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A museum of treasures

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A cultural legacy

The Middle East meets the Mediterranean with a touch of Bahamian favour

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

NESTLED in the heart of the Atlantis Casino, the brand new Silan restaurant draws from different cultures and continents to offer new flavour combinations in unique dishes.

The menu brings together traditions and recipes passed down through the generations and combines them with ever-evolving culinary sensibilities.

The new restaurant experience by Chef Alon Shaya is Mediterranean-inspired but also pays homage to his Israeli heritage, with a nod to Bahamian cuisine.

The spices that are the building blocks of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine are paired with the bounty of fresh produce sourced from fertile lands or caught from the sea.

Chef Shaya joins the resort’s growing portfolio of awardwinning chefs. He told Tribune Weekend he enjoyed visiting the Bahamas with his family before opening a restaurant here.

“My wife Emily and I have a deep admiration of the local community and traditions. Fishing, music, incredible seafood and rice dishes all sing to us. Being from New Orleans, we are used to a style of living and the Bahamas experience really resonates with that feeling for us. We’ve been coming for years and

NEW FUSION RESTAURANT BY NEW ORLEANS CHEF OPENS AT ATLANTIS

enjoying the incredible beaches and hospitality as well. Now our young daughter loves searching

for seashells, running on the beach, spotting the fish around the Atlantis aquariums,” said Chef Shaya. When the opportunity came about to partner with Atlantis, Chef Shaya said he knew right away this

THE BRAND new Silan restaurant has been created by Chef Alon Shaya, below.

Thrifting in style and with purpose

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

THANKS to the dominance of fast fashion purchased from online retailers like Shein, Amazon, Asos and Temu, it’s no surprise that when you go out on the weekends you see so many people dressed almost alike.

But aspiring entrepreneur and fashion lover Baja Rodgers has a solution to help people avoid following the herd and cultivate their own unique and affordable style, and that solution is thrifting.

She believes when the market is completely oversaturated with fast fashion, as it is now, it doesn’t leave much space for people to find their personal style, and that’s where thrifting comes in.

And to this end, she has created her own high-end pop-up venture called ETC:The Thrift Shop.

“Thrifting keeps you from spending unnecessary amounts

of money, but it also helps you figure out who you are and what your individual style is by ditching the constant fashion trends and finding your own unique flair. Not only does a thrifty lifestyle benefit ourselves, it also benefits others,” said Baja.

She told Tribune Weekend she believes fast fashion creates harmful working environments, a wasteful lifestyle and a polluted environment. So when people turn away from fast fashion and turn to thrifting, they are doing their part to improve the industry.

“I see ETC growing to create a community of its own here in the Bahamas; a community of givers; a community focused on the empowerment of Bahamian local entrepreneurship; a community where the sole purpose of success is to share it with others,” she said.

Baja held a recent ETC pop-up event at the Eastern Road residence known Casa Al Mare.

“As we do consider ourselves a high-end thrift shop, we figured this was the perfect place to pop-up. We held a four-day pop-up marathon with all you can imagine, from things like clothing to furniture, to kid items and much more,” she said. When it comes to her own

attire, Baja said she combines all sorts of styles inspired by urban, street, sporty chic and retro wear.

“I love wearing unfamiliar and unique pieces to bring the outfit together as I believe your fashion sense should be less about what people think of you and more about the personal brand you portray to the world,” she said.

Baja describes herself as an aspiring entrepreneur who believes in Bahamian ownership, creativity and empowerment.

She was born in the Bahamas, but spent her primary school years in the United States and her teenage years in South America.

“While in South America, I cultivated my talents, experienced and immersed myself in an entirely new culture, became fluent in Spanish and discovered my deep love for fashion. I recently just moved back to the Bahamas and I’m loving it,” she said.

Baja is presently enjoying working in the real estate industry, for the BE Luxury Collection agency specifically.

As for her ETC pop-up events, Baja said she loves seeing the excitement on people’s faces when they realise they can finally thrift properly here in the Bahamas.

“We see it in my generation, all

over social media and places outside of the Bahamas. So to have the opportunity to bring such a healthy lifestyle here is a blessing,” she said.

“I’m glad I get to share with others. The main pop-up location has been Bon Vivants in the Sandyport Plaza. We’ve been extremely grateful for the opportunity to pop-up there and love the atmosphere it creates.

We are excited to see where thrift shopping continues to take us,” said Baja.

During a pop-up, patrons of ETC, will find clothing items and shows for men and women, as well as accessories, home décor pieces, kitchen appliances, books, items for kids and more.

To find out where and when the next thrifting pop-up event will take place, be sure to follow @ETC.242 on Instagram and ‘ETC. Bahamas’ on Facebook.

Rika Cargill

As a ferce warrior in the battle against cancer, this radio personality hopes sharing her story of survival will inspire others to keep fghting. During Breast Cancer Awareness Month, she tells Cara Hunt about her wins and her many painful losses, and how early detection remains vital when it comes to this disease.

IF ANYONE knows how a cancer diagnosis can affect your life it’s Rika Cargill, who has not only battled it herself, but has also had several close family members die from the dreaded disease.

And with October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Rika hopes that her story of both survival and loss will inspire women to get their annual mammograms.

Rika, who is a mother, entrepreneur, radio personality and model, was originally diagnosed with stage three breast cancer on August 24, 2012, after she discovered something unusual about her breast after giving birth to her son, George.

The cancer came back in 2016.

“I received four rounds of chemotherapy and I have 16 months more to go,” she said.

Rika also has had to face a number of other challenges during her battle with cancer.

“I developed an infection in my right lung. I lost 35 pounds and all my hair, and I mean all. I lost numerous amounts of white blood cells and had to receive shots to build them back up,” she said.

