04212023 WEEKEND

Portraits of Paradise

Dîner En Blanc returns to the Bahamas

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

The famed Dîner En Blanc event (“Dinner in White” in French) is returning to the Bahamas, thanks to Pupstar Entertainment.

The global phenomenon spanning six continents, in which people have a meal dressed in white in a temporary dining setup in a public space, will take place in New Providence on Saturday, April 29, at an as yet undisclosed location.

The first Bahamian Dîner En Blanc was hosted in 2019 in the historic Pompey Square, welcoming over 300 guests, both local and international, said Alicia “Puppy” Robinson, founder of Pupstar Entertainment.

She told Tribune Weekend that plans for the 2020 edition of the event were well underway when the COVID-19 pandemic hit and forced them to postpone indefinitely. But now, all systems are go for Dîner En Blanc 2023.

“Only a select number of guests who are invited or previously signed up are made privy to the location the day of the dinner and are transported by bus from different meeting spots,” explained Alicia.

“Guests can follow tradition by bringing their own meals or take advantage of the highlighted chef for the year by purchasing (from the menu) ahead of time. This event also changes location each year to maintain that element of surprise and to keep guests excited for something new each year.”

The chef this year is Dominique Hanna, a private chef and pastry chef who specialises in health-conscious meals.

The Dîner en Blanc concept began in Paris in 1988 when François Pasquier invited a group of friends to an elegant outdoor dinner at the Bois de Boulogne park, asking them to dress in white so they could find each other. Since then, the event has grown to over 85 cities, with almost 17,000 gathering for the 30th-anniversary event in Paris.

For those who have never attended a Dîner en Blanc event,

Alicia said they can expect an exhilarating experience, with emphasis on experience.

“There are a number of different activities throughout the night, along with specialty entertainment, and you are always engaged in some way. As a first-time guest, you are guaranteed to make new acquaintances. Without giving away any of the secrets, this year we are focused on the arts in their entirety: visual, culinary and musical, so there will be something for all the senses,” she said.

It is an invite and pre-registered event only, and Alicia said sales are moving a great deal faster compared to the inaugural event.

Following Dîner En Blanc, Pupstar Entertainment will shift its attention towards its fan-favourite events that guests have grown to love over the years, such as the Sundance beach festival and Floatilla.

“We never thought there would be such a huge gap in the continued execution of our main events due to the pandemic, but it has given us the time to focus, refine and make sure we are bringing you the best events after such a long time. In 2024, we will introduce some new events as we celebrate our 10-year anniversary,” said Alicia.

SCENES from the last Bahamian Dîner En Blanc event

Bahamian Tuesdays in New York

By CARA HUNT | Tribune Features Writer | cbrennen@tribunemedia.net

Chef Rico “Nuncy” Neely remains on a mission to connect Bahamians living in New York’s Tri- State area with one another.

The New York-based, multi-talented chef, entrepreneur, author and social media influencer spoke to Tribune Weekend about his newest venture – Bahamian Tuesdays, presented by CWN Taste the Islands.

“It’s a spinoff from my original event, Chef Nuncy’s Taste the Islands, which is a communitybuilding event,” he said. “Bahamian Tuesdays serves the exact same purpose: to build community here in the New York and the Tri-State area; connecting Bahamians with other Bahamians, and you know, just creating a safe space for us to enjoy. I just recognised that there are a lot of Bahamians, myself included, that look for and often ask for spaces where they can connect.”

Rico said he also wanted to host the event to help commemorate the 50th anniversary of Bahamian independence.

“I wanted to create something of a staple at the forefront of the Caribbean diaspora community where we can share our talents and share our foods,” he said. “We are able to share our music and our thoughts and just occupy space, and so I feel that this is a smaller step to something much larger…who knows.”

Rico promises that the event will be “a really good time” in an open, family-friendly

this weekend in history

April 21

• In 1934, The Daily Mail in the UK prints a photograph purportedly depicting the small head and neck of the Loch Ness monster in Scotland. The image has since become iconic, even if it was later revealed to have been a hoax.

environment. There will be comedy routines, musical performances and other surprises.

“When it came to selecting the food for the event, he drew inspiration from a traditional Bahamian fish fry.

“Conch salad, conch fritters….something that is highly requested overseas is guava duff, so I had to make sure that was on the menu. We really went with fan favourites,” he said.

“We also have chicken in the bag, which is a just a creative take on fried chicken, and again, back in the day when you would go to the corner store or the tuck shop and when you ordered chicken, they would sell it to you in the bag and so you get that feeling of nostalgia from it.

“We also have deconstructed fire engine tacos: corn beef and white rice with asian slaw and a Polynesian sauce, so you are able to take in fire engine in a completely different way and enjoy, it if not the same, better than the original.”

Rico carefully selected an array of beverages to accompany the dishes: Bahamian rum punch gullywash, and a signature beverage, The Nuncy, which he said is similar to a Moscow mule with an island feel.

Bahamian Tuesdays will be held once a month. The first event will take place on April 25, from 7.30pm to 11pm at Alvin and Friends in New Rochelle, New York.

• In 1966, Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie I, believed to be the Second Coming of Christ by many Rastafarians, arrives in Jamaica for a visit. The event is still celebrated annually as Grounation Day.

April 22

• In 1370, construction begins on the Bastille. For most of its history, this medieval fortress was used as a state prison by the kings of France, and it came to symbolise French despotism.

• In 1970, the first Earth Day is observed. It was the

brainchild of US Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin and its goal was to increase

public awareness of the world’s environmental problems.

