Friday, March 27, 2020
photography books film fashion puzzles food drinks animals
Weekend
VIRTUAL NIGHTLIFE Page 11
Mix, no mingle
Easy cocktail recipes to learn while quarantined page 13
02 | The Tribune | Weekend
PHOTOGRAPHY
BUTTERFLIES (FLUTTERBIES)
B
eauty is all around us in the Bahamas, on land and in the sea. But many of us are too busy with everyday life to pause and really see and enjoy the astonishing sights that surround us. Veteran photographer ROLAND ROSE captures both the ordinary and extraordinary and puts it in frame for us so we can see our environment in a new light. PHOTOGRAPHY of live butterflies is one of the most difficult and time-consuming things you can choose to do. Fleet of foot and super fast focusing will get you an amazing image, at least sometimes.
Plan to spend many hours waiting but it is worth it!
Friday, March 27, 2020
The Tribune | Weekend | 03
Friday, March 27, 2020
Inside Weekend 2 Photography Roland Rose turns his lens on butterflies
4-5 Interview Singing star Solo To Da Google in profile
7 Food Easy recipes for the whole family
8 Food Mobile food businesses keep the show on the road
10 Gardening Which plants need water and which don’t?
11 Entertainment Locked in? DJ Ovadose brings the virtual party to you
12 Entertainment Dua Lipa drops new album
13 Drinks Cocktails for the quarantine
14-15 Fashion What Bahamian brides are wearing this season
16 Film Uncorked brings a fresh taste to wine films
17 Books New releases hit the shelves
18 Books Logos Hope’s visit to Nassau now uncertain
19 Entertainment Top 10 Netflix shows in The Bahamas
20 Literary Lives Matisse in Morocco part two
23 Books Woody Allen releases his memoir
24-25 History Duncan Town and Ragged Island
26 Puzzles 27 Animals Mother Nature rests
28 Environment Teamwork to clean up Montagu foreshore
My perfect Bahamian quarantine Tiffany Grant Writer Q: What items are you stocking up on? “I have to stock up on some fruits and vegetables so that I can remain healthy during this pandemic. But my guilty pleasure would be to stock up on some ice cream. You scream, I scream, we all scream for ice cream.”
Q: What shows or movies will you be binge-watching? “I would want to binge-watch this season of ‘The Real’ daytime talk show. Those girls are my best friends (in my head), especially Loni.”
Q: If you could choose to be quarantined with a celebrity, who would it be? “Idris Elba. Need I say more?”
Q: What do you miss most having to practice social distancing?
This weekend in history March 27 • In 1513, Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon sighted present-day Florida. • In 1968, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, the first man to orbit the Earth in 1961, died when his MiG-15 jet crashed during a routine training flight near Moscow; he was 34. • In 1977, in aviation’s worst disaster, 583 people were killed when a KLM Boeing 747, attempting to take off in heavy fog, crashed into a Pan Am 747 on an airport runway on the Canary Island of Tenerife. Today’s birthdays: Movie director Quentin Tarantino is 57. Singer
“I miss going out and socialising in general. I am a people person and I like hanging out with my friends.”
Q: If you had to be stuck somewhere other than your house, where would it be? “Mmm, this is hard. I maybe would like to be stuck in Halifax, Canada, so when the quarantine is done I could spend time with my friends up north.”
Mariah Carey is 50. Actor Nathan Fillion is 49. Hip-hop singer Fergie is 45. Actress/R&B singer Halle Bailey is 20.
March 28 • In 1930, the names of the Turkish cities of Constantinople and Angora were changed to Istanbul and Ankara. • In 1963, the Alfred Hitchcock film “The Birds” premiered in New York. • In 1987, Maria von Trapp, whose life story inspired the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical “The Sound of Music,” died in Morrisville, Vermont, at age 82. Today’s birthdays: Country singer Reba McEntire is 65. Rapper Salt (Cheryl James; Salt-NPepa) is 54. Movie director Brett Ratner is 51. Actress Julia Stiles is 39. Singer Lady Gaga is 34.
March 29 • In 1638, Swedish colonists
settled in present-day Delaware. • In 1912, British explorer Robert Falcon Scott, with his doomed expedition stranded in an Antarctic blizzard after failing to be the first to reach the South Pole, wrote the last words of his journal: “For Gods sake look after our people.” • In 1973, the last United States combat troops left South Vietnam, ending America’s direct military involvement in the Vietnam War. Today’s birthdays: Former British Prime Minister Sir John Major is 77. Comedian Eric Idle is 77. Basketball Hall of Famer Walt Frazier is 75. Actor Brendan Gleeson is 65. Pro and College Football Hall of Famer Earl Campbell is 65. Actress Marina Sirtis (“Star Trek: TNG”) is 65. Actor Christopher Lambert is 63. Actress Lucy Lawless (“Xena”) is 52.
The Associated Press
04 | The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, March 27, 2020
INTERVIEW
No matter how dire things may get, Bahamians can always rely on this entertainer to make them laugh. A local social media sensation, Solo tells Cara Hunt how he deals with social ills and catastrophes thanks to his comedic songwriting skills.
Solo To Da GooGal
I
f it’s a hot issue trending on social media at 9am then you can bet that Bahamian gospel artist Solo To Da Google – real name Jowelle Dill - will have a song about it going viral by about 9:05am. The singer has delighted Bahamians with his humorous social commentary songs covering topics like“losers” taking trips to Miami but “winners” going to Florida (remember Boss Lady Florida?); the Prime Minister being concerned about the Saxons winning Junkanoo rather than a national strike, or BPL’s Summer power distribution woes. And while the 9am-9:05am time frame may be an exaggeration, Solo says he can definitely write, record and release his songs in under 3 hours. “I can’t really tell you how I do it,” he told Tribune Weekend. “It’s a gift, and you can’t really explain a gift, you have to just present a gift.” His songs are definitely the gift that keeps on giving. Solo began his singing career after his faith lead him to make gospel music back in 2004. “I started around the era with artists like Manifest and Landlord, Selecta and Christian Massive. I really became a gospel artist because of my deep faith and a belief that I could send positive messages out to the world,” he said.
“My songs are really not just about praising God, but also about real life issues, things that are happening every day that people are going through, and then I would show them how to infuse something inspirational in those things. So in a way, I was already doing social commentary with my gospel music. However, Solo really started defining his brand of music thanks to a bet he made with a fellow gospel artist. “I remember a few years ago they changed the bridge toll from $1 to $2 and everyone was talking about it. My good friend Vanessa Clarke challenged me to write a song about it. “So I was like, let me see what I can do with this. I think I started writing the lyrics around 3am and by 7am when people would have woken up, I had the song already out there. It went viral and I’ve been going ever since,” he said Once he has the right material, songwriting is something that comes easy to him. “The songs really aren’t that difficult to write. Once I hear the issue it usually comes to me very quickly what I want to say and then I just go to the computer and write it all down and then record it.” He was initially surprised by how well his songs were received, but now he knows he has a fan base, he doesn’t want to disappoint.
The Tribune | Weekend |05
Friday, March 27, 2020
“It’s almost expected that if it’s a big issue that I will make a recording,” he said. While all of his songs have been hits, if he had to pick three that people enjoyed the most, he said it would have to be that first “Bridge Toll” recording, a song he wrote about constant load shedding called “I Tired”, and the song “Hurricane Irma” which he wrote about the Category 5 hurricane which slammed into the southern Bahamas in 2017. “That song encourages preparation before a storm to buy groceries, get ice, gas and other essential items and prepare personal property. It was viral not just in the Bahamas, but also in the Caribbean and was also played on radio stations in Florida as well,” he said. “In fact, the song was listed as one of the top ten Caribbean Hurricane songs in an article on the largeup.com website called ‘Hurricane Sound: Storm-Inspired Songs from Jamaica and the Caribbean’.” The article stated: “As of this moment, Solo To Da Google has less than 50 followers on his SoundCloud and YouTube pages, but we predict a major surge ahead for this Bahamian artist now that he’s been able to attach his name to his work. It took us a number of Google searches before we were able to find a name to go with the song, but after some fact checking we can confirm that it is indeed his. Word has it that this song has been playing non-stop on the radio in the Bahamas for over a week.” The article was right in its prediction; Solo became a social media legend in the Bahamas. Three years on, as Bahamians deal with the frustrations and challenges of a 24-hour curfew and social distancing due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Solo says he wants to give people a few minutes of laughter during these challenging times. He has already released coronavirus material; talking about people flocking to the beaches during the curfew which led to Prime Minister Dr Hubert imposing the mandatory 24-hour curfew, and the fact that liquor stores must remain closed. “I will definitely be releasing new songs; there is so much material to work with now,” he said.
The artist is also encouraging Bahamians to remain strong and diligent during this time. “The first thing I will tell you is cast your cares on the most high. This will be a time of stress for most people; a lot of people may soon begin to run out of money and you need your belief to sustain you. “Also, people need to pool their resources and reunite with each other. This is a time when we have to share our strengths, so that when you are feeling down, someone can lift you up. It is also a time when you may have to just ask for what you need when you need it and be wiling to admit that, yes, you need help. And people have to be willing to help each other.” He said people need to stick together even as they practice social distancing and follow the premise of being their brother’s keeper. Looking forward to when life returns to normal, Solo said he is planning his next two albums – one of gospel music and a compilation album of the best of his social commentary songs. He is also considering making music videos for some of those songs.
“I can’t really tell you how I do it. It’s a gift, and you can’t really explain a gift, you have to just present a gift.”
