bunch of nothing. I get she was trying to be provocative, but all it really is, is a gold bra and long black skirt. She’s not making any style statements here.” Cara says: “And here is another, ‘let me be as sleazy as possible in my attempt to be sexy’. I just never understood the bra as a top look, and that bra isn’t even cute.”
Serena Williams Grand Slam champion
Karin says: “I like the metallic pink, but the suit looks like it was tailored for someone else. Why are the pants so high? Why does the jacket look like it barely closes? Also, an updo might have worked better than the long messy hair.” Cara says: “So it’s another suit look, and I don’t hate it necessarily, but why go stale if you are at the Oscars? Why be content to be ordinary? I don’t get it. She looks like a Wednesday afternoon at 2 o’clock.”
Karin says: “Terrible! Just awful. This looks like a dress for 16-year-old’s high school dance. She looks ridiculous in this getup. The ostrich skirt and sleeves are plain ugly, and the cape is the death knell of this ensemble.” Cara says: “I am so tired of Heidi. She never looks like sense. Yes, I said it. What is this? It’s like an ostrich met a figure skater who made an unfinished ‘Project Runway’ design. I think it’s my pick for worst dressed.”
Karin says: “Her actual Oscar gown was sorta pretty. This, not so much. It’s just totally the wrong silhouette for her. It’s a very church-lady-goesto-a-banquet look. The tiered black chiffon at the bottom is hideous.” Cara says: “Number one, Serena, is way too young to be wearing this mess. This is just old-fashioned and ugly. Can you tell, I really hate it. That’s all I have to say. But her Oscar dresses were all horrid.”
AP PHOTOS
With Karin Herig and Cara Hunt
The Tribune | Weekend | 17
Friday, March 1, 2019
fashion
The
cute life
By ALESHA CADET | Tribune Features Reporter | acadet@tribunemedia.net
A
niska Strachan sees herself as being in the business of making little girls’ dreams come true. Many girls, even from a young age, have an appreciation for the pretty things in life. Aniska wants to put a smile on those girls’ faces by providing them with the cutest products possible. Through her Grand Bahama-based company Cute Lil Tingz she offers everything from handmade pacifiers for her youngest customers to hair accessories and apparel for older girls, adding a little creative flare to their swag. A major plus of being a business owner in this field, she said, is that it gives her an outlet for her imagination. And she believes there is no limit when
it comes being creative when designing and making accessories for little girls to enjoy. It’s not only her business, she added, it is her happy place. “Despite the challenges, mistakes, financial constraints and the many moments of doubt, it has proven to be all worth it. I knew it was not going to be all smooth sailing, but I had already told myself to keep pushing, do my best and God promised to do the rest. My plan is to create an internationally recognised brand that manufactures kids’ accessories/apparel and crafts right here in the Bahamas,” said Aniska. Cute Lil Tingz was launched in 2017, and while the products are currently being sold at Kelly’s Freeport, Aniska has also connected with international clientele.
Products by Cute Lil Tingz
“While I love all of my Cute Lil Tingz dolls, there was this purchase from Atlanta, Georgia that really tugged at my heart. This girls was totally in love with unicorns and her mom asked that I make this birthday wish come true. When the cute little package was received, her mom recorded her the whole time. That (little girl) was in awe. She was smiling from ear to ear while she admired her (gift). Watching that video made me feel so good, to know I had made someone else so happy. It was in that moment that I knew and realised this was most definitely my passion and I am forever grateful,” she said. Aniska is now working on preparing lots of Cute Lil Tingz accessories for the upcoming Easter and Mother’s Day holidays.
18 | The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, March 1, 2019
film
Florida’s highest rated film festival returns to the Bahamas
T
he Fort Lauderdale Film Festival (FLIFF) will travel to Grand Bahama to host two-day event at the Pelican Bay Hotel. Back in 2011, FLIFF, in conjunction with Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, began a three-year run hosting “FLIFF On Location: Grand Bahama”, the first ever film festival brought to the island. The festival brought filmmakers to Freeport on board the Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line, introduced the guests to a taste of Bahamian culture at an opening night party in Smith’s Point, and screened a series of independent films at Pelican Bay Hotel. After a six-year hiatus, “FLIFF On Location” returns to Grand Bahama on March 16 and 17. Once again, filmmakers will arrive on board the Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line for a two-day film festival. FLIFF CEO Gregory von Hausch said he is excited to have the festival back on Grand Bahama at the Pelican Bay Hotel. “The entire FLIFF team is thrilled to be able to return to Grand Bahama, with our fourth edition of FLIFF On Location: Grand Bahama,” said Mr von Hausch. “We made so many friends on the island, it will be great to catch up. Pelican Bay is the perfect location. The versatile Canal House, where all the films will be shown in multiple settings, and the beautiful hotel for our filmmakers to stay and soak up the essence of the paradise. We will have approximately 15 films plus filmmakers on island, and opportunities for the audience and budding directors and producers to interact and share their thoughts on movies and film.” Screenings will begin on Saturday, March 16 at 3pm and Sunday, March 17 at 2pm. A full schedule of showtimes will be available on the Pelican Bay’s social media pages. One highlight will be the screening of the “Pigs of Paradise” documentary, based on the Jeff Todd book by the same name which was inspired by the famous swimming pigs of Exuma. Directed by Charlie Smith of Earthbeat Films, the movie is narrated by
International filmmakers will travel to Grand Bahamas to screen 15 films at Pelican Bay’s Canal House.
