09222023 WEEKEND

A vivid musical journey

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

Like most Bahamian entertainers, Valene Rolle started singing in church.

From hymns to R&B, hip hop and even big musical numbers, she has performed almost every genre.

Now, under the stage name VividlyVal, she is producing work that makes her feel good, and she hopes it does the same for others.

Speaking with Tribune Weekend, she explained how she is now exploring Afro fusion music more.

“My inspiration comes from life, from music, and from what I’m feeling inside just randomly. Music is expression; I don’t suppress it,” she said.

Valene, who can be found performing at the Studio Café on West Bay Street during their Acoustic Brunch, and more recently at the Cocoplum Bistro’s brunch, is gearing up to release new music.

“I’m currently working on different singles and experimenting more with my sound. My latest release, ‘Rush Out’, and the fan favorite ‘Body Ripe’, show the different sides of my musicality, and I want to continue to show people what I have to offer,” she said.

She is also working on her first music video and planning for a potential Afrobeat EP.

Valene’s career as a performer was really cemented during her high school years.

“When I was in my senior year at Aquinas College, I was a part of the musical production ‘Grease’, and out of that, we formed a pop band called the Ace of Spades,” she said.

“I always loved music and performing, and during college, I tried my hand at recording music. I became a part of a group called Ongaku Clan with Chairo the Fox and Guion ‘Blk Pvnda’, and I was under the name Val Nightingale at the time.”

She later recorded some solo music under the name Val, and teamed up with her best friend, Ilsha McPhee to form the music duo Jive. They wrote and recorded two songs for the Bahamas Music

Masters Competition, with both songs making it to the Top 10.

But her most prized piece of work, she said, is her EP “HiJourney”, which is available on Soundcloud.

“It was the first time I really stepped out on my own, believing I had a voice and something really beautiful to share on my own,” she said.

A really big highlight on her musical journey was performing with Northburn Records at the iconic Shambhala Music Festival Showcase in Vancouver, Canada. Valene said she was the first Bahamian to be attached festival. It was a streamed event due to the COVID19 pandemic and is still available on YouTube for people to enjoy.

Whereas she leaned more into R&B and hip hop in the past, Valene said she’s been doing a lot more Afro fusion music lately.

“I do a lot of work with Tim Daniels and the SoundWaves Music community, so wherever the occasion arises, I’ll be there. It’s my hope to expand more with my venues so I can widen my audience,” she said.

“I would honestly love to be a professional (full-time) performing artist or even a ghost writer. I love writing and love how I feel after I’ve completed a new song.”

Valene’s new single “Bey, Wha?”, which she describes as a Jersey club style song, is expected to debut shortly.

“I really do whatever makes me happy, to be honest. I’ve gotten a lot of support throughout the years, and no matter how my sound or subject matter changes, people always seem to connect with me. They appreciate my voice, the rhythms and the vibes I bring to my work,” she said.

Valene’s music is available on Apple Music, YouTube and Spotify.

“This year, I really just want to continue developing my sound and get more exposure. I know I have a lot to offer and I know it’s something that the world needs to see,” she said.

BAHAMIAN entertainer, Valene Rolle

Raise a cup to tradition with new ‘tea book’

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

ABahamian family is spreading their love for natural teas while showcasing authentic local products in a new coffee table book.

The ‘Bahamian Tea Culture’ book by Naturally Bahamian seeks to provide a deeper look into the role tea plays in local culture.

The launch of this first ever Bahamian luxury tea book will take place on September 30 at Eden Lake, Adelaide, starting at 5.30pm.

The book is the brainchild of the Worrell family and was developed through their corporate arm, Naturally Bahamian.

The Worrells are Denise, Paul, Christopher and Michael Worrell, whose love of nature and all things Bahamian was the genesis of their company.

Naturally Bahamian originated 20 years ago as a tea company producing native artisanal teas for a select Bahamian market but has now expanded to producing close to 100 native teas and a wide variety of other products based on local culture, including gluten free flours, vegetarian culinary products, toiletries, spices, condiments, and an ever-increasing number of associated items. These products are in demand both locally and internationally.

“The ‘tea book’ is not a traditional book with text and pictures on pages. These books provide both narrative and a multi-sensory experience,” Denise Worrell explained.

“As one interacts with each book, you will be able to read about the unique tea culture of the Bahamas, take a sensory tour of 12 of our Bahamian teas (pure leaf or custom blends) that build on our traditional teas as they are described in text and you are able to smell and taste their unique aromas, flavour and goodness.”

Denise is the creative genius behind Naturally Bahamian and the tea book, as well as the matriarch of the Worrell family.

Her professional background is in education. She has taught and

lectured at both secondary and tertiary educational institutions in the Bahamas. She is also an herbalist and qualified health coach who has a great desire to positively impact the Bahamian lifestyle in a holistic way.

The COVID-19 pandemic sparked many ideas in people who went on to launch various ventures. This was also the case for the Worrell family, who during that time decided brainstorm ideas for a book.

“During the lockdowns, our family discussed aspects of the book and decided that a tea book would be helpful for visitors and Bahamians alike to be able to have a keepsake which summarises some of our traditional uses for teas in the Bahamas. So we got together to consult, brainstorm and prepare the project,” said Denise.

The book features 12 Bahamian teas – single teas as well as tea blends – as well educational material on traditional uses.

