Friday, August 28, 2020
Weekend
culture photography entertainment gardening television history puzzles COSPLAY GOES LOCAL Pages 08 + 09
Goombay hooray! Here comes the first ever Bahamian kids show
pg 07
02 | The Tribune | Weekend
photography
A Rose-Coloured Lens Creatures in nature
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eauty is all around us in the Bahamas, on land and in the sea. But many of us are too busy with everyday life to pause and really see and enjoy the astonishing sights that surround us. Veteran photographer ROLAND ROSE captures both the ordinary and extraordinary, and puts it in frame for us so we can see our environment in a new light.
(From top left, clockwise) Golden-eyed mini frog in a Ti plant; honey bee in ixora flower; moth on a yellow allamanda, and a wasp in a silk tree.
Friday, August 28, 2020
The Tribune | Weekend | 03
Friday, August 28, 2020
Weekend Inside
Interview 4 – 5
A year on from Hurricane Dorian, the Samaritan’s Purse team is still here to help Bahamians get back on their feet
Puzzles 6 Television 7
My perfect Bahamian weekend Deborah Russell
Entertainment 8 – 9
President, Escrow and Title Insurance Company
Gardening 10
Q: What have you been binge-watching during the weekendlockdowns? “ ‘Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich’ and all six seasons of ‘Sex and the City’.”
‘Goombay Kids’ make history with new fun and educational show A worldwide phenomenon that originated in Japan finds fans here in the Bahamas
Doing it for the birds - how planting certain trees can help our avian friends
Q: What activities have you been doing to stay busy while indoors? “Cooking new dishes, hanging out by the pool, exercising.”
Fashion 11
A fascinating sight – local designer has grand plans for next year’s headwear
Literary Lives 12 – 13
The life of Hollywood’s last Golden Age star
Forgotten Facts 14
Colonial reports from the 1800s
Animals 15
The BHS gets a new ambulance. Plus, Pet of the Week
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90S’ THROWBACK:
BRANDY AND MONICA BATTLE IT
By JEFFARAH GIBSON Tribune Features Writer jgibson@tribunemedia.net
MONICA, left, and Brandy. (Photo/Jeffrey Mayer)
It’s been 28 since the R&B queens Brandy and Monica “battled it out” in the iconic duet “The Boy is Mine”. And now it’s time for a rematch. Do you remember whose side were you on way back when; who you wanted to “get the boy”? If you did not pick sides back then you might be forced to now. Brandy and Monica will face off against each other this coming Monday in the Verzuz Music Battle, at 8pm live from the Tyler Perry Studios, to be streamed on Instagram and Apple Music. “Get ready for the queens!” the official Verzuz Instagram teased last Saturday night
with a split image of the singers’ faces. “#History,” Brandy wrote on her account. “Thank you @monicadenise and @verzuztv for making this happen. Let’s celebrate!” “This will be historical,” Monica agreed with her own post about the upcoming event. “It’s an honor @brandy.” The two singers will be going head-to-head, trading off the biggest hits. Monica has encouraged fans to start chiming in with their song requests. Of course, Bahamian music lovers had to weigh in on this upcoming friendly competition,
Q: If you could be quarantined with a celebrity, who would it be and why? “John Legend. Not only is he this year’s Sexiest Man Alive, but his voice and talent are incredible. I’d love to have him sing
live during quarantine.” Q: What fast food chain or restaurant are you most looking forward to ordering from when they reopen? “Taj Mahal and Ichiban.” Q: If you could travel to one place for a coronavirus-free weekendgetaway, where would it be and why? “Mykonos in Greece. A group of us planned on going there to celebrate one of my best friends’ 50th birthday and we’re all disappointed we couldn’t make the trip. It looks so beautiful and the night life is supposed to be great.”
with some saying they hope it will be just as entertaining as the Beenie Man and Bounty Killer match-up that got millions of views. “It was like I was at a concert. It was amazing. I expect this Brandy and Monica battle to be just as entertaining. I am a lover of 90s’ R&B so I will be tuned in,” said Kristara. “My bet is on Monica to win. Sorry, Brandy cannot walk in Monica’s shoes, let along stand next to her,” said Ashley. As for Kia, she believes Brandy will claim the victory. “Hands down this battle is Brandy’s own,” she told Tribune Weekend. For those unfamiliar with these music battles, Verzuz has been one of the platforms keeping people entertained while they were under stay-at-home orders. Launched in March by veteran producers Swizz Beatz (who has worked with artists like Jay-Z, DMX and his own wife, Alicia Keys) and Timbaland (producer of Justin Timberlake, Missy Elliott, Jay-Z, Aaliyah), Verzuz has rapidly grown into a popular franchise for music lovers.
04 | The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, August 28, 2020
interview
Samaritan’s Purse What started out as short-term mission to offer emergency assistance following Hurricane Dorian has turned into a long-term commitment to help Bahamians get back on their feet. A representative of the faith-based disaster relief organisation tells CARA HUNT about the work still to be done, especially now in the face of a pandemic.
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t’s been almost a year since Hurricane Dorian slammed into the Northern Bahamas, leaving death and destruction in its wake. The category 5 storm has forever changed the lives of residents of Grand Bahama and Abaco, with many still displaced and reconstruction nowhere near complete. The official death count stands at around 70, but more than 200 people are still and missing and the storm caused more than $3 billion in damages. The Samaritan’s Purse organisation was one of the first international charities to fly into the affected areas
once the immediate all-clear was given. Today, a year on from the disaster, they remain on the ground, still committed to helping Bahamians recover, not just from Dorian, but now the COVID-19 pandemic as well. Franklin Graham, son of the prominent American evangelist Billy Graham and president of Samaritan’s Purse, said earlier this year that the organisation sees the need for ongoing assistance in the Bahamas. “God made us and created us, so I believe in helping people, each who are unique, regardless of who they are and regardless of the colour of their skin,” Mr Graham said. “That’s what God would want us to do, so we
do it in Jesus’ name. When someone is down in the ditch along life’s road, you have to help them.” This week, Tribune Weekend spoke to Daniel Ruiz, the deputy country director in the Bahamas, about the work that has been done and what they hope to still achieve. Since their arrival, Samaritan’s Purse has provided emergency assistance on Grand Bahama and the Abacos, including Man-O-War Cay, Elbow Cay, and Grand Guana Cay. Additionally, they have transported and distributed over 360 metric tonnes of relief supplies, provided over one million litres of clean water, and cleared away more than 13,000 cubic yards of storm debris.