FLIFF President Greg von Haush
This acclaimed documentary will be one of the highlights of FLIFF On Location. NASA astronaut Scott Kelly, and premiered at the Bahamas Film Festival late last year. Admission to all 15 films is $20, with 100 percent of the ticket proceeds benefiting the Grand Bahama Children’s Home.
Pelican Bay Hotel General Manager Magnus Alnebeck is looking forward to FLIFF’s return. “Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival has always been a great partner for Grand Bahama Island and Pelican Bay,” he said. “It is great to have them back for another FLIFF On Location event. We invite everybody who enjoys good movies to come for the two days and watch these films and be a part of this exciting event at our hotel and to help the (children’s’) home too.”
Several filmmakers will be on Grand Bahama to present their work, including Frosty Myers, “The Art & Times of Frosty Myers”; Darisha Beresford, “The Cultlass”, and Samuel Collardey, “A Polar Year”. FLIFF will celebrate its 34th anniversary this year, and Mr von Hausch is gratified by the festival’s growth and the numerous accolades received over the years. FLIFF has been named “Highest Rated Film Festival” in the state of Florida, “Top Hot Festivals in the Nation” by Variety, “Top Destination Festival” by Movie Maker Magazine, winner of The Moretti Award for Excellence and the “Longest Film Festival in the World” by Guinness World Records. For more information, visit http:// www.fliff.com or the Pelican Bay’s social media pages to get full film details and times. Tickets will be available at Pelican Bay’s front of house, and the organisers are hoping for lots of support from the local public and visitors on the island at the time.
The Tribune | Weekend |19
Friday, March 1, 2019
film
Say farewell to Madea!
L
ate last year, Tyler Perry shocked fans of his most beloved character, Mabel “Madea” Simmons, by announcing that he would be ending the near 20-year run of the mouthy, tough old lady who started it all. But don’t despair too much, he said, there is still some Madea on tap for viewers to get their final fix. This weekend, Perry will bring the family back together one last time for “A Madea Family Funeral”. According Perry’s website, the film, shot in partnership with Lionsgate, is sure to have scores of hilarious moments for fans to enjoy one last laugh with the woman who delivered so many over the years. This final Madea film concludes a set of 10 movies that have featured Perry starring as a character he describes as “exactly the PG version of my mother and my aunt.”
Imagine you’re a 20-something living in New York City and you spot a particularly nice and structured green leather handbag on the subway. Do you report it to the MTA? Ignore it and move on? Claim it and its contents for yourself? Return to the owner? For Chloe Grace Moretz’s Frances, a wide-eyed transplant to the big city, it’s obvious: You go alone to hand-deliver the bag to Greta Hideg (Isabelle Huppert), who, according to the identification card you find, is a tiny, nice-looking woman in her 60s. This is the first of many mistakes Frances makes in writer and director Neil Jordan’s (”The Crying Game,” ‘‘Michael Collins”) stylish and knowingly over-the-top “Greta ,” a dark, Brian De Palma-esque fairy tale about the dangers of trusting a lonely soul. She might just turn out to be a wolf, right? The film starts out like a rom-com, introducing sweet Frances working in a fancy Manhattan restaurant and riding the train alone back to the spacious apartment she shares with her roommate Erica (Maika Monroe), a wealthy party girl with more street savvy than dear Frances. Erica suggests they take the cash in the purse and use it for
Madea takes her final bow at the cinema this weekend. The film centers around a joyous family reunion that becomes a hilarious nightmare as Madea and the crew travel to backwoods Georgia, where they find themselves unexpectedly
planning a funeral that might unveil unsavoury family secrets. Although he told the SiriusXM show “Bevelations” that he’s “happy to kill that old b*tch”, Perry admitted to the Electronic Urban Report Web that
he is grateful for every minute he has gotten to spend on the franchise. “What I will miss most is the reaction of the fans and how much they love and care about her. So no, I’m not going to miss it, but I will miss that reaction for sure,” he said. Speaking with Variety about the ending the successful Madea series, Perry said: “I’m turning 50 and I just want to do different things.” He said he has enjoyed branching out when it comes to his projects, which most recently included playing the role of Colin Powell in the Oscarnominated “Vice” alongside Christian Bale as Dick Cheney. “I had so much fun, I’m going to be looking at more roles like that,” he said. To celebrate Madea’s final movie, Fusion Superplex is showing five movies in the series this weekend along with the new release “A Madea Family Funeral”.
