Inside this issue

Contents

EMBARK

8 Wish you were here: Shark Hole, Barbados

10 Need to know: Make the most of September and October, even during the time of COVID-19

20 Bookshelf and playlist: Our reading and listening picks

24 Screenshots: Haitian filmmaker Esery Mondesir discusses his documentary triptych exploring the lives of his compatriots in the diaspora

27 Round Trip: Go Wild — Soaring mountains, rushing rivers and waterfalls, rainforests teeming with life, and savannahs stretching to the horizon — the Caribbean hasso many amazing natural landscapes to explore. What better time toexperience the life-giving adventures of the great outdoors?

68 Snapshot: Anti-Stoosh — From live events mixing and mashing diverse musical genres to his online Carnival Tabanca series, Trinidadian DJ Adam Cooper — also known as foreigner, based in Los Angeles — iscompletely reinventing what Caribbean culture can be, writes Amanda ChooQuan

74 The Deal: The COVID strategy — The COVID-19 pandemic has already taken a heavy toll on Caribbean economies, and small businesses have been hardest hit. What can they do to survive the crisis? Natalie Dookie talks to experts in Jamaica, T&T, and Suriname for advice on how to grapple with both risks and opportunities

84 Do you even know: Our trivia column tests your knowledge of the Caribbean’s rare and diverse wildlife

• • • • • • • • • •

Dear readers,

As we publish this latest digital issue of Caribbean Beat, it’s been more than half a year since the COVID-19 pandemic hit the Caribbean. 2020 thus far has been difficult for all of us, and there are still many rough months ahead. But despite these circumstances, Caribbean people continue to create and strive, reinventing the meaning of “normal,” and reconsidering what’s truly important for ourselves, our families, our communities.

In some Caribbean countries, borders have reopened and travel has resumed — with new precautions and protocols. We’re all eagerly looking forward to the time — not so far off, we hope — when travelling is once more easily possible. Until then, we can journey through our imaginations.

In this digital issue, we take you across the length and breadth of our region, exploring through stunning images the natural wonders of the Caribbean, in our special feature “Go wild.” From the limestone mogotes of Cuba to the Pitons of St Lucia, from the Rupununi Savannah of Guyana to Barbados’s limestone caves, the mangrove forests of Tobago and Antigua to the hiking trails of Dominica, the Caribbean is blessed with incredible natural landscapes and unique flora and fauna. COVID-19 physical distancing means avoiding crowds — so heed the call of the wild and consider an amazing outdoor adventure far from the hustle and bustle.

The Caribbean Beat team