Readers can also enjoy the tea samples contained within the book.

The book features several categories of Naturally Bahamian products, including flours and items made with the flours; teas; spices; produce; drinks, condiments; toiletries and a 50th anniversary limited edition tea called ‘Sovereign’ tea.

Guests at the book launch will have to opportunity to sample this special tea.

The book will be available at The Library at Rosewood, Baha Mar, and at Doongalik Studios on Village Road.

Purchase through the company’s website will soon be available.

Tom ‘The Bird’ Grant Park

Thanks to the vision and hard work of Rashad Pratt and a supportive community, this New Providence park has been transformed into an oasis for both young and old; for the physically active and for those in need of some assistance. The park manager tells Cara Hunt about their many objectives and activities, including tennis lessons and a feeding programme.

Tucked away in a quiet corner of Yellow Elder, the Tom “The Bird” Grant Park provides residents with an oasis – not just to play sports, but also to share meals and help those in need.

It truly is the heart of the community, Rashad Pratt, the park’s manager, told Tribune Weekend.

In his three years since being in charge of the parks’ landscaping, he has seen the space develop and expand to not only be a hub for residents, but also a space that tourists are comfortable visiting as well.

The current space includes a walking trail, a children’s swing and play area, three basketball courts, two tennis courts and a volleyball court, as well as a community centre area.

The park is named after the Tom Berutti “The Bird” Grant. The late coach and athlete is considered a national icon who played a number of sports, including track and field, basketball, softball, volleyball, cricket and rugby. He made invaluable contributions as a coach, official and administrator. He was also the first Bahamian recruiter for a major institute – St Augustine’s College in Raleigh, North Carolina – and the first Bahamian to become an international certified volleyball referee. His basketball skills earned him the nickname “The Bird.”

Rashad himself is an avid tennis player and is delighted to see just how much the park’s courts are utilised by the community.

They currently serve as the home base for two tennis clubs - the Harold Road Invaders and the Harold Road Tennis Club. They use the space on a daily basis. And when they are not practicing or having regularly scheduled matches and tournaments, a dedicated group of senior retirees spend their mornings there, playing the sport.

“That’s really how I got more involved with the members of the community initially, because one day some of them invited me to play, not knowing that I was an avid tennis player,” Rashad explained.

“Following the matches, the retirees enjoy potluck breakfasts. Many residents also enjoy picnic lunches and other fellowship opportunities with young and old throughout the day and evenings. Additionally, there are many tourists who choose to use the facilities rather than play at the resorts they are staying at. There are several taxi drivers who bring them here when they ask if there are local courts.

Rashad said they also have a scholarship programme through which young members of the community are provided with the necessary equipment and taught how to play tennis.

“They can come and have practice each afternoon, Monday through Thursday, and learn tennis fundamentals,” he said.

“Growing up, I loved tennis, but I didn’t have the opportunity then; it’s something that I can help facilitate for these children.”

At the moment, there are about a dozen children, one as young as three, who are taking advantage of the lessons.

Rashad said they are currently working on acquiring more rackets so that they can accommodate more kids, but he noted that the lack of equipment has not been a deterrent.

“I remember this day I was at the park around 8pm and this group of about ten kids came onto the court and they had two rackets between them. What struck and impressed me was how they just lined up and took turns using those rackets with no problems; just orderly, mannerly and respectful,” he said.

Rashad added that the park is also the perfect location for the feeding programme he and other volunteers have set up.

“Right now, we provide breakfast for some of the students before they leave for school. We can usually have between a dozen to 15 children come each day, and I know that some people have situations, and so once the children who come are fed, then we can feed any adults who may need food as well,” he said.

Rashad said it’s true that it takes a village to raise a child, and the programmes the park provides are an easy way to make a significant contribution to a young Bahamian’s upbringing

“A little can go a very long way,” he said.

And ensuring that the park remains clean and in working order for its visitors also helps to instil a sense of pride in community members both young and old.

Dr Patti Symonette, CEO and founder of the Wellness Centre & Personal Training Studio on Thompson Boulevard, said the care and maintenance of the park over the past two years has been excellent.

this weekend in history

September 22

“Mr Pratt has taken what was once a very neglected park in terms of maintenance and beautification to a level that can be enjoyed by the wider community,” she said.

“He has added landscaping to enhance the beautification and has also taken a personal interest in keeping the bathroom clean for the ladies that use the facilities, which we did not have before. In addition, he has also added additional seating and benches to accommodate our weekend gatherings.”

Rashad noted that the entire community is involved in the upkeep of the park – from those who volunteer to clean, to those who make donations for the feeding programme and everyone who visits and helps to maintain their surroundings.

“In particular, I have to mention Mr Brown and Ms Cash who have personally gone and purchased trees and then come to the park to plant them themselves,” he said.

Rashad hopes the success of the park can be an example of what is needed in the wider community.

September 23

“We hope that people can see this park as a model to follow. Yes, there may be challenges, but instead of looking at the negativity, look at the positivity that spaces such as these can bring to the country,” he said.