review
Huppert adds class to stalker thriller ‘Greta’ GRETA RUNNING TIME: 98 MINS
colonics. But Frances, who recently lost her own mother, wants to do what she considers the right thing and before you know it, she and Greta are fast friends and it’s nice for a while! They take walks in the city, have long talks
Isabelle Huppert stars as Greta and Chloë Grace Moretz as Frances. about life over homemade meals and red wine, and even adopt a dog for Greta. It’s only when Frances stumbles on something that frightens her enough to ghost Greta that things get bad. Huppert seems to be enjoying herself fully leaning into Greta’s insanity. She helps elevate the film from its self-consciously B-movie roots to be something that’s actually pretty good. Her descent into madness is truly delightful to watch, and she’s very good at making you think up to the very last minute that maybe Frances really is overreacting. What threat could a
65-year-old classical music-loving waif in gloves and tweed really pose when she’s ordering a kir royale at a nice restaurant? The film gets really insane in the third act, but it keeps moving and is swiftly resolved (with mercifully minimal gore). Don’t go into this expecting some feminist treatise though. “Greta” is about as retrograde as you can get, but accepting that, it’s also tremendously silly and kind of a blast. LINDSEY BAHR AP Film Writer
20 | The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, March 1, 2019
television
‘BEVERLY HILLS,
90210’ CAST REUNITES LOS ANGELES (AP) — The original stars of “Beverly Hills, 90210” are planning a high school reunion with a twist. Fox said Wednesday that cast members including Jason Priestly and Jennie Garth will play “heightened versions” of themselves in a six-part series airing this summer. Fox says the drama titled “90210” is inspired by the cast’s real lives and relationships,
combined with what it termed a “healthy dose of irreverence.” Ian Ziering, Gabrielle Carteris, Brian Austin Green and Tori Spelling also will star in the series. The action begins when one of the cast suggests they try to launch a reboot of “Beverly Hills, 90210.” The original series aired from 1990 to 2000 and followed a circle of friends in high school and young adulthood. A date for the new series wasn’t announced.
(clockwise) Tori Spelling, Jennie Garth, Gabrielle Carteris, Jason Priestley, Ian Ziering and Brian Austin Green are set to return in the six-episode event series “90210.” (AP Photo)
OPRAH TO
NIELSEN’S TOP PROGRAMMES FOR FEBRUARY 18-24
INTERVIEW JACKSON ACCUSERS IN POSTFILM SPECIAL LOS ANGELES (AP) — An Oprah Winfrey interview with two men who say Michael Jackson sexually abused them as boys will air immediately after a documentary on the men. HBO and the Oprah Winfrey Network announced Wednesday that the special, “Oprah Winfrey Presents: After Neverland,” will air simultaneously on both channels this coming Monday at 10pm, Eastern and Pacific. That’s just after the conclusion of the two-night airing of “Leaving Neverland.” The networks say the pre-taped interview by Winfrey will be with Wade Robson and James Safechuck, and the film’s director, Dan Reed in front of an audience of people affected by sexual abuse. The family and estate of Jackson , who died in 2009, have denounced the documentary and HBO’s decision to air it, saying it spreads falsehoods about a man not alive to defend himself.
Oprah Winfrey will interview Michael Jackson accusers Wade Robson (left) and James Safechuck (right) following the showing of the “Leaving Neverland’ documentary by Dan Reed (centre). (AP Photos)
1.“The Oscars,”ABC, 29.56 million 2. “Live From the Red Carpet” (7.30pm 8pm), ABC, 14.16 million 3.“The Big Bang Theory,” CBS, 13.49 million 4.“NCIS,” CBS, 12.75 million 5.“Young Sheldon,” CBS, 11.31 million 6. “America’s Got Talent Champions,” NBC, 10.58 million 7. “Live From the Red Carpet” (7pm 7.29pm), ABC, 10.42 million 8.“Chicago Med,” NBC, 9.12 million 9.“FBI,” CBS, 9.07 million 10.“Chicago PD,” NBC, 8.94 million The Associated Press
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Friday, March 1, 2019
books
NEW releases
hitting shelves this week • Pretend She’s Here
By Luanne Rice Emily Lonergan’s best friend died last year. And Emily hasn’t stopped grieving. Lizzie Porter was lively, loud, and fun — Emily’s better half. Emily can’t accept that she’s gone. When Lizzie’s parents and her sister come back to town to visit, Emily’s heartened to see them. The Porters understand her pain. They miss Lizzie desperately, too. Desperately enough to do something crazy. Something unthinkable. Suddenly, Emily’s life is hurtling toward a very dark place &mdsash; and she’s not sure she’ll ever be able to return to what she once knew was real.