With the help of local ministry partners, they have distributed emergency relief supplies including: •16,746 tarps • 12,483 blankets • 7,385 hygiene kits • 6,695 solar lights • 5,414 kitchen kits • 3,878 jerry cans • 949 generators Additionally, volunteers from the North American Ministries team covered 558 houses and community buildings with tarp. “This is the first time Samaritan’s has had a full presence in the country and they are committed to being here for at least several more months,”
Friday, August 28, 2020
said Mr Ruiz from Grand Bahama, where he is based. “Prior to Dorian we had donated food and water and other supplies in the aftermath of a storm, but this is a long-term relief effort.” In addition to bringing much needed supplies, one of the first things they did was build a field hospital in Grand Bahama since the Rand Hospital had been damaged by the storm. During the two months that the Samaritan’s Purse Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) operated the facility they were able to treat 7,747 patients and conduct 130 surgeries before handing the reins over to the Ministry of Health. They will provide support for the facility through March. Now, Samaritan’s Purse is equipping pastors to hire local contractors to repair houses across the Northern Bahamas - restoring nearly 400 homes to date through tarping, drywall installation and mould remediation, as well as window, door, and roof repairs. Samaritan’s Purse has also provided more than 100,000 litres of water to designated points and churches around the island each week. This is essential, not just in the rebuilding efforts, but also in the fight against COVID-19. “There is still a lot of work that needs to be done even a year later. In Abaco, you can still see destruction and many persons are still without power, and that is because main lines are still down. Grand Bahama got a lot of wind damage as well as flood damage. We will be working on reconstruction well into next year,” said Mr Ruiz. The team faces another obstacle in the recovery - the spread of the novel coronavirus. “It has definitely had an impact on our efforts. Our staff is used to dynamic challenges and the need to be flexible in the field, but we have had to adjust to staff members working from home due to the lockdowns. Fortunately, we have a strong team vision and fortunately the Prime Minister allowed for construction in his orders, so we were able to continue our rebuilding efforts,” he said. Mr Ruiz said the team has seen first-hand the struggle residents have had to face this year between Dorian and COVID-19.
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“Grand Bahamians are struggling; it has been a difficult and mentally challenging year given the economic impacts first from Dorian and then due to being on lockdown since March because of the presence of COVID. They have had to adjust to a new normal and the uncertainty of when this will end,” he said. As September is traditionally peak hurricane season, Mr Ruiz admits that there is cause for concern given the amount of repair work that still needs to be done. He explained that teams have made substantial repairs to designated hurricane shelters through its Hazard Outreach and Preparedness Empowerment (HOPE) programme. Samaritan’s Purse workers are partnering with local churches for the church and home repairs, trauma healing support groups, and training local church leaders in disaster preparedness, mitigation, and response with a focus on the hope that can be found in Jesus Christ. “So we are doing what we can to help prepare the community in case of future disaster,” he said. Samaritan’s Purse is a nondenominational evangelical Christian organisation providing spiritual and physical aid to hurting people around the world. Since 1970, Samaritan’s Purse has helped meet needs of people who are victims of war, poverty, natural disasters, disease, and famine with the purpose of sharing God’s love. The organisation serves the worldwide to promote the gospel of Jesus Christ.
down: 1 Grass; tree (5) 2 Outdated; 3 Neatly;27 Lock; 5 22 A devil of a4score (5)Shallow; Friday, August 6 Pluckiness; 24 Move effortlessly by the 9 Complacent; sea (5) 12 Overlook; 14 Barrage; 16 Decamp; 19 Titan; 20 Pull.
27 Candidate originally called, having zero time (7) 28 Guilty about having run ritual (7)
06 | The Tribune | Weekend
Best described as a number crossword, the task in Kakuro is to fill all of the empty squares, using numbers 1 to 9, so the sum of each horizontal block equals the number to its left, and the sum of each vertical block equals the number on its top. No number may be used in the same block more than once. The difficulty level of the Conceptis Kakuro increases from Monday to Sunday.
tm i E D E mA i
● The Target uses words in the main body of Chambers 21st Century Dictionary (1999 edition)
HOW many words of four letters or more can you make from the letters shown here? in making a word, each letter may be used once only. Each must contain the centre letter and there must be at least one nine-letter word. no plurals or verb forms ending in “s”. TODAY’S TARGET Good 15; very good 22; excellent 30 (or more). Solution tomorrow
Yesterday’s call 0907 181 2585 today’s target solution Sudokufor Answer
*Calls cost 80p per minute plus your telephone company’s network access charge.
