Friday, February 24, 2017
charity animals theatre film fashion entertainment food
Weekend
belles of the ball Pages 20&21
Love blooms at last From classmates to soulmates Weddings, pages 14&15
02 | The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, February 24, 2017
life through a lens
A Bahamian Mardi Gras
H
eineken recently kicked off the first event in its Heineken Escape series of unforgettable party experiences. It is the aim of the Heineken brand to provide an around-the-world adventure for its consumers right here in the Bahamas. The first stop was New Orleans. On February 18, in conjunction with KO Productions and all 21 carnival bands, a Mardi Gras themed block party was held at Smugglers (formerly Pirates of Nassau) with festive décor including a laser light show, beads, masks, fire dancers and stilt walkers. There were a number of Bahamian DJs, including Selecta Fawteen and DJ Bravo, as well as surprise performances by Dyson Knight, Wendi Lewis, and internationally acclaimed DJ Willy Chin. The next Heineken Escape is scheduled for March 24 and “will turn back the hands of time”. Organisers promise it will a dazzling affair that is not to be missed.
Have you taken a selection of photographs that might make a Life through a lens feature page? If so please submit it to weekend@ tribunemedia.net for consideration
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Friday, February 24, 2017
Inside Weekend Interview 4 - 5 Cara Hunt interviews teacher Allan Murray about the importance of Bahamian history Charity 7 Empty Bowls Bahamas returns Food 8 - 9 Todd English’s Olives Restaurant serves up fresh seafood, plus enjoy a taste of Paris at Freeport’s Merport Bistro
Theatre 10 Catch a second dose of ‘Crazy Love’
Entertainment 11 Thousands expected to attend this weekend’s Festival Rum Bahamas
Technology 12 Bahamian entrepreneur launches new smartphone app for things to do
Culture 13 A meeting of two cultures at Greek Festival 2017 Weddings 14 - 15
My perfect Bahamian weekend Leslie Newton Stylist and mother Q: Saturday breakfast or Sunday brunch? “Sunday brunch, so that I have can have a chance to sleep in late.” Q: Beach or sofa? “Beach, because it is refreshing, it’s outdoors and breathtaking.” Q: Wine, rum cocktail or Kalik? “A cocktail, because I can mix it up depending on whatever mood I am in. I don’t want to be boxed in.” Q: One thing you could not do without? “I could not live without my cell phone because it keeps me in touch with the world, especially my three-year-old son.” Q: Weekend away, where would you go? “I would like to go to Greece. I have never been there before, but from all the episodes of the ‘Keeping up with the Kardashians’ (vacation) that I have watched it looks really pretty and seems like it would be a super cool place to visit.”
Kyle Edwards and Tashfi Hanchell go from classmates to soulmates
Things 2 Do this weekend
Podcasts 17 Shows discuss Oscar chances
Friday
Film 18 - 19 Oscar predictions, plus critics’ favourite “Get Out” hits Galleria Cinemas
Belles of the ball 20 - 21 The 53rd Heart Ball
Literary Lives
22 - 24 The great storyteller Roald Dahl
Forgotten Facts
25
The tale of an Abaco boy
Animals
27 Kim Aranha on the plight of elephants
Gardening 28 Jack Hardy delights in Asian produce Cover photo | Gaby Rguez
Photography
• Festival Rum Bahamas Time: 11am - until (continues through Sunday) Venue: Fort Charlotte SEE PAGE 11 • CONCACAF Beach Soccer World Championships 2017 Time: 11.15am (continues through Sunday) Venue: National Beach Soccer Stadium Quarter-finals, semi-finals and finals. Teams and matches to be determined. General admission is free. • Books Under the Stars Time: 6.30pm Venue: Harry C Moore Library, University of The Bahamas Local authors Leila O’Brien, Philippa Moss, Candice Pyfrom, Lenora L Brown and Valderene
Gardiner will give readings of children’s books in an effort to inspire a love of books in youngsters. Admission is free. Light refreshments will be on sale. For more information visit the Facebook page ‘connectiontocreativity’. • A Night of Glitz and Glamour Time: 7.30pm Venue: The Pier Lounge A charity soirée with wine, cigars and art, presented by the Lodge St Michael #1634 in association with The Pier. Enjoy bottles specials all night, food by award-winning Chef Richmond Fowler and live performances by Chase Fernander and Julien Believe, with music by Selector JMac. Admission is $25. • ‘It Takes Two’ – A Dramatic Romantic Comedy Time: 8pm (with an encore on Saturday)
Venue: Dundas Theatre The dramatic, romantic comedy is directed by Antoinette Knowles and written by Rakel Dean.
Saturday • 9th Annual Empty Bowls Bahamas Time: 1pm - 5pm Venue: Queen’s College auditorium SEE PAGE 7 • JuneK Woods presents ‘Don’t Fake the Funk’ Fall 2017 Time: 8pm Venue: 1er Cru, Gladstone Road Designer Nykarlio Ferguson, June K Woods founder, presents 23 brand new pieces for fashionistas to enjoy, bringing a bit of New York Fashion Week to Nassau. Complimentary sparkling wine, hors d’oeuvres, cash bar and bottle service available. Admission is $45.
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Friday, February 24, 2017
interview For four decades, Allan Murray has been passionately teaching history to Bahamian students. His lesson plans have been turned into a standard text book for local schools, and now he tells Cara Hunt, he hopes to use 21st century technology to impart one more important history lesson on the next generation: the path to Majority Rule.
Allan A Murray
llan Murray arrived in the Bahamas in 1971 on a three-year contract to teach at St Andrew’s School. More than 40 years later, he remains in the country where he continues on his mission to educate Bahamians and visitors alike about history. “I was born in India just before Independence and went to boarding school in Scotland when I was six years old. I have a Bachelor’s degree in Scots Law and a Master’s degree in American History. I have travelled extensively in India, Europe, the UK, Africa, the Americas and the Caribbean,” teacher Allan Murray
told Tribune Weekend. Mr Murray explained that he followed in his mother’s footsteps when he chose a career in education. “I wasn’t really interested in the law, especially Scots law, which can only be practiced in Scotland. My mother was a teacher. I took a temporary job teaching in an English prep school and applied for a job in Kenya. Living in this newly independent nation was a most interesting experience,” he said. “I found the teaching part quite easy and it seemed like this would be a good way of seeing the world. In 1971, I signed a three-year con-
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Friday, February 24, 2017
tract with St Andrew’s School in the Bahamas. This is where I met my wife and I’ve been here, and in education, ever since.” Mr Murray chose to teach history primarily because he has always been inspired by the stories of the past. “At my first school in Scotland I was fascinated and inspired by the stories of Scottish kings and queens. At high school I studied the classics. I found Greek and Roman history far more interesting than translating Greek and Latin into English. Since then, as a teacher of many different histories, my fascination for the subject has grown and grown. I find that the more one knows, the more one wants to know. History can never be dull.” In his view, it is important for persons to embrace the past. “You know the expression, ‘Yesterday, today was tomorrow’? Well, one difficulty with teenagers is that they are only interested in today, and to some extent tomorrow, and there’s nothing wrong with that, it’s normal. The thing is that time passes by quickly and today’s teenagers become tomorrow’s adults, all creating their own history, their own yesterday. I think it’s fair to say that the older one gets the more one looks to the past. I have heard people say, ‘I wish I had asked my parents or my grandparents about this or that.’ And here’s a problem; often it’s too late. They have died, and their stories have died with them. What a terrible loss that is,” he said. “I used to supervise a generations project which encouraged eighth graders to interview their parents and grandparents about what life was like when they were growing up. Some fascinating material came out of that exercise. I think this form of embracing their past is of great value for all students and should be part of any curriculum.” It is just one of the ways he has tried to make the subject of history come alive for his students. “Given the fact that few young people are interested in it, making history come alive requires a great deal of energy and showmanship – in a word, entertainment. Over the years, I organised several presentations of Bahamian history which involved students and staff of the secondary school from years 7 through 12. These included sound and light productions and reenactments on major events such as the landing of Columbus, hanging the pirates, Alec’s Revolt and the Burma Road Riots.”