• The Huntress
By Kate Quinn Bold and fearless, Nina Markova always dreamed of flying. When the Nazis attack the Soviet Union, she risks everything to join the legendary Night Witches, an all-female night bomber regiment wreaking havoc on the invading Germans. When she is stranded behind enemy lines, Nina becomes the prey of a lethal Nazi murderess known as the Huntress, and only Nina’s bravery and cunning will keep her alive. Transformed by the horrors he witnessed from Omaha Beach to the Nuremberg Trials, British war correspondent Ian Graham has become a Nazi hunter. Yet one target eludes him: a vicious predator known as the Huntress. To find her, the fierce, disciplined investigator joins forces with the only witness to escape the Huntress alive: the brazen, cocksure Nina. But a shared secret could derail their mission
unless Ian and Nina force themselves to confront it.
• The Raven Tower
By Ann Leckie For centuries, the kingdom of Iraden has been protected by the god known as the Raven. He watches over his territory from atop a tower in the powerful port of Vastai. His will is enacted through the Raven’s Lease, a human ruler chosen by the god himself. His magic is sustained via the blood sacrifice that every Lease must offer. And under the Raven’s watch, the city flourishes. But the power of the Raven is weakening. A usurper has claimed the throne. The kingdom’s borders are tested by invaders who long for the prosperity that Vastai boasts. And they have made their own alliances with other gods. It is into this unrest that the warrior Eolo – aide to Mawat, the true Lease – arrives. And in seeking to help Mawat reclaim his city, Eolo discovers that the Raven’s Tower holds a secret. Its foundations conceal a dark history that has been waiting to reveal itself...and to set in motion a chain of events that could destroy Iraden forever.
• The Uninhabitable Earth – Live after Warming By David Wallace-Wells It is worse, much worse, than you think. If your anxiety about global
warming is dominated by fears of sea-level rise, you are barely scratching the surface of what terrors are possible. In California, wildfires now rage year-round, destroying thousands of homes. Across the US, “500-year” storms pummel communities month after month, and floods displace tens of millions annually. This is only a preview of the changes to come. And they are coming fast. Without a revolution in how billions of humans conduct their lives, parts of the Earth could become close to uninhabitable, and other parts horrifically
inhospitable, as soon as the end of this century. In his travelogue of our near future, David Wallace-Wells brings into stark relief the climate troubles that await— food shortages, refugee emergencies, and other crises that will reshape the globe. But the world will be remade by warming in more profound ways as well, transforming our politics, our culture, our relationship to technology, and our sense of history. It will be allencompassing, shaping and distorting nearly every aspect of human life as it is lived today.
22 | The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, March 1, 2019
literary lives – Ernest Hemingway
Hemingway in Bimini Sir Christopher Ondaatje looks back at Ernest Hemingway’s novel “Islands in the Stream and his pre-war days on the Bahamian island of Bimini.
“I
slands in the Stream” was first published in 1970, nine years after Ernest Hemingway’s death. It is the second of the posthumously published works of Hemingway, after “A Moveable Feast” (1964). It antedates the first by approximately 10 years, and was originally intended to revive Hemingway’s flagging reputation after negative reviews of “Across the River and into the Trees” (1950). He began writing it at the end of 1950 and it was unfinished when his widow Mary Hemingway found it among the 332 works he left behind when he died. The three different parts of his book were to be called “The Sea When Young”, “The Sea When Absent”, and “The Sea in Being”. The titles were changed into what they are today: “Bimini”, “Cuba”, and “At Sea”. “The house was built on the highest part of the narrow tongue of land between the harbour and the open sea. It had lasted through three hurricanes and it was built solid as a ship. It was shaded by tall coconut palms that were bent by the trade wind and on the ocean side you could walk out of the door and down the bluff across the white sand and into the Gulf Stream. The water of the Stream was usually a dark blue when you looked out at it when there was no wind. But when you walked out into it there was just the green light of the water over that floury white sand and you could see the shadow of any big fish a long time before he could ever come in close to the beach.”
Beginning in the 1930s, “Islands in the Stream” follows the fortunes of Thomas Hudson, a painter on the Gulf Stream island of Bimini. He is lonely, but is visited by his three sons. Also on the island is a writer – one of Hudson’s oldest friends – struggling with alcoholism and inner conflict. Hudson has been divorced three times and has the usual problems and compromises with the boys’ mothers about access to the children. He could have them for Christmas; and it has been arranged
Ernest Hemingway (1899 - 1961)
Bimini of yesteryear
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Friday, March 1, 2019
that the boys would spend part of the summer with him on Bimini. Hudson is a successful painter as he has been in almost everything except married life. About half his money goes into alimony, and the balance gives him the financial security he needs. He needs to see women too – and they visit him from time to time. But in the end he is glad when they leave. He has trained himself to be disciplined and works hard – remembering the days when he was undisciplined, selfish, and ruthless. Now he is selfish only for his painting and ruthless only for his work. Hudson was a mirror image of Hemingway himself and his problems with women – and his work ethic. He had divorced Hadley Richardson in 1927 and they had one son. His marriage to Pauline Pfeiffer ended in 1940. They had two sons. His childless third marriage to Martha Gellhorn ended in 1945 when he married Mary Walsh, and it was during this last marriage that he started work on the “Islands in the Stream” manuscript. The writer-character, Roger Davis, in the book, although similar to Hudson, is much more like Hemingway’s dynamic outgoing personality. “His full lower lip licked his thin Irish upper lip and he smiled with his gray eyes. His mouth was sliced upwards at the corners so it always looked as though he were about to smile, or had just smiled, but his mouth told very little about him unless you noticed the thinness of the upper lip. His eyes were what you needed to watch. He was the size and build of a middleweight gone a little heavy; but he looked in good shape lying there relaxed and that is how a man looks bad who is really out of shape. His face was brown but peeling across the nose and the forehead that went back with his receding hairline. He had a scar on his chin that could have been taken for a dimple if it had been just a little closer to the centre and his nose had been just perceptibly flattened across the bridge. It wasn’t a flat nose. It just looked as though it had been done by a modern sculptor who worked directly in the stone and had taken off just the shadow of a chip too many.” “Islands in the Stream” is not one of Hemingway’s great novels – but it is a good book and a sad book, about a good man and a sad man. The book is based on real-life experiences. Henry “Mike” Strater was an American painter who spent the 1935 summer
Hemingway engages in a boxing matching with a Biminite.