April 23

• In 1778, the Scottish-American naval captain John Paul Jones, along with volunteers from his ship, burn down the town of Whitehaven in Cumbria. It was the only American raid on English shores during the American Revolution.

• In 2005, the first video is uploaded to YouTube. It showed the platform’s co-founder Jawed Karim’s visit to the San Diego Zoo. One year later the site had some 100 million videos.

HAILE Selassie I

CHEF Rico “Nuncy” Neely

Bahamas International Film Festival returns with special guest Morgan Freeman

By CARA HUNT | Tribune Features Writer | cbrennen@tribunemedia.net

The Bahamas International Film Festival is returning to its traditional live, inperson format following a COVID hiatus with a new date and legendary Academy Award winner Morgan Freeman scheduled to be in attendance for “cinema in paradise”.

BIFF founder Leslie Vanderpool told Tribune Weekend that the festival has made some significant changes following the pandemic, including the new May 3-7 dates.

“We made the decision to move the festival date from December, when it has always been held, to May,” she said.

“We just found that there were too many other things happening with the holidays at the end of the year and we really wanted to be sure

that we had a time where we could accommodate everyone who want to attend. And a lot of people have said that the new time frame works a lot better for their schedule. So I think we have found a nice home for the festival in the beginning of May.”

Leslie said she hopes the festival will receive a small boost from tourists, as the month of May is usually the time when visitor numbers start increasing in the Bahamas.

May is also the month that the Cannes Film Festival takes place in France, but Leslie is hoping that festival enthusiasts will make plans to attend both.

“They can come here and then hop over to Cannes; from one Riviera to the next,” she said.

Leslie said it’s been exciting to get back into the organising the festival,

especially as they have been able to revert back to an in-person event following the virtual post-pandemic version.

“We did a virtual event, but I have to say I think it was difficult for our local audience to engage with the concept of logging into a portal to watch the films,” she said.

However, for this year, she added, organisers are ready to go and excited about the event.

“The planning is the easy part,” she said. “We have a great staff and team of volunteers and we are looking forward to it. We are overjoyed to be back with an in-person film festival. We look forward to bringing Hollywood and the who’s who of cinema for everyone to meet. Film is a tapestry of the life lived and the Bahamas International Film Festival

will continue to showcase first-rate films from the Bahamas and around the globe from all genres and all voices.”

Of course, the event’s big draw will be the attendance of Morgan Freeman, who appears in the closing night film, the acclaimed documentary “Sidney”, by director Reginald Hudlin and producers Derik Murray, Anika Poitier and Oprah Winfrey. Historians, film experts and fellow actors, including Denzel Washington and Halle Berry, honour the legendary Sir Sidney and his legacy as an iconic actor, filmmaker and activist at the centre of Hollywood and the Civil Rights Movement.

“Sir Sidney’s daughters were very instrumental in organising Mr Freeman’s attendance, as he was a very good friend of Sir Sidney and

MORGAN Freeman with the late Sir Sidney Poitier

his family. He is honoured to be receiving The Sidney Poitier Tribute Award,” said Leslie. Unfortunately, Halle Berry and Denzel Washington had scheduling

conflicts and will not be able to attend.

A Morgan Freeman retrospective will be screened for free at ECCHO on Saturday, May 6, at 7.30pm. And

then on May 7, Mr Freeman will receive his Sir Sidney Poitier at the Atlantis Theatre at 7pm. The festival will include 55 films – a combination of feature length films, shorts and documentaries from a wide array of countries.

“We have combined two years of submissions to finalise the list that will be shown,” Leslie explained. “We had so many people who wanted their work to be included and we always want to provide a platform for new voices.”

The festival will commence on May 3 at the Atlantis Theatre, opening with the film “Rock ’N’ Roll Is Not Dead” by filmmaker Charlie Cepeda, Mauricio Angulo, and the Bahamas’ very own executive producer Edgar Seligman.

For the duration of the festival, films will be screened at both the Atlantis Theatre on Paradise Island and the ECCHO museum at Baha Mar.

The local film community will be well-represented with about a dozen submissions scheduled.

In addition to the films, there will be master classes in acting and directing, as well as workshops for writers and a pitching and producing panel.

BIFF is a non-profit organisation dedicated to providing the local community and international visitors with a diverse presentation of films from around the world. In addition to offering films that might not otherwise be released theatrically in the Bahamas, BIFF aims to provide unique cultural experiences, educational programmess, and forums for exploring the past, present and future of cinema.

“BIFF has created a legacy of excellence in presenting the Bahamas as a premier film destination to the international cinematic community. Apart from showcasing 1,000 plus local and international films, we have introduced our culture to more than one million film professionals and enthusiasts from around the world,” said Leslie.

Each successive year, BIFF grows significantly, with a public relations dollar value over $20 million, according to the renowned publicity firm Rogers and Cowan. BIFF has attracted A-list celebrities such as Johnny Depp, Nicolas Cage, Sir Sean Connery, Laurence Fishburne, Grace Jones, Chaz Ebert, Debra Messing, Danny Glover, Heather Graham, Alan Arkin, Roger Corman, Daryl Hannah, Sophie Okonedo, Anna Faris, Naomie Harris, Zoe Kravitz, Lenny Kravitz, Sydney Tamiia Poitier, Roger Guenveur Smith, Lee Daniels, Rae Dawn Chong, Michael K Williams, and many more.

The films competing at BIFF will be in the festival’s four competitive categories:

Spirit of Freedom (Narrative), Spirit of Freedom (Documentary), New Visions and Short Films.

For the full schedule of films and other activities, visit the website www.bintlfilmfest.com.

BIFF founder Leslie Vanderpool

CINEMA in paradise

THE OPENING night film “Rock ’N’ Roll Is Not Dead”

5

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.