“I did chemotherapy here and the cancer completely disappeared. However, it reoccurred the beginning of 2016. There was another lump that came in my right breast, so I decided, ‘Get it off!’ So, I had a double mastectomy in April 2016. And by May I was up and off, bouncing around the place.”

While the choice to have a mastectomy, or surgical removal of the breast, is a difficult and often emotional one, Rika said she is happy she made the decision.

It was a hard journey for her to take, but she had the support of her “village”, for which she is very thankful.

“I was sad, depressed, sick, but I was loved and prayed

RIKA Cargill models body paint art by Monty Knowles.

for,” she said.

While Rika has been granted what she deems miracles, she is painfully aware of just how much cancer can take away.

She carries the BRCA-1 gene (People who test positive for the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene have a much higher risk of developing breast cancer or ovarian cancer compared to someone who doesn’t have the mutation) and cancer runs in her family. Both her mother and grandmother died from the disease in 2006. Two of her aunts later lost their battle with cancer.

“I lost my mother and grandmother, both to breast cancer in 2006. They passed away months apart. And two of my aunts later on. I lost my dad to prostate cancer right after I had my breast removed. I also lost a best friend to breast cancer, so I have been going through it. And I just wanted to encourage people,” she said.

“I barely sleep at night thinking about all the loved ones I have lost and praying for my own life and the lives of those that still fight.”

But Rika remains determined.

“To some of you, I may make it look easy, but believe me, it takes everything you have not to give up when giving up may look like the

easiest thing to do,” she said.

“Trust me when I say I will never ever give up or give in. I will fight for my fallen; I will fight for the weak, and I will fight with tears in my eyes, because I have to. Don’t give up on me, God, and I won’t give up on you.”

Rika also wanted to share her story to inspire women who are in the midst of their own cancer battles and to encourage others to get tested.

“Cancer is very serious and it affects everyone. I am BRCA 1 positive, meaning I have the breast cancer gene in my blood. I live a life of faith and hope, and I try to keep a positive mind frame, but there’s still the possibility. You may know me, but you don’t know my journey. You may see me, but you don’t know what it took for me to still be here. You may read this, but you may never fully understand what it feels like to have lost so many and fight for your very life thanks to a disease that will never be cured by doctors and is (still being explored) by scientists. No one needs this, no one wants this, and no one should have to go through it alone. Get tested. Early detection can save your life and not just add years to it,” she said.

this weekend in history

October 6

• In 1866, the Reno Brothers Gang carries out the first peacetime train robbery in US history. They make off with $13,000 from an Ohio and Mississippi railroad train in Jackson County, Indiana. The gang has been portrayed in at least three films, including Elvis Presley’s film debut in “Love Me Tender” (1956), in which he starred as Clint Reno.

• In 1927, The Jazz Singer,

starring Al Jolson, premieres in New York City. It is the first featurelength motion picture with both synchronised recorded music and lip-synchronous singing and speech. Its release introduces the sound era of motion pictures.

October 7

• In 1949, the German Democratic Republic, better known as East Germany, is declared within the Soviet

occupation zone. It exists alongside West Germany until 1990, when the two Germanys reunite.

• In 2001, the Afghanistan War, the opening salvo in the US’ “war on terror” begins; triggered by the September 11 attacks. US and British warplanes start bombing Taliban targets with logistical support from France, Germany, Australia and Canada.

October 8

• In 1856, in Canton (Guangzhou), Chinese officials board a Britishregistered ship, arrest

several Chinese crew members, and allegedly lower the British flag. This event contributes to the start of the second Opium War, which lasts until 1860 and pits the British Empire and the French Empire against the Qing dynasty of China. It is the second major conflict in the Opium Wars, which were fought over the right to import opium to China.

• In 1871, the Great Chicago Fire begins in a barn owned by Patrick and Catherine O’Leary. The blaze lasts two days and cuts a swathe through the city, killing some 300 people, destroying 17,450 buildings, and leaving 100,000 homeless. Legend has it a cow kicked over a lantern in the O’Leary barn and started the fire.

THE JAZZ SINGER

Zipped, Grape, Whose, Partial, Masseuse, Held (clue).

Down: Ferocity, Swim, Amble, Ruinous, Quaked, Piece, Abduct, Adapts, Allot, Angers, Invalid, Agile, Norm, Jewelled.

TV CROSSWORD

STOVE WORDS

SUMTHING

8x4=32, 4x5=20, 2x9=18

27 I would get directions in court (4) 23

SMALL CROSSWORD

Across: 5 Cash, 7 Paloma, 8 Irene, 11 Small, 12 Diplomat, 13 Alda, 15 Amos, 16 Melissa, 17 Todd, 18 Nathan, 21 Tony, 22 Gary.

Down: 1 Hamm, 2 Emilia, 3 Trip, 4 Dermot, 5 Collins, 6 Sada, 9 Edmondson, 10 Stone, 14 Faith, 17 Test, 19 Arg, 20 Amy.

TV show: Good Omens

The Last Supper La Gioconda St John the Baptist

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.

MUDDLESOME CLOCK-WISE

Moor, Orfe, Feel, Else, Seam, Ammo

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

QUIZ OF THE WEEK

1 Vinnie Jones, 2 1980s, 3 24, 4 Cricket, 5 A, 6 Keith Lemon, 7 Melrose Place, 8 Alistair MacLean, 9 Africa, 10 Camera equipment.