The first edition of Hemingway’s “Islands in the Stream” was published posthumously in 1970. with Hemingway fishing off the coast of Bimini. While on Bimini, Gerald and Sara Murphy, who were great friends of Hemingway, lost their young son Baoth – an event that Hemingway exaggerated and recounted in his book. Later in the book Hemingway recalls his experience hunting for U-boats on his boat Pilar, which was outfitted with
Hemingway and his sons in Bimini, 1935.
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communications gear provided by the US Embassy in Havana. According to Carlos Baker in his long detailed 1969 biography “Ernest Hemingway: A Life Story”, the threepart novel “Islands in the Stream” grew out of a big book about the sea which originally included “The Old Man and the Sea” as a concluding fourth section. The remaining three sections, after considerable work by Hemingway between December 1950 and the summer of 1951, were ready for publication by the end of August 1951. But he changed his mind. Perhaps he felt he needed to keep the book “in reserve” for a time when writing became more difficult, or perhaps because he thought the book, and his inclusion of his sons’ death scenes, needed further revision. Hemingway’s fiction was always intensely autobiographical. During 1950 and 1951 Hemingway went through severe periods of depression, mood changes and loneliness. Death was constantly on his mind and revealed itself in his writing in this highly personal story. Thomas Hudson’s three sons: Tom by his first wife, and David and Andrew by his second, visit him in the summer and his graphically sensitive prose describes a six-hour ordeal in which his middle son, David, successfully battles a broadbill swordfish (very similar to the encounter in “Old Man and the Sea”) and other happy family times. But Hemingway then ends his Bimini story when he is alone and hears that his two younger sons, David and Andrew, have been killed in a car crash. The abrupt ending doesn’t ring true, although Hemingway’s two real sons, Patrick and Gregory, were actually involved in a similar accident with their mother Pauline Pfeiffer in 1947 but no one was seriously injured. Coming to grips with the situation, Hemingway consoles his main character with the thought that he still has his eldest son “for the time being”. Nevertheless, “he looked straight down the long and perfect perspective of the blankness ahead.” As Carlos Baker observes in his biography, Hemingway’s wildly swinging moods are exposed through Hudson’s character. In the second part of “Islands in the Stream” (about Cuba) Hudson learns that his eldest son, Tom, has also been killed, in the war. Baker thus comments that the logic of the book’s progression then becomes clear: first of all his sons, then he himself, must die. These are
Friday, March 1, 2019
Hemingway on his 38-foot fishing boat Pilar.
Hemingway examines his partially eaten catch.
macabre and ominous premonitions of Hemingway’s state of mind when he eventually took his own life on July 2, 1961 in Ketchum, Idaho by deliberately shooting himself with his favourite shotgun. His writings, particularly in this book, reveal that he seemed to court death wherever he went. In the early 1950s, however, he was not ready to discuss his demons openly – a good reason why he did not allow the book to be published. We do know that Mary Hemingway, his widow, edited the book with Charles Scribner, Jr and that the two editors were in some considerable disagreement about the validity of the excisions and editing. “Thomas Hudson learned that hell was not necessarily as it was described by Dante or any other of the great helldescribers ... It had many circles and they were not fixed as in those of the great Florentine egotist. He had gone aboard the ship early, thinking of it, he now knew, as a refuge from the city where he had feared meeting people who would speak to him about what had happened. He thought that on the ship he could come to some terms with his sorrow, not knowing, yet, that there are no terms to be made with sorrow. It can be cured by death and it can be blunted or anaesthetised by various things. Time is supposed to cure it, too. But if it is cured by anything less than death, the chances are that it was not true sorrow ... One of the things that blunts everything else is drinking and another that can keep the mind away from it is work. Thomas Hudson knew about both these remedies. But he also knew the drinking would destroy the capacity for producing satisfying work and he had built his life on work for so long now that he kept that as the one thing that he must not lose.” “Islands in the Stream” is a beautifully written book about a beautiful island. It is one of Hemingway’s best, but you must be prepared for the worst. It is a very sad book. NEXT WEEK: The rise and fall of one of opera’s brightest stars of all time • Sir Christopher Ondaatje is the author of “The Last Colonial”. He acknowledges that he has quoted liberally from Wikipedia, from “Ernest Hemingway: A Life Story” by Carlos Baker (1969), and from “Islands in the Stream” (1970) by Ernest Hemingway.