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 Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday

CRYPTIC PUZZLE

Across

1 Unsuspected faults that weaken one’s standing (4,2,4)

6 Record finish of race (4)

10 Pest possibly slain in the garden (5)

11 It gives time for music (9)

12 Express dissatisfaction with a break in service (8)

13 It’s not clear it’s changing in my case (5)

15 Slipped away unusually pleased (7)

17 Not a subject put on in advance (7)

19 To look one’s years requires nobility (7)

21 Intervenes in measure to confront crime (5,2)

22 Teacher’s pet almost (5)

24 One way of saying one doesn’t like it? (8)

27 Not a protracted romance? (9)

28 Spin a yarn (5)

29 Shocking swimmers (4)

30 It makes a topping sweet (5,5)

Down

1 Refuse to eat quickly (4)

2 Vanish with girl quietly so to speak (9)

3 Deck or dock (5)

4 Order the ambitious officer hopes to get (7)

5 Not many can provide a word of opposite meaning (7)

7 Little matters as Tom found out (5)

8 Extremely slender for example; that’s about all (10)

9 A hundred men come in prepared to start (8)

14 A sober habit (10)

16 Painless treatment for animals (8)

18 Engaged in renovation or doing nothing about it (9)

20 A commodity extensively used (7)

21 She has visited an unlicensed drinking establishment (7)

23 Joiner’s instrument giving angles that aren’t right (5)

25 Grounds worth seeing one hears (5)

26 Highlight in the theatrical world (4)

Across

1 Find by chance (4,6)

Yesterday’s Easy Solution

Across: 1 General, 5 Crash, 8 Full-blown, 9 Owl, 10 Etch, 12 Dividend, 14 Rumpus, 15 Verify, 17 To a fault, 18 Left, 21 Art, 22 Old stager, 24 Terse, 25 Engaged.

Down: 1 Gaffe, 2 Nil, 3 Robe, 4 Look-in, 5 Consider, 6 At one time, 7 Holiday, 11 Come after, 13 Cut above, 14 Retract, 16 Pledge, 19 Tired, 20 Stag, 23 Gag.

Yesterday’s Cryptic Solution

Across: 1 Attuned, 5 Moses, 8 Important, 9 Age, 10 Eked, 12 Strike up, 14 Ration, 15 Bazaar, 17 Pomander, 18 Nemo, 21 Ego, 22 On the mend, 24 Sweet, 25 Rooster.

Down: 1 Alice, 2 Tip, 3 Nero, 4 Dearth, 5 Mythical, 6 Stage name, 7 Sleeper, 11 Extempore, 13 Point out, 14 Repress, 16 Debtor, 19 Order, 20 Veto, 23 Eat.

EASY PUZZLE

Down

1 Instance (4)

6 Make a mistake (4)

10 Brushwood (5)

11 An alien (9)

12 Without reservation (8)

13 Removal of undesirable members (5)

15 Embodiment (7)

17 Holder of unorthodox opinion (7)

19 Combat aircraft (7)

21 Small spot (7)

22 Ingenuous (5)

24 Superficially improving (8)

27 Paying (9)

28 Malicious burning (5)

29 Sinister (4)

30 Careful watch for changes (7,3)

2 Subdued vocal dissent (9)

3 Yellowish fossil resin (5)

4 Asylum-seeker (7)

5 Continuous expanse (7)

7 Possessor (5)

8 Unconvincing (3-7)

9 Scatter in all directions (8)

14 Excessively modern (10)

16 During a journey (2,3,3)

18 Disagree (4,5)

20 Lean backwards (7)

21 Be inclined to think (7)

23 Bring upon oneself (5)

25 To dodge (5)

26 As soon as (4)

Y C A S R U A T N

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. Verb forms ending in S permitted’.

TODAY’S TARGET

Yesterday’s Sudoku Answer

tomorrow ● The Target uses words in the main body of Chambers 21st Century Dictionary (1999 edition) Call 0907 181 2585 for today’s Target solution *Calls cost 80p per minute plus your telephone company’s network access charge.

targEt thE alphapuzzl

flaShback aback back backlash black cabal calf casbah cash cask chalk clash FLASHBACK hack halfback lack sack scab shack slack

tomorrow

Solution tomorrow A 1 B C D E F G H I J 23456789 10 133222141 3 1 3 1 3 2 1 4 1 1 1 1 x Battleship 4 x Submarine 3 x Destroyer 2 x Cruiser

Yesterday’s Kakuro Answer

All over Instagram and Facebook, you can see gorgeous photos from a bird’s eye view of people paddling, kayaking or even swimming in crystal clear waters.

Drone photography is, of course, to thank for these breathtaking shots from above. Popular tourist destinations like Aruba, Jamaica and the Turks and Caicos Islands have been offering their visitors drone photography for the last few years and it’s been a massive hit.

Here in the Bahamas, locals have started a new company, Open Water Tours, to give visitors a similar experience in New Providence.

“We were looking for creative ways to enhance the visitor experience; especially in the Downtown Nassau area where a lot of guests seek new and interesting experiences. Our goal was to give them an opportunity to experience the Bahamas in a unique and innovative way,” said Alex Dean of Open Water Tours.

“We provide our guests with highquality shoots, as well as kayak and paddle board adventures.”

Alex said she believes allure of the turquoise waters of the Bahamas is unmatched and the contrast with the kayaks makes for the most

A view of paradise from above

By ALESHA CADET Tribune Features Writer acadet@tribunemedia.net

eye-catching and magazine-quality photos.