Photos/Shawn Hanna
Mr Murray said he has really enjoyed his teaching career and the impact he had on his students. “Well, three months paid holiday a year was definitely a plus. But there were occasions when it became clear that I have passed on my passion for history,” he said. However, one facet of the profession he did not enjoy as much is what he called the “baby-sitting” aspect. “Teenagers do not make ideal students, and a classroom full of them could be a challenge. That being said, I enjoyed the challenge, and the interaction with young people helped to keep me young. I do some online tutoring now; so much more can be achieved in a one-on-one situation. Of course something I did not enjoy was staff meetings; teachers tend to talk too much.” He credits his wife and in-laws with inspiring his love of Bahamian history, especially 20th century history. “The history of the Bahamas is a fascinating one and I had great pleasure researching four topics in particular: Columbus in the Bahamas; pirates in the Bahamas; Africans in the Bahamas,
“I have heard people say, ‘I wish I had asked my parents or my grandparents about this or that.’ And here’s a problem; often it’s too late. They have died, and their stories have died with them. What a terrible loss that is.”
and race relations in the Bahamas. As for other topics, I specialise in 20th century world history, particularly the World Wars and the history of the Americas.” At the moment, Mr Murray is working on a special project in commemora-
tion of the 50th anniversary of Majority Rule. “I am trying to interest high schools in my new PowerPoint presentation entitled ‘Majority Rule in the Bahamas – a Simple Guide to a Historic Struggle’. I’m afraid the response to this offer has been disappointing. I’ve been told that the youth are not interested and no doubt this is true,” he said. “But as I said before, today’s teenagers are tomorrow’s adults. In order for them to make adult choices in the future they need to be informed about the past – about, for example, the achievement of Majority Rule. This did not appear suddenly or magically; it developed over a long period of time and not without a struggle. It is a complex but inspiring story and it can be presented in a manner which will appeal to young people.” Mr Murray also enjoys writing about the subject, but said he does not consider himself to be an author. “I’m not sure author is the appropriate word for what I do. I’m a writer, yes. My grandfather was a newspaper editor; my mother and father were both letter writers and I have been writing letters since I was six years old. However, the last piece of original research I did was for my Master’s dissertation way back in 1985. I think presenter is a more accurate description of what I do,” he said. “My first book, ‘Bahamian History Highlights’, published in 1999, grew out of lesson plans for the students of St Andrew’s. I enjoyed putting together simple text and lots of pictures that they enjoyed cutting and pasting into their notebooks. This book has become a standard text in schools throughout the Bahamas, which is gratifying.” And although it may seem that his students were uninterested while still in school, he said that many have since gained an appreciation for the lessons he taught them. “Quite often former students have told me that now they get it what I was trying to teach them,” he noted. “My new book, ‘The Colourful History of the Bahamas’, is designed as a souvenir guide for visitors. Once again I enjoyed putting together a simple text and finding lots of pictures. I was hard work and it took a long time, but I think it’s pretty good. It’s selling quite well locally, but it’s supposed to be selling among the three million tourists that reportedly visit the Bahamas every year, thus making me a millionaire. So far that is not happening…”
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Friday, February 24, 2017
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Friday, February 24, 2017
charity (Photo/The Vendetta Group)
Fill your bowl for a good cause By JEFFARAH GIBSON Tribune Features Writer jgibson@tribunemedia.net
T
Hundreds of colourful ceramic bowls are made each year for the Empty Bowls Bahamas fundraiser.
Ceramicist, sculptor and lecturer Joann Behagg is the driving force behind Empty Bowls Bahamas.
HROUGH a merging of the visual, culinary, literary and performing arts, tomorrow’s Empty Bowls Bahamas will continue with its goal of fighting hunger. Founded in the United States by Mr and Mrs John Horton, the Empty Bowls charity was started to raise funds to feed the hungry by selling bowls of soup. It was introduced to the Bahamas in 2009 by ceramicist, sculptor and lecturer Joann Behagg. Mrs Behagg and scores of volunteers spends month making colourful ceramic bowls for the initiative each year. Additionally, local artisans are invited to exhibit their work and participate in a silent auction. The ninth annual Empty Bowls fundraiser will take place this Saturday in the Queen’s College Auditorium, Village Road from 1pm to 5pm. Tickets for the event are $25 and include a ceramic bowl, soup, a cup of bush tea and a roll. Other items will also be available for purchase. “A variety of Bahamian soups made by local chefs are served at our Empty Bowls Bahamas event. Once a bowl is purchased, the purchaser selects a soup which may be placed in the bowl for consumption. Local performers are also invited to provide entertainment and showcase their talent. Students who work as volunteers are able to submit their hours to their schools as part of their required community experience,” said Ms Behagg. Over the years, Empty Bowls has made a significant difference in the lives of many Bahamians through its civicminded and fundraising initiatives. Since its inception, it has been intricately involved in the community of supporting organisations that feed the hungry. “Empty Bowls seeks to raise aware-
“Empty Bowls seeks to raise awareness of the importance of meeting the needs of the less fortunate within the country.”
ness of the importance of meeting the needs of the less fortunate within the country,” said Mrs Behagg. The organisation has harnessed the spirit of volunteerism from all sectors of society through its annual artistic, culinary and performing arts event. Organisations that have benefitted from Empty Bowls Bahamas’ fundraising events include the Salvation Army Corps (New Providence and Grand Bahama); Great Commission Ministries International, which provide food, clothing, shelter and after-school programmes; Eljhay’s Hilltop Cottage Ministries, which provide feeding programmes for children and the elderly in the Kemp Road and surrounding areas; the Bahamas Conference of the Methodist Church Habitat for Humanity, and islands devastated by Hurricane Joaquin. Proceeds this year will go towards other charitable initiatives and islands impacted by Hurricane Matthew. For additional information visit the Empty Bowls Bahamas Facebook page or contact 327-8109 or, e-mail behagg@ coralwave.com.
08 | The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, February 24, 2017
food
A raw delight Olives at Atlantis serves up fresh seafood daily
G
uests choosing to dine at the Todd English’s Olives Restaurant at Atlantis are in for an eye-catching treat. At the entrance of the establishment, which is located in the resort’s casino, an appetising raw bar is set up daily with fresh seafood. Executive Sous Chef at Olives Everton Smith is in charge of ensuring that the display is updated with appealing fare every day, and he takes this responsibility seriously. “We want to leave a lasting impression for the guests and so we have to make sure that the display is very beautiful, fresh and showcases the best quality items,” he explained. Chef Smith said customers are astounded by raw bar on a daily basis. Grouper, red snapper, hog snapper and lobster – or crawfish if you prefer – are just some of the seafood delights often on display. According to Chef Everton, on any given day, a customer will admire the display at the raw bar and choose something featured, which the Olives culinary team can then prepare in a variety of ways to the customer’s liking as well as offer them the Chef’s Choice. The Olives’ raw bar display is updated daily between the hours of 10am and 11am.
Executive Sous Chef at Olives Everton Smith is in charge of Olives’ raw bar.
“We want to leave a lasting impression for the guests and so we have to make sure that the display is very beautiful, fresh and showcases the best quality items.”
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Friday, February 24, 2017
food
French flair in Freeport By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net
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tep into the Merport Bistro and you may feel like you have set foot in a trendy Parisian café. In actuality, you’re in the heart of Freeport. The bistro, which is located at No 1 Town Centre, aims to delight customers with its French flair and flavours. Opened in December 2015, the bistro is co-owned by husband and wife Robert and Alison Anglade, and Genny Cola. With both indoor and outdoor seating, the restaurant accommodates 30 inside and 28 on the terrace. It caters to business executives, young professionals and foodies. The décor theme is modern chic. Clean lines dominate the minimalist interior, removing any distractions from the food as it is presented. Merport Bistro offers a unique gastronomic experience, centered around modernistic European fusion cuisine. “The food is made fresh to order, and where possible we source ingredients locally,” said Chef Ranwa Ferguson, who was professionally trained in the United Kingdom and in the Bahamas. The bistro’s best-selling menu item is the vol-au-vent – a creamy chicken dish that is baked in a light, flaky puff pastry shell. Another fan favorite is the ‘Bistro Burger’ – an 8oz hand-made Angus beef patty, topped with sautéed sweet peppers and onions in a savoury ginger sauce with basil mayo on a freshly baked bun. Guests also often request the primavera with grilled salmon entrée, which features pasta tossed in pesto sauce and topped with grilled salmon and julienne vegetables. While the Merport Bistro boasts a fully stocked bar with a range of European wines and spirits, it also has popular non-alcoholic alternatives including its signature blueberry and
Chef Ranwa Ferguson
ginger infused lemonades – one of their handcrafted mocktails created daily with fresh ingredients. Business has been going strong at the bistro despite the challenging economic climate in Freeport. This success is partly due to the establishment’s exposure at the Culinary Fusion Expo last November when it won the Culinary Award for Best Restaurant 2016. The feedback from patrons has been outstanding, said Chef Ferguson, and they boast many repeat customers who come to the bistro for the high level of service and dynamic food they have come to enjoy. Chef Ferguson has worked with a
number of international chefs, and draws inspiration for his culinary creations from art, his travel and cultural experiences. “I have an affinity for the catch of the day special,” he said. “There’s an element of surprise with the selection of seafood options, which as an artist, provides me a canvas to express my creativity through the preparation and presentation to provide bespoke dishes.” Chef Ferguson completed his initial training in Nassau, where he undertook a number of local apprenticeships. He has also spent time in London widening his repertoire and building on his skills.