PIONEERING cookbook author Fannie Farmer

LUNCH in the park

KIDS received tennis lessons at that park

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 Silly rhymes whether one likes it or not (5-5)

6 A point we returned to once more (4)

10 A bell-shaped attachment (5)

11 Break in (9)

12 Bribes an engineer in Australia (8)

13 Miserable, less competent hoarder (5)

15 A sitter becoming a performer (7)

17 Use it at resolving what is lying (7)

19 Mussolini is in debt and impoverished (7)

21 Storm ruined a party (7)

22 Material available in many London stores (5)

24 Gave lads the means to be saved from ruin (8)

27 Where the seas are high generally (2,3,4)

28 Italian city in sea storm (5)

29 Habit to boast about (4)

30 Curmudgeon’s made to go over and make amends (10)

Down

1 Good! It’s spring (4)

2 Wild bear I’d let free (9)

3 Shouts agreement about fifty-fifty set-up (5)

4 Flatter most sincerely (7)

5 Mail from the settler (7)

7 Wants a dense mixture (5)

8 Warn omelet is off but may still be eaten (10)

9 He puts in a word when required (8)

14 Justification for fighting and shouting (10)

16 Supported in minute parts? (8)

18 A shop floor humiliation (9)

20 Despondency I spread about (7)

21 Money making gifts (7)

23 Alert to change in future (5)

25 He told stories of love among wild apes (5)

26 Cut talk that’s over a quarter of an hour (4)

Across

Yesterday’s Easy Solution

Across: 1 Chronic, 5 Aisle, 8 Extrovert, 9 Tag, 10 Prim, 12 Disciple, 14 Upshot, 15 Method, 17 Walkover, 18 Spur, 21 Run, 22 Daredevil, 24 Sheer, 25 Tractor.

Down: 1 Creep, 2 Rut, 3 Nook, 4 Credit, 5 Attached, 6 Set up shop, 7 Egghead, 11 In silence, 13 Do-gooder, 14 Upwards, 16 Beirut, 19 Ruler, 20 Idea, 23 Vet.

Yesterday’s Cryptic Solution

Across: 1 Tresses, 5 Aloft, 8 Sunbather, 9 Fad, 10 Soda, 12 Prospero, 14 Malice, 15 Little, 17 Regional, 18 Menu, 21 Own, 2 2 Asteroids, 24 Irene, 25 Matelot. Down: 1 Tasks, 2 Eon, 3 Snap, 4 Sphere, 5 Acrostic, 6 Off centre, 7 Tadpole, 11 Diligence, 13 Accolade, 14 Marconi, 16 Bantam, 19 Upset, 20 Trot, 23 Ill.

EASY PUZZLE

1 Providential (6-4)

6 Descent by parachute (4)

10 Small branch (5)

11 Specifically identify in accusation (4,5)

12 Berserk (8)

13 Kingdom (5)

15 Make unnecessary (7)

17 Motor vehicle’s base-frame (7)

19 To animate (7)

21 Most direct route (7)

22 Capital of Jordan (5)

24 Having just claim (8)

27 Petty theft (9)

28 A gem (5)

29 Deserve (4)

30 Type of unglazed earthenware (10)

Down

1 Multitude (4)

2 Flying (3,6)

3 To urge (3,2)

4 Dawn (7)

5 Wandering (7)

7 Afro-Cuban dance (5)

8 Be accepted as adequate (4,6)

9 Deprive of vigour (8)

14 As an instance (3,7)

16 Ahead of the times (8)

18 Pick-me-up (9)

20 Tell the story of (7)

21 Cause of continuing annoyance (7)

23 Grinding tooth (5)

25 Subject of conversation (5)

26 An excuse (4)

S R D E T E N Y Y

● 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. Verb forms ending in S permitted.

TODAY’S TARGET

Good 21; very good 32; excellent 42 (or more). Solution on Monday

TARGET BATTLESHIPS

Call 0907 181 2585 for today’s Target solution *Calls cost 80p per minute plus your telephone company’s network access charge.

Yesterday’s Sudoku Answer

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 on Monday

2345678910

THE ALPHABEATER

Across: 1 Camembert, 7 Carpet, 9 Chassis, 10 Kent, 12 Gun, 13 Brought, 14 Ian, 15 Ella, 17 Seismic, 19 Granny, 20 Persevere. Down: 1 Cackling, 2 Ache, 3 Mia, 4 Masculine, 5 Bridge, 6 Rebut, 8 Tentacle, 11 Tokens, 13 Barre, 16 Liar, 18 Moe.

CAN you crack the Alphabeater? Each grid number represents a letter – or black square. As in Alphapuzzle, every letter of the alphabet is used. But you have to complete the grid too! Use the given letters and black squares below the grid to start. The grid is ‘rotationally symmetrical’ – in other words, it looks the same if you turn the page upside down. Solution

Yesterday’s Kakuro Answer

CROSS DOUB SUMMIT

Across: THORP Down: WHACK

Black squares: 20, 25, 26, 28, Across: Cherry, Axe, Showjumping, Paediatrics, Tor, Down: Cloak, Plush, Choke, Bye, Conjugation, Acquire, Stave, HUMANKIND admin akin ankh damn dank dink dinkum dunk hand hank hind human HUMANKIND hunk inhuman khan kind main mankind mind mink unhand unkind unman

● Alternatively, for six Extra Letter clues to your mobile, text DXBEAT to 64343. Texts cost £1 plus your usual operator rate

different

and different shapes appear

each and column.

Pass her the vodka!