“The popularity (of the shoots) stems from the world becoming more digital. People are realising the

importance of documenting their memories, making these stunning photos a trend,” she said.

Once a client books and schedules a time, Alex said the Open Waters team of professionals will meet them at Junkanoo Beach, where they will give them an overview of what to expect. A professional drone

operator will then capture stunning photos of the client in the crystal clear waters.

“The response has been phenomenal. We have been catering to a lot of tourists. We have also had great response from the local market as well. We have plans to expand and provide alternative locations throughout Nassau. We also plan to expand to the Outer Islands and tap into the tourist market there. We plan on capitalising on the traffic that comes during these seasons,” said Alex.

Open Water Tours are operate Monday through Sundays, weather permitting, from at Junkanoo Beach.

Gardening

Beneficial plants for indoors

Good day, gardeners. I hope you’ve all scheduled your professional tree pruning to be done before the hurricane season begins.

You can thank me for reminding you when you’ve got far less yard debris after the first blow than your neighbour does, and then you would be good to suggest that they begin reading the Weekend section of the Tribune!

This week, let’s step inside and have a look at some classic, longlasting and effective plants for inside the house or office.

When it comes to indoor plants, it’s important to choose plants that are well-suited for the environment in which they will be growing. One of the most common challenges when it comes to indoor plants is a lack of sufficient light.

Fortunately, there are several plant species that thrive in low light environments, making them perfect for indoor use. Here are some examples of plants for low light indoors, along with their benefits:

Snake plant (Dracaena trifasciata

Sanse trifasciata)

The snake plant is a popular lowlight indoor plant that is known for its resil ience and easy care. It can tolerate a wide range of light conditions, from low light to bright, indirect light.

Snake plants have stiff, upright leaves that grow straight up from the soil. They can grow up to several feet tall, but also do well in small pots. There are varie ties that do not grow as tall, as well as with

yellow stripes and a leaf that’s almost black, it’s such a dark green.

In addition to their aesthetic appeal, snake plants are great air purifiers, removing toxins like benzene, formaldehyde, and trichloroethylene from the air.

The ZZ plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia)

The ZZ plant is another popular indoor plant that thrives in low light conditions. It is native to Africa and has glossy, dark green leaves that can grow up to 3 feet long. The ZZ plant is well-known for its ability to tolerate neglect and low-light conditions. In fact, it can even survive in artificial light. There are a couple of new varieties that are almost black with a brighter green new growth. The ZZ plant is also a great air purifier, removing toxins such as xylene and toluene from the air.

Pothos (Epipremnum aureum)

Pothos is another low light indoor plant that is easy to care for and very adaptable. It is often called “devil’s ivy” because it is so difficult to kill. Pothos have trailing vines with heartshaped leaves that can grow easily past 30 feet long. They do well in low light, but will grow more slowly in darker conditions. Pothos is also a great air purifier, removing formaldehyde, benzene and xylene from the air.

Philodendron (Philodendron cordatum)

Philodendron is a low-light indoor plant that is popular for its heart-shaped

leaves and ease of care. It can grow up to 10 feet long and is perfect for trailing from a hanging basket or climbing a trellis. Philodendrons thrive in low to moderate light conditions and prefer moist soil. They are also excellent air purifiers, removing formaldehyde, benzene, and xylene from the air.

Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum)

The peace lily is a low-light indoor plant that is known for its beautiful, white flowers. It prefers low to moderate light and should be watered when the soil is dry to the touch. The peace lily is an excellent air purifier, removing toxins like benzene, formaldehyde and trichloroethylene from the air. In addition to its air purifying properties, the peace lily is also known to help reduce stress and anxiety, making it a great addition to any indoor space.

In summary, low-light indoor plants can offer several benefits beyond just their aesthetic appeal. They are excellent air purifiers, removing toxins like formaldehyde, benzene and xylene from the air. They also help to increase humidity levels in the air, which can reduce the risk of respiratory problems and dry skin. Lastly, some indoor plants, like peace lilies, have been shown to help reduce stress and anxiety. With their ability to thrive in low-light environments, these indoor plants are a great addition to any home or office. They make a great gift, for yourself, or for someone else.

As always, I wish you happy gardening, indoors and out!

(References available upon request)

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

PEACE Lily

Literary lives – Donyale Luna

The first Black supermodel

Sir Christopher Ondaatje explores the curious history of the American supermodel and actress during the late 1960s who was known for her unique and striking look.

“Six feet three inches tall and slender as an adder, with eyes the size of demitasse saucers, Donyale Luna was not only the first Black supermodel and the highest paid model of her time, she was the most strangely beautiful woman to grace the planet in the 20th century. The fashion world –indeed the world at large – will never see the likes of her again.”

– The Donyale Luna Blog

Donyale Luna was born PeggyAnn Freeman in Detroit, Michigan to working class parents Nathaniel Freeman and Peggy Freeman on August 31, 1945. She was one of three daughters: Lillian, Peggy-Ann, and Josephine. Her parents moved to Detroit from Georgia as part of the Great Migration. Her father worked in production at the Ford plant, and her mother as a secretary at the YMCA.

Luna’s parents married and divorced on four separate occasions – mainly due to alcoholism among Nathaniel’s relatives. They lived a financially stable upbringing in a middle-class neighbourhood of Detroit. She would frequently accompany her father to the local cinema. She attended the Detroit High School of Commerce, and later the Cass Technical High School,

where she studied journalism and performing arts.

She began calling herself Donyale George Luna as a way of dealing with a turbulent home life. She invented a sing-song accent and pretended that Luna was the real surname of her father. When she was 18, she wanted to become an actress. She would routinely create fantasies about her background. She had a habit of walking around barefoot –even down the street.