On returning home to the Bahamas, he worked in Freeport for some time, and then at the One&Only Ocean Club on Paradise Island. He was also executive chef at the Captain’s Table overlooking the Lyford Cay Club Marina. Chef Ferguson has served as a private chef, catering to clients in Baker’s Bay, Lyford Cay, Albany, Ocean Club, and even on private yachts. He later joined Baha Mar as Chef de Cuisine for VIP guests, VIP lounge and room service. Last year, he started working at the Merport Bistro as its executive chef with the ambitious goal to set a new standard for food in Freeport.
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Friday, February 24, 2017
theatre
A second dose of ‘Crazy Love’ By JEFFARAH GIBSON Tribune Features Writer jgibson@tribunemedia.net
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HILE audiences in New Providence still have to wait a while for the curtains to open on “Crazy Love 2”, those in Freeport are getting a second dose of the high drama and belly-aching laughter during an encore presentation of the stage play that starts tonight. Out of Ashes Entertainment has outdone itself once again with five sold-out shows already under its belt and two more production set for tonight and tomorrow, beginning at 8pm on both nights. This weekend will see the final run for “Crazy Love 2” in Grand Bahama at the Regency Theatre. A concrete date has not yet been determined for the Nassau debut of “Crazy Love 2”, however, the play is expected to make its move to the capital some time in April. As for what is in store the time around, writer and producer Gea Pierre said audiences can expect the unexpected. She said while “Crazy Love 2” brings with it some new cast members, characters and fresh stories of joy, pain, triumph, heartbreak and the craziness of love, it still maintains the unique brand of humour from the first instalment that went down a storm with audiences. Last year, the original production of “Crazy Love” celebrated seven sold-out performances and one encore show in Grand Bahama, and another six in New Providence. It won the 2016 Bahamian Icon Award for Best Live Ensemble. Ms Pierre said she is truly overwhelmed by the response “Crazy Love 2” has gotten from theatre-goers in Grand Bahama. “Thank you so much Grand Bahama, on behalf of Out of the Ashes Entertainment and the entire Crazy Love crew, guided by our directors Patrice Johnson and Brian Roxbury.
In “Crazy Love 2”, Vanessa and Ian cannot resist rekindling that old flame, despite their difficult past.
Playwright Gea Pierre and the “Crazy Love 2” cast and crew after a sold-out opening night show at the Regency Theatre in Grand Bahama. Grand Bahama has never failed us and we want to thank you for your continued support,”said Ms Pierre. After writing plays for 20 years, Ms Pierre decided to start her own production company in 2013 so as to have total control over her work, both creatively and financially. Her first play under this
new banner was the comedy “I Object”, which was staged both in Freeport and Nassau in late 2013. In 2015, Out of the Ashes Entertainment again delighted Bahamian audiences with the critically acclaimed “Perfect In Weakness”, also written by Ms Pierre. The production company’s
signature, she said, is “excellence with distinct humour and tone” that continuously captivates audiences. “The ultimate goal for the company is to nurture and grow Bahamian theatre, and to promote a medium that highlights the indigenous brilliance of the people,” she said.
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Friday, February 24, 2017
entertainment Photo/Shawn Hanna
Thousands expected to attend rum festival By ALESHA CADET Tribune Features Writer acadet@tribunemedia.net
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estival Rum Bahamas, which has been named the third best rum festival in the world, returns this weekend with more exotic rums, exhibitors, creative comfort foods and live entertainment. The three-day event kicks off today at 11am at Fort Charlotte and continues through Sunday. Based on the turn-out in the previous three years, organisers once again expect thousands to attend the event. This year’s highlights will include three stage settings in various areas, performances by artists such as Visage, Tebby, Funky D, Julien Believe, Bodine, Ira Storr and the Spank Band, The STEEL Drummers, Sweet Leroy, Limbo Man, D-Mac, Frankie Victory, Action Jackson, DJ Mighty Pencil, as well as street performers and Junkanoo rush-outs. “It is really cool to have it at Fort Charlotte because this is our history. This is authentic; it is Bahamian. What we are seeking to do is explore our history through the eyes of rum – the good, the bad and the ugly,” said Catherine Chisnall, Festival Rum Bahamas organiser. “There is slavery, rum running, sugar cane, piracy, bootlegging all mixed up with the history, but it is also authentically ours. It is something that we own as a country and it is something unique to explore at the festival setting.” With the Rum Bahamas organisation having a history of event hosting, Ms Chisnall said they thought it would be good to contribute something positive. The goal is to attract local and interna-
Rum Bahamas, now in its fourth year, is expected to draw thousands of patrons this weekend.
“What we are seeking to do is explore our history through the eyes of rum – the good, the bad and the ugly.” tional visitors and provide an experience for them that is truly Bahamian. “At the festival we create different areas such as the Pirate Area for those that want the romance, the Street Area if you want the pumping music which feels like a fete and to get your dutty wine on, and then we have our main stages where we will have the best and brightest of Bahamian music such as Visage and Tebby,” said Ms Chisnall. Meanwhile in the Sugar Cane Kitchen section persons can enjoy everything from cracked sheep tongue fries with a white rum and mint pepper jelly sauce, to goat pepper glazed-beef brisket sliders and codfish cakes on spicy cheese grits. There will also be crunchy snapper fingers in waffle cones with a spicy tamarind-tomato vinaigrette
and fresh greens; octopus and lobster ceviche in mini taco shells; sugarcane salsa chicken, crispy fried Coca-Cola rib nibs, and more. “We know that the Bahamas has amazing food, but we are trying to put a twist on comfort food. So like it or love it, it is still different,” said Ms Chisnall. She is hoping the continued success of the Festival Rum Bahamas sparks the beginning of a movement which will bring about more festivals in the Bahamas. A huge believer in the creativity, ingenuity and vibrant nature of the Bahamian people, Ms Chisnall said she is grateful to see the festival grow the way it has, with young men building the booths, participating vendors engaging in training leading up to the event, and
the whole team coming together. “The festival has grown by thousands and it is attracting international and national attention,” she said. The International Rum Council, an independent group of rum professionals who travel the world and promote the beauty of rum, have listed Festival Rum Bahamas as the third best event of this nature in the world. “We need to inspire our young people and build our economy, because a lot of them are not going to fit into a 9 to 5 box,” said Ms Chisnall. “This (festival) allows a certain sector of society that has a skill set, that also needs training, an opportunity to shine and show their talents. Many young men have come from a disadvantage, but now they are the ones that are handcrafting this gorgeous scene at the Fort and it is giving them pride, financial sustenance, dreams, and that is something that everyone can agree we desperately need in the Bahamas right now.” Tickets for Festival Rum Bahamas are $25 per day or $60 for the entire. Box offices can be found at the Eye Candy Makeup Store & Studio in the Harbour Bay Plaza; My Favourite Things on Cable Beach; Smugglers in downtown Nassau; Bristol Wines and Spirits on Blake Road and East Bay Street; 1er Cru on Gladstone Road; at Rum Bahamas Elizabeth Avenue office, and at all Omni Financial locations.