BATTLESHIPS CRYPTIC PUZZLE Across 1 Leave the wrong impression (10) 6 Property stolen from goods wagons (4) 10 Point to even or odd number (5) 11 The impression one gives is not genuine (9) 12 Taking two banned drugs is simply crazy (8) 13 Put your name down to go in (5) 15 Insect swallows fruit for nourishment (7) 17 Places I rebuild merit extra consideration (7) 19 Warm garment for one working in the heat (7) 21 Sid sets out but doesn’t go on (7) 22 Backing a writer or a flier (5) 24 Introduction before a stroll? (8) 27 Reveals the record is beaten (9) 28 Fast warships (5)
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29 Cupid has a painful back (4) 30 Service chief? (4,6) Down 1 High-class sort of shop (4) 2 Location for a bank holiday? (9) 3 I coin new description of classical architecture (5) 4 Pins up a favourite piece of information (7) 5 A poet is quite likely to induce sleep (7) 7 Quiet game (5) 8 A person of no special interest (10) 9 Undistinguished male going out in cape (8) 14 Child’s play for those who like pulling strings (4,6) 16 Snare ten squirming fish (8) 18 Broken nine-volts circuit (9) 20 So ‘Tripe!’ is silly retort (7) 21 Yet such timber may have been stripped (7) 23 Singer of low songs (5) 25 Bad organisation (5) 26 Move with a little spooning (4)
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Yesterday’s Easy Solution Across: 1 Chablis, 5 Belie, 8 Barefaced, 9 Kit, 10 Loot, 12 Tall tale, 14 Nature, 15 Top hat, 17 Take note, 18 Stem, 21 Bar, 22 Audacious, 24 Eased, 25 Someday. Down: 1 Cabal, 2 Air, 3 Loft, 4 Such as, 5 Bad blood, 6 Like a shot, 7 Entreat, 11 Outskirts, 13 Iron hand, 14 Notable, 16 At odds, 19 Messy, 20 Scum, 23 Old.
FIND where the fleet of ships shown is hidden in the grid. The numbers to the right of and below the grid indicate how many of the squares in that row are filled in with ships or parts of ships. The ships do not touch each other, even diagonally. Some squares have been filled in to start you off. Solution tomorrow 1
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Across: 1 Remains, 5 Hopes, 8 Ploughman, 9 Tug, 10 Deck, 12 Doublets, 14 Crater, 15 Cotton, 17 Wildfire, 18 Dyer, 21 Eft, 22 Easy-going, 24 Deeds, 25 Olympus. Down: 1 Rapid, 2 Moo, 3 Inga, 4 Samson, 5 Handbook, 6 Patiently, 7 Signs on, 11 Charlotte, 13 Leaflets, 14 Cowherd, 16 Fresco, 19 Rages, 20 Ugly, 23 Imp.
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EASY PUZZLE
Across 1 Mission (10) 6 Unyielding (4) 10 Pakistani monetary unit (5) 11 Punctuation mark (9) 12 Unwarranted intrusion (8) 13 Dullard (5) 15 Curtly casual (7) 17 In an unknown way (7) 19 Kernel of a mass (7) 21 A cutting tooth (7) 22 Racing rowing crew (5) 24 Speaker of many languages (8) 27 Every other (9) 28 Oily oval fruit (5) 29 Considerate (4) 30 Plain practical wisdom (5,5)
Down 1 Well ventilated (4) 2 Inducing sleep (9) 3 Conjecture (5) 4 A hot-tasting condiment (7) 5 Retributive justice (7) 7 Exhausted (3,2) 8 Drudgery (10) 9 Theoretical (8) 14 Charlatan (10) 16 An opening (8) 18 Chronicler (9) 20 Female singing voice (7) 21 Malady (7) 23 Make progress (3,2) 25 Flagrant (5) 26 Give up possession of (4)
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28, 2020
N D N D O S H R
Q E G Y S T E E
H B H J A O L Y
B E W L U N L Z
THE ALPHABEATE
TARGET Sudoku is a number-placing puzzle based on a 9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers 1 to 9 in the empty squares so the each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. The difficulty level of the Conceptis Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday
H D E L N T E L
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The Tribune | Weekend | 07
Friday, August 28, 2020
television
First ever Bahamian kids show to debut next week By JEFFARAH GIBSON . Tribune Features Writer . jgibson@tribunemedia.net
A
new Bahamian show “by kids for kids” will make history when it makes its way to a screen near you next week “Goombay Kids” is the Bahamas’ first ever season-long children’s TV programme and aims to show the world our islands from a fun, wholesome and cultural perspective. It will start airing on OUR TV on September 5. In the first season of “Goombay Kids”, children will learn about literacy, the importance of family, the arts, the fundamentals of cooking, gardening, and about our unique Bahamian culture. Hosted by 10-year-old Mara McCartney, the show features a cast that hails from all over the archipelago. Together with the “Goombay Kids”, children all over the country learn practical skills while having fun. According to its creator, Stephanie K Nihon of LFD Productions, the show teaches facts about all of our islands, as well as fun craft ideas kids can try at home. “ ‘Goombay Kids’ is made by kids for kids,” she said. Ms Nihon added that the show boasts similar inspiring, fun and educational undertones to “Sesame Street”, only without puppets; the cast are all children. “It is the first Bahamian kids show in a full season that has ever been made...In general, the world does not have many kids shows or a kids show set on real islands where the cast is made up of children and not puppets or animations. There also is a lack of shows as diverse and cultural as this show. It has gained international interest due to it’s uniqueness and often is compared to the groundbreaking Nickelodeon show of the ‘90’s, ‘Gullah Gullah Island’, which won many awards and was a game-changer when it was on the air,” she told Tribune Weekend. “Goombay Kids”, she said, was inspired by the children at Choice Model Management Actor’s Club in Nassau, an academy for young aspiring actors that trains and develops. The academy is run by the CMM Agency which is owned by Gerard “Walk Master” Rolle. “These kids are just so talented. They fully inspired the show. We had to find a way to show the world just how amazing our children are and the project was so inspiring in itself to help educate and inspire all Bahamian youth and give them a shot at something,” said Ms Nihon. “We just made the show we always wished we had growing up here and to bring some much needed happiness to our children right now.” She hopes kids all across the Bahamas will enjoy the show. “It is a happy, uplifting show that is relatable and educational for our Bahamian youth. The show teaches children all about Bahamian culture and fundamentals they need to know in life,” she said. REV TV and LFD Productions, she added, are in a partnership to create many more seasons of “Goombay Kids”. Season two is about to go into pre-production.
