11112022 WEEKEND

Yuletide tunes

entertainment

The return of Jollification

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

Jollification has been a staple on Nassau’s social calendar for the holiday season for the past three decades. And in a week’s time it finally returns to the Bahamas National Trust’s Retreat after a two-year hiatus due to COVID.

The two-day festival kicks off on Saturday, November 19 at 11am.

The annual Christmas arts and crafts festival is famous for featuring locally made goodies like artisanal jams and jellies, hot sauces, baked goods, as well as holiday spirits from Bristol Wines and Spirits, Caribbean Wines and Spirits and Jimmy’s Wines and Spirits.

This year, Jollification celebrates its 29th anniversary.

“Many of our Jollification patrons are members of the BNT and their ages can range from six to 60 or older. People come to Jollification for differ ent reasons; some come to shop and support local artisans, some come to sample holiday spirits and learn about new holiday wines and spirits that they can feature at their holiday social events; families come for a day in a national park that combines shopping, socialising and activities for their kids in the Jolly Youth area,” said Lynn Gape, special projects consultant with the BNT.

Just with the recent Wine & Art Festival held at The Retreat, Lynn said the team is excited to be back to in-person events.

Jollification is a fundraiser for projects in the Retreat Garden: general maintenance, building repairs, palm cultivation and the addition of palms to the Retreat collection.

“After two years people seem to be looking forward to the event. We have been overwhelmed with requests for booth space. One of the biggest challenges is the demand for vendor space. We would love to accommodate everyone who wishes to participate in the event but we only have space for approximately 100 vendors ( including food vendors),” said Lynn.

“The other challenge is that it is an arts and crafts festival for the promotion of Bahamianmade artisanal items. Unfortunately, many new businesses who are selling imported items would like to participate but do not meet the Bahamianmade criteria.”

She encourages attendees to remember that while there is no longer a mask mandate in place, they should use their discretion when it comes to staying safe in large gatherings. To this end also, the BNT has made some changes to areas that were very crowded in the past.

“The Jollification will be 30 years old in 2023. It began with 20 vendors and has grown significantly from the first event. The event now features over 90 talented artists and artisans as well as purveyors of condiments, spices, baked goods, hot sauces and

signature chocolates in the Jolly Market area,” said Lynn.

“The funds raised have supported important infrastructure changes at The Retreat Garden and provided support for the garden as well as neces sary equipment for maintaining the garden.”

“We are also very excited to have the Genesis Teen Hawks offering Junkanoo workshops in our youth area. They will be taking our young Jollifi cation attendees through all the parts of Junkanoo – drumming, dancing and pasting – on Saturday and Sunday,” said Lynn.

Vendors will include Konigiri: Asian and Korean Cuisine; Uncle Dave’s Pepper Sauce; DaGoat: Bahamian-made goat pepper products; Ilashan: Androsia fabric art; Pour’ed Wax Studio: candles, diffusers and wax melts; Sunflower Blos soms: original children’s clothing and accessories; Color Me Artistry: original straw and Androsia handbags; Island Thread: embroidered cushions and Christmas ornaments, and Made Well by Gracie: polymer clay jewellery.

“As a nation we have so many creative artisans. Jollification provides a venue for these creatives to exhibit and sell the work while supporting a national park. It allows attendees to support Bahamian-made products and their attendance an membership support the national park. Yes, we do encourage our patrons to become members of the BNT. Managing 32 national parks is a big job and we need your support. It’s important to note that all or our Jollification vendors are BNT mem bers,” said Lynn.

Jimmy’s Wines and Spirits will host live musical entertainment in their sectioned area on both Sat urday and Sunday. Lynn said the Christmas music from Expressions Entertainment is sure to set the holiday mood for the weekend.

The festival takes place November 19-20, 11am to 8pm. Tickets are $10 for adult; $5 for kids aged 5-17, and kids under 5 are free.

New features at this year’s festival will include Caribbean Wines and Spirits joining Jollification as a new sponsor.

community

Red Cross brings back High Tea Party fundraiser

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

HIGH fashion and great tea in the gardens will be the order of the day as the Bahamas Red Cross Society brings back its high tea party, encouraging people to pour a cup of kindness to raise funds for those in crisis.

Organisers are enthusiastic about bringing back the event, which will be held under the patronage of the wife of the Governor General, Lady Clara Smith.