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Friday, February 24, 2017
technology
New Bahamian app for things to do By Cara Hunt cbrennen@tribunemedia.net
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new app by a young Bahamian entrepreneur promises to give both visitors and locals quick and easy access to all the happenings around Nassau. The app is called Novio and was created by Valdez Williams, CEO of the Novio Group. He explained to Tribune Weekend that he designed the app so that can people find out about events they would like to attend and restaurants they would like to visit with just a quick swipe of their smartphone. Available in the iTunes and Google stores, Novio is the updated version of his initial project which previously had
The interface of the new Bahamian app Novio been up and running for about a year. “The app was initially launched in 2015 and ran for about a year, but then
we took it down to revamp,” said Mr Williams, “and we have just relaunched the new version earlier this month.” The new version of the app contains mapping capabilities which allow users to get notifications about when concerts, festivals, or sporting events take place, as well as a drop-down menu which goes directly to the homepages for those events Additionally, there are links to shops, restaurants, bars and places, as well as suggestions for vendors who can offer services. Visitors also have the option of linking to hotels and motels in the area. “The year that we were up and running, things went well. It was really good for us to have a trial period, and people were very happy with the initial app, but I am glad that we did not go full force with it, because this new ver-
sion is far superior to it,” said Mr Williams. “Our users have really enjoyed using the app and have found it to be very helpful in planning their days.” “We have two mottos: ‘Connecting You to Everything Everywhere in the Bahamas’, and ‘Connect. Engage. Enjoy.’, and that is exactly what we want people who use this app to be able to do,” he added. Mr Williams explained that he came up with the idea for the app because he was looking for an innovative business venture. In future, he wants to work with more businesses and event promoters, and maybe even partner with StubHub, an online ticket exchange owned by eBay. He is also preparing to launch Novio TV, which will be a blog-like application where people can see shows and blog posts in one place.
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Friday, February 24, 2017
culture
A meeting of cultures at the Greek Festival By ALESHA CADET Tribune Features Writer acadet@tribunemedia.net
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n addition to all the fun and entertainment that surrounds the Greek Festival, organisers and attendees at last weekend’s event agreed that the meeting of two cultures is one the best aspects of the biennial celebration. For two days, the Greek Festival attracted thousands of Bahamians to the Greek Orthodox Church grounds on West Street where they enjoyed everything from Greek cuisine and music, to historical talks, dancing, storytelling and more. Sofia Papageorge, Honorary Consul of Greece to the Bahamas, operated the Plaka booth at the festival. Named after a historic neighbourhood in Athens, the booth gave patrons a slice of Greece with its belly-dancing belts and “good luck eyes” on display, said Ms Papageorge. “The church has been around from 1932, so there is a large Greek community in the country, about 500 Greek families here, so the festival is bringing the culture to the Bahamas,” she explained. “What is also important is the fact that this festival is used to fund the church. The church has a lot of charitable activities that we do. One of them is a programme where we feed the less fortunate. We have done 35,000 meals to date, and we also have the Agape fund that helps people that are in need.” Born in the Bahamas to Greek parents, Ms Papageorge said it is important for her to be a part of the festival, because her heritage is something she is proud of. “It is something that I want to share with others, and also I think Greeks have become such good members of the wider community and it is great to
bring both together, so we just want to highlight that and have a good time,” she said. Maria Chisnall of the White Pegasus booth said they have been a part of the festival since its inception. She describes their booth as a “purely fun” one where persons can offer their treasures for recycling. “We recycle them by selling it to other people. We have fun with it and give people good deals and they get stuff that they really want. On display we have some jewellery donated by one of our community members, clothing pieces waiting on a new life, household items, golf clubs and more. I hate to say one man’s junk is another man’s treasure, but honestly that is what it is,” said Ms Chisnall. What is left over after the festival goes to the next charity event on the church’s schedule. “We work very hard. My background is Greek and I have always been a member of the church, so the festival is a way not only support our church and the community projects that we do, but it also builds community and gives us all a chance to be together. I think it serves a purpose to give persons a chance to understand what other persons are about. Every Bahamian has their own background; we all came from somewhere once,” she said. Susan George at the Greek Orthodox Church bookstore booth displayed items that are normally used for prayer: crucifix chains, incense burners, candle holders and more. “We had good feedback with customers coming in. People are happy to come in and know more about the Greek culture here in the country, especially about the Orthodox Christianity. I am a part of this church community and I am having a good time with the festival and selling these items, especially explaining to the people about the books. People have a lot of questions about the Orthodox, who are they and
Operators of the Plaka booth
Maria Chisnall and Vangie Halkitis at the White Pegasus booth, which has been a staple at the Greek Festival since its inception.
The Greek Orthodox Church Bookstore booth specialised in religious items. what do they do,” said Ms George. One Bahamian patron, Maria, told Tribune Weekend that she enjoyed the street party atmosphere of the festival and the fact that everyone seemed to be mixing and mingling throughout the day. “I especially enjoyed hearing the live Greek band. I thought it was a really good touch; gave you a taste of what being at Greek party would be like. I mean, I have never been to Greece, but I watch movies and I am pretty edu-
cated on the culture. I’m having a great time,” she said. Having the opportunity to experience Greek food is a major attraction for festival-goers. Taking a bite of one of the famous lamb gyros, John Michael said the food booths are always the first stop for him upon entering the festival. “I am not sure what goes into making (gyros), but I would like to believe there is a specific Greek spin that goes into process and I like it,” he said.
16 | The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, February 24, 2017
celebrity
With Karin Herig and Cara Hunt
HIT
SPLIT
HIT
FAIL
Kerry Washington “Confirmation”
Helen Mirren “Collateral Beauty”
Laverne Cox “Orange is the New Black”
Mary Elizabeth Winstead “10 Cloverfield Lane”
Karin says: “Needless to say it’s very revealing and sexy, but somehow it manages to still be classy. For once I like the midi length, and that faux choker attached to the dress really works for. Good choice, Kerry.” Cara says: “Yes, Kerry, you finally handled it. After serving up several slices of hot mess, this is finally a great outfit. It’s simple, elegant and totally flattering, and those post-baby boobs are doing their thing.”
Karin says: “Sometimes I really like the fluffy, casual sweater paired with a ball gown look, but this pullover is just a bit too drab. Plus, it looks scratchy. The queen deserves something more fabulous. But still, kudos to Helen for always keeping it interesting and proving style is not limited by age.”Cara says: “At first I didn’t think I liked the top paired with the skirt, but after giving it a second thought – it is a nice combo. Of course my bias may be showing because I love her so much. If it were a fancier event it may not have worked, but she pulls it off.”
Karin says: “Finally I can once again say that Laverne is looking great on the red carpet. There have been a few misses in recent times, but this floaty green gown looks lovely on her. It’s a great colour on her. I am especially loving her hair here. She looks gorgeous.” Cara says: “Go ahead and twirl your dress, Miss Laverne. This is a hit for me. Very cute and she is rocking it. That green is quite flattering on her. I do think I would have preferred the black to continue on both sides of the bodice, to be honest, but it’s pretty regardless.”
Karin says: “Ahh, there was bound to be a fail, and this is it. I don’t like body-shaming people, but it seems like Mary has lost a ton of weight since her last movie and it’s not necessarily the best look. But even then this design is nothing special, nor is it flattering. I also don’t get the hair. It looks like no effort was made.” Cara says: “Nope, don’t care for it. It’s basically a boring bra with a long black skirt. It just looks a little weird to me. And I really don’t care for her hair and lack of accessories. She looks very drab to me.”
Photos/Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP
The Weekend Fashion Report 69th annual Directors Guild of America Awards
The Tribune | Weekend | 17
Friday, February 24, 2017
podcasts
And the Oscar goes to.... By Stephen Hunt shunt@tribunemedia.net
T
he Oscars will be handed out this weekend and a whole host of podcasts are busily making their predictions as to who will win, and focusing on which of the movies up for gongs you should be seeing. With that in mind, I donned my headphones to prepare to hand out my own share of bouquets and brickbats.