Luna was discovered by English photographer David McCabe on the streets of Detroit near the Fisher Building in 1963. He invited her to move to New York City to pursue a modelling career. Her mother discouraged her, wanting her to become a nurse instead, but Luna persisted on the condition she lived with an aunt in the New York Harbour in New Jersey.

“I wasn’t accepted because I talked funny, I looked funny and I was a weirdo to everyone. I grew up realising I was strange.

Donyale Luna

Arriving in New York in October 1964, Luna called McCabe and, good

to his word, he sent out her photographs to various agencies.

In January 1965, her mother fatally shot her father in self-defence as he was reportedly abusive – coming home drunk and threatening her mother. Her sister Lillian witnessed the incident and acknowledged the shooting to be accidental. Luna got the news three months later. She stayed in New York and didn’t go home.

David McCabe introduced Luna to Harper’s Bazaar editor Nancy White, fashion photographer Richard Avedon, and senior fashion editor China Machado. White signed her to an exclusive contract for the remainder of 1964, while Avedon became her manager. Her first job was a shot for Mademoiselle.

Nancy White had Luna’s likeness sketched on to an illustration for the January 1965 cover of Harper’s Bazaar – replacing the already preplanned cover. She was the first Black person ever on the cover of Harper’s Bazaar in its 98 years of publication. The January 1965 issue also contained six other illustrations. Denziger remembered drawing 40 brush and ink studies in a one-room studio apartment on Lexington Avenue.

Harper’s Bazaar editors came to the apartment with clothes and uniformed police watched while Donyale Luna modelled them.

In the April 1965 issue she was photographed by Avedon in the What’s Happening editorial together with Paul McCartney, Jean Shrimpton and Ringo Starr.

She was described as having “the tall strength, pride of movement of a Masai warrior. The Sarasota Herald Tribune found the language “deeply prejudiced and racialised” and explored the work prospects of African-American women.

Southern US advertisers reported claims against the inclusion of Luna’s images in Harper’s Bazaar, and cancelled advertisements. Readers cancelled subscriptions. Hearst Communications banned Avedon working with Luna.

Avedon believed that he was no longer allowed to work with Luna because of “racial prejudice and the economics of the fashion business”.

David McCabe stated that he believed the magazine industry was not ready to photograph beautiful Black women.

Luna’s career began to slow down. She had a failed marriage of ten months in New York and a nervous breakdown, causing her to spend time recovering in hospital. Eventually she fled New York at the end of 1965 for Europe, and for the next five years lived in Europe.

She arrived in London in December 1965, and it proved to be the place where she would make her name as a model, emerging in Swinging London – part of a youth cultural movement associated with Beatlemania, Mary Quant miniskirts, and other models like Kellie Wilson and Hazel Collins in the stylised bobs of Vidal Sassoon, Mods, Teddy Boys, and bright colours and patterns like those sold in Barbara Hulanickis Biba shop, or seen in Carnaby Street or Chelsea.

She was photographed in London by David Bailey, William Klein, Helmut Newton, Charlotte March and William Claxton. She became friends with Mick Jagger, Julie Christie, Michael Caine, Iain Quarrie, and Yul Brynner. She rented an apartment by the Thames River. She bought a pet Maltese dog she named “Christianne”.

She became the first AfricanAmerican model to appear on the cover of any Vogue magazine – the March 1966 British issue shot by photographer David Bailey.

“She was extraordinary looking, so tall and skinny … like an illustration, a walking illustration. I didn’t care what she was – she could have been a Martian – for all I care … the sales people always had a problem with using her.”

– David Bailey Photographer

She was also chosen by the other British Vogue editor Beatrix Miller for her bite and personality – strange and tall. The cover composition was inspired by Picasso’s ocular-centric portraiture with one of Luna’s eyes peering suggestively from between her fingers. She was wearing a Chloe dress and Mimi de N earrings. In the editorial images she was dressed in Christian Dior silk tunics, Mod

dresses by Pierre Cardin, and a silver Yves Saint Laurent dress. Fellow model Pat Cleveland noted: “She had no tits, but lots of presence. We’d walk down the street and men’s mouths would drop open in awe. When we walked into restaurants people would stop eating and stand up and applaud. She was like a mirage, or some kind of fantasy.”

She went to work for French Vogue.

After Harper’s Bazaar, she worked for Paris Match, Britain’s Queen, and also for London Life. In April 1966, she appeared again in British Vogue, shot by David Bailey, in a feature This Summer’s Dancing Patterns, and then on the cover of Harper’s Bazaar UK in June 1966. She was the hottest model in Europe. This time her features and skin colour were not edited out –shot by Bill King. In the October 15 edition of British Vogue, she was featured in a Klein shoot with Audrey Hepburn.

Luna also returned to New York for work. Adel Rootstein created a fibreglass model of her in 1967 based on her statuesque figure. She was paid $105 an hour to pose – equivalent to $830 in today’s money. She was a celebrity and her flatmates were worried they would be kicked out because Luna was making $500 worth of telephone calls ($4,000 in today’s money) to Europe every month.

On March 27, 1968, she appeared on the cover of the British magazine Queen. She and a party of five including Iain Quarrier and Mia Farrow went for breakfast at the Mayfair Cavendish Hotel on Jermyn Street when at 4 am they were asked to leave because the men “were not wearing ties”.

Luna asked the managers if it was because she was “coloured”. Eventually all five were kicked out for “causing a disturbance”. They resisted and had to appear in the Bow Street court charged with disturbing the peace.