GOOMBAY Kid Aaron in action at REV Studios
GOOMBAY KIDS ARIANNA, Brianna and their brother Caleb enjoying some fun in the sun in Spanish Wells
The Tribune | Weekend | 09
Friday, August 28, 2020
SPIDER-Gwen_Ghost Spider of Marvel Comics. (2) LADY Lyanna Mormont from Game of Thrones
Shannon prefers to cosplay as characters who have had a strong or emotional impact on her. She said it’s important that she’s passionate about the characters she is portraying, both from a personal expression standpoint and to give the most genuine experience to others that she may be cosplaying with or for. “I don’t take suggestions based on who people think I can superficially ‘pull off’ if I don’t have any connection to the character suggested. The only time that changes is if a photographer or creator proposes a collaboration to bring a vision they have to life. For instance, Tomb Raider was never on my list of characters to cosplay. Although I have many fond memories of watching my sister play the game back on the original PlayStation system, I just didn’t think I could pull her off. That collaboration was entirely the brainchild of Gary Francis of TFL Studio. And what can I say? He had a vision and we slayed it,” said Shannon. The entrepreneur said she still gets anxious whenever she would gets booked to cosplay at an event that isn’t cosplay or geek-centric. “The stares are inevitable, but more often than not it’s followed up with, ‘I don’t know who you’re supposed to be but you look good girl’ or ‘where do you get your costumes and how can I do what you do?’ I get a little emotional thinking about it, because I genuinely never expected to get so much love from my own people. I didn’t dare hope for it, but I’m forever grateful to receive it,” she said. Shannon attended her first big convention last November, the Rhode Island Comic Con 2019. It was an incredible experience for her. Around 90,000 people were in attendance, but luckily she
CATWOMAN of Detective Comics
didn’t experience any of her usual social anxiety. She said everyone was kind and supportive, and just there to have a good time. “I genuinely want people to know that cosplay is for any and everyone. Being Catwoman though is something I live for. I remember from a young age, being in Exuma watching re-runs of the old ‘60s Adam West ‘Batman’ series and being completely in awe of her. Whether it was Eartha Kitt, Julie Newmar or Lee Meriwether portraying her, it didn’t matter. I thought the character was glamorous, highly intelligent, given a lot of agency to do whatever she liked, and flawed in ways that made her both fun to watch and easy to relate to. She was neither inherently good, nor truly evil. She lived life on her own terms with only her own moral code as her guide. It was something that resonated with me a lot as a young girl: living life on your own terms. She’s been my favourite character ever since,” she said. Shannon is also the monthly guest cosplayer for a local mini-convention in Nassau called “The Geek Out!”, and is currently the host of their monthly cosplay competition. Through 242 Cosplayer Nation platform, Shannon strives to shine a spotlight on other Bahamian cosplayers, arrange
collaborative photo-shoots between them, and advise or assist those who would like to get into cosplaying. In future, it is her hope to use cosplaying as a force for good in local communities, for example through combining it with toy and charity drives. “There is also something to be said for the feeling I get every time we’re able to put on a ‘Geek Out’. Seeing more and more Bahamians both attending in cosplay and making their own costumes every time. I never dreamed we’d be at the level we’re at so quickly, and I imagine we’d be a lot further than that had COVID-19 not intervened, but such as life. I’m thankful that Ashley Adderley (‘Geek Out’ founder) has been able to put on a virtual ‘Geek Out’ in the meantime and look forward to the day we’re able to put on an in-person one again,” she said. “In creating a space for me on her platform, I was able to really challenge myself to do more and connect with other Bahamians who enjoy fandom-related media as much as I do. Where before, I think, a lot of people either didn’t allow themselves to enjoy such things, or probably more honestly, wouldn’t admit to doing so. Without that affiliation with ‘The Geek Out!’, 242 Cosplayer Nation would still be a far-off dream of mine and SJ Slays Cosplay would likely not have the reach it currently does.” While Shannon usually likes to keep plans for her next cosplay project a secret, she made an exception for Tribune Weekend “I’m currently working on making Tectonica’s hero costume based on her designs from Tyrone Jackson’s comic ‘Stars’. I’m also working on a female version of the pirate hunter Roronoa Zoro from ‘One Piece’, which I’ve only recently become obsessed with despite the manga being out for 20 plus years,” she said
10 | The Tribune | Weekend
Friday, August 28, 2020
gardening
Gardening, it’s for the birds! Why are you planting or tending that lovely garden? If you are growing herbs, vegetables, fruit trees and the likes, then it is most likely your family and neighbours that you have in mind. Maybe you are planting or tending exotic, colourful plants strictly for their aesthetic value. I will take the liberty granted me to ask you this: how about planting for the birds? Soon enough summer will wane, and it is then that many of the migratory birds find their way to our shores. According to Audubon International, “Of the 300 bird species documented for the Bahamas, more than 50 percent are migrants from the US and Canada. Locally important endemic species include the Bahama yellowthroat, Bahama swallow, Bahama woodstar, the endangered Bahama oriole restricted to Andros Island (only few hundred remain), and the Inagua woodstar—a recently split species from the Bahama woodstar — restricted to Great Inagua and Little Inagua islands. Furthermore, “Over 33 species of shorebirds that breed in the Arctic, Canada, and along the Atlantic coast of the United States complete a perilous migratory journey each fall to reach remote islands of the Bahamas where they spend up to ten months each year.” (https://www.audubon.org/ conservation/bahamas) There is not enough space here to delve too far into this, but I quote the above text to stress the importance of your garden, and the surrounding neighbourhood in the survival of some these species. Bird-based tourism is a real thing, and yes, tourism will return, and I posit to you that birders are more ecologically responsible and represent (potentially) a higher economic value to our economy than the throngs of the T-shirt tourist one-day visitors. The Bahamas National Trust is a leader in bird conservation and we all ought to be grateful for that, I invite you to support them. The work that they do to study and to preserve natural sites and parks for our flying friends is a benefit to us all. This is a gardening column you thought… yes, and birds are an essential part of your garden, and your garden can be an essential part of the ecosystem! The Abaco parrot is present and seemingly breeding in New Providence. While the Abaco