In the history of the Bahamas Red Cross, high teas were held in the gardens at Government House, but this year it will be held at Holy Trinity Activity Centre in Stapleton Gardens.

The event is scheduled for Decem ber 4, under the theme of “Bahamian Celebrity Christmas High Tea Party” and will be hosted by Lady Ingrid Darling, a former patron and past president of the Bahamas Red Cross Society (BRCS).

this weekend in history

November 11

• In 1813, African-American preacher Nat Turner, the leader of a revolt of enslaved people in South ampton County, Virginia, is hanged. The slave rebellion, which was started at the Belmont Plantation, had resulted in the deaths of some 60 white people. Many innocent enslaved people were also massa cred in the accompanying frenzy.

Over the past 50 years, the event has been supported by the nation’s leaders and their spouses.

The organisation invites them as the “country’s celebrities” to support the important fundraising event.

“We welcome high tea lovers, including the younger generation of the Bahamas, to take part in this historic affair, as our country moves into their golden anniversary in 2023,” said BRCS President Terez Curry.

The event will feature the Royal Bahamas Police Force’s Pop Band, a table competition with a grand prize, a hat parade, fashion show, table favours, raffle prizes, and great food.

The proceeds will support the various outreach initiatives of the Red Cross: the Parcel and Voucher programme, the backyard farming initiative, the climate change initia tive, but most particularly, Meals on Wheels.

“We are seeking to extend the number of persons assisted with our hot meals each day. We are

• In 1918, at the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month, World War I ends after more than four years. At 5am on this day, the Allied powers and Germany – depleted of manpower and sup plies – sign an armistice document in the railway carriage outside Compiégne, France, and six hours later the ‘Great War’ officially comes to an end.

November 12

• In 1954, Ellis Island in New York Harbour, also known as the gateway to America, closes after nearly 63 years of processing nearly 12 million immigrants arriving at the Port of New York and New Jersey. Fifteenyear-old Annie Moore, from Ireland, had been the first person to pass

experiencing an increase in the number of persons coming to us for food parcels and vouchers. In order to do this and keep up with the demand, we are increasing our fun draising efforts. This tea party will provide the help needed to continue to assist those most vulnerable in our communities,” said Ms Curry.

“We are really delighted to kick off the yuletide season with this event and there are many exciting things planned.”

The reintroduction of the tea party is majorly significant, as the Society found itself in a crisis of its own not

through Ellis Island on January 2, 1892.

It was named for the merchant Samuel Ellis, who owned the land in the 1770s.

• In 1931, one of the world’s most famous recording studios, the Abbey Road Studios, open in London. Known originally as the EMI Recording Studios, its most famous clients were The Beatles, who used the studio as the venue for many of the innovative recording techniques in the 1960s. In 1976, the studio was renamed from EMI to Abbey Road in honour of the band’s final recorded album.

November 13

• In 1789, in a letter to French physicist Jean-Baptiste Le Roy,

(Photo/Azaleta Ishmael-Newry)

being able to host any fundraising activities over the last two years due to the pandemic.

The Red Cross has also been unable to host its annual ball, which is its biggest fundraiser.

They are encouraging all who can, to donate to its causes as it in dire need of funding.

The lack of funding has resulted in the Society not being able to expand its feeding programme, especially in the Family Islands.

For tickets, please contact 242-323-7370.

“Our new Constitution is now established, and has an appearance that promises permanency; but in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.”

• In 1856, the 14.33-tonne Great Bell, better known as “Big Ben”, chimes for the first time at the foot of the still unfinished Great Clock Tower outside the Palace of West minster in London. The 316 ft tower was designed by Augustus Pugin in a neo-Gothic style and finally completed in 1859. Its clock was the largest and most accurate four-faced striking and chiming clock in the world at the time.

COMMITTEE members (seated l-r) Gillian Curry-Williams, chairperson; Terez Curry, BRCS president, and Lady Ingrid Darling, past president of the BRSC and hostess of the Bahamian Celebrity Christmas Tea Party. (standing l-r) Alicia Pinder, BRCS director general; Katherine Lockhart, BRCS youth and volunteer manager; Antoinette Nesbitt, BRCS resource mobilisation manager, and Exanna Dormeus, BRCS first aid and CPR manager.