CRYPTIC PUZZLE

Across

1 Not against upsetting an opponent (10)

6 Does farm work with pigs (4)

10 Like an egg, so veto a pie (5)

11 Tell niece about the customers (9)

12 Santa’s animals needing control rush around (8)

13 Author of classic issue (5)

15 Maintains there’s some body in the beers (7)

17 Use this and presumably all’s well (7)

19 It’s disturbing having the wrong spirit in work (7)

21 Support given to unconscious chicken (4,3)

22 Gold piece is circular (5)

24 Daring sort of chap that makes the headlines (4,4)

27 It’s a recurring theme in German opera (9)

28 Truss badly corrodes (5)

29 An inclination to scrape along (4)

30 They’re widely grown for eating (5,5)

Down

1 A donkey almost berserk (4)

2 He is not still in business (9)

3 New place for putting golf balls (5)

4 A heart uncle is out to get us (7)

5 Iron sort of cup (7)

7 Apparent reduction of overtime (5)

8 Where seats can be seen as utter extravagance (5,5)

9 Pain I can suffer when frightened (2,1,5)

14 Don’t eat Derby hat of express deliveryman (4,6)

16 No risk of being late for a party? (4,4)

18 Widespread irregularity in the main? (6,3)

20 A pot may be used to catch and cook it (7)

21 Landlocked republic can get oil via Baghdad initially (7)

23 A stretcher for example should not be dropped (5)

25 Feverish activity in temples? (5)

26 Seeks jobs without an introductory letter (4)

Across

Across: 1 Directive, 7 In on, 8 Ronan, 10 Dot, 11 Fiasco, 13 Impromptu, 14 Orator, 16 Uni, 18 Loses, 19 Twig, 20 Timepiece.

Down: 1 Difficult, 2 In time, 3 Ends, 4 Tor, 5 In-depth, 6 Entourage, 8 Records, 9 Baptism, 12 Atomic, 15 Anti, 17 Lee.

CROSS DOUBT

Across: BRUSH Down: MOUNT

THE ALPHABEATER

12345678 9

Yesterday’s Easy Solution

Across: 1 Languid, 5 Boost, 8 Volte-face, 9 Tot, 10 Look, 12 Slothful, 14 Potent, 15 Penury, 17 One-sided, 18 Snap, 21 Ado, 22 At a stroke, 24 Crepe, 25 Yankees.

Down: 1 Level, 2 Nil, 3 Used, 4 Deadly, 5 Breather, 6 Out of turn, 7 Totally, 11 On the move, 13 Intimate, 14 Prosaic, 16 Legacy, 19 Press, 20 Stun, 23 One.

Yesterday’s Cryptic Solution

Across: 1 Whopper, 5 Rifts, 8 Realistic, 9 Cut, 10 Sops, 12 Previous, 14 Plover, 15 Brainy, 17 One-sided, 18 Used, 21 Apt, 22 In retreat, 24 Curry, 25 Waiters. Down: 1 Warms, 2 Ova, 3 Pain, 4 Retort, 5 Recovery, 6 Factories, 7 Satisfy, 11 Projector, 13 Felicity, 14 Prosaic, 16 Hebrew, 19 Dates, 20 Etui, 23 Ewe.

EASY PUZZLE

1 Friendly disposition (4,6)

6 A mess (4)

10 Expedite (5)

11 Cold-bloodedly treacherous (9)

12 Frightening (8)

13 Risk provoking (5)

15 Far-reaching (7)

17 Put up with (7)

19 Small quantity (7)

21 Puffed up (7)

22 Avoid definite commitment (5)

192021

24 Sudden and exciting (8)

27 Going from place to place (9)

28 Series of customary calls (5)

29 Advantage (4)

30 Fail to make any progress (3,7)

Down

1 Essence of a matter (4)

2 Having no set limit (4-5)

3 Lowest point in emotions (5)

4 Extreme confusion (7)

5 Put down by force (7)

7 An established principle (5)

8 At close quarters (4,2,4)

9 Highly skilled musical performer (8)

14 By preference (4,6)

16 Askew (8)

18 Without having to hurry (2,7)

20 Act as go-between (7)

21 Austerely selfdisciplined (7)

23 Handiwork (5)

25 Direction indicator (5)

26 Useless (4)

QUICK CROSSWORD

Across: 1 Afterthought, 7 Gleam, 8 Drain, 9 Era, 10 Cheerless, 11 Tether, 12 Candid, 15 Coherence, 17 Aid, 18 Train, 19 Exact, 21 Adventitious.

I B N O N E U C C

● The Target uses words in the main body of Chambers 21st Century Dictionary (1999 edition)

Down: 1 Authenticity, 2 Rue, 3 Hamper, 4 Undertake, 5 Heave, 6 One-sidedness, 7 Giant, 10 Clearance, 13 Draft, 14 Unrest, 16 Hoard, 20 Act.

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 11; very good 17; excellent 22 (or more). Solution tomorrow

Yesterday’s Sudoku Answer

Call 0907 181 2585 for today’s Target solution

*Calls cost 80p per minute plus your telephone company’s network access charge.

BATTLESHIPS

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

TARGET

BLUBBERED beer blubber BLUBBERED bluer blur blurb bred breed burble burbled burl burled deer drub elder leer lubber lure lured rebel reed reel rubbed rubble rube ruble rude rued rule ruled

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

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

would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for his family.

At Silan, he said, he uses a lot of recipes his grandmother and mother taught him how to cook. His concept for the restaurant is soulful cuisine made with love that is approachable and unique.

“At Silan we have many dishes that use spices, citrus and herbs to make the flavours come through in a bright and healthy way. An artisanal cocktail menu complements appetisers like creamy whipped hummus and fire-baked sourdough pita bread, along with beautiful fresh salads, crispy calamari, and my grandmother’s lamb meatball recipe that is meant to be passed around the table and shared,” he said.

“Entrées are dishes we have been serving at our restaurants for years, like pomegranate braised lamb shank, harissa baked chicken and whole roasted cauliflower, which are best enjoyed with a wine from our extensive and diverse cellar. There are dishes that you’ll find comforting and approachable like the Silan burger, a Caesar salad with Bahamian lobster and a 16 oz prime ribeye steak, while there are also more adventurous options to explore that channel flavors of my Israeli heritage.”