06 | The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, March 27, 2020
The Tribune | Weekend | 07
Friday, March 27, 2020
FOOD
Easy recipes for the whole family
BLT Pasta Salad with Avocado Honey Mustard Mousse LUNCH Box Turkey and Ham Skewers
By CARA HUNT Tribune Features Writer cbrennen@tribunemedia.net
P
arents forced to stay home with their children have the mammoth task of keeping them busy throughout the day as they complete school work with them, play in the yard, and come up with fun activities to keep their minds off the mandatory 24-hour curfew. Add to that the pressure of having to prepare breakfast, lunch and dinner, and parents may begin to feel more than just a little overwhelmed. But Diann Watson - known as Chef D’Vine - says mealtimes can also be fun times, with the whole family pitching in to create simple, delicious and nutritious dishes. This week, the chef suggested two options, which she hopes, can brighten up your days in isolation. The first meal is a non-cooked lunch that can be made by even the youngest members of the family Lunch Box Turkey and Ham Skewers Prep time: 10 mins Total time: 15 mins Ingredients: 3 slices smoked ham 3 slices smoked turkey 1 cup cubed watermelon 1 cup cubed apples 1 cup cubed pineapple 1/2 cup blueberries
4 oz cubed jack cheese Instructions: 1. Gather your skewers 2. Cut ham and turkey slices into one-inch strips. Fold accordion-style and slide onto the wooden skewers. Alternate and add cheese cubes. 3. Keep cold until ready to eat. Chef D’Vine said this is a light but nutritious lunch for kids at home during this time. “I substitute veggies with fruits, because most kids aren’t into onions, bell peppers et cetera, but if you are a family with kids that love their vegetables, then by all means throw them in and create a great lunch box skewer.” Her second meal suggestion is a healthy pasta salad dish perfect for families to enjoy outside on their patio or sitting in front of the TV as they enjoy a family movie.
BLT Pasta Salad with Avocado Honey Mustard Mousse Prep time: 15 min Cook time: 20 min Ingredients: 1 package of pasta bows 4 cooked crispy bacon rashers cut in pieces 2 cups spinach, chopped 6 cherry tomatoes, halved 1/4 of a medium size avocado 3 tablespoons honey mustard 1/2 cup olive oil, salt, pepper 5 cilantro leaves 1 garlic glove, grated Avocado honey mustard mousse: In a blender, place avocado slices, honey mustard, salt pepper and blend until smooth in texture.
glove. Place a colander in the sink and drain pasta to cool quickly. Mix in the bacon, spinach, tomatoes, avocado mousse and season to taste and serve. “This BLT pasta salad is ideal for kids nine to 12 years, but don’t think you have to limit it to just the kiddies. The entire family can enjoy this salad; adding your own personal touch to this would make for a fantastic side dish also,” she said. “Allow the kids to practice, (let) their culinary genius within out now that they are home due to the impact we are all experiencing because of the coronavirus.”
Instructions: Cook pasta following package instructions, add a TP of olive oil to the boiling water and grated garlic
• Diann Watson is a certified catering and personal chef. You can visit her Facebook page: Chef D’vine.
08 | The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, March 27, 2020
FOOD
The show must go on Mobile food trucks up delivery services By ALESHA CADET
| Tribune Features writer | acadet@tribunemedia.net
L
OCAL food vendors are refusing to be discouraged by the current COVID-19 pandemic and have decided to switch things up by increasing their delivery services, keeping in line with the social distancing rules. Chef Evita Carey, owner of Lioness Sushi On The Go, said she would normally prepare her food truck to be set up on Arawak Cay on Saturdays and Sundays, but instead she is now leaning more to delivery services. “Until things calm down I am considering just offering the delivery services on Thursday and Fridays. I noticed this is also a concern for some people. For example, I’d normally start receiving orders on Mondays, and I haven’t seen anyone reaching out. The business is almost at a zero because everyone is afraid to eat out because they feel as though all people may be infected with the virus. So of course this is impacting our businesses...and my location in particular, it being at Arawak Cay,” she told Tribune Weekend. Since launching her business last year, her food truck has been creating a higher demand for sushi at Nassau’s Fish Fry, but that is a no-go for the time being. “One of the things we rely on are the tourist clients from the cruise lines, but the fact that Downtown is at a standstill, the foot traffic at Arawak Cay is affected, and locals not willing to come out.” Chef Carey said she is taking this time to research what restaurant owners in the United States are doing to keep their businesses afloat.
“We thank those of you are still coming to support us and we want persons to feel confident in knowing we are going to do our best to always produce a quality product. And if there is a time we feel we are unable to do this, we will definitely close our doors before putting any of our customers at risk.” “So far I have noticed that a lot of restaurants are completely eliminating their dining service. So they are pushing take-out, which is now what I am doing. This is the only thing you really can do, and when you go to deliver you just take precautionary measures that were suggested such as the distance, sanitation and so forth. I am keeping a positive attitude... we don’t want persons to feel as though it’s not safe to eat out. We will still be operating and we are encouraging persons to still support us because we are a
small Bahamian business, and with hotels already closing, imagine the small man’s situation,” she said, “We thank those of you are still coming to support us and we want persons to feel confident in knowing we are going to do our best to always produce a quality product. And if there is a time we feel we are unable to do this, we will definitely close our doors before putting any of our customers at risk.” Like Chef Carey,Fiesha Johnson of the pasta pop-up spot Saige Nassau is also limiting her appearances, and leaning more towards delivery.
The Tribune | Weekend | 09
Friday, March 27, 2020
“What I have been doing before the spread of the virus was limiting our pop-ups to just taking part in a farmer’s market once a week for a few hours. Now that the use of public spaces is being discouraged, we just wouldn’t have a pop-up. I don’t feel a direct impact on my business because most of our events really kick off in late June and early July. But if this were to be the new normal, I think some of the things that would have to be looked into is the increase of screening for employees regarding health certificates and so forth. As opposed to having it done once a year, it would have to be done more often and frequently,” said Fiesha. Brandon Kemp of the Tin Ferl group empathizes with those mobile food vendors who are taking losses during this time. His team, together with a group of other food vendors, usually hosts a pop-up park on the Dundas grounds on Mackey Street. Since last week, they have had to adapt and now offer drive-through options to their customers. “A lot of the vendors whose jobs told them to not come into work have been able to come out here every day. So we are seeing numbers in
pick-up services increasing. We are trying to encourage people to still support the vendors as much as they can. We have a drive-through option where persons are free to text us in advance and pick
up their food without having to come out of their vehicles. We’re trying to make it work, because virus or not, people still have to eat. So we are not completely giving up on our industry,” said Mr Kemp.
These vendors at the Dundas include The New Duff, Mojito Duchess, The Traveller’s Kabob, Vell Monkey Foot, Black Pearl, Junior’s Jerk Pit, and others. Mr Kemp said they have already started partnering with an app called Kraven, and have seen a big increase in deliveries through this app. “Things like that are really going to be increasing over the next three weeks at least, as people are getting more worried to leave their house. Everyone is making sure their
businesses are corona safe, and Kraven is doing the same thing. The drivers are wearing gloves and taking the proper precautions. Tin Ferl, we have group chat, and we just talk back and forth in the group chat to offer encouragement during this time and send each other jokes every now and then. We can’t really meet or anything so we are relying on our digital platform. There is about 100 of us in there. We are strategising,” said Mr Kemp.
10 | The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, March 27, 2020
GARDENING
Plants and water:
Some want it and some don't! By D ADAM BOORMAN
T
he second thing that I think about when I think about spending 20 minutes in the garden after scouting for weeds and pests, is watering. ‘Am I watering enough? Am I watering too much?’ Sometimes it can be tough to tell by looking at the leaves alone. The leaves of a plant show us a result of what is happening below the soil line, but sometimes a plant that is wilting can be mistaken for a plant that needs water, but yet that same plant might be drowning. The number one reason that plants wither away and die, whether they’re in pots inside the house, outside on a deck or patio, or in the ground in the garden, DAMAGE on a guava tree leaf is over-watering. due to under-watering vs a The number two reason that plants healthy plant die is under-watering. This remains true for us at our nursery (and we’ve been in the nursery business for 45 years), and this remains true for nine out of ten of our customers that come in to find out what they may not be doing quite right. You might think that we might have “learned better” by now, but in all we’re trying to grow. Some seriousness, most plants are killed by plants (impatiens, spathipinconsistent watering, with that inconhyllum) like a medium with sistency creating conditions that are very high-moisture holding either too wet, or too dry. The majority capacity. Other plants (bouof plants inside or outside, both thrive gainvillea, succulents) like a better when they are allowed to get a bit fast draining, low-moisture dry in between watering, rather than if holding planting medium. they stay too wet. Be sure to do your research The first thing for giving your plants and/or ask your favourite the best amount of available water is garden centre which planting to use the correct planting or potting and potting media are right media, or in other words, it’s all about for the plants that you keep. having the right soil. Many landscape Different planting media will plants are happy in a sandy, dry, native have a direct affect on the soil. With so many choices of plant amount of watering needed. material available in our highly interSoil science is a vast and connected world, many widely used precise science that we can plants (non-native “exotics”) need that barely begin to touch on native soil to be amended by adding here. materials to the native soil in the form Some other factors that of composts, planting mixes, nutrients, affect the amount of water mulches, and so on. The result is a more needed are temperature, conducive root space for the plants length (duration) and
intensity of daylight, competition from other plants (proximity and space between), soil composition (what materials are in the ground or pot), and location (facing south or north, for example). Deciding which plant to use depends upon all of these factors, but the overall health and success of the planting is highly dependent upon them getting the right amount of watering, be it through paying them lots of attention, or none at all, when we have a hose or watering can in our hands, or when we go to choose our sprinkler heads or to set our irrigation timers! Check the roots, many answers lay below the soil line.