American Founding Father Benja min Franklin writes these famous words:

Lynelle Clarke interview

Following a fulfilling career with the police force and a devastating sexual assault, this former detective decided to pursue her life-long dream of becoming a writer. She tells Cara Hunt about her success as a magazine publisher and author, and how she is bringing a book convention to the Bahamas next month.

Lynelle Clarke always knew that she wanted to be a writer, but fulfilling that dream took her on a jour ney that she could have never imagined.

In fifth grade, she had three career aspirations: “I wanted to be a writer, a designer or a pastry chef.”

Fast forward to adulthood and Lynelle ended up not pursuing any of those options. Instead, she chose to join the Royal Bahamas Police Force.

She was trained as a detective, spending the majority of her career in the Central Detective Unit.

“Even though I knew I wanted to write, I had a lot of family and friends tell me that writing would not make any money and I should con sider something else. I really entered the police force with the idea that I would use it to pay my way through the College of the Bahamas and study journalism,” she told Tribune Weekend.

“But sometimes life doesn’t happen the way you expect it, but my love for writing never wavered. And during my career on the force, I still was able to do quite a lot of writing doing things like speeches and pres entations for my co-workers. So, it was still a way to fulfil the passion.”

Lynelle faced a devastating blow in 2005 when a man she had previously arrested broke into her home and raped her.

“I don’t know if it was coinci dentally or deliberate, but I went through so many emotions. I was suicidal, but the thing that made me find the strength to go on was the fact that I had a five-month-old daughter and I know that I wanted to be here for her. I didn’t want something to happen to her and I not be there for her.”

The traumatic incident would eventually serve as a catalyst for

Lynelle to finally pursue her writing dream.

“I left the police force in 2016. At that time, I had been preparing to leave for a few years. I loved being on the force and I had a very unique perspective of being an officer and a victim. But when I left, I knew that it was time to focus on my passion.”

By this time, she had gotten mar ried, and although her family was still skeptical of her ability to make a living with her writing, her husband was always supportive of her dreams and encouraged her.

She went to the United States and threw herself into writing.

Today, she writes under the pen name Elle Clarke.

“Fortunately, my career took off and I was able to start the I Am Queen Magazine.

It is a monthly American-Baha mian women’s empowerment and entertainment magazine that covers many topics, including faith, entre preneurship, culture, family, and health, she explained.

She has also added the I Am King Magazine, a special section found quarterly inside of the regular magazine.

Launching the magazine allowed Lynelle the opportunity to cover many big events such as the Essence Jazz Fest, the BET Awards and Dancing with the Stars, and to interview famous R&B singers and rappers like Mary Mary, Kelly Price, Cardi B, MC Lyte and Brandy.

She also did a lot of soul searching and decided to write a book about her sexual assault: How I Escaped the Prison of Rape: The Journey to Total Freedom.

“Writing the book was a healing process, but it was also difficult to share. I remember I didn’t know how to start and God told me to look in the mirror and tell my story, and I did and so much came out of me: Hurt that I didn’t know I was still holding on from throughout my life. Our actions and feelings are often dictated by what we experience a long time ago,” she said.

The book went on to become Amazon best-seller and cemented her dream of being an author who could make a difference in other people’s lives.

She later penned a second book called I’m So Dope: 90 Days to a Godfident You.

“This book is designed to help you rediscover just how dope you

are while using biblical principles to reinforce the message. Topics include: Dope Discovery: Who are you? Dope Dynamics: How to pray strategically?”

Additionally, she founded ECM Global, a media company that is designed to help her clients amplify their message in the marketplace.

Lynelle said she realised that just as she had to learn to tell her story, she wanted to help others do the same.

One of her most positive expe riences so far was attending and volunteering at the Miami Book Fair, an annual street fair and

literary festival organised by the Miami Dade College.

The festival brings over 300 national and international authors and exhibitors together for a weeklong gathering that includes pavilions for translation, comics, children, and young adults.

“It allowed me the opportunity to gain such a strong network of other authors and publishers,” said Lynelle.

She said here Bahamas there is a huge need for similar opportunities.

“One of the main concerns I hear from Bahamian authors is that no one is buying their books or ‘Now that I have written my book, what’s next?’ They may also need a platform to sell their books and so I wanted to bring a similar experience like the Miami Book Fair to the Bahamas.

The Baha Bookcon 2022 will take place on December 4, 2022 at the White House in Old Fort Bay from 12pm to 7pm.