Local author and podcaster debuts new dating guide for young women seeking ‘Mr Right’

By ALESHA CADET | Tribune Features Writer |

When the relationship with her former partner fell apart three years ago, so many things suddenly became clear to Joshea Murray.

She realised the relationship hadn’t been the best for her at the time and she was forced to reassess her approach to love and romance.

This revelation and breakthrough prompted her to write her very first relationship guide called “Pass Me the Wine”, which she has now followed up with her latest book, “Pass Me the Vodka”.

“I began writing books three years ago during the COVID-19 pandemic. There were so many things changing in my life; my first book was a step-by-step guide on how I figured out to navigate through the pandemic,” the 26-year-old told Tribune Weekend.

“When I (later) wrote ‘Pass Me the Wine’, I didn’t expect it to be received so well by so many women. One day I woke up and my TikTok was booming; ‘Pass Me The Wine’ went viral. This was when I realised that so many women were going through it with men and wanted help but may be too afraid to say so.”

She got into the habit of posting snippets of lessons from her books on TikTok, which then led her to creating the podcast “Level Up With Joshea”, which has topped several Apple podcast charts in the region.

“Finding a relationship and a husband is a process, and my books really have helped women tremendously, and I’m happy they have done so. That’s the greatest satisfaction of being an author, when your work really helps,” she said.

Her new book, “Pass Me The Vodka”, Joshea explained, strives to be a modern-day dating guide for young women. She said she wrote it to be really practical and straight forward.

“It answers the questions about dating I wished someone would have told me in my early 20s. It breaks down everything you need to know about men: how to date practically and how to help you make the least number of mistakes which usually lead to wasted time and heartbreak,” she said.

While her previous book, “Pass Me the Wine”, offered a more subtle approach, this book is written explicitly to help women heal after a painful breakup.

“I noticed women love to drink wine during downtime, especially when healing. (The title) ‘Pass Me the Vodka’ was based on the rawness of the content in the book. It is more direct, meaning you need a stronger drink to get through this

phase, and I felt vodka is much stronger than wine,” she explained.

Reentering the dating scene after a breakup, Joshea said, is no easy task; you’re in a place where you want to protect yourself while still wanting to be open to receiving love again. This stage of dating, she added, is definitely worth a vodka tonic and lime combo.

“I want young women to know that we control what we allow in our lives, that includes the men we decide to share ourselves with. When a woman completes ‘Pass Me the Vodka’, she should not only be aware of how to navigate the dating market, but to clearly know the difference between men who are good for you and men who will waste your time,” she said.

Joshea is currently working on a downloadable course for women who are interested in putting

their life back together after wasting time with the wrong guy.

“I, too, went on a deep dive, self-love journey to rediscover myself. I get so many questions on the how, so now I’m combining my answers in the course,” she said.

“I will also be introducing a self-publishing course for women who have similar stories they want to tell, and lessons; from single mothers, to divorced women who are reintroducing themselves to the dating world and so much more.

Joshea’s books are available on Amazon or from her website, josheamurraycoaching.com. Physical copies are available in Nassau for pick-up or delivery by contacting the author on her social media platforms @iamjosheamurray.

JOSHEA Murray offers concrete advice for young women looking for love.

Veggie time

Good day, gardeners! Well, the rain has been very welcome this week. Things had been getting dry, and it’s a nice relief for the ground and for the garden. For the early birds, surely any young seedlings will greedily soak up the nitrogen laced rainwater and they will perk up, especially with the little cool that has come with the rain. No doubt that it will get hot again, but we will take what we can get!

At Fox Hill Nursery, we are just beginning our first rotation of vegetable seedlings, as the time has come to get growing for food.

Cabbage and kale, hot and sweet peppers, arugula, any of the herbs, all will do well at this time of year. In the next week or three, we will get going on tomatoes, cucumber, squash, and some of the softer, more tender greens such as lettuce. Have you prepped your garden space? Whether intending to grow in the ground or in containers, it never hurts to get a head start by preparing the soil. Test the potting, planter, or garden bed soil for pH and nutrient levels before adding

any amendments. Simple test kits are available.

I use an electronic one for ease, it gives a close enough reading to let me know if any amendments are needed or not.

Once seedlings are strong enough to transplant to the beds or containers, and any needed nutrient amendments or additions of fresh potting or planting soils are added, I like to cover the beds or the top of the soil with mulch to help preserve moisture in the soil, and to gradually add organic material back into the soil.

One of the most important things to mind by doing this is keeping the soil temperature a bit lower than without mulch, this helps young seedlings and it encourages a deep and healthy root system.

Remember, with living plants a rule is “as below, so above” (my reversal of a typical idiom). What happens beneath the soil line, will reflect and show results above it.

The looser the soil is, the better to allow young, soft roots to penetrate and take hold for healthy water and nutrient absorption.

If the roots are not healthy, the results will be wanting. A soil that stays wet by holding excessive amounts of moisture is as detrimental as those soils that are compact, lacking airspace and water movement.

Whatever you choose to amend your soils with, do so at a ratio to ensure good drainage, high airspace and sufficient moisture holding capabilities. If you’re starting your own seeds, do so in smaller containers that are easily manageable and controllable.

Start them in a cool location with bright, indirect light. Airflow around the seedlings is important to avoid fungi and rot on tender new leaves. Don’t forget that carrots prefer to be seeded straight to the bed or container that you’ll be growing in.