Chef Shaya started working in restaurants when he was 13 years old and never looked back. With every meal he cooks, Chef Shaya said, the goal is to put a unique spin on it and create something you can’t find anywhere else.

“Using ingredients like silan (which is a syrup made from dates) pomegranates, tahini and Middle Eastern spices give our cuisine a real strong identity,” he said.

“One of my personal favourite dishes is the conch salad which we prepare with yoghurt, dill, pine nuts, lemon and extra virgin olive oil. It’s based off a chilled yoghurt soup my grandmother would make for me

with the beautiful and fresh local conch added to it.”

The restaurant’s executive sous chef, Marlon Martin, said for him, what makes Silan so unique is the freshness of all the dishes.

“There are fresh vegetables, fresh pita bread that comes straight from the oven. Normally you don’t really see that anywhere you go. You’d get the store-bought pita bread, but we are making ours. For me, this is something new also, making everything from scratch,” he said.

“Before coming here, I took some trips to New Orleans to visit Chef Alon, and learned things like making the pita from scratch. A lot of the ingredients that he uses awre his own. That is what I like about it; the fresh ingredients create amazing flavours.”

In the lead-up the restaurant’s grand opening, Chef Shaya said, a team from Pomegranate Hospitality spent months in the Bahamas training with the local team.

“We are now ready to welcome more people and we hope that we get a good local following. It’s the kind of menu that our guests tell us they could eat several times a month without getting bored. We have a great kid’s menu as well so everyone is welcome,” he said.

The atmosphere, he said, is lively and welcoming, with an open kitchen to witness where the culinary magic takes place. Chef Shaya said there is also a beautiful outdoor space that looks over the marina.

“We will be purchasing lots of local ingredients from farms throughout the Bahamian islands. To us, that is one of most important things to do; support the community and the artisans that make the Bahamas so special. We will continue to hone our skills and we hope to continue growing our inventory of locally grown items. We will be open during the holidays and we are ready to welcome our guests for a special Thanksgiving and Christmas celebration,” he said.

The Middle East meets the Mediterranean with a touch of Bahamian favour

DISHES including cinnamon babka, lamb flatbread, marinated conch and ribeye steak are among the offerings at Silan.

New Over-the-hill museum displays

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

AFTER a lifetime of travel, Gregory Armbrister is now bringing a little piece of the world to share with the Bahamas.

In May of 2022, he opened the Bahamas and World Art and Bell Museum on Market and Cameron Streets. It houses an impressive collection of bells and art pieces he has acquired on his travels.

Speaking with Tribune Weekend, Gregory explained he caught the travel bug when he was 14 and attended boarding school in England.

“Being in England sparked my interest in travelling and then, of course, I went to school with students from all over the world and I had the opportunity to go and visit them at their homes from time to time,” he said.

Gregory began collecting art in 1973 during a trip to Haiti when he purchased a painting by noted Haitian artist Ronald Jean.

It sparked a new passion, and throughout his travels, he would pick up art, photographs and other items to serve as mementos of his trips.

Gregory is as passionate about collecting as he is with seeing the world.

He gas visited some of the most exotic places in the world.

This includes going on six African safaris and visiting South Africa and Robben Island off Cape Town, the site of the jail where Nelson Mandela was incarcerated from 1964 to 1982.

He has visited China and India, South America and the Galapagos Islands, Cambodia and Indonesia.

But despite from picking up treasures from far and wide, Gregory said his collection would not have been complete without including some pieces from renowned Bahamian artists such as the late Amos Ferguson and Brent Malone. His collection also includes a number of souvenir bells he collected in various places.

“For years, I had everything just stored in boxes,” he explained. “I told myself I really

needed to do something so at the very least my family could see them. And then the idea came to house them in a museum so that more persons could view them.”

It took about three months to catalogue, arrange and finally display the items, and then in May 2022, he opened the doors to the new Bahamas and World Art and Bell Museum.

“I chose to open the museum in my shop (Gregory S Armbrister & Co) on Market and Cameron Streets because I have a connection

GREGORY Armbrister

treasures from around the world

to that area that spans over 60 years and I wanted to bring a bit of the world to the people in that area,” he said.

The museum houses a special Mandela corner which includes a bust of the late anti-apartheid activist and South African president and photos of some of his quotes.

He also has displays that illustrate remarks by former Governor General of the Bahamas Sir Orville Turnquest, a painting of the 15 founding fathers and signatories to the constitution of the Bahamas.

The museum also has paintings and memorabilia from all over the world, but Gregory’s favourite two pieces are the very first piece he bought in Haiti by Ronald

Jean and an elephant head on canvas by Zimbabwean artist Tich the Watchman (Tichaona Ncube), who uses art to educate local people about wildlife.

The museum is open to the general public and Gregory said he has already hosted a number of school field trips and other group visits.

While walks-in are welcome, he prefers people to make an appointment so that he can escort them through the space and personally explain the significance of the items.

Gregory hopes the tours will spark a desire in visitors to travel more and learn about the histories of countries around the world.

GREGORY Armbrister has travelled to the far reaches of the globe and brought back souvenirs and art which he now wants to share with Bahamians at his new World Art and Bell Museum.

National Youth Choir celebrates a 40-year legacy of making a culture impact around the world

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

The cultural impact of the Bahamas National Youth Choir can be measured not only in its 40 years of existence, but in the more than 1,400 choristers who have lent their voices to the organisation over the decades.

The BNYC, which was formed in 1983, is celebrating its 40th anniversary this week. Through the medium of the arts, the choir provides opportunities for self-growth, development and training as it strives to create responsible and confident citizens whilst building an enduring national cultural institution.

The choir has sung in 24 languages and travelled to 22 countries. It has performed at the Kennedy Centre in Washington, DC, in the Grand Hall of the Moscow Conservatory, at the Poly Theatre in China, at the historic Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris and at the imposing St Peter’s Basilica in Rome. It has even performed for the late Queen Elizabeth II.