BOUGAINVILLEA
- D Adam Boorman is the nursery manager at the Fox Hill Nursery
The Tribune | Weekend |11
Friday, March 27, 2020
entertainment
Virtual nightlife DJ Ovadose brings the party to you By ALESHA CADET | Tribune Features writer acadet@tribunemedia.net
U
sually, on a Friday night, many Bahamians would find themselves out on the town, be it for a gettogether with friends, a happy hour party, a quiet dinner, or even a night of clubbing. However, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has changed all that. We’re all stuck in our homes as we adhere to curfews and practice social distancing to help stem the spread of the virus. Many are thinking of creative ways to keep themselves entertained. And while you can never go wrong with a good Netflix binge or a family game night, new and inventive avenues of entertainment are also opening up daily. All over the world entertainers are using technology to their advantage while isolated in the comfort of their own homes. Let’s take for example our local deejay, Ovadose the DJ, who has brought together 1.2 million followers for his live ‘OvadoseRadio’ stream on Mixlr. As the curfew began at 9pm on Friday, March 20, so did this deejay’s ‘Curfew Pop Up Party’. With all the overwhelming feedback and positive
responses he received, Ovadose decided to get a little creative on Saturday night, coming up with a theme for the party: Pyjama Night. Online viewers and listeners were encouraged to dress as comfortable as possible during the party. And if that wasn’t enough, this past Sunday, with new listeners eager to find out what else he had in store for them, Ovadose offered a praise and worship segment via his live feed. He said on his Instagram page: “Thank you for the 12,000 plus listeners earlier today at 11am for the praise and worship segment of OvadoseRadio. It was truly a blessing and brought tears to my eyes as we connected the world. Every night since Friday I’ve been online, 9pm to 12am, playing all sorts of genres. And to see everyone come together for an hour and a half, just to give God thanks and praise as a nation, as a world, was phenomenal and breathtaking. Unity and not division is what I am pushing all 2020.” One viewer, Stephanie Simmons, said she and her group of friends tuned into the Saturday night live stream. “We heard about the Friday night live, but missed it, so we all prepared to tune in the following night. I had my
DJ Ovadose gets comfy for online pyjama party wine, they had their glasses of wine, and we were all on a FaceTime call while one of us played the live stream in the background. That was our girl’s night out and it was fun. It was a first and I can tell you it was not so bad. No one had to worry about a designated driver or safety as we were all at home,” she said. In an interview with Tribune Weekend, DJ Ovadose said he was inspired to host these online parties and other events after his shows were either postponed or cancelled, both locally and internationally. “I wanted to take on nightlife in a virtual way and bring that to life for people that feel like they are missing out on leaving their houses. You can now have that same kind of feeling inside of your house without even leaving it,” he said. “The Sunday morning church service theme was amazing and I couldn’t believe we had over 12,000 people up at 11am in the morning. There were a lot of people writing to me, just sharing their testimonies and ‘thank yous’ for the motivation; ‘thank you for keeping them sane in this moment’, and it was just overwhelming.” He enjoys making people happy during this challenging time, which is why he has dedicated himself to hosting the ‘Curfew Pop Up’ for 11 nights straight, from 9pm to 12 am. “It is just a fun feeling and I am having so much fun doing it. I have
put my all into it; I am sweating, my back hurts at the end of it, and my voice is gone. I am putting 100percent into it as if I am out at an event. It is so much love I am receiving; people are always so thankful and grateful to have someone give their talent at a time like this for free. It is a real stress reliever. Every night is going to be different, and I normally come up with the themes and the genre of music by midday during the day. I get feedback from a lot of people on their opinions, and how they feel, and we do a lot of giveaways as well with sponsors and from companies,” said DJ Ovadose. When asked if this is somethinghe may continue to do even after the curfew is lifted, the young entertainer said: “A lot of persons have been asking me that, and I don’t really want to speak on it because I am not sure. But I want people to stay tuned because it could be something that could be really big. I am toying with the idea right now. I just want people to stay tuned, keep themselves clean and continue to practice social distancing. That is important and I preach that every single night; just stay indoors.” For all those interested in keeping up with Ovadose, follow his social media handles at ovadosethedj on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook; Snapchat at djovadose242, and e-mail him at ovadosethedj@gmail.com.
12 | The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, March 27, 2020
entertainment
New Dua Lipa, 'Just Mercy' among streaming options this week NEW YORK (AP) — Yes, the coronavirus pandemic has cancelled concert tours, shut down movie theatres and closed down some bookstores, but there’s still plenty to listen to, watch and read while self-distancing. This week’s releases include new albums from Pearl Jam and Dua Lipa, several worthwhile films available for rent, and a new novel that tells a story of isolation set against the backdrop of another crisis. There are also some older offerings, from a classic Marilyn Monroe film to one of Scarlett Johansson’s early films to a searing look at the OJ Simpson murder trial, all headed to TV or streaming device near you. Here’s a collection curated by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists of what’s arriving on TV, streaming services, music and book platforms this week. MOVIES A few movies arrive to videoon-demand slightly early this week, including the Harley Quinn spinoff “Birds of Prey” and “The Way Back,” a sports redemption tale about alcoholism featuring a deeply felt performance by Ben Affleck. But don’t overlook the sturdy legal thriller “Just Mercy,” available to rent Tuesday, with Michael B Jordan and Jamie Foxx. Adapted from the memoir by civil rights attorney Bryan Stevenson, the film by director Destin Daniel Cretton (“Short Term 12”) is about the Harvard-trained lawyer’s efforts in a small Alabama town to defend deathrow inmates. While it doesn’t break much new ground, “Just Mercy” finds plenty of power in its understated tone and affecting performances.
“Star Trek: Picard” concludes its first year on Amazon Prime.
DUA Lipa’s album”Future Nostalgia” is being released today.
- AP Music Editor Mesfin Fekadu
“Birds of Prey” is available on video-on-demand this week.
-AP Film Writer Jake Coyle MUSIC •Dua Lipa, “Future Nostalgia”: While most musicians have scraped concert plans and changed album release dates due to the rapidly spreading coronavirus, Dua Lipa has moved up the date to her anticipated
The Australian pop-rockers did the unthinkable when their last album debuted at No. 1 on the pop charts, besting Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s surprise collaborative release. 5SOS return with their fourth album this week, continuing to showcase a more mature side to the foursome that debuted on the music scene six years ago barely old enough to drink alcohol in the States. Frequent Post Malone collaborator Louis Bell and hitmaker Andrew Watt – who recently tested positive for the coronavirus – team back up with 5SOS on the new album, which also features songwriting and production work from Ryan Tedder, Charlie Puth and Ali Tamposi.
sophomore project. Originally due to be released April 3, “Future Nostalgia” is now coming out Friday. It’s the follow-up to Lipa’s 2017 self-titled debut, which is the most streamed album by a female artist in Spotify history and helped the British singer win two Grammy Awards last year, including
best new artist. “Future Nostalgia” is already off to a powerful start with the hit “Don’t Start Now,” which has reached the No 2 spot on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart. •5 Seconds of Summer, “CALM”:
TELEVISION • “Star Trek: Picard,” which heralded Patrick Stewart’s return as the stalwart retired Starfleet admiral and former captain, concludes its first year on CBS All Access on Thursday, with the season finale “Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 2” released at 3am EDT. A sophomore year already is promised. - AP Television Writer Lynn Elber
The Tribune | Weekend | 13
Friday, March 27, 2020
DRINKS
COCKTAILS FOR THE QUARANTINE By JEFFARAH GIBSON | Tribune Features Writer jgibson@tribunemedia.net
A
s soon as the local quarantine and curfew was announced in response to the current COVID19 pandemic, Bahamians flocked to liquor stores to make lastminute purchases, ensuring that if they were to be confined to their homes for a longer period of time their bars would at least be fully stocked. “Considering that we are unable to pop into our neighbourhood 700 Wines & Spirits store, favourite watering hole or local sporting lounge at this time, most persons decided to stock up on their fave alcohol brands,” said Waylon McHardy, senior beers brand manager at Commonwealth Brewery. But almost everything being shut down right now doesn’t mean the fun has to stop. With a fully stocked home bar people can easily whip up some funcocktails. “While we know that a refreshing cocktail, beer or glass of wine can help to alleviate the stress of an already overwhelming situation, we must reinforce that Kalik and CBL encourages you to drink responsibly at all times,” said Mr McHardy. And since drinking responsibly also means factoring in all the regulations set by the government and local health officials – no gatherings, no parties – Bahamians must resort to having fun practically on their own. Mia Marshall, a brand manager at CBL said having fun can mean working on and flexing your bartending skills while at home. “We all enjoy a good cocktail and often are unable to re-create our favourites at home. Now is as good a time as any to hone those skills that can be enjoyed by oneself or shared with others. It can also be a fun way to be entertained and to be creative,” she told Tribune Weekend. “Honestly, at home bartending can be pretty simple. Good quality liquor, or whatever is your favourite, a bit of ice and a few simple mixers can
produce restaurant quality cocktails if done right.” And when it comes to the equipment, the only things really required needed are “a shaker, jigger, lime, a good spirit and a good mixer,” said Ms Marshall. One possible mixer could be from Kalik’s Radler line that recently introduced a new guava flavour. Here are some easy cocktail recipes from CBL that you can whip up while quarantined: STOLI ‘SKINNY LADY’ 2 parts Stoli Vodka 4 parts of club soda Garnish of choice Directions: Pour ingredients into a highball glass over plenty of cubed ice and stir to suit your mood; pick your choice of a Stoli Vodka base (premium or flavoured) and a selection of garnish like lemons, limes or olives. THE HENNESSY BERRY 1 ½ parts of Hennessy 6 mint leaves 1 spoon brown sugar ½ part of raspberry juice 4 slices of raspberry ¼ part of fresh lime juice ¼ part of ginger ale Directions: Place all ingredients except the ginger ale in a shaker, fill shaker halfway with crushed ice. Shake vigorously for 10 seconds. Empty contents of shaker, including ice, into highball glass. Top the glass with more crushed ice, pour in the ginger ale, stir gently with a bar spoon. Garnish with two raspberries. CAMPARI ORANGE PASSION 1 part Campari 2 slices of orange 1 teaspoon brown sugar 3 parts light orange juice
1 red cherry Some crushed ice Directions: Prepare the drink in a tall glass. Place orange and brown sugar in the glass and crush to a pulp. Add crushed ice. Add the Campari and orange juice, and gently stir. Garnish with a red cherry. JOSE CUERVO SHOWTIME MARGARITA BOWL 2 cups ice
½ cup strawberry puree 1 cup Cuervo Especial Silver 2 limes, juiced Splash of Triple Sec Agave syrup to taste Lime wedges Directions: Combine ice, strawberry puree, Cuervo, lime juice, Triple Sec in blender. Puree until smooth. Sweeten to taste with agave syrup. Pour into glasses, garnish with lime wedge.