They do not transplant well, and as often as I try to start carrots in trays (I will

again), they tend to be oddly shaped and avoiding any twisting or curling roots is important, which is the main reason for seeding straight to the growing area.

Carrots will need to be thinned out after emerging and putting on the first few sets of leaves, they do not grow well if they’re all clumped together, give them space to do their thing.

Who’s excited for fresh, homegrown vegetables?

I know that I am. I always look forward to the cooler months for growing edibles and enjoying the results. If you do not succeed, come in and speak with the pros, anyone with a passion for gardening will always be happy to help, and as for our nursery, your gardening success is our primary purpose.

Ask questions, and try, try, and try again.

You can and will succeed! Don’t give up. Have patience. Blah, blah, blah. You can do it!

Some folks grow some things better than others. I, for one, have a hard time with basil, strangely enough. Overwatering of any herb or veg is a common issue and we too are guilty of it, it’s the leading cause of plant loss or unsuccessful results. It is better for soils to be dry for a day or two rather than to be soaking wet, hence we go back to the loose soil with good drainage, for those times when it is wet and the rains seem to not let up, it helps that the soil doesn’t hold excessive amounts of moisture. Let’s gear up, it’s time to get growing!

As always, I wish you happy gardening.

Bahamian entertainers asked to submit their work for the return of the Elevation Awards

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

Following a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Elevation Awards are set to return next year. Organisers are now asking for nominations of the movers and shakers on the local entertainment scene.

Now in their fifth year, the awards are seeking to highlight the deserving voices and figures who have been making waves in their respective disciplines.

The event, which is known for celebrating and honouring exceptional talent within the Bahamian entertainment industry, is set to take place on April 6, 2024.

Submissions for the fifth annual Elevation Awards are now officially open and will remain so

until December 1, 2023. Talented individuals and groups from are encouraged to submit their work for consideration.

Any material released between January 2021 and August 2023 is eligible for submission. Submissions can be made at http://encoremediaonline. com/awards.

Categories include New Artist of the Year, Gospel Artist of the Year, Female Artist of the Year, Male Artist of the Year, Contemporary Song of the Year, Gospel Song of the Year, Traditional Song of the Year, Hip Hop Song of the Year.

Vincent McDonald, Jr., CEO of the Elevation Awards, said he was excited for the event’s return.

“I am humbled once again for the opportunity to be a part of honouring and celebrating the

greatest among us in Bahamian entertainment,” he told Tribune Weekend.

“I have no doubt that the fifth annual Elevation Awards will be the best yet. We have some of the best in the business sitting around the table to ensure that we maintain our track record of being the premier entertainment award show in the Bahamas.”

In its previous installments, the Elevation Awards have recognised and showcased the extraordinary talent, creativity and contributions of artists and entertainment professionals in the Bahamas.

Mr McDonald said next year’s event promises to be a memorable and star-studded one.

PAST Elevation Awards performers

WENDI BODINE

literary lives – Quentin Tarantino

A master of modern cinema prepares to take his fnal bow

Sir Christopher Ondaatje writes about the controversial film director, actor, film programmer and cinema owner who has announced he will be retiring after he completes his tenth movie, for which he will reportedly go full circle by casting one his most famous leading men, John Travolta.

Cult director Quentin Tarantino turned 60 this year, and it looks like after an immensely successful career, he will be leaving Hollywood on his own terms.

The American director, screenwriter and producer has spoken about his plan of retiring from the industry after reaching the age 60 and after having made ten movies (he counts Kill Bill Vol. I and II as one film).

His tenth movie is now in production and it looks like Tarantino will be making good on his promise to leave filmmaking behind while he still has the energy and passion to devote to other projects.

His next, and presumably final, movie, will be called “The Movie Critic”.

All that is known about the film at this time is that it will be a femaleled picture set in Los Angeles in 1977.

The latest rumours surrounding the project claim Tarantino may give viewers somewhat of a “Pulp Fiction” reunion by casting John Travolta, and maybe even Samuel L Jackson and Uma Thurman.

It will, reportedly, be a more personal story close to Tarantino’s childhood and will focus on a movie

Quentin Jerome Tarantino was born on March 27, 1963, in Knoxville, Tennessee, the only child of Connie (McHugh) and Tony Tarantino, an actor and film producer. His father is of Italian descent, and his mother of Irish and Cherokee ancestry. Their marriage was short-lived. Tarantino’s mother then married musician Curtis Zastoupil and they moved to Torrance in the South Bay area of Los Angeles. Zastoupil encouraged Tarantino’s unusual passion for movies, and he was allowed to see adult films like “Carnal Knowledge” (1971) and “Deliverance” (1972) when he was only eight or nine years old.

Tarantino dropped out of school when he was fifteen and worked as an usher at a porn theatre in Torrance called The Pussycat Theatre. He later went to acting classes at the James Best Theatre Company, and

worked at Video Archives in Manhattan Beach, California.

He was encouraged to write a screenplay by Lawrence Bender and co-wrote and directed “My Best Friend’s Birthday” in 1987. At about the same time he got his first Hollywood job as production assistant on Dolph Lundgren’s exercise video “Maximum Potential”. His first writing assignment was for Robert Kurtzman in “From Dusk to Dawn”.