When the judge Kenneth Harrington said, “I am quite sure it had nothing to do with Miss Luna’s colour”, Iain Quarrie shouted back, “That is not true”. He was charged £10 for disturbing the peace. Luna

IN 1966, Luna became the first Black model to appear on the cover of Vogue (Photo_David Bailey)

later explained to the press how that incidence of prejudice occurred.

“… because I am coloured. It was a nightmare. The Hotel staff and police were pushing me around. The Hotel refused to tell us why we were being thrown out.”

– Donyale Luna

The same month she was shot for British Vogue again by Harry Peccinotti.

By 1969, Luna was being paid $1,000 a week ($7,000 in today’s money). Initially, Luna was supposed to be on the cover of Vogue Paris when she arrived in Europe in 1965. Edmonde Charles-Roux had asked William Klein to shoot Luna for the cover, but he was fired by Si Newhouse for attempting to put a black model on the cover. It would take another twenty-two years before Naomi Campbell was put on the cover – but even then only because Yves St Laurent would otherwise cancel his advertising contract. She appeared on the cover of Elle in July 1966, and modelled a number of paper dresses in Sydney, Australia. The Italian magazine Amica then used her to display animal prints and fur coats in 1967, and later she modelled for camera advertisements in 1968. She bought an apartment in Italy in 1970, and would drive around in her Cinquenta car – folding herself up like an accordion to get to her assignments. She was thrown out of Italy for not having the correct paperwork to reside in Italy – but her eventual husband, photographer Luigi Cazzaniga, said she was harassed because of her skin colour.

She moved to Italy in 1974, where, with her husband, she was a collaborator in photographic shoots. She also modelled for Peter Beard. She appeared in a nude photo layout of Playboy using her husband as photographer. Despite being completely at ease with her nudity, the Playboy photographs were not sexually explicit. With her thin build she seemed to place more emphasis on her spiritual vision.

At about this time in 1975 Luna’s modelling career started to decline because she shifted from modelling to acting, and fashion magazines shied away because of her increasing dependency on drugs. She didn’t

show up for bookings and it was difficult to hire her. She didn’t pay her bills. She had also developed her own style of catwalk performances, such as crawling like a lion, grooving to the music, or suddenly freezing and staring at journalists. She sometimes rolled from one end of the runway to the other.

Some designers like André Courrèges, Yves St Laurent, Rudi Gernreich and Mary Quant, however, encouraged such displays.

The ambition to act was not that surprising. She had appeared in some underground films like the 1966 “screen tests” for Any Warhol (Ciao! Manhattan and Prison). She also appeared in Michelangelo Antonionis’ Blowup (1966), and had roles in Federico Fellini’s Satyricon (1969) and Otto Preminger’s Skidoo (1968) as “God’s mistress”.

She appeared in the 1970 Happening documentary film Soft

Self-Portrait of Salvador Dali, a biography narrated by Orson Welles for French TV. Luna’s last acting role was the title character in the 1972 Italian film Salomé directed by Carmelo Bene. She went to the 1973 Cannes Film Festival and pitched her life story to American and European film companies like Berry Gordy, who was promoting Diana Ross in Lady Sings the Blues. In one of her final interviews for the Italian publication Panorama, Luna claimed that Berry Gordy based the 1975 film Mahogany on her pitch.

During the early morning of May 17, 1979 Donyale Luna died of a heroin overdose in a clinic in Rome at age 33. She was survived by her husband Luigi Cazzaniga, and her 18-month-old daughter, Dream. Although still legally married, Cazzaniga and Luna were estranged at the time of her death.

Donyale Luna’s reputation as one who often rejected type-cast labelling, has led to the promulgation of erasure of her achievements in the fashion industry. Phillip Burton wrote in 2009 how clean-cut models like Beverly Johnson and Iman, whose lives were not to end murkily through overdoses of drugs, were louder and prouder ambassadors of the “Black is beautiful” message. Their more palatable versions of Black womanhood loom large in the public consciousness today. Eccentric Luna, on the other hand, who was eternally cagey about her racial identity, waxed lyrical about LSD in interviews and had an endearing habit of not wearing shoes, has, for the most part, been forgotten. Depressingly, the biggest triumph of Luna’s career – her groundbreaking Vogue cover of 1966 – represents a war that is very much still being waged.

However, the designer Stephen Burrows noted that “Luna was ahead of the Black model thing. There weren’t too many around in the US in the 1960s” when commenting on Luna’s extravagant outlook and attitude to her own career opportunities.

“Black models didn’t truly enjoy their coming out until the Seventies, and models such as Beverly Johnson now feature more prominently on Black-firsts, even though Luna’s cover in 1966 predates Johnson’s by eight years. Luna is usually today therefore regarded as a key player in the mid-to the late 1960s fashion, film, and experimental theatre scenes … who by the 1970s was unable to move beyond the external and selfimposed limitations for someone of her idiosyncratic temperamental and tenuous lifestyle … which united to diminish and obscure her once impressive figure, which then led to her public erasure.”

– Stephen Burrows

American Fashion Designer

Thus, Luna leaves behind a mixed legacy as a model who both broke the colour barrier and as an underground actress, best remembered for her 1966 Vogue cover.

• Sir Christopher Ondaatje is the author of The Last Colonial. He acknowledges that he has quoted liberally from Wikipedia.

LUNA in British Vogue

A rough road to emancipation

The four years the House of Assembly spent in its persecution of the other departments of the local government meant four years delay in the establishment of the system of registration for the slaves.

During the struggle, a bill had been passed which, however, did not meet the approval of the home government. It did not provide for the forfeiture of nonregistered slaves, nor did it provide for an accurate description of the slaves, such that they could be identified, as was desirable to the British Ministry.