parrot seems to love eating exotic palm seeds and seeds from many imported plants, it is our native plant material that supports the birds! Not all birds are tree dwelling, some live on salt flats (flamingo) some live on the shoreline, but regardless of which preferred ecosystem that particular birds live in, it is the native plant material that supports their survival. The white crown pigeon feasts on the seeds of poison wood trees. Gumelemi, pigeon plum, so many native trees that may be present in your neighbourhood - if you’re lucky enough to live in a neighbourhood that hasn’t had all of the native trees and shrubs flattened to the ground as seems to be a popular method of “development”. Creating a building “envelope” on new construction is a beneficial practice that is too uncommon. Leaving just one native tree can bring life to an area. Leaving a native tree and a few native shrubs is even better. If you are in an area that has been flattened and razed down to the rock, I urge you to please, plant some natives. The world that we live in is a circular one. Everything affects everything. We are stewards of this earth, or maybe not enough of us are?! Strong-back, little strong-back (both Bourreria spp), blolly (small leaf and big leaf both Guapira spp), cabbage palm (Sabal spp), silver top palm (Coccothrinax spp), the list goes on and on for useful plants that can be used in the landscape that will benefit the wider ecosystem rather than creating a literal desert for wildlife as many “professionally landscaped” areas in effect become. The overuse of exotic species has done exactly that, they have created deserts for native fauna. I hope that any responsible gardener will support organisations such as The Bahamas National Trust to preserve and protect our native flora. It is essential to our own well-being as part of the circle of life that we are thrust into upon birth. I ask you to please, get involved and to act in your own neighbourhood and to plant some natives. A healthy marine environment will support life for countless species, and a healthy terrestrial landscape environment will support life for countless species. It is our duty to protect and to preserve the native landscape. I wish
we could do more, but it is up to each and every individual who is involved to help to preserve or to restore a healthy ecosystem in our own corners of this world. Many of our islands have acres upon acres of native habitat, but it decreases every day. The birds need our help. We as gardeners can be of help by planting natives. Native trees, palms, shrubs and grasses provide not
only food, but also shelter to our native and migratory fauna. As always, happy (native) gardening! • Adam Boorman is the nursery manager at the Fox Hill Nursery. You can contact him with any questions you may have, or topics you would like to see discussed, at gardening242@gmail.com.
The Tribune | Weekend | 11
Friday, August 28, 2020
fashion
A fascinating sight By ALESHA CADET . Tribune Features Writer . acadet@tribunemedia.net
A
lthough plans have been put on pause for a showcase this year, the fascinator specialists at KLM Designs said they are anticipating great things for 2021. “The business is currently closed because of the COVID-19 restrictions and the birth of my baby girl,” said head designer and owner Kya McPhee-Edwards. “Before the complete lockdown I initially ordered feathers and hat bases of various designs to give my clients a new and improved look. Although on lockdown, my creative juices have not stopped running and I cannot wait to get back to what I love to do.” Under normal circumstances, Bahamian fashionistas would just be about to retire their colourful summer fascinators and switch to the more neutral coloured “bird cage” designs with small veils, before moving on to the woollen and sinamay headpieces for the winter. But things have been decidedly not normal due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Kya told Tribune Weekend she mainly catered to mourners, creating fascinators for funerals, at the start of the lockdown. But with funeral attendance numbers being severely restricted, that quickly stopped as well. Now, she has set her sights on 2021 and hopes to once again produce her top sellers - hand-wired bridal headpieces. The profits she made from KLM Designs over the years, she said, paid for her college tuition to the University of the Bahamas. Today, although she still uses the Bachelor’s degree she earned in Media Journalism in her position of media director at her church, KLM Designs has become her main focus. “It is not only a business based on creating fascinators for women, as over the years I have also been invited to speak to girl clubs, youth ministries, women ministries and budding entrepreneurs; teaching basic information about my craft and my journey to entrepreneurship. From the age of 17 I have been in this career field, which is a total of 10 years,” she said. A partnership with a fellow Bahamian designer has inspired Kya in recent years and shown her a new dream, and a new market for her fascinators. “I am inspired by Mrs Gillian Curry Williams, designer of the Remilda Rose. For the past two years we have partnered and worked together locally and internationally. Her consistency and passion for what she does is very inspirational. She always aims to put forth excellence in her creations. I have had the opportunity to work with her to create fascinators for her fashion shows both nationally and internationally, so I have first-hand experience of her expertise and aim for perfection. She created an opportunity of a lifetime where I made fascinators to go along with her clothing
DESIGNER Kya McPhee-Edwards.
designs for the PLITZS New York Fashion Week, September 2019,” she said. “For the past three years I have been showcasing my pieces in Florida, but I would love to travel, in particular to London and Africa - the fascinator districts of the world. The plan going forward is to continue to create top-of-the-line, quality, yet inexpensive fascinators, and hopefully to inspire others to follow their dreams because I am an avid believer that your gift will make room for you.”