Playback, by Variety Seeing as they host an Oscars party, you would think Variety would be the place to go for the essential pre-Oscars podcast, and Playback, with Kristopher Tapley, has a pretty good reputation... so it was with some surprise that I found this the weakest of the shows that I listened to this week. Let’s start with the awful intro music, and add on top of that the way the stream kept stuttering all the way through – there’s a download option and, trust me, if you’re going to listen to the show, don’t even try to stream it on the site, you won’t make it to the end. But on top of that, the discussion of the Oscars is pretty non-committal. There’s a lack of great passion in the discussion, and not a lot of comparison of the strengths of the different Oscar candidates. Indeed, it’s almost as if there’s a deliberate lack of commitment to picking who will win, other than a loose acceptance that La La Land and Moonlight are the frontrunners. It soon veers off into red carpet stories, which it has to be said aren’t the greatest red carpet stories anyway, and a half-hearted discussion about who will talk about Trump during the ceremony. All told, there’s just a lack of punch to this show. The best part by far though is the interview with Moonlight director Barry Jenkins – that’s well worth listening to, but the rest? You could skip without missing too much. Website: http://variety.com/t/playback-with-kristophertapley/
Pop Culture Confidential Far better is Pop Culture Confiden-
La La Land
Moonlight
Hidden Figures
Manchester by the Sea
tial, in which host Christina Jeurling Birro and guest Sasha Stone go through in real detail the potential winners of the Oscars. There’s an excellent discussion on how the ballot system works and how it can affect the results, with split ballots sometimes leading to surprising winners, such as when Adrien Brody won the Oscar for The Pianist. Again, La La Land is the hot favourite for many, many awards this year – Emma Stone is suggested to be a certainty for best actress – but the analysis does show that there seems to be pretty good prospects for both Moonlight and Lion, too. In fact, from the discussion it seems that Moonlight might just be a sly bet for the best picture, despite the Hollywood love-in that is La La Land. There’s a keen analysis of how the awards leading up to the Oscars can affect voting for the biggest gong of them all – and thoughts on how the chang-
ing demographic of the Academy, to introduce more people of colour on the voting side, might have an impact. The host and guest clearly know their stuff, the production of the podcast is top notch, and this is absolutely a show to put on as you start your Oscar party and wait for the big event itself to get started. Website: http://www.popcultureconfidential.com
Dorking Out Self-confessed dorks Chris Smith and Sonia Mansfield covers all manner of geekish subjects in their podcast, but they are both also movie lovers, so for their latest podcast they make their Oscar predictions. Now, there are a lot of podcasts going through and making their predictions – but these two know their stuff and give a good analysis for each of their picks. What’s nice about this show is the
amount of time they spend discussing some of the lesser known categories, and analysing what might scoop the Oscar for such things as sound editing or short movie live action. Often, podcasts gloss over such things because, well, the hosts aren’t really that interested in those categories – but these guys take their dorking out seriously! Again, Moonlight gets some strong support here – though La La Land is very much likely to pick up a whole range of Oscars – with the hosts pointing out such things as costumes and production design as likely awards for that film to scoop, beyond the big winners. While Emma Stone is getting a lot of support for best actress, Viola Davis is suggested here as a strong contender for best supporting actress award. There’s not long to wait now – so it’ll soon be time to find out who walks away smiling in the city of stars. Website: http://www.dorkingoutshow.com
18 | The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, February 24, 2017
film
Oscar predictions: What will win, what should win Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP
A
head of Sunday’s 89th Academy Awards, Associated Press film writers Lindsey Bahr and Jake Coyle share their predictions for a ceremony many expect will be a “La La Land” sweep.
BEST SUPPORING ACTOR
BEST PICTURE The Nominees: “Arrival,” ‘’Fences,” ‘’Hacksaw Ridge,” ‘’Hell or High Water,” ‘’Hidden Figures,” ‘’La La Land,” ‘’Lion,” ‘’Manchester by the Sea” and “Moonlight.” BAHR: Will Win: It has to be “La La Land.” Should Win: “La La Land,” although that’s not the stylish choice of the moment. I think we’ve all been burned too many times, by “The Artist” and “Argo” and other films that lure us in with their retro, navel gazing sensibilities and then evaporate from our memories come March 1. “La La Land” is different. It’ll be a modern classic that we’ll be watching for years to come. COYLE: Will Win: It would be idiotic to pick against “La La Land,” the 14-time nominated favorite and Golden Globe winner. And, yet, I can’t help myself. The election of Donald Trump changed the mood so drastically in Hollywood that I just don’t see Chazelle’s effervescent musical waltzing off with best picture. “Moonlight,” lyrical and poetic, isn’t a social issue film. But it feels more of-the-moment. Maybe it pulls off one of the most historic upsets in Oscar history. Just don’t bet the house. Should Win: “Moonlight,” but not because of the post-
category, but Stone. Should Win: Stone. What’s not to like here? She can do it all.
Crew workers roll out the red carpet for the 89th Academy Awards in front of the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. election angst. Because it’s beautiful.
BEST ACTOR The Nominees: Casey Affleck, “Manchester by the Sea”; Andrew Garfield, “Hacksaw Ridge”; Ryan Gosling, “La La Land”; Viggo Mortensen, “Captain Fantastic” and Denzel Washington, “Fences.”
BAHR: Will Win: It’s probably going to be Denzel Washington, and it won’t be a bad call either. Washington has lived in August Wilson’s Troy Maxson for years and his is a powerfully resonant interpretation. Should Win: Casey Affleck has become another unpopular choice of late, but his performance in “Manchester by the Sea” is so singular and specific to him. He’s the only one who could have made Lee Chandler work. COYLE: Will Win: This has turned into a nail-biter. I think the SAG winner Denzel takes it. Should Win: If you look up “powerhouse performance” in the dictionary, you should
just be treated to a torrent of words from the titanic Denzel. Affleck, too, is deserving. But I’m going to go with Gosling, who’s being curiously underrated this year despite being more-or-less the coolest movie star on the planet. My vote, though, is more for him in “The Nice Guys” than “La La Land.”
BEST ACTRESS The Nominees: Isabelle Huppert, “Elle”; Ruth Negga, “Loving”; Natalie Portman, “Jackie”; Emma Stone, “La La Land” and Meryl Streep, “Florence Foster Jenkins.” BAHR: Will Win: Emma Stone. The academy loves ingenues. It’s even better when the role itself is “ingenue.” Should Win: This is a tough one. Stone is wonderful, but Natalie Portman had such an impossible task in embodying the public and private sides of Jackie Kennedy in a noncampy way, and she pulled it off magnificently. COYLE: Will Win: It’s a competitive
The Nominees: Mahershala Ali, “Moonlight”; Jeff Bridges, “Hell or High Water”; Lucas Hedges, “Manchester by the Sea”; Dev Patel, “Lion” and Michael Shannon “Nocturnal Animals.” BAHR: Will Win: Mahershala Ali. Has anyone done so much to win an audience over with so little screen time? Should Win: Mahershala Ali. Full stop. It’s the role that made us all learn the name of an actor who we’ve all seen many times before. That’s no small thing. COYLE: Will Win: Ali. From the vast cast of “Moonlight,” he has (deservedly) been chosen Should Win: Ali should because “Moonlight” is at its most soulful when he’s onscreen. But we should all be rooting for a Michael Shannon speech if not on Sunday, some Oscars soon.
BEST SUPPORING ACTRESS The Nominees: Viola Davis, “Fences”; Naomie Harris, “Moonlight”; Nicole Kidman, “Lion”; Octavia Spencer, “Hidden Figures” and Michelle Williams, “Manchester by the Sea.” BAHR: Will Win: It has to be Viola Davis, right? She’s terrific in
“Fences,” even if it is more of a co-lead. Should Win: “Supporting” quibbles aside, Davis is still the strongest candidate in a very strong category. Sorry, Michelle. COYLE: Will Win: Davis is the lock of all locks. Should Win: Davis. It will be her first Oscar, but it won’t be her last.