In January 1992, Tarantino’s neonoir thriller “Reservoir Dogs”, which he wrote, directed, and acted in, was screened at the Sundance Film Festival and was an immediate hit.

The dialogue-driven heist movie set the tone for Tarantino’s later films,

It was only after the success of “Reservoir Dogs” that Tarantino was offered numerous movie projects in Hollywood. He retreated to Amsterdam to work on the black comedy

“Pulp Fiction” (1994), maintaining the emphasis on violence for which he is now well known.

He received an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay (shared with Roger Avary). He also received a nomination for Best Director, and the film received another five nominations – including one for Best Picture. That year, Tarantino won the Palme d’Or for the film at the Cannes Film Festival.

Tarantino’s third feature film was “Jackie Brown” (1997), an adaptation of Elmore Leonard’s novel “Rum Punch” – another success. But it was another six years before “Kill Bill”, a highly stylised revenge film based on Chinese and Japanese martial arts traditions, was made. However, its four-hour running time forced Tarantino to divide it into two movies, released in 2003 and 2004. The film was shown in its original four-hour version at the Cannes Film Festival with the director attending

reviewer who wrote for a “porno rag”.

the full screening as special guest director.

“Grindhouse: Death Proof”, which Tarantino co-directed with Robert Rodriguez, was released in 2007 – another American exploitation horror film starring Kurt Russell as a stuntman who murders young women in staged car accidents using his “death proof” stunt car.

It was followed by “Inglourious Basterds” (2009), the story of a group of Jewish-American guerrilla soldiers in Nazi occupied France during World War II. It opened to positive reviews and went on to become Tarantino’s highestgrossing film until it was surpassed by “Django Unchained” three

years later. Tarantino received his Academy Award nominations for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay.

“Django Unchained” (2011), about the revenge of a former slave in the US South in 1858, stemmed from Tarantino’s desire to produce a Western about America’s horrific history of slavery.

His eighth feature film “The Hateful Eight”, produced by the Weinstein Company, released in 2015, is an American Western thriller about eight strangers who seek refuge from a blizzard in a stagecoach stopover some time after the American Civil War. It was Tarantino’s final film to have the

involvement of the Weinstein Company following allegations of sexual abuse against its principal Harvey Weinstein.

In 2017, it was reported that Tarantino’s next project would be a film about the Manson family murders in 1969.

It was not a coincidence that Tarantino’s sprawling film “Once Upon A Time ... in Hollywood” premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in the middle of Summer 2019. It was almost 50 years to the day that the Tate murders were conducted by members of the Manson family in Los Angeles, August 8-9, 1969. Five adults, including actress Sharon Tate who was eight-and-a-half months pregnant at the time, were killed. Tate, who was married to film director Roman Polanski, was stabbed sixteen times. The gruesome murders (the others were either shot or stabbed) were carried out by Tex Watson, Susan Atkins and Patricia Krenwinkel, under the direction of Charles Manson.

Four members of the Manson family invaded the home of the married celebrity couple at 10050 Cielo Drive in Los Angeles. Polanski was not present on the night of the murders, as he was working on a film in Europe. Manson, a disgruntled

ambitious musician, had been snubbed by Terry Melcher, a previous renter of the property.

“Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood: tells the story of Rick Dalton, a fictional star of television Westerns (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Dalton’s longtime stunt double Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt). Margot Robbie stars as the real-life actress Sharon Tate – Dalton’s next-door neighbour. Dalton and Booth are easy-going drunks – Dalton an instinctive charmer, and Booth a tough war veteran who may or may not have killed his wife. We watch Tarantino play with us and with his characters – entertaining us with scenes of 1969 Hollywood – the cars, the hippies, the glamorous houses, the roads and road signs, the music and the taken-for-granted lifestyle – before everything went to pieces. I remember it well. It was magnetic.

And then Tarantino introduces the eerie world of Charles Manson and his girls into his film and into the drama. But he does it with humour and unexpected twists. It is not what you expect. There are masterful cameos by Timothy Olyphant, Kurt Russell, Michael Madsen, Al Pacino and Damian Lewis – and it all leads to the inevitable film climax – but Tarantino brilliantly creates his own fictional ending, but eerily plausible of course!

The film is a masterpiece and will deservedly slot itself into one of the great cult films of all time. It is a brilliant must-see movie – even for those who can’t stand Tarantino’s in-yourface violent scenes. It is a rough-cut love letter to the Hollywood of the late 1950s and ‘60s.

It has been nearly 30 years since “Pulp Fiction” premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, crystallising a cinema revolution, and we have never looked back.

TARANTINO (far right) with some of the cast of ‘Pulp Fiction’. The director also played a small part in the 1994 cult classic

TARANTINO directs Brad Pitt in ‘Once Upon a Time...In Hollywood’ (Photo by Andrew Cooper_Sony Pictures)

TARANTINO as a teenager, circa 1980

Island adventures

Iwas contacted by a friend who had visited Nassau last year and wanted to return next year to see a Family Island or two. What could I recommend?

Rum Cay was my choice. It is my favourite of all Family Islands, though I think the term Out Islands is more romantic.

I recommended that he charter a Nassau-based air-taxi and ask the pilot to fly the whole length of the Exuma Cays; the most stunning sightseeing one could ask for. It would lengthen the flying time, but not by much, and would be worth any extra charge.