14 | The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, March 27, 2020
The Tribune | Weekend | 15
Friday, March 27, 2020
fashion
What Bahamian brides are wearing this season
CHAPEL length trains and lace are top trends (Design by Lillian West)
MEN stepping out in colour (Avanti wine plaid tuxedo)
Shorter trains, more bling and fashion-forward grooms By JEFFARAH GIBSON
T
THE MORE daring bride is not afraid to blush (Design by Pronovias Privee)
| Tribune Features Writer | jgibson@tribunemedia.net
he 32nd annual Bahamas Bridal Show may have been postponed because to the coronavirus pandemic, but that isn’t stopping wedding attire expert Makeva Wallace from sharing the latest trends with Bahamians. Having been in the bridal attire and formal wear industry for 21 years, Makeva as seen trends come full circle, at least twice. “But for every time they do, they modernise the styles,” she told Tribune Weekend. And coming full circle is exactly what some trends are doing this wedding season. As a member of the Buttons Bridal & Formal Wear team, she has been a coordinator for the store’s popular Bahamas Bridal Show over the last two decades. “With the start of every new wedding season come new wedding trends. But every bride and groom, especially the millennials, don’t follow trends; their wedding and attire is based on the couple’s style and personality,” she shared. For the 2020 wedding season, Makeva said, expect to see a lot of earth tones. “For those who do like to follow trends, there’s a lot of colours and styles to choose from,” she said.
THE 2020 poster couple are Donae Miller and Dominic Duncombe who got married on June 15, 2019. (Photo by Braxton Gardiner Photography)
“Much to my surprise, the Bahamian bride still loves the traditional white dress. Eighty percent of brides still wear white or a close shade like diamond white, offwhite, eggshell or ivory.”
Though brides around the world have become more open to non-traditional wedding dress colours, Makeva said many Bahamian brides still prefer the whites, off-whites, and creams. “Much to my surprise, the Bahamian bride still loves the traditional white dress. Eighty percent of brides still wear white or a close shade like diamond white, offwhite, eggshell or ivory. It’s what they do to these dresses that amazes me. Lace and lots of bling are very popular,” she said. “Now in this industry, when you add more of one thing, you use less of another. So we have seen a reduction in the length of the bridal train. For several years, a must-have was a long, or ‘cathedral’ (up to eight feet), train. But not anymore. Brides are settling for a ‘chapel’ (three to fourand-a-half feet)train, as long as they get the bling everywhere.” When it comes to the more daring Bahamian bride, she is not afraid to go with a champagne, blush, rose gold, silver or gray. “I sit in consultations for up to two hours with brides because I want to ensure that they make the right decision. When we do gown fittings, a bride who wanted a white gown learns that eggshell or ivory works better on her skin tone. So while you may like the idea of shopping online, getting the personal assistance of a bridal consultant can save you lots of time, money, heartache and headache,” said Makeva. One thing that has changed over time is how many more brides are giving their bridal party a say in what they wear on the big day. “For the first time in a long time, many brides are allowing their bridesmaids to have an opinion in what they wear. I think in most cases that’s fair because most bridesmaids don’t have the same body type so one style won’t suit everyone,” said Makeva. “The consensus from bridesmaids is usually a floor-length gown with an A-line or full skirt. These gowns are very comfortable and are very forgiving, and no one ever says no to a few sparkles. Iridescent rhinestones, sequins, or beads line the waist or accent the straps of these gowns.” There are also some traditional trends though the world of wedding fashion is saying goodbye to in 2020. “Brides are doing away with the V-neck cut bridal gowns and turning to high-neck gowns or strapless gowns with oversized rhinestone and/or pearl necklaces. There are no more bows, but definitely more lace and tulle, which makes for a beautiful combination,” she said. And as much as wedding guests look forward to seeing the bride unveiled and walking down the aisle, grooms are also becoming showstoppers.
“The men want you to remember that they are also a part of this celebration and they will not be outdone, said Makeva. “We are seeing grooms step away from the traditional black and white; they have added colour to their attire... lots of colour. While some grooms wear a coloured top with black trousers, some grooms choose to go with the full coloured tux.” Paisley and brocade are also new favourites. These are usually mixed with a gold or silver for the “pop” of colour, she said. “Rich colours like maroon and forest green can be seen in velvet or suede coats with matching oversized bow ties. Let’s not forget about the shoes. Loafers, especially suede, are very popular. From black to red and every colour in between, some with emblems and others with tassels. They also make for good conversation at the reception,” she said. Attendees of the Bahamas Bridal Show will get to see all these trends, she said - “a good mix of elegance, glitz and colour, with performances that will make you laugh, cry and cheer.”
BRIDAL Show coordinator Makeva Wallace
16 | The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, March 27, 2020
FILM
Prentice Penny puts a fresh spin on wine films in ‘Uncorked’ LOS ANGELES (AP) — In an early scene in Prentice Penny’s debut feature, “Uncorked,” his main character Elijah is trying to help a customer who doesn’t know much about wine find the right bottle. “Do you like hip hop?” he says. She does. And so he starts describing wines with their hip hop counterparts. Chardonnay (“the granddaddy of wine, versatile, smooth”) is like Jay-Z. Pinot Grigio is Kanye West. Riesling is like Drake. In other words, “Uncorked,” which starts streaming on Netflix Friday, is not your typical “wine movie.” It’s a film that is a long time in the making for Penny, who cut his teeth writing and producing television shows like “Scrubs,” “Happy Endings” and “Brooklyn Nine-Nine.” The “Insecure” executive producer had been writing in the “voice of the show” for so long, he wondered what his own voice was. That’s when the idea for a movie came to him. And having just had a child himself, he decided he wanted to make something about fathers and sons. “Men of colour father-son stories are usually about the father being absent and that being the source of conflict, as opposed to them just figuring it out as men,” Penny said. “I wanted a film that felt more like that.” In “Uncorked,” the father Louis (played by Courtney B. Vance) owns a barbecue restaurant in Memphis which he’d like to pass onto his son Elijah (Mamoudou Athie). But Elijah has other plans and wants to study to become a master sommelier.
MAMOUDOU ATHIE, left, and Courtney B Vance in a scene from “Uncorked.”
NIECY Nash as Sylvia
“I wanted it to be something where you don’t typically see a lot of people of colour,” Penny said of Elijah’s career of choice. “We had a black president, of course we could have a black sommelier, but for the father he just can’t wrap his head around why you would do that over this.” It was directly inspired by his own relationship with his father, who once upon a time had wanted Penny to take over the family furniture business. Penny had dreams of Hollywood though. The uniqueness of the story also made it a hard sell in Hollywood, but the script struck a nerve with the actors who read it.
concessions — like maybe considering Napa instead of Paris — to hit the budget. But when Netflix boarded, the game changed and suddenly Penny had enough for that trip to France. His six years of work were finally paying off. The film was all set to premiere at this year’s South by Southwest film festival too. They planned to take full advantage of the barbecue options in Austin, Texas, as a perfect tie-in. But the festival was canceled even before much of the country was being told to stay at home. “In my mind I understand it, but my heart breaks,” Penny said. “Obviously there are things a million times more
“All the actors of colour who read it were saying ‘I’ve never gotten a chance to make a movie like this.’ Like, seeing a black man riding on a bike through Paris in an American movie. Or walking through the Musée d’Orsay with all these priceless works of art,” Penny said. “I don’t see those images in American movies.” Athie also said that the depiction of the family unit was also something that excited him. “It’s a love story about family,” he said. “I think we could tell more stories about black families in that way.” They’d secured some money from Argent Pictures but were going to have to make some
important going on in the world right now. But you want to watch it with an audience and see it with people.” Still, he’s “happy people will get to see it in their homes.” As for what wine to pair with the viewing? Penny said not to stress. “They should crack open any wine they have closest to them and enjoy it,” he said. “Whatever you like, crack it open, crack open two of them and go to town.” ___ • “Uncorked” was released on Netflix today.
LINDSEY BAHR AP FILM WRITER
The Tribune | Weekend | 17
Friday, March 27, 2020
books
New releases hitting shelves this week
• THE GLASS HOTEL by Emily St John Mandel; mystery/thriller
From the award-winning author of “Station Eleven”, an exhilarating novel set at the glittering intersection of two seemingly disparate events-a massive Ponzi scheme collapse and the mysterious disappearance of a woman from a ship at sea. Vincent is a bartender at the Hotel Caiette, a five-star lodging on the northernmost tip of Vancouver Island. On the night she meets Jonathan Alkaitis, a hooded figure scrawls a message on the lobby’s glass wall: “Why don’t you swallow broken glass.” High above Manhattan, a greater crime is committed: Alkaitis is running an international Ponzi scheme, moving imaginary sums of money through clients’ accounts. When the financial empire collapses, it obliterates countless fortunes and devastates lives. Vincent, who had been posing as Jonathan’s wife, walks away into the
night. Years later, a victim of the fraud is hired to investigate a strange occurrence: a woman has seemingly vanished from the deck of a container ship between ports of call.
• MIXED MATCH by Mia Heintzelman (The All Mixed Up Series Book 2); romance
Sophia Kent used to be a badass knife-wielding chef. Nowadays, she’s lucky if she can remember to put on a bra. Between the move to Portland and unpacking boxes, she’s glad there’s only one name on the title. Unfortunately, at the door there’s a gorgeous messenger with a document claiming she’s not the rightful owner. Dead-set on getting his grandmother’s house back, real estate investor Everett Monroe is determined to see the thief go down, even if he has to deliver the summons himself. Only, the beautiful mess at the door is charming, sexy - and nothing like the man whose
family’s been feuding with Everett’s for generations. He doesn’t know whether she’s a pawn or a player, and she doesn’t know he’s not just a messenger, so after a few “chance” meetings, when she enlists his help to find a location for her restaurant, he agrees. After all, in thirty days there’s going to be a hearing granting him ownership and she’ll be long gone. Except, somewhere between sunset mountain hikes, brilliantly lit musical bridges, and picturesque Japanese Gardens, a dangerous attraction weaves its way between the secrets and lies. Forced to confront the truth, Everett must ask himself what good a home is without the one you love to share it with.