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Friday, August 28, 2020
literary lives | Olivia de Havilland (1916-2020)
Hollywood’s last Golden Age star Part 1 Sir Christopher Ondaatje remembers the British-American actress whose cinematic career spanned over five decades from 1935 to 1988, appearing in forty-nine feature films, and was one of the leading actresses of her day. “I felt ‘Gone with the Wind’ (1939) would last five years, and it’s lasted over seventy, and into a new millennium. There is a special place in my heart for that film and Melanie. She was a remarkable character – a loving person, and because of that she was a happy person. And Scarlett, of course, was not.” - Olivia de Havilland Olivia Mary de Havilland was born on July 1, 1916 in Tokyo, Japan. Her mother, Lilian, was a stage actress and her father, Walter de Havilland, was an English professor at the Imperial University before becoming a patent attorney. Her paternal cousin was Sir Geoffrey de Havilland, who was an aircraft designer and founder of the de Havilland aircraft company. Olivia’s younger sister Joan – later known as Joan Fontaine – was born fifteen months later on October 22, 1917. In February 1919, the de Havilland family sailed aboard the SS Siberia Maru to San Francisco. Olivia developed tonsillitis, and Joan developed
pneumonia, so their mother decided to remain in California – eventually settling in Saratoga, fifty miles south of San Francisco. Their father abandoned the family and returned to his Japanese housekeeper, who eventually became his second wife. In April 1925, Lilian de Havilland married George Milan Fontaine – a department store manager. His strict parental style generated rebellion in both his stepdaughters. In 1922, Olivia entered Saratoga Grammar School and excelled in reading, writing, poetry and drawing. She continued at Los Gatos High School and participated in school plays and the school drama club. After graduating from high school, de Havilland was offered a scholarship to Mills College in Oakland to pursue a career as an English teacher. She was also offered the role of Puck in the Saratoga Community Theatre production of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. That
summer Austrian director Max Reinhardt came to California for a major production of the same play to premiere at the Hollywood Bowl. One of Reinhardt’s assistants saw de Havilland perform in Saratoga and offered her the second understudy position for the role of Hermia. One week before the premiere both the first understudy and the lead actress Gloria Stuart left the production and Olivia was left to play Hermia. She was eighteen years old. Impressed with her performance, Reinhardt offered her the part in the four-week tour that followed the Hollywood premiere. It was during this tour that Reinhardt was given the job of directing the Warner Bros film of his stage performance. He immediately offered de Havilland the film role of Hermia. Set on an English teaching career de Havilland hesitated but eventually accepted the offer, signing a seven year contract with Warner Bros on November 12, 1934, starting at $200 a week, thus beginning an acting career that would last for more than half a century.
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Friday, August 28, 2020
In 1936, she appeared in Anthony Adverse with Frederic March, and then re-united with Errol Flynn in The Charge of the Light Brigade, set during the Crimean War, which was another boxoffice hit. During production she re-negotiated her contract with Warner Bros increasing her starting salary to $500 a week. Warner Bros kept her working. She made Call It a Day, It’s Love I’m After, and The Great Garrick in 1937, and then Gold is Where You Find It – released in 1938. This was followed by her third role with Errol Flynn in The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) where she played Maid Marian. It earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture and became one of the most popular adventure films of Hollywood. The film was shot in Technicolour. She went on to appear in several routine films before appearing with Flynn in their first Western together – Dodge City (1939). Despite the film’s popularity it was a low point in de Havilland’s career. “I was in such a depressed state that I could hardly remember my lines.” - Olivia de Havilland
OLIVIA de Havilland made seven films with Errol Flynn “The only thing that you simply have to remember all the time that you are there is that Hollywood is an Oriental city. As long as you do that, you might survive. If you try to equate it with anything else, you’ll perish.” - Olivia de Havilland Almost immediately after this in 1935 film de Havilland appeared in three other films for Warner Bros: Alibi Ike with Joe E Brown; The Irish in Us with James Cagney, and Captain Blood with the man with whom her career would be most closely identified – Errol Flynn. Later she was to say: “There is certainly such a thing as screen chemistry, although I don’t believe you find it frequently. There was a definite on-screen chemistry between Errol Flynn and me. I had a very big crush on him during ‘Captain Blood’. I thought he was smashing for three years but he never guessed. Then he had one on me but nothing came of it. I’m not going to regret that; it could have ruined my life.” - Olivia de Havilland Both de Havilland and Flynn had classic good looks, cultured speaking voices, and a sense of distant aristocracy. Their mutual attraction to each other was evident from their first scenes together. Captain Blood was nominated for four Academy Awards.
It was during the filming of Dodge City that David O Selznick began casting for Gone with the Wind and he was known to have wanted Olivia de Havilland for the part of Melanie – but Jack L Warner refused to lend her out for the project. De Havilland begged Warner’s wife for help before he relented and she was signed for the part only a few weeks before shooting started on January 26, 1939. Set in the American South during the Civil War (1861-1865) Gone with the Wind is one of the greatest films ever made and was a milestone in de Havilland’s career. “Melanie was someone different. She had very deeply feminine qualities ... that’s why I wanted to interpret her role. ‘Gone with the Wind’ will go on forever, and how thrilling that is. It has this universal life ... Every nation has experienced war – and defeat and renaissance. So all people can identify with the characters. Not only that, it’s terribly well constructed. Something happens every three minutes, and it keeps you on your toes and the edge of your seat, which is quite a feat ...” - Olivia de Havilland The film had its premiere in Atlanta on December 15, 1939. It won ten Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and de Havilland received her first nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Hoping that her new-found acclaim would lead to more prestigious roles in more prestigious pictures, de Havilland returned to Warner Bros, only to be given another film with Errol Flynn, this time with Bette Davis. She was given third billing as the Queen’s lady-in-waiting in The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939). De Havilland started to rebel and refused to appear in the next Warner Bros film – leading to the first of her many suspensions. She did
however agree to perform as a violinist in My Love Came Back (1940) with Eddie Albert, and a sixth film with Errol Flynn – another Western – Santa Fe Trail – which also starred the young Ronald Reagan in a fictional pre Civil War story. In a much publicised train ride with Flynn to the Santa Fe, New Mexico, opening, de Havilland was rushed to hospital on arrival for emergency surgery with appendicitis. She missed the opening at the Lensic Theatre. There followed months of convalescence in a Los Angeles hospital resulting in more rejected Warner Bros. scripts and another suspension. De Havilland became an American citizen on November 28, 1941, just a few days before the United States entered World War II. She was a tireless supporter of the war effort and sought ways to show her patriotism. She joined the Hollywood Victory Caravan, actively selling war bonds, and attended events at the Hollywood Canteen – dancing with troops. Later in the war she earned respect by visiting battlefronts in the Pacific islands. 1941 was also the year in which she appeared in three successful films; The Strawberry Blonde with James Cagney; Hold Back the Dawn with Charles Boyer – in which she got her second Academy Award nomination. Again she lost – this time to her sister Joan Fontaine for her role in Suspicion – thus starting years of bitter jealousy, competition and estrangement. She also appeared in an eighth and final film They Died With Their Boots On with Errol Flynn. She didn’t want the role and told Flynn about it. “She was sick to death of playing ‘the girl’, and badly wanted a few good roles to show herself and the world that she was a fine actress.” - Errol Flynn However, after she found out that Flynn had gone to Jack Warner and told him that he needed her in the film, she accepted the role. Flynn knew it would be the last time they appeared together and, in a memorable last scene, said the words: “Walking through life with you ma’am has been a very gracious thing.” Flynn’s words would hold special meaning for de Havilland, and the film went on to earn $2.5 million – or the equivalent of $44 million in today’s money. The on-screen relationship had been one of the most successful for Hollywood. NEXT WEEK: Olivia de Havilland breaks free from Warner Bros in a historic court ruling. •Sir Christopher Ondaatje is the author of The Last Colonial. He acknowledges that he has quoted liberally from Wikipedia; My Wicked, Wicked Ways (1961) by Errol Flynn; Every Frenchman Has One (1962) by Olivia de Havilland; and Olivia de Havilland and the Golden Age of Hollywood (2018) by Ellis Amburn.