Other minor objections were laid before the Assembly, with an urgent recommendation that an improved bill be passed. The Bahamas had always prided themselves on their loyalty to the British Crown. In his appeal to the House to pass a suitable bill for registration, Governor Grant urged that they should not pass a bill that would have to be disallowed, thus appearing to justify the imputation against them that the Bahamas were disregarding the wishes of the King.

The House finally yielded and passed a bill, granting certain of the more important points that had been urged in the recommendations. It provided sufficient regulations for the removal of slaves from one colony to another. But there were defects in other parts that called for supplementary legislation, to make the registration system satisfactory, to those who were demanding it.

Although important concessions were made in this, for the sake of compliance with the recommendations of the Ministry, still there were legitimate objections to the imposition of this regulation upon the Bahamas, if the

interests of this Colony alone were to be considered.

Registration was designed to work towards the suppression of the slave trade. The foreign slave trade had not been carried on in the Bahamas since about the year 1810, or perhaps before the British Parliament had abolished the slave-trade in British territory.

The slave population, 10,808, according to the registration of 1833, was distributed over seventeen islands and groups of islands, which extended over a distance of 600 miles of ocean. Most of the other West Indian colonies consisted, each, of a single island, or compact group of islands. No other colony formed such a chain as the Bahamas. Easy access to the seat of government, where the registration books were to be kept, was an essential condition to the successful operation of the system, but

one colony, however small, would have served for the introduction of slaves into all the colonies, at a great profit to the carriers.

The plan of the Ministry was to recommend to all the colonies the same system, and to insist on its adoption, and the enforcement of its regulations, until the introduction of slaves from the outside should be entirely cut off.

Such a plan would allow no part of the British Empire to be free from this registration system. The larger interests of the Empire demanded that the rules and regulations, for the destruction of the slave-trade, should be enforced in all portions of the domain, even if the particular evils, against which efforts were directed, did not prevail there. In this view it was altogether desirable to include the Bahamas.

When Smyth received a message that the Assembly would conduct no further business with him, he dissolved the House on May 31, 1831.

Influential public opinion was building up against Smyth, but he had some supporters among some slave owners.

In June 1831, 26 large slave owners petitioned in Smyth’s favour, praising him as a great humanitarian. Additionally, 376 persons of colour also petitioned and congratulated Smyth for advancing their freedom so far.

communication between the different islands of this government was so infrequent, and so difficult, as to render it practically impossible for the same system to be applied here, as in the other colonies. Other features of this system were difficult to adapt to this Colony, owing to the varied occupations of the slaves.

Britain was taking the lead of the world in giving effect to her abolition laws. Her West Indian colonies were compelled to submit to the imposition of this regulation, as one measure for this purpose. Not one of them could be excepted from it, for no door must be left unclosed, by which slaves could be brought into the British possessions. The exception of

In 1829, Sir James Carmichael-Smyth was appointed Governor of the Bahamas. He lasted until 1833.

It was a time when the heated question of the abolition of slavery was being debated, in both the Imperial and in local colonial circles and Smith, a sincere sympathiser with the cause of the slaves, was a keen abolitionist, and bucked the members of the Bahamian Legislature and influential whites, more than once.

Especially keen to abolish corporal punishment for female slaves, Smyth tried without success to persuade the House of Assembly to legislate against it. His actions caused an uproar among the influential whites and the Assembly, resenting Smyth’s interference, requested his removal as Governor.

Among influential whites, Smith evoked yet more hostility against himself, over the punishment of female slaves and, despite growing opposition towards him in the House, Smyth urged its members to grant further privileges to the black and free coloured population.

When the Amelioration Bill was introduced, the House of Assembly was in a truculent mood, and refused to consider any bill concerned with the matter, while Smyth was Governor.

The Colonial Office warned Smyth to tread carefully but, not to be deterred, in January 1833, Smyth expressed his intention not to call the House of Assembly, until a year had elapsed.

By this time, the Colonial Office was becoming worried about Governor Smyth. Who was unable to avoid conflict and confrontation, for long. Finally, in January 1833, he was transferred to the Lieutenant Governorship of British Guiana, in reality, a promotion.

His successor, Blayney Townley Balfour, served from 1833 through 1835, when slavery was abolished.

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

PAUL

ARANHA FORGOTTEN FACTS

SIR James Carmichael-Smyth

Animal matters Kim Aranha

Great white sharks in the Bahamas?

If you google ‘great white sharks in the Bahamas’, you find a message that states that there are no great white sharks in the Bahamas because the water is too cold.

A couple of lines later the same message says that there may be great whites from time to time in the Bahamas, but they are believed to be going to or leaving the Gulf of Mexico. This little release made me chuckle, because if you’re are a shark swimming in the Bahama Islands with a view to visit the Gulf of Mexico you are still a great white shark in Bahamian waters.

It is safe to say that the great white shark is not prolific in the Bahamas as are the bull shark, the tiger shark, the hammerhead shark or the black tip reef shark or their rather benign cousin the nurse shark.

However, I think it is quite safe to say that many of us have been surprised since the practice of tagging great white sharks started and OCEARCH has tracked them travelling through our waters.

I know that I signed up several years ago and thoroughly enjoy checking in on the locations of any of these amazing creatures as they move around free of boundaries.

One of the tagged great white sharks is called Ironbound. He was tagged in 2019 and at the time measured 12ft long and weighed 1,189 pounds. His movements have been tracked by OCEARCH since 2019, and his last radar “ping” was on April 11 at 8.56pm just off the Little Bahama Bank. Prior to that, he last “pinged” on January 14th relatively near to Fort Lauderdale.