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Friday, March 1, 2019
history
The sponge industry Forgotten facts | Paul C Aranha
“S
tark’s History of and Guide to the Bahama Islands – Containing a Description of Everything on or About the Bahama Islands of Which the Visitor or Resident May Desire Information, Including Their History, Inhabitants, Climate, Agriculture, Geology, Government and Resources”... I know it’s a mouthful, but it has been reprinted several times and each version is well worth reading. You can find it on the internet. The 1891 edition has this to say about sponges and sponge fishery: “The principal export of the Bahama Islands are sponges. Fruit, salt, shells, woods...The sponge industry is the most important and, although Bahamian sponges are not considered as valuable as the Mediterranean ones, a ready market can be found for all that can be obtained, a constantly-improving prices. The average prices, for which sponges sell in the local market, are roughly...Sheep’s Wool (best), $1.15 per pound; Velvet, 75 cents; Reef, 65 cents; Glove, 25 cents; Hardhead, 40 cents; Grass, 35 cents; Yellow, 30 cents. These are the prices paid when landed from vessels, before any expenses are incurred for preparing for export. The quantity of each kind, exported in 1890, was... 8,779 pounds; Grass 320,520 pounds; Glove 4,595 pounds; Hardhead 16,027 pounds; Reef 81,128 pounds; Velvet 236,596 pounds; Wool 131,038 pounds; Yellow 69,197 pounds...The total export reached over 900,000 pounds – $300,896. The crop of 1,890 was above average...the most valuable in many years. The quantity shipped to the United in 1890 was 708,000 pounds; to Great Britain 107,000 pounds; to France 50,000 pounds; Holland and Germany 50,000 pounds ($305,000). When offered for sale in the local market, the sponges are either piled up loose, or made into strands of from two to ten sponges each...the buyer, however, is not guided in his purchase by the number of sponges on a string, but by what a certain lot will weigh, and the weight is never given, but the buyer has to estimate it...Sponges are offered
This picture from 1904 gives a good idea of what the Market Wharf looked like when the sponge fleet was in port.
If one stood on Frederick Street and looked toward the harbour, this is what one saw.
Women trimming sponges at the Psilinakis’ Sponge Packing House.
for sale on five days of the week, at the Sponge Exchange (at the foot of Frederick Street)...buyers examine the lots and each man hands in a private tender, in writing, for the lot... awarded
on opening of the tenders, to the highest bidder. Nearly all the sponges sold here are bought by resident agents, who buy for
New York, London and Paris house, shipping the goods to their principals.” • For questions and comments, e-mail islandairman@gmail.com
Excellent: 8 mins Yesterday’s solution: deiTy (across) LiGHT (down)
26 | The Tribune | Weekend
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.
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
CRYPTIC PUZZLE Across 1 It looks like the military is involved (10) 6 The highlight of the Nativity (4) 10 Sailors from Epsom, perhaps (5) 11 It has a back-breaking job keeping down vermin (9) 12 So not out very often (8) 13 Pole taking meat around for sale? (5) 15 To economise is of no avail (7) 17 Became very angry when attacked (7) 19 When knocked out, Webster is spread out (7) 21 Well up in colour (7) 22 Memorial of old priest outwardly Roman Catholic (5) 24 Reason it out with a foreign girl (8) 27 The claims set out by one seeking gold (9) 28 I object to two hundred going to a place of pilgrimage (5) 29 Condiment makes many sick (4) 30 Vocal stall-holders (10)
Down 1 Part of a window dresser’s flamboyant attire (4) 2 Mother dawdles and wastes the doctor’s time (9) 3 See a donkey caught in this (5) 4 The spirit possessed by us produces gossip (7) 5 Appeals emotionally for a loan (7) 7 I go round an Italian city (5) 8 Some steps that have to be suspended (4,6) 9 Stop, don’t switch on again! (5,3) 14 But it doesn’t stretch to music (6,4) 16 Hear case involving listeners’ complaints (8) 18 Growing row over a speaker (9) 20 Inclined to sting, perhaps, as whips may be (7) 21 American politician who could resort to treason (7) 23 Drinking place not far from home (5) 25 About to sum up the brother of Romulus (5) 26 Star makes a comeback in ‘The Renegades’ (4)
Yesterday’s Easy Solution Across: 1 Rifling, 5 Shove, 8 Marco Polo, 9 Sap, 10 Tame, 12 Amundsen, 14 Cellar, 15 Supine, 17 Magellan, 18 Snub, 21 Era, 22 Hudson Bay, 24 Ditto, 25 Tractor. Down: 1 Remit, 2 Fir, 3 Idol, 4 Gloomy, 5 Scornful, 6 Obsession, 7 Expanse, 11 Malignant, 13 Ballyhoo, 14 Commend, 16 Bandit, 19 Buyer, 20 Sofa, 23 Bit.