BEST DIRECTOR The Nominees: “La La Land,” Damien Chazelle; “Hacksaw Ridge,” Mel Gibson; “Moonlight,” Barry Jenkins; “Manchester by the Sea,” Kenneth Lonergan and “Arrival,” Denis Villeneuve. BAHR: Will Win: Damien Chazelle, of course. Should Win: “La La Land” was not an inevitability, nor is any original musical and Chazelle willed this impossible project into being despite all the odds — whether it be the time constraint of a sunset for the perfect shot or shutting down a freeway to stage the perfect opening number. The work is on the screen. COYLE: Will Win: The 32-year-old wunderkind Chazelle appears to have it in the bag. Should Win: Both Chazelle and Jenkins are overwhelmingly worthy. Just give these two exceptionally talented and annoyingly young filmmakers the keys to Hollywood. LINDSEY BAHR JAKE COYLE AP Film Writers
The Tribune | Weekend |19
Friday, February 24, 2017
film Universal Pictures via AP
review
In ‘Get Out,’ the two-faced horrors of racism get out running time: 103 mins
F
ifty years after Sidney Poitier upended the latent racial prejudices of his white date’s liberal family in “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner,” writer-director Jordan Peele has crafted a similar confrontation with altogether more combustible results in “Get Out.” “Do they know I’m black?” Chris (Daniel Kaluuya) asks his white girlfriend Rose (Allison Williams) as they get ready to leave their city apartment for a weekend at her parents’ rural estate. “No,” she replies. “Should they?” “It seems like something you might want to mention,” he sighs. “I don’t want to get chased off the lawn with a shotgun.” It’s a joke but it’s also foreshadowing — and just a hint of the frights to come. In Peele’s directorial debut, the former “Key and Peele” star has —as he often did on that satirical sketch series — turned inside out even supposedly progressive assumptions about race. But Peele has largely left comedy behind in a more chilling portrait of the racism that lurks beneath smiling white faces and defensive, paper-thin protestations like, “But I voted for Obama!” and “Isn’t Tiger Woods amazing?” Those are the kinds of things that Rose’s father, Dean (an excellent Bradley Whitford), says as he and his wife, Missy (Catherine Keener), heartily welcomes his daughter’s boyfriend. “How long has this thang been going on?” Dean asks with forced emphasis on “thang.” But the warm welcome is only skin
Above: Daniel Kaluuya stars as Chris Washington. Left: Catherine Keener, right, and Bradley Whitford in a scene from, “Get Out.”
Betty Gabriel in a scene from, “Get Out.”
deep. A deeply bizarre atmosphere takes hold at the house, where all the hired help is black. They are a spooky, robotic bunch, with dead eyes and zombie-like demeanors that would have stood out even in “The Stepford Wives.” Something clearly is off, though Peele takes his time letting the mystery thicken. “Get Out,” produced by Jason Blum’s low-budget horror studio Blumhouse Productions, is serious, even sober in its horror. But its archness has moments of creepy levity. When Chris is given a tour of the house, Dean points out the sealed door to the basement. “Black mold,” he says.
Things get even stranger when Chris meets some of the family friends, who all appear oddly frozen in time somehow. Some ogle him with lust, feeling his biceps. The most paranoid (and funny) character in the movie is Chris’ friend, Rod (a terrific Lil Rel Howery), a TSA agent who — dubious from the start — grows increasingly concerned with every update from Chris. Eventually, the truth comes out, things turn bloody and, as you’d expect, we get a look at that basement. It’s long been a lamentable joke that in horror films — never the most inclusive of genres — the black dude is always the first to go. In this way, “Get Out” is radical and refreshing in its perspective. The movie is entirely from Chris’s point of view; his fears are ours. Peele originally conceived his longplanned film as an Obama-era horror, one that revealed the hidden racism that the country had supposedly overcome. “Get Out” instead comes out at a time where few still hold any belief in a post-racial America. The dark forces unleashed in “Get Out” came out of hiding long ago. JAKE COYLE AP Film Writer
20 | The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, February 24, 2017
belles of the ball
53
rd
Heart Ball Part II
Zella Bethell
E
legant frocks and dramatic ball gowns were the order of the day at the recent 53rd Heart Ball hosted by the Sir Victor Sassoon (Bahamas) Heart Foundation. Several of our belles showed their support for the fundraiser by wearing dresses in varying shades of red – the colour of the heart. Others chose sophisticated gowns in classic colours like blue and black, with some bold purples thrown in. Either way, all were there to help raise money for children with heart defects who are in desperate need of surgery. Held at the Meliá Nassau Beach Resort, the ball featured entertainment by the Ed Brice Orchestra/ Soulful Groovers, the Royal Bahamas Defence Force Pop Band and Gary “Super” Johnson. A highlight of the evening was the presentation of the Lady Sassoon Golden Heart Award, named in honour of Evelyn Barnes, Lady Sassoon, the foundation’s founder and patron. This year, the award went to former pre-school teacher and community worker Lauren Higgs for selflessly helping her fellow Bahamians over the years.
Shelley Woodside
Kendra Culmer
Kara Culmer-Wilson
Marisabel Thompson
Jennifer E H Brayden
The Tribune | Weekend | 21
Giorgina Thompson
Erin Bethell-Jones
Gizelle Bailey
Kimberly Cleare
Diana Miller
Stacie Lowe
Photos/Terrel W Carey
Friday, February 24, 2017
Dr Indira Jones
22 | The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, February 24, 2017
literary lives roald dahl
The story of the great storyteller Children all over the world have grown up with the Norwegian novelist’s tales. Sir Christopher Ondaatje looks at what influenced him
“When C S Forester read Dahl’s writings he decided to publish what Dahl had written exactly as Dahl had written it.”
R
oald Dahl was born in Wales to Norwegian parents, on September 13, 1916. He was named after the Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen, the first person to reach the South Pole two years earlier. He was educated at the Cathedral School in Llandaff, and later at St Peter’s in Weston-Super-Mare, before spending many unhappy years at Repton School in Derbyshire. Ritual cruelty, vindictive beatings and other violent experiences had a significant effect on Dahl’s dark writings. Nevertheless, his children’s stories – which included ‘James and the Giant Peach’, ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ and ‘George’s Marvellous Medicine’ earned Dahl the reputation of being one of the greatest storytellers for chil-
dren of the 20th century. When he was only eight, he was caned for putting a dead mouse in a sweet jar in Wales, and later beaten by Geoffrey Fisher, the future Archbishop of Canterbury, while at Repton School. This last punishment caused Dahl to have severe doubts about religion and God. He was a tall boy, eventually growing to 6’ 6”, and was good at sports.
After he finished school, Dahl rejected any thought of going to either Oxford or Cambridge University. “No. No. No,” he said. “I want to work for some company that will send me to some faraway place like Africa or China.” And that is what he did. After a wild hiking expedition across Newfoundland with the Public Schools Exploring Society, he got a job with the Shell
Oil Company which, after a two-year training period in London, sent him to Mombasa and Dar-es-Salaam in East Africa where he spent three luxurious years in the Shell House outside the Tanzanian port city with all the comforts of servants, maids and personal attendants. Life was cosy. However, with World War II approaching, the young Dahl briefly joined the King’s African Rifles before
The Tribune | Weekend | 23
Friday, February 24, 2017
“All Roald Dahl children’s books were written from the point of view of the child, and follow a theme that the good, the young and the kind always triumph over the old, the greedy and the wicked.” enlisting in the Royal Air Force in 1939, where he was trained first in Kenya and then in Iraq. On a special mission flying an obsolete Gloster Gladiator biplane from Egypt to Libya, he crash-landed in the desert, fracturing his skull and spine and was temporarily blinded. After being invalided home and surgery that involved a hip replacement and two spinal operations, Dahl was shipped out to Washington where he became an assistant air attaché. Part of his job was to attempt to influence isolationist Americans to sympathise with Britain’s position in the European war. This was in 1942, a few months after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour. In Washington, Dahl met the author C S Forester, who wrote the 12-book ‘Horatio Hornblower’ series and also ‘The African Queen’ (1935). He asked Dahl to recount a few RAF anecdotes so that he could meld them into one of his own stories. When Forester read Dahl’s writings he decided to publish what Dahl had written exactly as Dahl had written it. ‘Shot Down over Libya’ appeared in the August 1, 1942, issue of the Saturday Evening Post – and thus started a writing career that blossomed out of Forester’s simple request. Later Dahl would admit, “It was just a pure fluke. Without being asked to, I doubt if I’d ever have thought to do it.” It was also the year that Dahl wrote his first children’s story for Walt Disney
Roald Dahl (left) with Ernest Hemingway in 1944
Roald Dahl with two of his five children and his wife, American actress Patricia Neal. – ‘The Gremlins’. It was published in 1943 and was about the “gremlins” who were accused of causing untold problems with RAF aircraft during the war.