In my travels around the world, I have taken countless bus tours to see the high point of a city before deciding on where I should go for strolls. Throughout my many flights from and to West Berlin in Germany, I was able to pinpoint places I needed to visit.

I have flown countless tourists (mostly Germans) around the Bahamas, and the route they enjoyed most was from Nassau to Spanish Wells, to Harbour Island, to the Glass Window on Eleuthera; continuing southward to Lighthouse Point (high on my list of the prettier places to see).

Leaving Eleuthera, we headed for a tiny jewel of the ocean, Little San Salvador. It got that name when today’s Cat Island was called San Salvador, because it was believed that Columbus had landed there. This tiny island is also known as Little Cat Island, or just Little Island.

Ten miles away, to the northeast, is North End Point at the tip of Cat Island. I have never set foot there, as much as I wanted to. Like the southern tip of Eleuthera, the northern tip of Cat Island looks like paradise on earth.

Ask the pilot about Mount Alvernia and the monastery atop this highest hill in the Bahamas. Its real name is Como Hill and it’s 206 feet high.

My passengers often asked to land at the southern foot of Cat Island for refreshments and drinks. One group of German sightseers asked me (in German) to ask the receptionist what was on their lunch menu. They were astonished when she said (in German) “Kalte Platte” (cold plate). I would like to have shown my passengers the settlement McQueen’s, named after my maternal four-time great-grandfather, one of the Loyalist settlers, but it has long since been abandoned and fallen apart.

San Salvador is 50 miles from Cat Island, over deep blue ocean, and well-worth seeing. The monuments to Christopher Columbus might be worth a landing there.

From there, it’s 25 miles to Rum Cay, well known as the place where the HMS Conqueror, Britain’s first steam-driven battleship, ran up on the reef and sank.

About 30 miles due west is the beautiful northern tip of Long Island. The place where Columbus is believed to have anchored is called Cape Santa Maria.

It’s a long day’s flying, but the best is yet to come. From Hog Cay, Long Island, to Hog Cay, Exuma, is only 15 miles, after which you have the entire length of Exuma and the Exuma Cays in front of you, with too many places to name. It’s 150 miles back to Nassau, along the Exuma chain,

which includes the area known as Pipe Creek, described by astronaut Scott Kelly as the most beautiful place on earth.

PAUL C ARANHA FORGOTTEN FACTS

animals

Animal matters Kim Aranha

An interesting conversation – Part ll

Last week on the talk show Immediate Response with Spence Finlayson there were some interesting conversations about animals in the Bahamas; dangerous animals and what constitutes a dangerous dog and what the laws are.

It was a compelling show with several members of the RBPF present and Bahamas Humane Society legal counsel and board member Metta Macmillian-Hughs, KC, on Zoom from Scotland.

Much of what was talked about involved the Animal Protection and Control Act passed in 2010 and yet barely enacted.

I become frustrated when I hear people call for new and better laws and legislation. We do not need new laws; the Animal Protection and Control Act has just about everything we need if we use these laws.

The Animal Protection and Control Act calls for the creation of an Animal Protection and Control board which becomes the competent authority in so many facets of animal existence, particularly for dogs and cats, but not limited to just dogs and cats.

This board has been appointed many times over and, alas, for the first 11 years has met only once. However, over the last 12 months some of the members took it upon themselves to start meeting.

The board is the competent authority to conduct inspections and issue licences for breeders, guard dog facilities and pet shops. The animal wardens should be appointed by the board and their training supervised by that board, fines set, and the maintenance of the pound monitored. Large responsibilities, but the board in place has strong shoulders; lots of experience and undying, genuine passion.

Many years ago, the Bahamas Humane Society offered a free a training

PET OF THE WEEK

Admirable August

By The Bahamas Humane Society

August loves going on the dog walks at the Bahamas Humane Society. It’s a great chance to be out and about. He’d much rather be going for a walk with you, so he’d have a home to return to rather than a cage.

August is about three years old and is used to being an only dog. It may be September, but surely you need August in your life! Come in to

the BHS to meet him or call 325-6742 for more information. August looks forward to meeting you.

If you can’t adopt, foster.

If you can’t foster, volunteer.

If you can’t volunteer, donate.

If you can’t donate, educate!

Help make a difference!

course for the new animal wardens.

Chief Inspector Percy Grant of the BHS together, with Dr James Crosby, PhD, the world’s leading authority on dog aggression (who frequently trains Scotland Yard) taught the classes and there was a graduating class of about 16 wardens in 2016.

I wonder if any of them are still wardens?

The training of these men and women is essential and must be done to conform to international standards. Of course, every warden needs to be compassionate and have genuine empathy for animals and their plight in the Bahamas.

During the course of the radio show, the question of muzzles came up. There was some inaccurate information given about the need to muzzle dogs on a walk on a leash. The Bahamas does not require that dogs walking with their owners in public places be muzzled.

An interesting point about muzzles is that they only really work on a certain shape of dog face.

Also to be remembered most emphatically is that in the extreme heat that we experience in the Bahamas, no dog should have inhibited breathing.

However, in the case of a dog who is likely to bite, it should be muzzled while away from the owner’s premises. If your dog is likely to bite, it should be kept humanely in a very secure yard with proper and adequate shelter (not a wooden box in the blazing sun) and copious amounts of cool, fresh water. The sun moves around; what was shaded at 10am may well be in the full sun by noon.