The BNYC has received many awards over the years, including two gold medals at 2012 World Choir Games.

Dexter Fernander, the choir’s current director, said during its 40-year history, more than 1,400 talented young choristers have been a part of the programme.

“We have a travelling group of about 50 members at any given time and we have around 15 percent of the members who will leave to go off to school age out of the choir each year,” he said.

Dexter said the choir has played an instrumental role in the promotion of Bahamian culture to a global audience.

“A lot people when they see the Bahamas they think that because we are located so close to America that we may not have any local culture of our

own, and so when they see our performance they are in shock and impressed that we can sing classic material and then also sing folklore and local Bahamian music as well,” he told Tribune Weekend.

This week, the choir is pausing to celebrate their milestone anniversary and pay homage to their founding director, the late Cleophas Adderley.

Dexter said he is happy to be building on the legacy left by his predecessor.

“I wouldn’t say I am filling his shoes, because they cannot be filled; what I am doing is… he has built the house up to the roof and I am doing my part to add to that structure, and then people will come after me and they will continue to build on it,” he explained.

“The choir has grown over time. For example, in Mr Adderley’s time, virtual choir practice would have never

existed, but that is what we had to rely on during the pandemic.

“I think the biggest thing I have learned is just how much Mr Adderley gave of himself for the choir, from digging deep in his own pockets to make things happen to sourcing materials and getting the rights to perform songs.”

The 40th anniversary week began with the choir members attending a service at the Most Holy Trinity Anglican Church last Sunday.

Additional events include a wreathlaying at Mr Adderley’s grave, a courtesy call with the Prime Minister Philip ‘Brave’ Davis and the Youth Minister Mario Bowleg, as well as a karaoke night and a talent search.

Additionally, choir alumni have posted their memories of their time as members on their various social pages under the hashtags #BNYC, #BNYCturns40, #BNYC40.

Tomorrow night the choir will host a black-tie gala banquet, “An Evening with Our Divas”. It will feature performances by seven former ladies of the choir who have gone own to have their own successful individual musical journeys.

These choir divas include Bree Colebrooke Candice Bostwick, Latasha Taylor, Mikki Davis-Carter, Naomi Crawford, Danielle L Dorsett and Sonovoia Pierre.

There will also be a red-carpet display commemorating members who have passed on and a tribute to the countries where the choir has performed with photos by choir photographers Peter Ramsey and Donald Knowles.

The event will take place at Baha Mar.

Tarrus Riley to perform at Nassau Port amphitheatre for 100 JAMZ’ 30th anniversary

In honour of 100 JAMZ’ 30th anniversary, reggae star Tarrus Riley will appear live in concert at Nassau Port’s new state-of-the-art amphitheatre. The show takes place on October 28 and promises to be a sold-out event.

Tarrus Riley is a JamaicanAmerican artist whose music has captured the hearts and minds of fans and music lovers around the world.

He boasts over 2.3 million followers on Facebook and more than 900,000 YouTube listeners who follow his music on a consistent basis.

And his hit songs like “Stay With You” and “Gimmie Likkle One Drop” are relatable to all ages.

Powered by the Secret Promotions and Foreign Currency Promotional Companies, the concert also seeks to further showcase

the beauty, ingenuity and creativity that the Bahamas is known for.

Fans and music lovers in general will have the multiple chances to win tickets to attend the upcoming concert.

Tune into 100 JAMZ daily or follow the Secret Currency social

media pages on Youtube, Instagram, Facebook or TikTok @ thesecretcurrency, where competitions and giveaways are being held weekly.

According to Fernerin Hanna, CEO of Signature Productions, the management company for

the event, the idea is to ensure everyone will have a safe and memorable experience they will never forget.

“Music is a cord that binds the hearts and souls of people everywhere together.

“We want people to leave this event not just having a good time from singing and dancing, but because the entire experience was a good one, they will look forward to having when the next concert or event occurs,” she said.

Tickets can be bought online at www.signatureproduction.net or at the box office located in Radio House on Shirley Street.

They can also be purchased at Aliv stores located in Harbour Bay and Cable Beach, as well as in Abaco and Grand Bahama. For more information, WhatsApp (242) 805-0390 or email info@signatureproduction.net or subscribe on www.signatureproduction.net.

New music to stream: Drake, Reba McEntire and Louis Tomlinson

By MARIA SHERMAN Associated Press

DRAKE is no stranger to an inventive roll-out: the OVO rapper has a preference for surprise drops (last year’s “Honesty, Nevermind” is evidence enough). But this year, he gave fans a bit of a heads up for his highly-anticipated “For all the Dogs” album. At select dates, on stage at his massively popular “It’s All A Blur” Tour, Drake teased collaborations with Nicki Minaj and Bad Bunny. The latter marks the duo’s first collaboration since 2018’s “MÍA,” where Drake’s Spanish-language singing was heard ’round the world.

By the time ’90s country had reached its apex, Reba McEntire was already a giant of her genre for her countless, consistent chart-toppers

— including a famous cover of Bobby Gentry’s feminist anthem “Fancy.”

Now, she’s preparing to release a collection of acoustic covers of her

greatest hits, cleverly titled “Not So Fancy.” The songs transform in this format, notably due to the richness of McEntire’s voice. A standout:

Dolly Parton taking the place of Linda Davis on “Do He Love You.”

The funny thing about being in a boy band is becoming a man, individuating outside of the group you spent your entire adolescence and young adulthood in, and figuring out what comes next.