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history
Colonial reports
By Paul C Aranha . Forgotten Facts
W
hen the Bahamas was a colony, the Governor was required to send regular reports to London, detailing the current situation. These reports make interesting reading, especially if the reader likes statistics. Sir Gilbert Thomas Carter’s ‘Annual Report for 1902’ referred to “the ‘Classic’ of the Bahamas Blue Book Reports, furnished by Governor (Rawson William) Rawson...a very able and exhaustive one, supplies a body of information, to be found in no other official publication.” I checked it out and Sir Gilbert is right. There’s much too much (120 pages) for this article, so I will give excerpts from just a few Annual Reports. 1864 – “... Having sought, in vain, both before and since my arrival...for any works which would... furnish a recent and tolerably comprehensive view of this extensive archipelago, I have endeavoured to prepare a report that would supply the want of such a work and prove useful, for present a future reference. “In consequence of the abnormal state of affairs, in this island, during the last four years, now happily brought to a close, I have been obliged to extend my enquiries to a period antecedent to 1861...it will, now, furnish a correct...delineation of the recent, and present condition of the islands...a standpoint from which to measure the future progress and development of the resources of the Colony.” Rawson went on to give a long, but accurate, geographical description of the entire archipelago, including a count of the number of islands (29), cays (681) and rocks (2,387). The population was 35,287. “In 1833, Her Majesty’s government directed that Crown Lands (still a matter of contention today) should only be disposed of by
public sale, with an upset price, the purchaser defraying all expenses... About the same time, 95,718 acres, in different islands, were escheated to the Crown, for non-payment of quit rents...(the biggest) 16,726 acres were on Cat Island.” “By an Act, passed in1864, the police force was fixed at – one Inspector and two sergeants (all resident in New Providence), nine corporals, fifty-two constables of the first class. The total population of the Bahamas was 27,519, of whom 8,125 could read and 4,824 could write. The most-literate islands were New Providence, Eleuthera (including Spanish Wells) and Harbour Island. Only 32.6 percent of the population lived on New Providence and, during 1855-1864, there was one murder. Assault and Battery topped the list of crimes. Boatbuilding was important and, over a 10-year period, 5,599 boats were built. Abaco led the way, with 2,233. Harbour Island produced 1,227 and New Providence 1,217. In 1864, the total revenue was £102,024, but Expenditure reached £98,636. Thirty years later (1894), when Sir Ambrose Chea was Governor – Mr T A Thompson, Stipendiary and Circuit Magistrate, was appointed Judge of the Falkland Islands and was succeeded by Mr R S Johnstone. The population was estimated as 50,695, almost double what it was in 1864, and there were 29 Members of the House of Assembly. Voters had to have attained the age of 21, been a resident for 1 calendar months and owned land to the value of £5. There were 41 Government Schools, with 5,392 pupils. The Inspector of Schools reported that “the organisation, discipline and method of instruction...approximate...those of schools under the British and Foreign School Society. The teachers are, however, with few
exceptions, inferior in attainments and in ability to teach...” Sponge (£59,155) and pineapples (£42,568) were the biggest exports. Convictions totalled 1,374 – including 112 offences against the persona and 26 convictions for predial larceny. Fifty-three convicts were whipped, compared to 19 the previous year. With 4,022 members, ‘Friendly Societies’, of which there were 51, were an important part of the community: “The object of most of
these is to aid members in sickness and to bury the dead.” “Telephones – Government House is connected by telephone with the Colonial Secretary’s Office, and the Police Barracks... (The Police) Barracks is connected with its Out Stations, in Grant’s Town and the Eastern District.” Smartphones were unthought of. • For questions and comments, e-mail islandairman@gmail.com
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animals
A new ambulance for the BHS By Kim Aranha . Animal Matters
T
he Bahamas Humane Society is very fortunate to be blessed with many people who step up and assist in kind, in gifts and in person. All three types of assistance are absolutely essential to the well-being of the Society, especially during these particularly trying times. Some times that tunnel looks mighty long and even though they say there is a light at the end of it, I find it difficult to see even a glimmer. But that is only sometimes. Then there are the other times when somebody special steps up and….buys us a new ambulance! Yes, you read that correctly. And just when we really, really needed a new one. The work the ambulance does is hard on a vehicle, not to mention all to potholes on the proper roads, but sometimes our inspectors have to go down dirt roads in rather remote places to make a rescue or check up on a cruelty complaint. The nature of their work demands that they have a strong, working and reliable piece of equipment that they can always rely upon. It could save them from danger or save an animal’s life. The new ambulance has been lovingly “wrapped” by the Sign Man, including a wonderful photo of Wally, the beautiful big black shaggy rescue dog who officially donated the ambulance. However, we all know that behind every generous dog there is invariably a generous human who is owned by the generous dog. I am sure my readers already guessed that. Well, Wally is a handsome dude, who unfortunately does not like strangers and can lunge pretty quickly, so we were not allowed to meet him in close quarters, but he did agree to come out and to be photographed with his human and the new ambulance. So on Wednesday we celebrated International Dog Day by taking the ambulance to Wally for a photo shoot. Our handsome ambulance caused quite a stir in the community and several people came, out at a safe distance, (of course), to admire it. Our generous benefactor Lorna Woolley Chatwin was very excited to see how well the picture of Wally had come out and that was when we