The Animal Protection and Control Act was not created to make a dog’s life difficult, on the contrary, its creation was to protect animals and ensure a good and safe life. Please note that in the name of the act the word “protection” comes first; that is not by

accident.

For many months now the board has begged and pleaded that the act apply to all the major islands in the Bahamas, not just New Providence. That has not been forthcoming. We can but recommend and ask, but it is not within the board’s power to do that.

In Abaco, a dreadful, dreadful, attack took place last week. The victim was a young girl. She was attacked by three pit bulls who were on the loose. My understanding is that it was not the first time they were loose, nor the first time they had harassed somebody, but this time it went well beyond harassment. The girl was bitten in the face and on her arms. She was badly injured, may perhaps disfigured, and I would expect greatly traumatised. The owner of those three dogs should be seriously fined and punished.

Should you leave a loaded gun on the table and a child picks it up and shoots somebody, surely it is not the child’s fault; it is the owner of the gun. So it goes with these dogs. The owner should be held responsible.

In this case, the police shot one dog; the other two ran away and can’t be found, though the owner is known.

We have got to stop the irresponsible breeding in this country. Pit bulls do not need to be imported to be bred; the semen is brought in and the females are artificially inseminated. Are there permits issued for this practice? This is big business which no checks and balances.

It is a world of its own.

( PHOTO BY PATRICIA VAZQUEZ )

The first animal warden training class from 2016. New wardens seen here with BHS Chief Inspector Percy Grant, Vice President Charlotte Albury, President Kim Aranha, and Dr James Crosby, PhD.

Keeping culture and history alive

What do an artist, a lighthouse and Christmas have in common with Bahamian culture?

Thanks to the Elbow Reef Lighthouse Society, Bahamian art and history are not only celebrated on their annual holiday ornaments, but the ornaments themselves are helping to fund the cultural preservation of the Elbow Reef Lighthouse in Hope Town, Elbow Cay, Abaco.

Wishing to celebrate some of the best of Bahamian talent, these ornaments depict the natural and historical world as imagined by a different artist each year.

Beginning in 2020 with Summer Aberle’s “Lighthouse and Nassau Grouper”, these popular collectibles have also

featured the 2021 “Lighthouse and Pink Flamingo” by Melissa Maura and Brigitte Bowyer Carey, and the 2022 “Lighthouse and Abaco Parrot” by Lori Thompson and Brandin Pinder.

For 2023’s design, Dyah Neilson, an accomplished Nassau-based artist, chose the green turtle for her subject. She also donated the original painting for sale to help the ERLS with restoration costs.

“It was such an honour to be invited to be the featured artist for 2023. The first time I saw this incredible lighthouse, it was mesmerising— seeing the lighthouse lit at night by its antique burner and lens turning machinery was something that I will never forget,” said Dyah.

All in the name of a great cause, the ornaments and Dyah’s original artwork are now

available for purchase at the Doongalik Studios Art Gallery on Village Road.

Doongalik’s manager, Pam Burnside, a pioneer in Bahamian art, is also the granddaughter of a past Elbow Reef Lighthouse keeper and therefore an advocate personally connected to the lighthouse’s history. Together with the Elbow Reef Lighthouse Society, she shares the mission of preserving Bahamian lighthouses for the benefit of all, both now and into the future.

Transforming Spaces art bus tour returns

The Transforming Spaces (TS) committee has announced the official return of their art bus tour throughout New Providence for 2023.

Dubbed “TS50” in honour of the country’s 50th anniversary of Independence, the event is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, November 11 and 12.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, TS reverted to a virtual format, which was well received under the circumstances, but patrons expressed their preference for the unique experience of the bus tour.

The TS committee said it is happy to be able to satisfy these wishes as they plan another exciting weekend of immersion into Bahamian art and culture.

There will be six buses each day visiting a total of eight galleries located in both the eastern and western parts of the island: Contemporary

Art Bahamas (CAB), Doongalik Studios, ECCHO at Baha Mar, Gallery & Wine Bar at Nassau Cruise Port (GWB), Hillside House, ICE Gallery, Sixty 2 Sixty, and TERN Gallery.

A new feature will be a lunch stop at the Central Bank of the Bahamas, which will also serve as the official bus depot, midway through the tour to ‘refuel’ before boarding for another adventure.

Tickets will be available for sale at the beginning of October at $50 a piece, and will include access to any pre- and post-events as well as the closing party.

Box offices will be located at Doongalik Studios, The

MEMBERS of the TS committee (l-r): Jordan Ritchie, Christina Wong, Jodi Minnis, TS Secretary Pam Burnside, TS President Antonius Roberts, Averia Wright and Jordanna Kelly. (Photo by Jackson Petit, NAGB)

National Art Gallery of The Bahamas (NAGB), The Place for Art, The Current: Baha Mar Gallery & Art Centre, and TERN Gallery. More information on the various galleries and their exhibition themes will be forthcoming. The public can also visit the TS website at www.tsbahamas.com and follow the Facebook and Instagram social media pages @ TSBahamas.

ARTIST Dyah Neilson displays her design for the 2023 collectible Christmas ornaments for the Elbow Reef Lighthouse Society.