But the story was not very popular, so instead Dahl spent the next 10 years writing strange stories for adults which were published in various magazines
including the New Yorker, Colliers, Ladies Home Journal, Harper’s, and Playboy. The collections ‘Someone Like You’ in 1953, and ‘Kiss, Kiss’ in 1959 were surprisingly successful. In the end Dahl went on to write more than 60 short stories published in several collections, many of which were adapted for television specials and films. In 1953, Dahl married the American film actress Patricia Neal, who went on to win an Academy Award for her role in ‘Hud’ in 1961. The marriage lasted for 30 years and resulted in five children, one of whom died tragically in 1962. Dahl used to tell his children nightly bedtime stories. He had a vividly creative imagination and these stories became the basis for his most popular children’s books. ‘James and the Giant Peach’, published in 1961, was an enormously popular and critical success, and this was followed three years later by ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’. Both books were later made into hugely successful children’s movies. Other Dahl children’s books included ‘Fantastic Mr Fox’ (1970), ‘The Witches’ (1983) and ‘Matilda’ (1988). These were followed by ‘The Twits’ (1980), ‘George’s Marvellous Medicine’ (1981), and ‘The BFG’ (1982). All Roald Dahl children’s books were written from the point of view of the child, and follow a theme that the good, the young and the kind always triumph over the old, the greedy and the wicked. Warmly sentimental, Dahl’s stories often contain darkly comic and grotesque scenarios. Some of were probably based on mythical Norwegian folk tales which his mother had told him when he was young. He never gave up his fascination for the weird, gruesome and unusual – both in his writing and in real life. He also had an inventive playful use of the English language, often creating words that didn’t exist but which were onomatopoeic and which children would immediately understand like lickswishy, delumptious and uckyslush. While Roald Dahl is probably best remembered for the millions of copies of children’s books that he sold, there are many readers who revere him for his Uncle Oswald character who appeared in his short story collection ‘Switch Bitch’ in 1974. Eventually the subject of a 1979 novel ‘My Uncle Oswald’, Dahl writes about the
Continued on page 24
24 | The Tribune | Weekend
Dahl’s “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” (1964) has been turned into two major motion pictures.
Friday, February 24, 2017
“James and the Giant Peach” (1961) was Dahl’s first major success in writing children’s books.
With its sexual them es Oswald” is a decided , “My Uncle by the popular child ly more adult novel ren’s book author. Continued from page 23 extremely attractive and wealthy philanderer who discovers the sexually invigorating properties of the Sudanese Blister Beetle, and who, with the seductive and beautiful Yasmin Howcomely and the scientific known-how of Professor A R Woresley, plans to retrieve and freeze the sperm of powerful, rich and artistic men with a plan of selling it to rich women who wish to create children using the genes of the rich and intelligent. Renoir, Monet, Stravinsky, Picasso, Matisse, Proust, Nijinsky, Puccini, Rachmaninoff, Freud, Einstein, Conrad, Kipling, Shaw, and the Kings of Belgium, Norway, Italy, Serbia, Greece, Denmark and Sweden are among the proposed victims of Uncle Oswald’s plot, which very nearly succeeds but for an accidental mistake when his partner in crime - the lovely Yasmin - eats the chocolate covered aphrodisiac intended for the King of Norway, with a disastrous nymphomaniacal experience that results in imprisonment. Roald Dahl died on November 23, 1990, when he was 74. Over his long and creative life he wrote 19 children’s books and nine short story collections, as well as several television and movie scripts. He was buried in the cemetery of St Peter and St Paul’s Church in Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire, with his snooker cues, some very good Burgundy, chocolates, HB pencils and a power saw. Children continue to leave toys and flowers by his grave.
The Norwegian Church on Cardiff Bay, Wales, where Roald Dahl was baptised in 1916. Throughout his life Dahl had continuous ties to the church.
• Sir Christopher Ondaatje is an adventurer and writer resident in the Bahamas. A Sri Lankan-born Canadian-Englishman, he is the author of several books, including “The Last Colonial”.
The Tribune | Weekend | 25
Friday, February 24, 2017
forgotten facts
Tale of an Abaco boy By Paul C Aranha
M
y late friend, Jack Lowe, would have been a good character for Mark Twain to have included in his books ‘Tom Sawyer’ and ‘Huckleberry Finn’. But Jack was a boy who grew up in Marsh Harbour, Abaco, and I was enthralled to read the book about his life – ‘My Life The Abaco Boy Story’ – that he sent me to help my research into the history of Bahamas Airways Ltd, particularly the first-hand account by one of his brothers of the legendary 1926 hurricane that devastated Marsh Harbour, two months before Jack was born. There were no radios in Marsh Harbour, but Rupert Roberts, wireless operator for the government’s Telecommunications Department, received a message, in Morse Code, that a hurricane was headed for Abaco. The word spread quickly and the inhabitants rushed to get ready. Boats were secured and homes were shuttered and protected, to the best of their owners’ ability, and T Eldred Lowe’s General Store had seen a flurry of activity, with 100lb bags of sugar and flour being moved off the floor and placed on top of counters. Bolts of fabric were stacked, out of reach of rising water. Ready for the storm, the door was closed and the iron bar locked across the door, as was the practice throughout the Bahamas. On October 21, when Eldred and Nettie Lowe, surrounded by eight of Jack’s 12 siblings, sat down for their breakfast of white grits, ‘Papa’ exhorted the family to eat heartily, because no one knew when they night get the
next meal. The family waited. Decades would pass before hurricanes were given names, but this anonymous monster was about to engrave itself into everybody’s memory. It started with howling winds, quickly followed by a tidal wave. Furious wind and rising water demolished the General Store, leaving fabrics, sacks of flour and even a drum of kerosene drifting around in the back yard. Battered by winds from the north, the Lowe home creaked and shook while the occupants could hear flying objects striking the building. Hearing ‘Papa’ plead “Oh God, please protect and save us” was something his children never forgot. Water rushed through the ground floor, deep enough to cover the third step of the staircase, carrying with it anything that got in its way, while extra boards were nailed in place to strengthen the front door. Rupert Roberts thought he saw trees sailing past his house, only to discover that his house had been swept far into the forest. The conditions along the Front Road defied description. The trees were gone. Nearly every house had been carried away and there was horrendous wreckage everywhere. Of all the vessels at Marsh Harbour, only one survived – Dr Stratton’s missionary boat, the Evangel. There had been 60 buildings in the settlement; only eight survived. Three people had lost their lives. In those days, houses had no indoor plumbing and one woman fell into the septic hole of what had been the outhouse. Some men were able to rescue her - and take her “to the seafront, for an ocean water cleansing”. • Comments and responses to islandairman@gmail.com
Jack Lowe gives a first-hand account of the legen dary 1926 hurricane in his book “My Life – The Abaco Boy Story”.
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The Tribune | Weekend | 27
Friday, February 24, 2017
animals Animal matters Kim Aranha
pet of the week
Ivory: the elephant’s treasure and curse
By The Bahamas Humane Society
“I
’m cute, and fluffy!” Sailor is a one-yearold male potcake. He’s a bit shy at first but very outgoing once you get to know him. He’d love to go for walks on the beach and enjoy snuggles on the sofa. Sailor isn’t expected to grow much larger than he already is so will make an ideal companion for someone seeking a smaller dog. Is Sailor the mate for you? If so, come in to the Bahamas Humane Society to meet him, or call 3235138 for more information.