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Yesterday’s Cryptic Solution Across: 1 Aborted, 5 Theft, 8 Nefarious, 9 Tee, 10 Eats, 12 Repaired, 14 Circus, 15 Solace, 17 Sedition, 18 Inns, 21 Icy, 22 Encounter, 24 Reset, 25 Restore. Down: 1 Annie, 2 Oaf, 3 Tort, 4 Drover, 5 Testator, 6 Entertain, 7 Treadle, 11 Tired eyes, 13 Quotient, 14 Cashier, 16 Boxcar, 19 Spree, 20 Cuts, 23 Too.
EASY PUZZLE
Across 1 Dead end (5,5) 6 Group of three (4) 10 Motionless (5) 11 Spin-off (2-7) 12 Revere (8) 13 Deposit for safekeeping (5) 15 Absence of government (7) 17 Defamatory gossip (7) 19 Colonist (7) 21 To animate (7) 22 Corn (5) 24 Boring menial work (8) 27 Plateau (9) 28 Experiment (5) 29 Profound (4) 30 Naively idealistic (6-4)
Down 1 Luxuriate (4) 2 Travelling around (9) 3 Make detailed research (5) 4 Collection of books (7) 5 Directly stated (7) 7 Habitual series of calls (5) 8 Not functioning properly (2,3,5) 9 Count of those present (4,4) 14 Prescient (3-7) 16 Kitchen strainer (8) 18 Variety (9) 20 Glowing (7) 21 South American country (7) 23 Saunter (5) 25 Brave and determined (5) 26 Ran away (4)
*SP: Spoke – Helpline 0333 202 3390
PLay More Crossword
The Tribune | Weekend | 27
Friday, March 1, 2019
pet of the week
animals
Why losing a dog can be harder than losing a relative or friend (THE CONVERSATION) – Recently, my wife and I went through one of the more excruciating experiences of our lives – the euthanasia of our beloved dog, Murphy. I remember making eye contact with Murphy moments before she took her last breath – she flashed me a look that was an endearing blend of confusion and the reassurance that everyone was ok because we were both by her side. When people who have never had a dog see their dog-owning friends mourn the loss of a pet, they probably think it’s all a bit of an overreaction; after all, it’s “just a dog.” However, those who have loved a dog know the truth: Your own pet is never “just a dog.” Many times, I’ve had friends guiltily confide to me that they grieved more over the loss of a dog than over the loss of friends or relatives. Research has confirmed that for most people, the loss of a dog is, in almost every way, comparable to the loss of a human loved one. Unfortunately, there’s little in our cultural playbook – no grief rituals, no obituary in the local newspaper, no religious service – to help us get through the loss of a pet, which can make us feel more than a bit embarrassed to show too much public grief over our dead dogs. Perhaps if people realised just how strong and intense the bond is between people and their dogs, such grief would become more widely accepted. This would greatly help dog owners to integrate the death into their lives and help them move forward. An interspecies bond like no other What is it about dogs, exactly, that make humans bond so closely with them?
Darling Dion PHOTO/PATRICIA VAZQUEZ
By The Bahamas Humane Society For starters, dogs have had to adapt to living with humans over the past 10,000 years. And they’ve done it very well: They’re the only animal to have evolved specifically to be our companions and friends. Anthropologist Brian Hare has developed the “Domestication Hypothesis” to explain how dogs morphed from their grey wolf ancestors into the socially skilled animals that we now interact with in very much the same way as we interact with other people. Perhaps one reason our relationships with dogs can be even more satisfying than our human relationships is that dogs provide us with such unconditional, uncritical positive feedback. This is no accident. They have been selectively bred through generations to pay attention to people, and MRI scans show that dog brains respond to praise from their owners just as strongly as they do to food (and for some dogs, praise is an even more effective incentive than food). Dogs recognise people and can learn to interpret human emotional states from facial expression alone. Scientific studies also indicate that dogs can understand human intentions, try to help their owners and even avoid people who don’t cooperate with their owners or treat them well. Not surprisingly, humans respond positively to such unqualified affection, assistance and loyalty. Just looking at dogs can make people smile. Dog owners score higher on measures of well-being and they are happier, on average, than people who own cats or no pets at all. Like a member of the family Our strong attachment to dogs was subtly revealed in a recent study of “misnaming.” Misnaming happens
when you call someone by the wrong name, like when parents mistakenly call one of their kids by a sibling’s name. It turns out that the name of the family dog also gets confused with human family members, indicating that the dog’s name is being pulled from the same cognitive pool that contains other members of the family. (Curiously, the same thing rarely happens with cat names.) It’s no wonder dog owners miss them so much when they’re gone. Psychologist Julie Axelrod has pointed out that the loss of a dog is so painful because owners aren’t just losing the pet. It could mean the loss of a source of unconditional love, a primary companion who provides security and comfort, and maybe even a protégé that’s been mentored like a child. The loss of a dog can also seriously disrupt an owner’s daily routine more profoundly than the loss of most friends and relatives. For owners, their daily schedules – even their vacation plans – can revolve around the needs of their pets. Changes in lifestyle and routine are some of the primary sources of stress. According to a recent survey, many bereaved pet owners will even mistakenly interpret ambiguous sights and sounds as the movements, pants and whimpers of the deceased pet. This is most likely to happen shortly after the death of the pet, especially among owners who had very high levels of attachment to their pets. While the death of a dog is horrible, dog owners have become so accustomed to the reassuring and nonjudgmental presence of their canine companions that, more often than not, they’ll eventually get a new one.