• LAKEWOOD by Megan Giddings; literary fiction When Lena Johnson’s beloved grandmother dies, and the full extent of the family debt is revealed, the black millennial drops out of college
to support her family and takes a job in the mysterious and remote town of Lakewood, Michigan. On paper, her new job is too good to be true. High paying. No out of pocket medical expenses. A free place to live. All Lena has to do is participate in a secret programme — and lie to her friends and family about the research being done in Lakewood. An eye drop that makes brown eyes blue, a medication that could be a cure for dementia, golden pills promised to make all bad thoughts go away. The discoveries made in Lakewood, Lena is told, will change the world— but the consequences for the subjects involved could be devastating. As the truths of the program reveal themselves, Lena learns how much she’s willing to sacrifice for the sake of her family. “Lakewood” is an| Amazon Book of the Month Pick , Audible Editor’s Pick, Essence’s Pick, and on Refinery29’s list of ‘Books by Black Women We are Looking Forward To Reading’.
18 | The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, March 27, 2020
books
Logos Hope's Nassau stop uncertain Floating book fair postpones March visit By JEFFARAH GIBSON
I
| Tribune Features Writer | jgibson@tribunemedia.net
t is still too early for the Logos Hope team to determine if they will be visiting the Bahamas any time in the near future. The ship, which houses the world’s largest floating book fair, was expected to dock in Nassau from March 20-29, but had to abandon its plans due to the coronavirus outbreak. The last trip to the Bahamas for OM Ships International’s Logos Hope was in 2017, and its visit this month would have made the last time in the next seven to ten years Bahamians would have had the opportunity to experience its theatrical offerings, get acquainted with the ship’s humanitarian efforts, its crew members, and book shop boasting more than 5,000 titles. “We do not know now how the current situation will affect the future calendar. Right now is too soon to expect an answer from our schedule makers,” project coordinator Julianna Medina told Tribune Weekend. Logos Hope was in Kingston, Jamaica when the decision was made. After Jamaica, the ship was set to sail to Nassau. “Right now Logos Hope is still in Kingston, Jamaica closed to the public,” said Ms Medina. Last week, OM Ships International in a statementsaid they decision to cancelLogos Hope’s trip to the Bahamas as a precaution. “All on board Logos Hope, local partners and shore-based organisers
of the vessel’s visit are disappointed at the cancellation of plans to connect with Bahamians, but fully expectant of the public’s understanding at this unprecedented time,” said OM Ships International. “Developments are being monitored in accordance with the advice of all relevant authorities. Logos Hope’s revised port schedule will be updated once plans can be confirmed.” Logos Hope had a variety of activities scheduled for Bahamian visitors, including two main events: “Meet The World” and “The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe”, a live theatrical play done by crew members, based on “The Chronicles of Narnia” written by C S Lewis. The crew members also intended to explore the island and connect with Bahamians while sharing their knowledge, help and hope. “Since the last visit of Logos Hope to Nassau in 2017 our entire crew has changed; we have 400 volunteers from 65 different nations that have joined Logos Hope to serve as volunteers for one or two years. We have a new selection of books and also new events. Logos Hope does not want this visit to be the same as 2017, we want to make it unique and special for the Bahamians,” said Ms Medina. For more information about Logos Hope, visit its Facebook page: @logoshopenassau or contact Logoshope.nassau@ gbaships.org.
The Tribune | Weekend | 19
Friday, March 27, 2020
entertainment
Top 10 NetFLix movies and shows in the Bahamas With Bahamians practicing social distancing, working from home, and the kiddies stuck in the house, it’s time to turn to Netflix for some entertainment. Here are the top 10 movies and shows Bahamians are watching this week:
THE LETTER for the King
. Self Made: Inspired 1 by the Life of Madam C J Walker |(mini series;
four episodes) The inspiring story of trailblazing African American entrepreneur Madam C J Walker (Octavia Spencer) who built a haircare empire that made her America’s first female self-made millionaire.
VAMPIRES
Dare Me (series; 10 2A.episodes) cheerleader in her senior
year of high school plots revenge against the clique that expelled her.
THE SHACK
3
. The Letter for the King (series; six episodes) Tiuri, a teenage squire, answers a call for help that sends him on a perilous mission across the three kingdoms to deliver a secret letter to the King.
4
SELF Made - Inspired by the Life of Madam C J Walker
. The Shack(film; 2h 12m) The Christian drama follows a grieving man who receives a mysterious, personal invitation to meet with God at a place called “The Shack.” Starring Sam Worthington, Octavia Spencer and Tim McGraw.
A vertical prison with one cell per level. Two people per cell. One only food platform and two minutes per day to feed from up to down. An endless nightmare trapped in The Pit.
5
6
. The Platform (film; 1h 34m)
. John Wick: Chapter 2 (film; 2h 2m)
After returning to the criminal underworld to repay a debt, John Wick (Keanu) discovers that a large bounty has been put on his life. . On My Block (series; 7This 28 episodes) teen comedy-drama follows a quartet of bright,
street-savvy friends who are navigating their way through high school, including all the of the triumph, pain and newness they experience along the way. Lifelong friendships are tested as Monse, Ruby, Jamal and Cesar confront the challenges of adolescence and life in their predominantly Hispanic and black neighbourhood in South Central Los Angeles in this coming-of-age story. . The Boss Baby: Back 8 in Business (series; 37 episodes)
The Boss Baby brings his big brother Tim to the office to teach him the art of business
in this animated series sprung from the hit film. Vampires (series; six 9A.episodes) Paris teen who’s half
human, half vampire grapples with her emerging powers and family turmoil as she’s pursued by a secret vampire community.
. Toy Boy (series; 13 10 episodes) After seven years in a Málaga prison, a male stripper Hugo Beltrán is released pending retrial and sets out to find proof that his lover framed him for her husband’s murder.
20 | The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, March 27, 2020
literary lives
Matisse in Morocco Part II
Sir Christopher Ondaatje continues to write about the great French artist who, with Pablo Picasso, redefined the development of visual arts at the beginning of the 20th century – and was enormously influenced by months spent in Tangier, Morocco, in 1912 and 1913.
“Matisse rarely caught a glimpse of the artefacts that had inspired his visit and it was still hard to persuade Arabs to sit for him as the locals believed that contact with a foreigner would make them unclean ... Eventually the hotel owner managed to find a girl willing to pose for the French master. Her name was Zorah and she was no older than 12. Her oval face is offset by the curves of her body and she sits Buddha-like with her legs tucked beneath her...Matisse told Amélie that Zorah’s brother would probably kill her if he knew that she was posing.” - Richard Hamilton, Tangier, 2019
ARTIST Henri Matisse in front of one of his drawings at his home in Nice in 1948. (Photo by Gjon Mili) The successors of Sultan Mouley Hassan of Morocco had angered the population by making concessions to France during the Scramble for Africa, which furiously erupted in the 1911 revolt. Germany sent a warship to Agadir, and Matisse became increasingly worried that France would go to war over Morocco. But the Morocco-Congo Treaty was signed on November 4, 1911 which put an end to the Agadir crisis, and Matisse felt more comfortable being there. The Sultan was in Fez, besieged by Berber tribesmen, and the Matisses wisely decided not to visit the city. Instead, with Arab guides, they went with other hotel guests to Tetouan on horses with flat wooden saddles. It was one of Matisse’s more-enduring memories of Morocco.
“Palm Leaf Tangier” (left) and “Periwinkles” were displayed in 1990 at the “Matisse in Morocco” exhibition.