For Louis Tomlinson, the cheeky, edgy member of the British (and 1/5 Irish) boy band One Direction, the journey hasn’t been an easy one. In his documentary, “All of Those Voices,” available to stream on Paramount+, Tomlinson navigates extraordinary circumstances with a charismatic ordinariness. Grief, parenthood, identity, and artmaking are explored with such meticulous and realistic care, you’d almost forget this 31-year-old performer was once in the biggest group on the planet.

“FOR ALL THE DOGS” by Drake, left, and Not That Fancy by Reba McEntire. (OVO-Republic, Universal Music Group via AP)

WIN tickets for Tarrus Riley live in concert.

literary lives – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 – 1791)

From child prodigy to musical legend – Part I

Sir Christopher Ondaatje writes about the prolific Austrian composer who, despite his short life, produced over eight-hundred works acknowledged to be pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, operatic and choral repertoire.

“He often spent much time at the clavier … and his pleasure showed that it sounded good … In the fourth year … his father began to teach him a few minuets … He could play it faultlessly … At the age of five, he was already composing little pieces, which he played to his father who wrote them down.”

– Maria Anna “Nannerl” Mozart

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born Joannes Chrysostomus Wofgangus Theophilus Mozart on January 27, 1756, in Salzburg, Austria, to Leopold Mozart and Anna Maria, née Pertl.

He was the youngest of seven children, five of whom died in infancy. His father was appointed the fourth violinist in the musical establishment of Count Leopold

Anton von Firmian, the ruling Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg. He became the orchestra’s deputy Kapellmeister (conductor) in 1763. He gave up composing when his young son’s musical talents became evident.

When Mozart was young, his family made several European tours during which he and his

sister Nannerl performed as child prodigies.

Exhibitions started in 1762 at the court of Prince-Elector Maximilian III of Bavaria in Munich, and at the imperial courts in Vienna and Prague.

The concert tours went on for three and a half years to the courts of Munich, Mannheim, Paris, London, the Hague, Amsterdam, Utrecht. Mechelin, and again to Paris. He visited Johann Christian Bach in London in 1764 and 1765.

These tours were primitive and they had to be patient before they were paid by the nobility, and endured long near-fatal sicknesses.

When he was eight years old, Mozart wrote his first symphony.

From 1769 to 1771 Leopold took his son to Italy, displaying his ability as a performer and composer. He met Josef Muslive ek and Giovanni Battista Martini in Bologna and was accepted as a member of the famous Academia Filarmonica.

In Milan, Mozart wrote the opera Mitridate, re di Ponto (1770)

which was performed with success. He returned to Milan twice in 1771 and 1773 for the premieres of Ascanio in Alba and Lucia Silla.

Leopold hoped that Archduke Ferdinand would employ Mozart, but his mother, Empress Maria Theresa, vetoed hiring “useless people”. Mozart wrote the solo motet Exsultate, jubilate, K.165 in 1772.

When Mozart returned from Italy with his father in 1773 at the age of 17, he was employed as a court musician to Prince-Archbishop Hieronymus Colloredo – the ruler of Salzburg, and had many other work opportunities.

In 1775, he wrote five violin concertos (the only ones he ever wrote) – masters of musical sophistication. After 1776 he concentrated on piano concertos including the E flat Concerto K.271 in early 1777.

Despite early success in Salzburg, he was paid poorly (150 florins a year) and unsuccessfully looked for better paying work in

WOLFGANG Amadeus Mozart in 1819.

THE BIRTHPLACE of Mozart in Salzburg, Austria, is a museum today.

Vienna and Munich. His opera La finta giardiniera premiered in March 1775.

In August 1777, Mozart resigned his position at Salzburg, fell in love with Aloysia Weber, and looked for work in Mannheim and in Paris.

He fell badly in debt and was reduced to pawning valuables. His mother died on July 3, 1778.

It was a bad year for the family while his father continued to look for work in Salzburg. In Munich, he met Aloysia Weber again, now a successful singer, but she spurned his advances. Disconsolate, he returned to Salzburg in January 1779 and accepted an appointment as court organist and concert master. His discontent with Salzburg remained undiminished.

“The only thing – I tell you this straight from the heart –that disgusts me in Salzburg is that one can’t have any proper social intercourse with those people, and that music does not have a better reputation...For I assure you, without travel, at least for people from the arts and sciences, one is a miserable creature!...A man of mediocre talents always remains mediocre, may he travel or not – but a man of superior talents, which I cannot deny myself to have without being blasphemous – becomes..bad, if he always stays in the same place. If the archbishop would trust me, I would soon make his music famous; that is surely true.”

– Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

While in Paris, Mozart completed the A minor Piano Sonata, K.310/300d, the Paris Symphony (No 31), and the Concerto for Flute and Harp in C major, K.299/297c.

In January 1781, Mozart’s opera Idomeneo premiered in Munich with much success. The next March he was commanded to reappear in Vienna where Archbishop Colloredo, his employer, was attending celebrations for the accession of Joseph II to the Austrian throne. He wrote to his father:

“My main goal is to meet the Emperor … I am absolutely

determined he should get to know me. I would be so happy if I could whip through my opera for him and then play a fugue or two, for that’s what he likes.”

Mozart did meet the Emperor who was to support his career with commissions and a part-time

position. He participated as a soloist in Tonkünstler-Societàt - a prominent benefit concert series. However, his employment agreement with Archbishop Colloredo prevented him from performing in concerts outside his establishment and he was denied performing for

the Emperor for a fee equal to half his yearly salary. This disagreement with the Archbishop finally erupted when Mozart was dismissed. This forced his decision to settle in Vienna as a freelance performer and composer.

author acknowledges that he has quoted liberally from Wikipedia.

THE BIRTHPLACE of Mozart in Salzburg, Austria, is a museum today.

EMPRESS Maria Theresa’s dismissive letter ended Leopold Mozart’s hopes of an appointment to a Habsburg court.

PORTRAIT of Mozart, aged 13, in Verona, 1770, attributed to Giambettino Cignaroli.