Photo/Patricia Vazquez
Pet of the Week
An easy-going canine buddy requested that he join us to be part of the photo. All went very well and we all kept our respectful distance as Wally decreed, though I would have loved to give Lorna a ‘thank you’ hug. In addition to the splendid ambulance, she has covered the insurance and gas costs for the year. How lucky can we get? It is always exciting to receive the big gifts, but we are also so very appreciative for the smaller ones too. The wonderful people who drop by bags of dog and cat food, hay for the horses and cash to help. They are all heroes and we would be totally lost without them. On Wednesday morning I was amazed at how big International Dog Day was on Good Morning America. They had tons of segments about dogs in general. It was particularly amusing to see the segment on the puppy party organisers who coordinate your dog’s birthday party – from the invitations to the theme, party bags, toys, games and the “cake”. I always thought that I was a bit of a nutcase, as we wish our boys a happy birthday, taking in back by a few months from their adoptions day, but it’s not just me. If you are a cat lover, don’t despair, International Cat Day is on October 29 annually, and alas, I have just found out that we missed Black
Cat Appreciation day on August 17. Sorry, I can’t tell you if there is a company in NYC who organises birthday parties for cats too, but I wouldn’t be surprised. As the country gradually opens up again, I would like to remind you that there are lots of animals looking for homes at the shelter and everyone that goes out to a happy home is a triumph for us. I am getting lots of reports of manatee sightings in the Eleuthera area; I guess the lack of human movement, boats, jet skis, noise and disruption is probably the reason why they are more visible than before. Thinking about it, I have noticed that there are finally butterflies in the garden, something that I have not seen in a very long time and have missed desperately. There is something so magical about the way the flutter around with those almost translucent gossamer wings, alighting briefly on one plant before taking off for another spot. One of my favourite sayings has always been: “Just when the caterpillar thought that the world was over… he became a butterfly” Just when we thought we couldn’t afford a new ambulance … we received one! Stay safe everyone.
By The Bahamas Humane Society You’d think Blake might have come to the Bahamas Humane Society from out west, but this almost one-year-old was found in Harbour Bay. Maybe he was planning to go shopping? Blake’s shopping around now for a home of his own and he’s hoping yours might be the right one. Blake gets along well with other dogs and might even be persuaded to accept a cat or two. He’s young and trainable, and looking for love If you think Blake might be looking for you, call the BHS at 323-5138 for more information. Not quite ready to adopt? Consider fostering as a test run. Blake looks forward to meeting you! •Save your pennies! “Share your 2 cents” with the BHS, and all coins collected will go to the shelter. More information on the programme and about drop-off sites will follow, but coins can also be left at the BHS.
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culture
Captured history
Four decades of Junkanoo images to be released in new book By JEFFARAH GIBSON . Tribune Features Writer . jgibson@tribunemedia.net
H
e is not a Junkanooer himself, but photographer Nick Klonaris has been an active spectator of the beloved cultural parade since the 1960s. And in the near future, many of the moments he has captured over the course of 40 years will be released in a coffee table book of Junkanoo photos. With his book, Mr Klonaris strives to show the evolution of Junkanoo through about 200 photos spanning the decades. The book is an exciting undertaking for the photographer, who believes capturing the vivid colours and elaborate costumes of Junkanoo with a camera will always have historical and educational value. “I wanted to show what took place when I was shooting at that time, that was my idea for putting the book together,” he told Tribune Weekend. Mr Klonaris said readers will be able to vividly see the changes of the event over time, especially as it relates to the costumes. “I have countless photos of the parade and I want to show how it has changed; that is what I wanted to showcase. One of the main things that has changed are the costumes. Costumes today are much grander, with some abandoning the crepe paper and cardboard construction,” he said. “The Junkanoo costumes today have a more carnival style feel. Everyone is travelling now and the Bahamas has its own carnival event, so you see the costumes sort of resemble that nowadays.” As it relates to crepe paper and cardboard, he said, you can only go so far with those materials. Nevertheless, Mr Klonaris said he has captured some of the most beautiful cardboard constructed Junkanoo pieces over the years. What is important, he explained, is being in the right place at the right time. “Photography is the right lighting and the right moment. If I were to go back and attempt to capture some shots they just won’t be the same. This is why it is important to capture things in the moment,” he said. Mr Klonaris is eager to publish his photo book as soon a possible, but has hit a roadblock. “Junkanoo is cancelled this year and I wanted to sort of go into a shack from June and take a lot of shots of that process. But now I am behind because I won’t be able to do this at the moment,” he said. Whether or not he ultimately chooses to wait to include these planned photos in the book, Mr Klonaris still has thousands of Junkanoo images and their negatives in his possession that he would like to one day share with the public. He hopes the photos that are not published in the book can be utilised in another way. “We do not have a Junkanoo museum where people can view images of the parades in times past. I had a conversation with the Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture about possibly utilising them in a Junkanoo museum so that students can take field trips and have a chance to view history,” he said. The release date for Mr Klonaris’ book will be announced at a later time.
Photos/Nick Klonaris