Patricia Vazquez
D
ozens of important, powerful, recognised and respected organisations around the world fight and demand the enforcement of laws and the creation of more legislation to protect the relentless slaughter of elephants for their tusks, and seemingly to no avail. Just a couple of days ago I received a letter from the International Fund for Animal Welfare, telling us that there used to be 1,000 elephants in the Kasungu National Park in Malawi; today there are 50. An estimated 20,000 to 30,000 elephants were killed in the last year (this is about one elephant every 26 minutes, every day or every week, of every month) The World Wildlife Fund reports that when CITIES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna) was introduced in 1989 there was a definite downturn on numbers of elephants killed yearly. Keep in mind that in the 1980s the slaughter was approximately 100,000 elephants a year. During those terrible years more than 80 per cent of the herds were lost in some regions of Africa. The CITIES ban helped somewhat, but now we see an upsurge in the illegal poaching of elephants for their tusks. Alas, not all regions in Africa protect these magnificent pachyderms as they should and the carnage continues day in and day out. Regrettably, the increasing demand for tusks in Asia and the large sums of money that people are prepared to pay is what drives the incentive to kill relentlessly. China has been the largest consumer market for carved tusks, chopsticks, accessories and the jewellery made from ivory that was once, the weapon
Sailor seeking safe harbour
Tens of thousands of elephants have been slaughtered for their tusks just in recent years. of defence and tool for a living elephant enjoying freedom. These tusks serve many different purposes – a tool to dig in dry riverbeds to find water, a protection for the delicate trunk, an implement to gather food and stripping bark from trees. It is alleged that in China ivory is consider good luck and that owning ivory makes a person look more successful. The leading world wildlife experts estimate that approximately 70 per cent of all ivory ends up in China. Now recently, after denying for
years that they were part of the problem, China has pledged to shut down the ivory market by the end of 2017. This could of course be a complete game changer, but like many illicit drugs it could also push up the price of black market ivory, which is already pretty high. A large bull (Male) elephant can have tusks that weigh up to 250lbs each. Though today’s price per pound fluctuates, as far as I can tell the cost can be between $500 and $1,500 per pound, putting the value of these elephants at an astronomical level. The official Xinhua news agency said the complete ban would affect “34 processing enterprises and 143 designated trading venues, with dozens to be closed by the end of March 2017.” Which of course would be good news. For China’s ban on ivory to be really effective its adjacent neighbours (such as Vietnam, Myanmar and the Philippines) need to join forces and take similar steps, otherwise Chinese nationals will simply buy their ivory from elsewhere nearby. It will be imperative that China cracks down on illegal trading of ivory as well. This intolerable carnage is leading to steep and debilitating declines of forest elephant herds and those of the Savannah. Numbers continue to decrease and countless nursing baby calves are left orphaned clinging to the butchered carcasses of their mothers. Fortunately for these poor babies
Sailor looks forward to shaking your paw! Adoption hours are 11am to 4pm, Monday to Friday, and 10am to 4pm on Saturday. • Come and see the BHS booth at the BKC Dog Show on the weekend of March 18-19, and join us for the BHS mini Fun Day on the Sunday. Waggiest tail, Best Kisser and more will be awarded. The Dog Show will be held at Clifford Park, 8am to 3pm on both days.
there are numerous elephant orphanages where caring people give their time to helping these poor shellshocked babies and provide the love and nurturing every baby needs, even babies as big as elephants. Elephants are very smart animals. Many ethnologists consider them as the most intelligent animal, their brains are massive, they have 300 billion neutrons, and are similar to a human brain. They are capable of expressing grief, they mimic, they play, they have the gift of compassion and self-awareness. They know how to use tools and can solve problems. Their intelligence makes their slaughter and mistreatment even more disgusting, as they must know what is going on and feel the desolation when one of their herd has been killed. They have one of the most closely knit societies of any living species. Though there is little we can do so far away from the issue, awareness is always the key to solving most problems, and certainly any environmental or ecological ones. Many people tend to brush off animal related problems until that have been educated about the problem, or the animal in question. Hopefully this article will discourage those world travellers amongst you from buying some exquisitely carved object in some far-flung nation, because you will stop and think of the unnecessary carnage that brought that object into your hands.
28 | The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, February 24, 2017
gardening
Asian delights Asian cuisine makes use of produce that is unfamiliar to many Westerners. Jack Hardy explains which Chinese, Korean or Japanese crops are easiest to grow here in the Bahamas.
Chinese cabbage is a good example of Asian vegetables we can grow in our backyard. Some types seem to be a cross between lettuce and cabbage and can be treated as either. The largest of the Chinese cabbages is wong bok or napa, cylindrical and substantial. Somewhat smaller and more convenient for most families is chihili. These can be cooked whole by seething or steaming if you have the right size pot, or sliced laterally for salad or slaw use. The leaf stalks are flat and can be included in stir fry dishes to give a crunchy texture. Pak choy is popular in Bahamian vegetable gardens and is a fast grower. The leaf stalks grow separate and retain their crunchiness after light cooking such as in stir fries. Health conscious devotees of raw food find pak choy a refreshing option. All types of Chinese cabbage need well-prepared fertile soil and regular watering. There are Japanese varieties of cucumber, onions and eggplant available in seed form. I would not recommend the onions as they are likely to be of a long day variety but the eggplants are interesting, tending to be short and plump, mainly white with mauve colouring, but others are long and resemble French aubergines. The current Asian craze in the west is Korean kimchee. The main ingredient called for is daikon, a large white form of radish. Daikon grows to a huge size, as much as 18-inches long and there are few gardens in the Bahamas with that depth of soil. The best option is to grow daikon in a large plastic container with drainage holes. Daikon grows
fast and will lend authenticity to your kimchee. Asian cuisines in general make great use of leaf vegetables and greens. Japanese mizuna is a frilly-leafed mustard plant that can be used raw in salads or cooked for deliciously delicate greens. I grew mizuna for the first time this year and it will be a staple in my garden in the future. There are other oriental salad greens I must try to get hold of to see if they are as delicious as mizuna. There is a fast-growing Asian form of true spinach called arrowhead because of the shape of its leaves. Malabar spinach is also an oriental vegetable even though it is widely used in the Bahamas and grows wild in Nassau. The only oriental tomato I am familiar with is the pear-shaped Trifele from Japan. The plant is potato-leafed and – to keep up with modern trends – there is now a Black Trifele. Several hot peppers come from the pepper-loving far-eastern Asian countries but the most popular seems to be Thai pepper that resembles a sharply-pointed Cayenne and produces a great number of peppers per plant. It will never take over from bird pepper, however, because the skin is tough and resists mashing with a spoon. It does however dry well and can be used for pepper flakes. It is an essential ingredient if you are into Thai cookery. Lemon grass is another essential in many oriental dishes but do not rush to obtain any of Asian origin. All the experts agree that Caribbean lemon grass – our humble Bahamian fever grass – has superior taste to that of Asian provenance.
One of the staples of a Bahamian herb garden is garlic chives which originated in Asia. Cilantro is as popular in some Asian countries as it is in Mexico and the seeds – coriander – are dried and used as a curry base. Garlic chives and cilantro taste the same there as here but Asian basil is distinctly different. The broad-leafed Genoa basil we use to flavour Italian dishes is almost sweet compared with the complexities of Asian basil, particularly Thai. I have two forms of Thai basil and I find them difficult to use. You can add European basil to virtually any savoury meal, but not Thai basil. Perhaps a knowledgeable Tribune reader can tell me which dishes could benefit from the use of Thai basil. There is an interesting Asian herb called shiso that looks like loose-leaf lettuce has a distinct cinnamon/cumin flavour. The plant can be red or green and one variety is halfway between with leaves that are green with red undersides, rather like the leaves of Shooting Star clerodendrum. Watermelons are very popular all over Asia and the Chinese are by far the world’s greatest producers. To make transportation easier many watermelons are grown in box-like frames so they are cubes when they reach their ripe stage. A watermelon display? Just build a wall. It should be noted that seedless watermelons were developed by a Japanese scientist. East is East and West is West, but the two can come together in our vegetable gardens. • For the comments and question j.hardy@coralwave.com
O
nly once have I tasted authentic birds’ nest soup and shark fin soup and that was a long time ago in Munich, Germany. I had a bowl of birds’ nest and tasted someone else’s sharks’ fin, both stunningly glutinous, and the experience brought home to me the fact that authentic Asian cuisine was very different from Asian dishes made from Western produce. Japanese persimmons and Fuji apples sometimes hit the supermarket displays but I am not sure whether these are grown elsewhere. I bought some bitter melons a year or so ago and prepared them carefully to Bon Appetit directions. Not to my taste at all, but most other oriental specialties have a pleasantly distinctive difference.
Japanese mizuna can be used raw in salads or cooked for deliciously delicate greens.