Friction within the UBP

FORGOTTENFACTS ByDRSTEPHENBARANHA

THE infamous United Bahamian Party (UBP) was never as united on political principles as the name might suggest, nor as monolithically conservative or reactionary as the collective memory of this nation today might want to think. The path towards the General Elections Act of 1959 illustrates this point.

After the General Strike of 1958, Secretary of State for the Colonies Alan Lennox-Boyd visited the Bahamas and brokered a compromise between the parties in the House of Assembly that by the end of the year a new election law would be enacted enfranchising all adult men regardless of property qualifications and abolishing the company vote.

The UBP hired an English barrister to draft the new law, but worked so slowly that it was not ready by the agreed upon deadline. The PLP withdrew its support from the process. Two particularly reactionary representatives of Bay Street, Stafford Sands and Robert “Bobby” Symonette, worked closely with the draftsman. The result was a bill that contained many undemocratic provisions and tried to retain the company vote through the back door. With the UBP’s majority, the House of Assembly passed the bill. However, it still needed to pass the Legislative Council.

The Legislative Council was the second chamber of the Bahamas’ Parliament under the Old Representative System. It was appointed by the Governor, and because the Colonial Office, and therefore Government House, were more progressive than Bay Street, the members of the Legislative Council tended to be more moderate and pragmatic men.

The Legislative Council made more than one hundred amendments to the bill. The Bahamas’ Attorney General Lionel Orr drafted these amendments, but the Colonial Office’s legal advisors supported him by providing examples not only from the United Kingdom’s Representation of the People Act of 1949 but also from legislation from other parts of the British Empire, such as Mauritius or Singapore.

The normal practice was to list and place each amendment individually on the agenda of the House of Assembly. In this case, due to the sheer volume of changes which significantly changed the character of the bill, the Legislative Council referred a single bill back to the House of Assembly. This caused a procedural crisis as some members insisted that this was in contravention to the rules of the House.

Fearing that, if no election law was passed, the Imperial Parliament in London would pass an even more democratic one instead, the UBP agreed to introduce the amended bill as a new bill, sponsored by Roland “Pop” Symonette, who as the senior

Member of both the House of Assembly and the Executive Council had the unofficial title of Leader for the Government in the House.

Robert Symonette, Roland Symonette’s son, however, who as Deputy Speaker pre sided over the sitting, insisted that the bill could not be considered and that the Legislative Council had no authority to introduce bills to the House of Assembly, not accepting his father’s sponsorship. The bill was referred back to the Con stitution Committee with the question whether it would recommend a suspension of the rule and thus allow the bill to be reconsidered by the House during this session.

The Constitution Committee was traditionally chaired by Stafford Sands. In the past, Bay Street had often referred matters to this commit tee with the expectation that they would never be reported back, and thus avoided having to publicly vote against measures that enjoyed popular sup port. If some expected this pattern to be repeated now, the next developments took them by surprise. Both Stafford Sands and Robert Symonette, were given leaves of absence. The vacancies on the Constitution Committee were filled with more moderate UBP members. Officially, Sands was going on vacation, and Robert Symonette, an accomplished yachtsman, was travelling to California for a sailing race.

The Tribune, however, reached a different conclu sion and announced that the pair “were not prepared to go along with the majority view of the UBP and so they have got out of the way in order to make it possible for the House to deal with the Bill

… but, of course, without their cooperation or approval.”

Two days later, the Constitution Committee suspended the rule that prevented the matter from being considered again during the current legislative session and reported the bill back to the House. After lengthy and heated debate, the House of Assembly passed the amended bill at the end of a nine-hour session on July 13, 1959.

This development marks a turning point in Bahamian political history. The UBP had originally been founded by the most reactionary amongst the Bay Street Boys, whose dominance was now being broken, as moderate conservatives around Roland Symonette began to assert more influence within the party. Stafford Sands and Robert Symonette had been sidelined. However, the conflict was not over.

Over the next two years, Robert Symonette went to London on at least two occasions and schemed against his father, whom he tried to get fired from the Executive Council and therefore as Leader for the Government in the House. He also attempted to get an appointment at the War Office to persuade the British to send more troops to the Bahamas. He was concerned that the Police Force could not be relied upon, because too many of its members supported the PLP.

According to archival records, neither his father nor George Roberts, President of the Legislative Council saw this as reason for concern. Governor Raynor Arthur sent a letter to London supporting Robert Symonette’s request for a meeting with officials there, but only to have “someone tough” explain to “him that there really is no more to be done.”

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

DR STEPHEN B ARANHA

STAFFORD SANDS, above, and Robert Symonette

Animal matters Kim Aranha

An interesting conversation – Part llI

Points that arose during the recent radio show Immediate Response with Spence Finlayson continue to be on my mind. It was a good show, a very good show, and touched on many facets of pet ownership and care.

The RBPF had several representatives, and the Bahamas Humane Society was admirably represented by our very own board member and legal advisor Metta Macmillan-Hughes, KC.

I am perhaps being presumptuous when I credit Metta as being the leading authority on the Animal Protection and Control Act passed in 2010, but I challenge anybody to be more familiar with it; it us quite amazing how well she knows it.

I will list the points that return to mind even several weeks later:

There are no prohibited breeds in the Bahamas, just those prohibited to be imported. We often get stuck on this. People are permitted to own pit bulls and the other breeds on the “no import” list, but they cannot bring new ones in through our borders. (Though, I can’t tell you how, but they still make it in.)

I was fascinated how several times Spence had to ask for clarification of what animal cruelty actually was. I am sure that he knew, but he was making every effort to impress on his listeners what constitutes as cruelty. Cruelty can arise from ignorance and neglect. Not all cruelty is intentional, nevertheless, it is cruelty, and you can be charged and fined. Keeping a dog tied all day long on a chain is cruelty; letting a dog starve to skin and bones is cruelty; withholding water from an animal is cruelty, and the list of atrocities continues.