“We rode in among this sea of flowers as if no human being had ever set foot before. It was a sort of paradise found in which I was completely free, alive, at peace.” Matisse, 1911
The Tribune | Weekend | 21
Friday, March 27, 2020
Matisse was so profoundly affected that he compared it with the day his life changed forever – when he was given his first paint box. Matisse told Amélie that he was enchanted every time he returned to the Villa Brooks. He painted “Palm Leaf Tangier”. He explained that it came easily to him – like a flame. The palm fronds seemed to burst out from the middle of the canvas, each is created with a single stroke, emphasised with lines scratched into the surface with the end of a brush. “Palm Leaf Tangier”and “Periwinkles” were among 23 paintings displayed in 1990 at the “Matisse in Morocco” exhibition at the National Gallery of Art in Washington. Morocco was the hinge between Matisse’s earlier European, Fauvist style, and his more powerful later work. Amélie, noticing that her husband seemed settled in Tangier, returned to France on March 31, 1912. It was a strained parting. Matisse spent the rest of his time in Tangier working furiously. He saw no one except guests in the hotel and the gifted Canadian painter J W Morrice. They planned to return on the same boat to Paris. He showed him the unearthly beauty of what he had achieved in the Villa Brooks painting. He also did a small painting of a Muslim shrine (the “Zoonia of Sidi Ahmed Bougandja”) – still found in the Kasbah, and another of the young model, Zorah. Matisse’s moods were lighter, but the storm clouds were breaking over Morocco. On March 30, 1912 the Sultan finally agreed to the Treaty of Fez that turned Morocco into a French protectorate. The unrest climaxed in a battle on April 7, the French defeating the Moroccans. The political unrest and a tragedy where the Tangier ferry capsized killing everybody upset Matisse and he sailed for France a week later – arriving on April 17. In the Morocco he left behind 17 army instructors, who were murdered by the mutineering Moroccan soldiers in Fez, and surviving Europeans who were barricaded in their homes or else decapitated and thrown into the river. The paradise Matisse had found was now tainted with death, darkness and destruction. Spurred on by his Russian benefactors Matisse returned alone to Tangier at the end of September
“Moroccan Café” (1912-13) 1912. Shchukin had asked him to paint another figure, and Morozov commissioned him to do two landscapes. He arrived back at the Villa de France. He explored the Old Town, made sketches in the morning, and painted in the afternoons. He spent the evenings writing to his family. “I’m nothing like I was this time last year, luckily, otherwise I wouldn’t stay a week.” - Matisse in a letter to his wife Amélie, September 1912 The clarity of light pleased Matisse, and he found an Arab-African model who he painted “stretched out like a panther, a mulatto in Moroccan costume that showed off the slender, supple elegance of
“Zorah in Yellow” (1912)
her young body.” He also found his former young model Zorah who he would paint on the roof terrace of the brothel where she worked – shuttling back and forth between the painting sessions upstairs and her work downstairs. They were highly expressive portraits – but with little other additional features. Matisse was working well and therefore did not return to Paris as planned in November. Amélie, lonely and depressed, joined her husband in Tangier on November 20 – and quickly adjusted to the rhythms of Moroccan life. She walked in the Old Town in the mornings, played dominoes with him at night, and even escorted her husband on his visits to see Zorah in the brothel – which caused quite a commotion. When the rains finally came in January 1913, Matisse hired a photographer’s studio in the heart
22 | The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, March 27, 2020
“Bathers by a River” (1909-16; purchased b the Art Institute of Chicago in 1953) of the Medina, and with his artist friends, including the Canadian J W Morrice, remained indoors and painted the view looking out over the bay through the enormous studio windows. Morocco helped push Matisse to the limits of his exploration of structure via colour. Hamilton, in his book “Tangier”, explains: “Moroccans and Africans have a sense of colour that is much more daring. They dare to put colours together that normally no painter or designer would put together. The Africans, maybe because of the light, have different perceptions of colour. For example, they might mix a Persian pink with a very dry green...And they might add a very violent orange, and a line of white and it works. Also these colours go very well with their darker skin. Black people can wear any colour they want.” Matisse was constantly reminded of Delacroix in the cafés in the Kasbah. He recognised the
MATISSE’s artist friend, Canadian J W Morrice, who worked with him in Morocco. background of the great artist’s “The Capture of Constantinople by The Crusaders”. On this second visit he worked on two large panels for the Russian Shchukin. Both paintings began as café scenes. “The Moroccans” is of a group sitting on the terrace of a café. Twelve birdcages hang from the ceiling. “Moroccan Café” is of a different whitewashed building covered in blue and purple flowers. Six djellaba-clad figures play cards and smoke hashish. Two figures in the foreground are
curiously hunched over a goldfish bowl. However, before the paintings were finished Matisse stripped all the details out – including the faces of the sitters, as well as all the birdcages. He thus achieved a pitch of abstract purity unprecedented in Western painting. The paintings are remarkable in their simplicity, each attaining a new visual level for the artist. Matisse painted a portrait of his long-suffering wife Amélie before they left Tangier in the middle of February 1913. His paintings went on show in Paris for only six days before being sent to their Russian owners. Richard Hamilton reports that no one who saw the paintings will ever forget the show. Not everyone in France appreciated what Matisse had achieved. He was not avant-garde enough. Picasso, however, ignoring professsional rivalry, never underestimated Matisse’s genius and power. Matisse never returned to Morocco. He did, however, work on paintings that had been sketched while he was there. But the paintings took on a darker unhappy tone. One painting, “Bathers by a River”, was eventually sold to the Art Institute of Chicago in 1953, a year before
Matisse died. One of the curators, Catherine Brock, said: “This work could only have been painted in 1916, at the moment when the enormity of World War I was finally realised.” Another painting “The Moroccans”, which he began in Tangier, was only finished in the summer of 1916. In ‘The Moroccans’...representation parts company with reality – watermelons look like robed Arabs, and flowers have turned into an umbrella, the ramparts of the Kasbah are rearranged into flat blocks and discs, and the humans have dematerialised completely. With its abstract shapes, ‘The Moroccans’ looks more like a Picasso and is light years ahead of its time. Tangier’s darkness and light are also present in this painting. The blackness serves as a depiction of shadow and the intensity of the sun that can produce such darkness. -Richard Hamilton, Tangier, 2019 Matisse said in 1957 that this painting was the beginning of his expression with colour, with blacks their contrasts. Although Matisse spent only a few months in Morocco, his experiences showed through vividly in his work for the rest of his life. To see the magnificent paintings he completed in Nice during the 1920s, with their dizzying arrangements of tapestries, carpets and floral arrangements, is to see Morocco transplanted to the Riviera. And to see the dramatic cut-outs he created in his last years is to realise that the spirit of Morocco remained in the gifted artist’s imagination. NEXT WEEK: Sir Christopher Ondaatje is the author of The Last Colonial. He acknowledges that he has quoted liberally from Tangier (2019) by Richard Hamilton; Wikipedia, and Matisse in Morocco the Paintings and Drawings 1912-1913 by Jack Cowart, The National Gallery of Art (1990).
The Tribune | Weekend | 23
Friday, March 27, 2020
books
Woody Allen in his own words Excerpts from his memoir ‘Apropos of Nothing’ NEW YORK (AP) — Excerpts from Woody Allen’s new memoir, “Apropos of Nothing,” which was released Monday after a delay because the original publisher backed out of releasing the book. THE BOOK’S DEDICATION: “For Soon-Yi, the best. I had her eating out of my hand and then I noticed my arm was missing.” ON HIS PARENTS: “Two characters as mismatched as Hannah Arendt and Nathan Detroit, they disagreed on every single issue except Hitler and my report cards. And yet with all the verbal carnage, they stayed married for seventy years — out of spite, I suspect. Still, I’m sure they loved each other in their own way, a way known perhaps only to a few headhunting tribes in Borneo.” ON BEING CONSIDERED AN INTELLECTUAL: Folks, you are reading the autobiography of a misanthropic gangster-loving illiterate; an uncultivated loner who sat in front of a three-way mirror practicing with a deck of cards so he could palm off an ace of spades, render it invisible from any angle, and hustle some pots. Yes, I eventually got blown away by Cezanne’s heavy apples and Pissarro’s rainy Parisian boulevards,
but as I said, only because I would cut school and needed succor on those snowy winter mornings.” ON THE ORIGINS OF HIS DESPAIR: “There was no trauma in my life, no awful thing that occurred and turned me from a smiling, frecklefaced lad with a fishing pole and pantaloons into a chronically dissatisfied lout. My own speculation centers around the fact that at five or so, I became aware of mortality and figured, uh-oh, this is not what I signed on for. I had never agreed to be finite. If you don’t mind, I’d like my money back.” ON FIRST DATING MIA FARROW: “She turned out to be bright, beautiful, she could act, could draw, had an ear for music, and she had seven children. Tilt. I found it amusing in a sitcom sort of way that I was slipping into a relationship with a woman with seven children, but at that point it was nothing more than another fact about her.” ON DYLAN FARROW, WHO LATER BECAME ALLEN’S ADOPTED DAUGHTER: “I quickly found this tiny baby girl adorable and found myself more and more holding her, playing with her, and completely falling in love with her, delighted to be her father. After a year or two I fussed over her and
FILMMAKER Woody Allen is best known for his movies “Annie Hall”, “Hannah and her Sisters”, “Manhattan”, and “Purple Rose of Cairo”, among many others.
Mia said, ‘Boy, you were really ready for fatherhood.’” ON REPORTS THAT HE HAD BEEN DISCOVERED WITH HIS HEAD ON DYLAN FARROW’S LAP: “While Mia had gone shopping, after explaining to everyone that I had to be watched carefully, all the kids and the babysitters were in the den watching TV, a room full of people. There were no seats for me, so I sat on the floor and might have leaned my head back on the sofa on Dylan’s lap for a moment. I certainly didn’t do anything improper to her.” ON HIS FEELINGS ABOUT DYLAN NOW: “One of the saddest things of my life was that I was deprived of the years of raising Dylan and could only dream about showing her Manhattan and the joys of Paris and Rome. To this day, Soon-Yi and I would welcome Dylan with open arms if she’d ever want to reach out to us as Moses (Farrow) did, but so far that’s still only a dream.” ON THE EROTIC PICTURES OF PREVIN THAT MIA FARROW DISCOVERED, LEADING TO THEIR PUBLIC BREAKUP: “At the very early stages of our new relationship, when lust reigns supreme and we couldn’t keep our hands off each other, the
idea arose that we do some erotic photographs if I could figure out how to work the goddamned camera. Turned out she could work it, and erotic photos they were, shots well calculated to boost one’s blood up to two twelve Fahrenheit. Anyhow, you probably read the rest in the tabloids.” ON HARVEY WEINSTEIN: “Despite what was printed in the newspapers, Harvey never produced any movies of mine. Never backed me. He only distributed a few already completed films and distributed them well. In addition to Harvey’s skill at distributing, he had an eye for offbeat, artsy movies and presented a number of them. Still, I would never have allowed Harvey to back or produce a film of mine because he was a hands-on producer who changed and recut a director’s movie. We never could have worked together.” ON WRITING ROLES FOR WOMEN: “I’ve written many parts for women including some reasonably juicy ones. Actually, for a guy who’s taken his share of heat from #MeToo zealots, my record with the opposite sex is not bad at all.” ON ACTORS WHO REFUSE TO WORK WITH HIM: “Some even donated their checks to a cause rather than accept the tainted salary.
This is not as heroic a gesture as it seems, as we can only afford to pay the union minimum, and my guess is if we paid more usual movie money, which often runs quite high, the actors might have righteously declared they’d never work with me but would possibly leave out the part about donating their salary. “Off the record, I had envisioned a little more peer support, nothing overwhelming, perhaps a few organized protests, maybe some irate colleagues marching arms linked, a little rioting, perhaps a few burned cars. After all, I had been a member in good standing of the creative community and was certain my predicament would infuriate my union brethren and fellow artists.” ON HIS RESPONSE TO PUBLIC CRITICISM: “And how have I taken all of this? And why is it when attacked I rarely spoke out or seemed overly upset? Well, given the malignant chaos of a purposeless universe, what’s one little false allegation in the scheme of things? Second, being a misanthropist has its saving grace — people can never disappoint you.”
24 | The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, March 27, 2020
history
Duncan Town, Ragged Islanders By PAUL C ARANHA
T
hese days, a favourite topic of conversation are the recent hurricanes, so when the conversation turned to Ragged Island, I sat up and took notice, because I didn’t want to miss anything important, but nobody at the table had ever been to Duncan Town, except myself. I don’t think of myself as an authority on Duncan Town, the only settlement on Ragged Island, but Duncan Taylor and his brother Archibald (who lived in Long Island but introduced salt production to Ragged Island, Rum Cay and Long Island and became major exporters of salt) are my mother’s ancestors. Duncan and Arch, the Taylor brothers, were Loyalist Scots, from the Cape Fear River in North Carolina. They married Margaret and Eliza McNeil, Scottish sisters, from Wilmington, North Carolina, and brought their wives to live in the Bahamas. Many of their descendants are still here, including Dame Ivy Dumont and myself. Sir Henry Taylor was also a descendant. It appears that Scotsmen had a penchant for marrying other Scots, and my other ancestors were Taylor, Forsyth, McNeil, McQueen and Nairn, all pureblooded Scots. Why my grandmother, Catherine Ann Forsyth, chose to marry an Englishman, Henry Oswald Wright, I do not know, but my mother, born Dorothy Wright, was a sixth generation Bahamian.