According to the website, it appears that he has a travelling buddy called Maple who is a little smaller at 11ft

PET OF THE WEEK

An adorable phantom to haunt you

By The Bahamas Humane Society

Phantom loves his dog walks! And despite his name, he’s not spooky at all. This lovely fellow is currently the shelter’s longest resident, having arrived back in 2021.

Phantom will need to be a single dog in his new home as he’s not too tolerant of other dogs, or cats, for that matter, but he enjoys being around humans, even children.

Have you been looking for a loving canine companion?

Phantom might just ghost his way into your heart. Come to the BHS to meet him or call 323-5138 for more information. Phantom looks forward to meeting you!

• The dog walks happen Wednesdays and Saturdays at 10am. If you’d like to join in, please contact the group through the Facebook page ‘Animal Lovers Nassau’.

and weighing 1,264 pounds. Maple is considered to be a sub-adult. She is roughly in the same place as Ironbound and last “pinged” at 9.54pm on April 11; just eight minutes after he did.

I wonder if they were feeding off something that made them come up to the surface briefly. In order for them to ping, the tracker attached to the dorsal fin has to be out of the water for approximately 30 seconds to get a good and definite location.

It is interesting that both MSN news and the Sun tabloid are sensationally reporting erroneous information about Ironbound, saying that he “pinged” off Andros (Mangrove Cay) at the Little Bahama Bank.

Well, we all know the Little Bahama Bank where Ironbound “pinged” is a good distance is away from Man-

grove Cay, Andros and is actually near Grand Bahama.

Great whites are most certainly not a regular sight in Bahamian waters, but now we know that they do come and go, sometimes observed by fishermen or divers who report seeing them and everybody tells them that they must have been mistaken… and they most probably were not.

OCEARCH has a bunch of different sharks tagged, not just the great white sharks and their website is simply fascination. All you have to do is type in the word ‘OCEARCH’ and Google will lead you to their website.

In October 2020, OCEARCH had a theory that perhaps Unama’ki, a large 15-foot female weighing 2,076-pound shark who pinged just north of Abaco, was looking for calmer waters to give

birth. Her trip to Bahamian waters mirrored trips made by two other female great whites, Luna and Lydia, perhaps all in the family way.

The thing to remember is that only a small number of sharks are tagged, and then in order to be located anywhere, they have to break water and keep the tracker out of water for a period of 30 seconds; not all animals are cooperative.

The truth of the matter is that we really do not know what is swimming 100 yards away from us. There are people who honestly believe that big fish do not swim close to beaches, I have watched a very large hammerhead shark almost beach itself chasing a ray, but that is another article.

No, great white sharks are not regular visitors and sightings are unusual, but by no means impossible.

Presently, we have to count on the approximately 500 sharks tagged to give us an indication of where they travel and why.

There has been recent cause to actually believe that the great white is not quite as solitary as we think, just as Ironbound and Maple have proven to us on the Little Bahama Bank. Their presence should not inspire panic but rather intriguing.

Is OCEARCH correct that the females who head this way are coming to give birth? If so, where do the babies go? Are we home to a nursery?

So many fascinating unanswered questions! Research is what is needed, and the Bahamas is becoming more and more aware of our unique position in the field of marine observation.

(PHOTO/JUDY YOUNG)

UBFit’s Big Race Day – An all-inclusive event for the whole community

By JEFFARAH GIBSON | Tribune Features Writer | jgibson@tribunemedia.net

WHETHER you want to roller skate, cycle, push a loved one in a wheelchair, run, walk your dog, skateboard or push a baby in a stroller, the UBFit race event is an all-inclusive activity encouraging wellness and community-building.

The University of the Bahamas is inviting all members of the community to bring their tribe to their signature fundraising event.

UBFit 2023 kicks off tomorrow with the Big Race Day beginning 6am on the campus. UBFit is one of the Bahamas’ premier wellness and community engagement initiatives in full support of University of the Bahamas.

Organsiers are expecting hundreds to participate in the event this time around.

Through teamwork in 2017, UBFit emerged as UB’s signature community-building and fundraising initiative. In its inaugural year, more than 500 participants contributed significantly to UB’s annual fund and supported the goal of increased mobility for students with special needs. In Grand Bahama, in its first year, 200 plus participants joined the UBFit family.

“Our goal this year is between 500 and 600 participants virtually and in person. Our first year, we had 500 participants and over the years, even with the pandemic and having to go virtual in 2021, we had 400 plus participants. We have a steady following of supporters who anticipate our race every year,” said Kandice Eldon, executive director of Corporate and Foundation Relations for UB.

Ms Eldon said the event has raised more than $300,000 for students and the annual fund.

“This fitness fund and friend raiser brings together faculty, staff, students, alumni, administration, corporate Bahamas and friends of UB. We are truly grateful for our title sponsor, Oaktree

Medical Center, and all of our donors who consistently support UBFit year after year,” she said.

Organisers are pleased that UBFit continues to pave the way for deeper and stronger ties between the University and the community it serves.

At the same time, it promotes health and wellness for all ages.

“Health is vital to a person’s wellbeing that includes mental, emotional, physical and spiritual aspects. Exercise and movement remain paramount for all ages, especially as we get older. As the tertiary institution of the Bahamas with a strong reputation for education and research,

we’ve now become a pillar for health and wellness,” said Ms Eldon.

Funds raised from the event will provide UB students with the money they need to thrive and build the annual fund.

“Join us for a weekend of fun and movement which builds community and a strong lasting investment for the next generation,” she said. On-the-spot registration continues at Chapter One Bookstore on University Drive all week with race bag pick-up.

For more information, contact 242-242-8887.