Under the Animal Protection and Control Act ignorance is no excuse, and is still considered cruelty. The perpetrator can and will be charged and fined, and in some cases, even go to jail.

PET OF THE WEEK

Precious Pecan

By The Bahamas Humane Society

(PHOTO BY PATRICIA VAZQUEZ)

outline how humans should treat all animals not only pets. All animals are entitled to:

The freedom from hunger and thirst.

The freedom from discomfort.

The freedom from pain, injury and disease.

The freedom to express normal behaviour.

The freedom from fear and distress.

I was fascinated to hear how many “squads” of trained security dogs were used during a recent visit of a presidential dignitary to the Bahamas. These many dogs were from the following entities: Royal Bahamas Police Force, Royal Bahamas Defence Force, Atlantis Security, and the Airport Ca-

“No, you’re not going nuts. My name really is Pecan. I’m about two years old and I came to the Bahamas Humane Society after being left tied to a tree. Some kind souls saved me and my buddy Midnight and brought us to safety. I’m friendly and outgoing and love to go on the Wednesday and Saturday dog walks, but what I’d like most of all is a home of my own. Could your

nines. I thought to myself, interesting we use so many canines on duty in this country when most dogs aren’t given the time of day.

Perhaps the most disturbing was a conversation that appeared, in my humble opinion, to negate kindness, to efface compassion and encourage the exact cruelty we had been talking about. The inference was if you feed a stray, then it is your dog. So just to be clear, if I feed the homeless man a sandwich, he becomes my son? For years there were three old blind men on the corner of a street, I would take them bags of groceries regularly, they did not become my family. I understand the concern, some people could cheat, but what about all those people

home be that home I’m looking for? If so, come in to the BHS to meet me or call 821-4121 for more information. I look 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!

you just discouraged to be a decent human being and put down a bowl of water or some scraps of food for an animal in need? I also wonder where that puts the people who go out daily and replenish “feeding stations” for those less fortunate dogs and cats who are starving? It is simply never OK to look away.

You are liable when your dog bites somebody. However, that is provided the attack was unprovoked. It is a different situation if the animal was provoked, tormented or teased. A female dog with puppies will feel the need to protect her puppies.

There was some amusement over a woman who said she was in a difficult situation because she was being kind feeding a stray dog, and now she was being told that she needs to stop feeding the animal and giving it water, because to do so means it’s her dog. This caused some derision; I personally was appalled that anybody could find that amusing and worse still, how can you tell people not to feed and provide water to some poor soul in need of help.

When the panel was asked what to do when the pound was closed nobody had an answer. Regrettably, that just about sums up the situation with animal welfare in the Bahamas.

However, some of us do have answers and sometimes it is difficult to be heard over the roar of disinterest and red tape. Things do not always have to be as they are at the moment; there is a strong core of animal advocates out there who are simply not willing to give up.

(Photo by Judy Young)

A study of grief in pictures

A review of Christopher Brenninkmeijer’s “Impossibility of Reason” at CAB Gallery & Studio

By Emma Wagner

Emerging from the darkest of times time, Christopher Brenninkmeijer comes into focus for his inaugural show, “The Impossibility of Reason” at New Providence’s CAB Gallery & Studio.

“Grief turns out to be a place none of us know until we reach it.” - Joan Didion

Having spent 2023 reckoning with the devastating loss of his brother, this collection walks its audience through Christopher’s response to this incredibly traumatic period of exceptional change for both him and his family.

Grief looks different on everyone but regardless, is an amassing of terrors. The deep-seated, insidious sadness, the protracted anguish, the bouts of rage.

Learning how to be in the world without someone you love is an impossibly hard task and Brenninkmeijer is striving to process this grave tragedy and doing so with profound beauty.

Christopher navigates an irrevocably changed world with a progressive, photographic timeline which captures his immense suffering, grappling and growth as he moves through the depths of bereavement.

Christopher’s journey, his deep resilience and ability to live and grieve in tandem are captured in this series.

The photographs capture pain’s visceral nature, the biting blows of this cruel loss and the pervasive darkness that descends on you.

Grief so often provokes the artistic sensibility in a person and did just this in Brenninkmeijer. Evident in the show is his journey from dark to light, depicted through his lens as he navigates the depths of the most bewildering loss and taps into an innate resilience within.

Brenninkmeijer’s earlier photos resonate with ease. The distorted alarm clock speaking to the countless sleepless nights, the shot focusing down at blurred feet suggests a dismal, weary perspective.

These photographs are the tangible remnants of life left behind and how they speak to the impossibly final, entirely intangible experience of death.

That’s the ineffable power of art - and how it can make something intangible, tangible so that others can experience and process it as well. The showcase photo of dusty, worn-in boots and a polo helmet does just this - its immensity is harrowing.

Time is undoubtedly an element of loss, but more so one that you internally tussle with.

Time itself does not heal, it merely passes but one’s ability to accept and adapt to a new reality grows slowly as the days slip by. This series gives the viewer a peek into the hellish year that the artist and his family have struggled through.

The earlier photos speak to the raw sadness and strife they were faced with while his latter entries depict

pockets of humour and fleeting moments of lightheartedness that have begun to emerge again.

Time, the elusive, intangible agent of change, is at play and with its passing Brenninkmeijer captures this evolution in himself with such open fragility.

Resilience isn’t a fixed trait. It’s something that some people are able to tap into in desperately hard times

and to differing degrees.

Christopher’s art depicts a journey and one that he hasn’t folded into but rather one that he is rising upwards from.

Whilst this was an exhibition born of grief, and one very close to the heart of CAB Gallery & Studio, the pieces were beautiful and the inner strength of the artist was as inspiring as the works themselves.