For a while, the plantation economy flourished, as did salt-raking, and I have a letter, written in 1829, sent from St Thomas in the Virgin Islands and addressed to William C Nairn, my mother’s two times great-grandfather, ordering a cargo shipment of Rum Cay salt. In 1926, the census showed 366 people living on Ragged Island, 338 on Rum Cay and 4,659 on Long Island, where Clarence Town (originally named Great Harbour) was second to Deadman’s Cay, in population. Not too long ago, Ragged Island was still producing a limited quantity of salt for domestic consumption, but that appears to have died out. Then, in September 2017, Duncan Town was destroyed by hurricane Irma and the island has still not recovered from that devastation. Before Irma, the only significant new investment in Ragged Island was the new base for the Royal Bahamas Defence Force. It appears that, so far, not enough has been done to repair Irma’s damage to Duncan Town, even while work seems to be progressing on a project aimed at making Ragged Island ‘green’. In recent years, the only sizeable investment into Ragged Island was the construction of a small base for the Defence Force. I can’t helpbut believe that what Ragged Islanders need most is the reconstructionof damaged/destroyed buildings, work that should have been undertaken, and finished, long before now, but It seems that more attention, and more money, is being directed at making Ragged Island ‘green’ than to
make it comfortably liveable for the approximately 50 inhabitants. For many years now, life in Duncan Town has not been a bed of roses, as I have witnessed on many occasions. Although I have never spent a night in Duncan Town, I’ve had many an opportunity to fly there and experience what life was like before Irma. My first flight to Ragged Island was for the Flying Doctor Service, at a time where the island had a brand new
airstrip, plus a brand new road linking it to Duncan Town, but there were no vehicles on the island. My passengers and I had to walk from, and back to, the airport, toting all the medical supplies and equipment. My second flight was for the police, to investigate a suspicious death. We were amazed to see a car, but one only, that had been sent there for the official visit to the then Governor General, Sir Milo Butler. The detectives found
The Tribune | Weekend | 25
Friday, March 27, 2020
that a seaman had missed his step and accidentally fallen into the sea, where he drowned. There was no evidence of foul play, but the dead man would have to be carried back to Nassau. The body, in a state of rigor mortis, was stretched out onto the rear seat of the car (with both back doors left wide open) and every single person on the island followed it to the plane. Long after this, the hospital asked me to fly a nurse to Ragged Island, at 7 o’clock in the morning, and pick up a patient who was being brought to Duncan Town on a yacht. We arrived on time, but there was never any sign of the yacht, nor of the patient. The telephone was kaput, which meant that the nurse could not phone the hospital for instructions, but she was able to get the police to radio their Nassau HQ and ask them to phone the hospital. To cut a long story short, we were told not to leave the island before 3pm, in case the boat showed up. I had planned to be back in Nassau in time for breakfast, but the nurse and I found ourselves looking for breakfast and lunch in Duncan Town, where there were no shops, no restaurants and, I believe, only one TV set, on which one could watch only Cuban stations.
The resident nurse kindly invited us to share her lunch, which tasted like manna from heaven. The chicken was delicious, but there was nothing else on the menu. Chicken was the only food she had in the house. We flew back to Nassau empty-handed and I sent one of my planes to Ragged Island with
a sizeable stock of groceries for the nurse. My last flight to Ragged Island was on a night of lousy weather, to pick up a heart attack patient. For about an hour we had to dodge thunderstorms, turning left or right to avoid the brightest flashes of lightning, so our flight time was much longer than
I had planned. Fortunately, it was not raining at Ragged Island and I could see the only light on the island, a small red light, on the top of BTC’s tower. We found the runway, landed, parked and waited, but nobody came to meet us. Finally, we took off again and circled Duncan Town, about two miles from the airport, for several minutes, before heading back to the runway. This time we did not have long to wait before we could see a car’s headlights getting closer. I was puzzled that the car stopped about 50 paces from the plane, with the headlights shining on the nurse and me. I walked over to the car and the driver told me that he was scared to come any closer until he was sure it was the hospital plane. “Who else is going to land here, at night?”, I asked and was told, “Capt’n, plenty planes does land here at night.” I had not realised how ubiquitous running drugs had become. I admire the fortitude and determination of Ragged Islanders, but it is not a place where I would choose to live. •For questions and comments, e-mail islandairman@gmail.com
27 Computer button is essential after flight (6,3)
26 | The Tribune | Weekend
i l n oPA l t B
Sudoku is a number-placing puzzle based on a 9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers 1 to 9 in the empty squares so the each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. The difficulty level of the Conceptis Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday
● The Target uses words in the main body of Chambers 21st Century Dictionary (1999 edition)
HOW many words of four letters or more can you make from the letters shown here? in making a word, each letter may be used once only. Each must contain the centre letter and there must be at least one nine-letter word. no plurals or verb forms ending in “s”. TODAY’S TARGET Good 16; very good 24; excellent 32 (or more). Solution tomorrow
Yesterday’s call 0907 181 2585 for today’s target solution Sudoku Answer
*Calls cost 80p per minute plus your telephone company’s network access charge.
bATTLESHIPS CRYPTIC PUZZLE Across 1 Plant arrangement I set in a pot (10) 6 Kitty’s back to stay (4) 10 Loves an anagram to work out (5) 11 Rebelling against authority, gets run in perhaps (9) 12 Being rich we shall have to join the party (4-2-2) 13 A driver’s objective of course (5) 15 Sideways? (7) 17 Port of granite construction (7) 19 Hill split by flood (7) 21 Artist’s little friend? (7) 22 Eireann flag appears on hospital (5) 24 Trust Mao to show greater cleverness (8) 27 Language may make neat prose (9) 28 In short, a final result of a snap decision (5) 29 Place we hear for a badger to live (4) 30 A quality one considers oneself worthy to have (4-6)
1
2
3
4
10
5
11
12 14 15
16
17
19
22
20
23
24
27
29
30
21
Yesterday’s Easy Solution
Down 1 Location of listed building, Across: 1 Backlog, 5 Pitch, favourite of tourists (4) 8 One and all, 9 Owl, 10 Deft, 2 Peevishness I shall 12 District, 14 Pariah, 15 Rapier, 17 Off and on, 18 Aged, moderate (3,6) 21 Eye, 22 Triathlon, 24 Batty, 3 May be cold yet good 25 Nunnery. tempered (5) Down: 1 Broad, 2 Cue, 3 Link, 4 Disport around the 4 Gratis, 5 Palatial, 6 Two-timing, photographer’s 7 Holster, 11 For effect, equipment (7) 13 Mainstay, 14 Proverb, 5 To put it succinctly, 16 Motion, 19 Dingy, 20 Stun, 23 Lie. its horn is twisted (2,5) 7 No, no; not here! (5) 8 Arrange to send away for some goods? (3,2,5) 9 The prototype of a girl in Yesterday’s Cryptic Solution love possibly (8) 14 In bar seats perhaps, but Across: 1 Motives, 5 Moses, they won’t be drinking (10) 8 Plutocrat, 9 Ace, 10 Deed, 16 May be seen round the 12 Strike up, 14 Ration, trunk of this tree 15 Bazaar, 17 Pomander, possibly (3,5) 18 Veto, 21 Ego, 22 On the mend, 18 Put in for one stripe 24 Sweet, 25 Rooster. as ordered (9) Down: 1 Moped, 2 Tau, 3 Viol, 4 Sprite, 5 Mythical, 6 Stage 20 Beat the countername, 7 Sleeper, 11 Extempore, reformation (7) 13 Point out, 14 Repress, 21 Doesn’t encourage 16 Better, 19 Order, 20 Nemo, delays (4,3) 23 Eat. 23 Insertion of computer data is not out of place (5) 25 Isn’t happy writing poems out (5) 26 Change of mood that may be fatal (4) Down Across 1 Destiny (4) 1 Direct and outspoken (10) 2 Given fresh 6 7 8 confidence (9) 6 Gather in large 9 numbers (4) 3 Composer of The Planets (5) 10 Straggle (5) 4 Examine for 11 Inducing sleep (9) condition (7) 12 So to 5 Unfortunate (7) speak (2,2,4) 13 7 Very 13 Punctuation disagreeable (5) mark (5) 8 Inferior (6-4) 15 Gathering of 18 crops (7) 9 Debris (8) 17 To shock (7) 14 The developing countries (5,5) 19 Rectify (7) 16 Emotionally 21 Ostensible charged (8) reason (7) 18 Raw 22 To defeat (5) inexperienced 24 Decorative 25 person (9) object (8) 20 Curtail (7) 27 Pragmatic (9) 26 21 Cure-all (7) 28 Fish of 28 23 Kingdom (5) salmon family (5) 25 Toned down (5) 29 Dreary place (4) 26 Reside temporarily (4) 30 Unique (3,3,4)
EASY PUZZLE
FIND where the fleet of ships shown is hidden in the grid. The numbers to the right of and below the grid indicate how many of the squares in that row are filled in with ships or parts of ships. The ships do not touch each other, even diagonally. Some squares have been filled in to start you off. Solution tomorrow 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9 10
A
2
B
4
C
1
D
0
E
2
F
4
G
2
H
2
I
1
J
2 1
4
0
1
5
1
2
E R S G A M E
N I I X M E N
F L Q G K X O
2020
T B 27 Q T V P K X S K I R I T
R O A O U T P
C E G C Z A E
THE ALPHAbEATER
TARGET Best described as a number crossword, the task in Kakuro is to fill all of the empty squares, using numbers 1 to 9, so the sum of each horizontal block equals the number to its left, and the sum of each vertical block equals the number on its top. No number may be used in the same block more than once. The difficulty level of the Conceptis Kakuro increases from Monday to Sunday.