T
he lovely Dion is a girl in spite of her somewhat masculine sounding name. This threemonth-old is one of the many cats and kittens available for adoption at the Bahamas Humane Society. Dion is friendly and outgoing but loves to have quiet time as well. She wouldn’t mind curling up with you while you read your favourite book or watch your favourite show, but she also has a playful side that she’s sure you’ll also enjoy! Dion says she’d be happy to have you come meet her during adoption hours. She and the other kittens will be happy to check you out (and maybe they’ll convince you to adopt two!). Adoption hours are 11am to 4pm, Monday to Friday, and 10am to 4pm on Saturday, or you can call 3235138 for more information. Dion looks forward to meeting you. • Looking for another to way to help? The BHS will have a table at the BKC Dog Show on March 17 and 18 at Collins House, 9am to 2pm, and are looking for some assistants on the Saturday. If you are able to help, please contact Percy Grant at 323-5138. There will also be some fun classes both days for your dog to enter. Stay tuned for more information.
So yes, I miss my dog. But I’m sure that I’ll be putting myself through this ordeal again in the years to come. • This article is republished from The Conversation, an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts. Read the original article at http://theconversation.com. Frank T McAndrew Knox College
28 | The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, March 1, 2019
music
Queen’s College wins The Music Project for the second time By FELICITY INGRAHAM
Q
Queen’s College wins The Music Project 2019
St George’s High School wins second place and takes home $3,000
PHOTOS/TERREL W CAREY
ueen’s College beat out 10 other schools from five islands to win the third annual high school pop band competition The Music Project (TMP). All band members of QC’s Thrive 2 XL band will receive an all-expenses paid trip to the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts this summer for a training camp that will help them hone their skills. This is the second year that QC has won the top prize. Mentor Dion Turnquest guided the participating kids through their three performances. Each band had to perform a cover song, a Bahamian song and an original song written and composed by the students themselves. QC chose Bruno Mars’ “Uptown Funk”, KB’s “Toters”, and also performed their original song “Big Dreams”. The competition was held last Saturday. During eight hours of rigorous competition, local and international judges deliberated, while also providing useful advice to the participants. Judges for the third annual competition were not the same judges from the previous two years; they were comprised of both international and local judges with extensive industry experience who were independent of TMP’s board or participating schools. St George’s High School’s Jags pop band of Freeport took home the second place prize, along with $3,000 for the band. Jags performed a crowdpleasing Earth Wind & Fire rendition of “September”, followed by Sweet Emily’s “Bring Back the Good Ole’ Days”, and their original composition “You Gotta Believe”.
Government High School wins third place and takes home $2,000
Meanwhile, the Government High School’s Magic Ivy pop band took home the third place prize: $2,000. The group was mentored by Obie Pindling, who guided them through
their selections, including Bruno Mars’ “Just the Way You Are”, rake n’ scrape style. RM Bailey’s “Elevation” pop band was the Social Media Award winner. They were mentored by
Nehemiah Hield and Lady E, and they enjoyed crowd participation when they performed D Mac’s “Dog Don’t Bark at Parked Car”. There was no cost to the students for the competition. Family Island students were provided with airfare, accommodations, meals, transportation and other essentials, all for free. In between school band performances, the audience enjoyed performances from groups such as the University of the Bahamas’ Elite dance troop, Rhythmic Hands, and TMP’s founder Drew Harmony. During his performance, Drew told the crowd that when he was in high school he didn’t have an outlet to express his love and passion for music in the way he wanted. So he developed a vision to create TMP for the kids. He said through the sponsorship of Zamar Productions, students were exposed to a world-class stage with a full set-up of lighting and audio. Hosted by Bodine and K Darren Turnquest, TMP successfully held a mini concert featuring some of the country’s best performers, including Ira Storr and the Spank Band, Lady E, D Mac, Dyson Knight, Ricardo Clarke, Nehemiah Hield, Avvy and more; all of whom are mentors for TMP. TMP aims to provide a vehicle that rebuilds the local entertainment scene by discovering upcoming bands and exposing young musicians to all aspects of the industry. Prior to the final event, competitors took part in training sessions where they were given tips and encouragement from some of the best in the industry.