20 Relative sat around first down: D A E 26 in inactivity (6) 1 Paraphernalia; 2 Recur; E V R 23 Solve split3(5) Friday, March 27, Love; 4 Sordid; I A U 5 Hampered; 6 Lantern; N Q N 7 Resuscitation; N I N 12 Strainer; 13 Boredom; 15 Porter; 18 Leave; O R E 19 Smug. D R R
2
2
1 x Battleship
3 x Destroyer
2 x cruiser
4 x submarine
cAn you crack the Alphabeater? EachthE grid alphapu targEt Extra lett number represents a letter – or black square. 0907 18 coMMittal across: Shrewd, Adjus As in Alphapuzzle, every letter of the alphabet (Deduct three Miser, Life, Burnt, Maxim atomic attic calm ciao claim each extra clue is used. But you have to complete the grid too! Chirp (clue), Treason, Te clam clot coal coat coati coil usecoital the given letters andcomma black squares below full so Defend. cola colt coma thecommit grid toCOMMITTAL start. the grid ‘rotationally 0907 18 down: Assault, Acute, lociismica symmetrical’ – in other words, it looks the cost 80pI Fibre, Twist,*Calls Camphor, octal otic tacit taco tact talc yourQuash telephon same if you turn the page upside down. Adamant, Lever, tomcat network acc Stark, Cyanide. Solution tomorrow A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
39
17
18
12
17
16
7
3
28
36
33
22
16
33
2
29
10
6
29
18
40
8
2
1
31
35
21
12
18
19
40
3
14
36
40
36
25
29
29
38
37
1
38
6
25
13
16
24
23
29
15
28
22
20
16
38
4
32
10
6
5
18
1
8
10
19
27
8
39 28 22 26 Yesterday’s
14
14
2
40
32
2
21 Kakuro 28 38 Answer 31 13 34
28
24
18
2
33
29
22
33
2
14
14
16
8
1
22
33
21
13
4
34
2
4
9
29
22
28
28
11
40
16
33
28
10
26
34
16
6
22
31
10
19
8
37
23
31
28
27
28
7
13
39
29
14
28
22
29
23
16
31
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
P
8
9
28
29
■
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
30 31
32
33
34 35
36
37
10
■
■
C
● Alternatively, for six Extra Letter clues to your mobi text DXbEAT to 84901. Texts cost £1 plus your usual opera
KEIjO 3 3
2
2
3
2
4
4
1
3
4
1
2
4
1
1
2
Place t the g four numbe differe appear and
So tom
The Tribune | Weekend | 27
Friday, March 27, 2020
animals
Mother Nature rests Animal matters | KIM ARANHA
F
or us all, this week has changed just about everything. What we do, what we want to do, and what we can do, are not necessarily the same any longer. What started out as somebody else’s problem in China developed into “Poor Italy” - with the epicenter in Europe centered a few miles away from the beautiful little city of Padua - until it was, “Whoa, it is on our shores”. Little Nassau was, like everywhere else, not exempt from the virus that now dominates our every waking hour. This terrible pandemic is affecting people the world over. We are all on lock-down; we are all confined within the perimeters of our homes, and most of us with loved ones. Many of us, like me, are normally out most of the day and now I suddenly wake up with the entire day stretching out ahead of me. Today is my day 12. What amazes me is how busy I am. However, there are silver linings to these lock-downs/ curfews. As difficult as it may be to accept, there is good coming out of this enforced suspension of daily life. What are they, you might ask? Apart from sorting out things at home, many of us were always on the go, and now, wham! We have had to slow down, stop. There is time to read, write, paint and create. All the time with your pets near you, enjoying the fact that you are with them.
As I write this, I cannot stretch my legs out under my desk because Chief is right there, but he is such a happy boy. Yes, my dogs are loving it. We spend all day together; they don’t have to say goodbye at the door. Another silver lining is that places that were swarmed with tourists and visitors, like in Italy, are gradually recovering from the human onslaught. I heard reports that there were dolphins swimming in the lagoon of Venice, alas that is not true, though hugely romantic. However, I am being told by friends who live there that the water in the lagoon has never been clearer, or as clean, in many years. In fact it, is doubtful that it has ever been this transparent in our lifetimes. They say you can see the fish swimming around. Some have gone as far as to say the water is an amazing emerald colour and it almost looks like the Caribbean! All over the world: less planes, no cruise ships; pollution is down, Yes, Mother Nature is taking a very welldeserved rest from all the harm her humans do her every single day. Chinese people can see the sky in some cities where pollution was such that the sky was never ever visible. We don’t actually know how this virus came to being, but one very popular theory is that in China they are very adventurous as far as their eating habits are concerned. They eat wild animals voraciously. These wild animals when caught are put in cages and
baskets, harassed and poked at until they are killed for dinner, or in some particularly disgusting instances, eaten alive (I kid you not). I have seen some of the videos to substantiate these comments. Now, wild animals in situation of captivity show symptoms of stress. Those in the deplorable market situations I have described are terrified and experience extreme levels of stress. So when held crammed together to be sold as food delicacies (please spare me), the stress would make them shed the virus in large numbers. The lesson to be learned here is that animals that are in the wild need to be left right there. My house is near the airport and I can usually hear the planes coming in; they are plentiful and you get used to them. Today, I may have counted four. They are cargo flights bringing in provisions for those of us who are at home. I look up to the sky and offer thanks to those who go out every day and risk catching the virus in order to bring us what we require. Thank you, whoever you all are. The birds are singing loudly, but no, they are no louder; it is the absence of other noise that makes them more remarkable. No lawnmowers, no construction, no talk on the road, no
car horns; just silence, which makes their sweet songs so much louder. Mother Nature is most certainly making her presence felt and heard. She is sitting back watching her planet turn green again, in such a short time, and the improvements are already noticeable.
Can we learn from this and when all returns to normal treat our planet a little kinder and give Mother Nature a chance to take care of things without us barging in again and being wantonly destructive? Rest well, Mother Nature.
Playful Peter By THE BAHAMAS HUMAN SOCIETY
P
layful puppy Peter would like to brighten up your self-isolation days. Need some distraction from all the sobering news out there? A dog or cat, pup or kitten is the perfect solution. Peter is about five months old and he thinks he’d be perfect for you, but if he’s not, he says there are many other at the Bahamas Humane Society waiting to be adopted (or fostered, if you’d like to do a trial run). Adoptions and vet visits are by appointment only right now, so please call 323-5138 or 325-6742 to arrange to meet Peter or one of the others. • The BHS Thrift Shop is also closed right now. The jewellery sale is postponed until further notice. Stay safe, and remember, rather than grumble about social
Photo/Patricia Vazquez distancing and staying home to keep people safe, think how you would change your behaviour if you were already infected and wanted to avoid transmitting it. Stay safe, everyone!
28 | The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, March 27, 2020
environment
BLUE LAGOON ISLAND AND UB TEAM CLEAN UP MONTAGU FORESHORE
B
lue Lagoon Island’s Project BEACH recently teamed up with the University of the Bahamas to clean up the waters off the Montagu Foreshore. Students in the Marine Ecology, Marine Biology and Marine Environment and Island Living classes spent a day scouring the sea floor for garbage, sorting the trash they collected, recording the different varieties and disposing of it properly. Through its non-profit Project BEACH, Blue Lagoon Island donated trash bags, data cards, reusable gloves, a custom marine debris banner and reusable tote bags for participants to ensure the clean-up was done in a safe and organised manner. Besides the fact that garbage that ends up in the ocean is unsightly, students discovered marine organisms trapped inside many of the bottles, bags and other marine debris they hauled out of the ocean. “We found things like manta shrimp that help to clean up little refuse and dead animals around the ocean. If they can’t do their job, then we’ll have a bunch of dead animals hanging around. You have predators like octopus that we found trapped inside a bottle. If that octopus isn’t free to do his work, then you
have sick and weak fish that then make the overall population of fish weaker,” said Blue Lagoon Island Sustainability Coordinator Dr Ancilleno Davis. The beach clean-up was organised by one of Dr Davis’ former lecturers, Assistant Professor Jacklyn ChisholmLightbourne. She explained that they decided that rather than just learn about the marine environment, her students are given an opportunity to become a part of the solution. “Our job, as a leading tertiary institution is to lead by example. So we came to remove as much of the debris and to improve the aesthetics of the water and to improve the water quality. Because once the marine debris comes out of the water, the quality of the water changes,” she said. They both emphasised the need for all Bahamians to become a part of the solution by picking up garbage whenever and wherever they see it and properly disposing of it. Dr Davis pointed out “if we don’t take care of all that now, we won’t have it in the future to support our needs as a community, as a country, and the economies that rely on it.” According to Professor Chisholm-Lightbourne, the large amount of plastic her students pulled out of the ocean that day is in keeping with a recent National
Geographic report that indicates that close to 18 billion pounds of plastic ends up in the ocean each year. All of the trash collected was identified, sorted and then recorded. The data is entered into a global repository to help identify where the trash in the ocean is actually coming from. In addition to helping shape policy decisions, the data can be used to encourage corporations to make changes. Dr Davis explained that once the source of the debris is identified, “we can then say, ‘Hey, X industry, these plastic containers that you’re making are ending up all over beaches in the Bahamas. And sometimes that’s the trigger that you need for an industry partner or big commercial company to really make a change.’ Some companies have already done that – changed their packaging, changing their distribution practices and it just makes a huge difference when a company can see what their huge impact is on the environment.” He also pointed out that the data helps those focused on beach clean-ups to better understand where trash ends up so that they can better focus clean up and educational efforts in the right places. “Marine debris is a manmade problem. We created it. But the good thing is that we can prevent it. We can prevent it by re-using. We could
prevent it by not using single use items. Single use items are not confined to plastic. I’ll let you know that 40 percent of the plastic that we purchase, we only use it once,” Professor Ms ChisholmLightbourne, adding “We can re-use more and recycle more. If we could reduce and recycle it would help us to prevent the
amount of waste that we are producing.” Dolphin Encounters’ Project BEACH conducts numerous educational and outreach programmes. To participate in a programme or learn more, contact 359-0278 or e-mail education@dolphinencounters.com.