Lynelle is looking for about 20 writers to take part and hopes to invite the public to come and meet their local authors in person.

In particular, she hopes to have several children authors in attendance.

“Our children need to see more wholesome books ,” she said.

Lynelle hopes that the event will result in a much-needed network of local authors that can work together to improve the quality of locally writ ten books.

“W

riting the book was a healing process, but it was also difficult to share. I remember I didn’t know how to start and God told me to look in the mirror and tell my story, and I did and so much came out of me: Hurt that I didn’t know I was still holding on from throughout my life. Our actions and feelings are often dictated by what we experience a long time ago.”

LYNELLE’s book about her terrifying ordeal

AN EDITION of Lynelle’s I Am Queen Magazine

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 Conceptis Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday

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.

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.

SmAll CROSSWORd

CROSSWORd

ACROSS 1 Stance (8)

Top of a building (4)

Severe (5)

Commend (6)

Kernel (4)

Distant (3)

Accepts (5)

Water barrier (3)

Item of footwear (4)

Playground feature (6)

TOdAY’S TARGeT

Good 10; very good 15; excellent 20 (or more). Solution next Saturday.

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.

lAST SATURdAY’S

CRYPTIC PUZZLE

Across 1 It’s to do with wrought-iron artist (6) 4 Bound to be stifling in the finish (8) 9 He takes great interest in your need for cash (6) 10 Refuse to agree to project (5,3) 12 Welshman’s building a platform (4) 13 Words used to describe schooldays (5) 14 Food produced in layers (4) 17 A monster novel (12) 20 Don’t interfere - with the water supply? (3,4,5) 23 See the key goes to the agent (4) 24 Keep silent about mother’s bankruptcy (5) 25 Not a sign of a fatal wound (4) 28 Splintered fragments I’ve fitted in (8) 29 Opera for motorists (6) 30 Languages master? (8) 31 Isn’t over-generous with the work allotments (6)

Down

1 Complete cancellation of a golf match? (5,3)

Requires (5)

Yesterday’s Easy Solution

Go up (4) 22 Criticised (8)

Across: 1 Skiff, 4 Bewitch, 8 Run, 9 No-strings, 10 Indulge, 11 Deify, 13 Sturdy, 15 Byword, 18 Satin, 19 Stand-in, 21 By default, 23 Roe, 24 Remorse, 25 Roomy.

Yesterday’s Sudoku Answer

2 It’s to do with ships in actual trouble (8) 3 One to be crossed with a goat (4)

5 Occasion when victory must be obtained quickly? (2,4,2,4)

6 Advanced one good reason for sacrifice (4) 7 Possibly goes to the help of a comedian (6) 8 Dislike writing notes before exam (6) 11 Pool enthusiasts? (4,8) 15 He controls runners in winter sports (5) 16 Medical man investing in a foreign currency (5) 18 Train a chap to be a driver (8) 19 Supports what you lose when you’re lost (8) 21 Container ship? (6) 22 Love to point out there’s a choice (6) 26 Fellows get top-class dishes (4) 27 List of slang (4)

Down: 1 Straits, 2 In no doubt, 3 Final, 4 Basket, 5 Worldly, 6 Tin, 7 Husky, 12 In order to, 14 Done for, 16 Densely, 17 Assume, 18 Sober, 20 Alter, 22 Dam.

DOWN 1 Head of a republic (9) 2 Tender (4) 3 Hen sticks (anag.) (9) 4 Mineral (3) 5 Honed (9) 7 Function (7) 9 Burnt remains (5) 10 Dark shapes (7) 13 Acted boldly (5) 18 What grows on a person’s head (4) 19 Look (3) lAST SATURdAY’S SOlUTION ACROSS 1 Swallows, 6 Paws, 8 Aside, 11 magnet,

Yesterday’s Cryptic Solution

Across: 1 Reach, 4 Student, 8 Tim, 9 Wholesome, 10 Tessera, 11 React, 13 Switch, 15 Shades, 18 Owner, 19 Nursery, 21 Hurricane, 23 Sea, 24 Redress, 25 Speck.

Down: 1 Rotates, 2 Admission, 3 Hawse, 4 Slogan, 5 Unearth, 6 Ego, 7 Treat, 12 Addressee, 14 Carmine, 16 Skylark, 17 Annals, 18 Other, 20 Reels, 22 Rod.

lAST SATURdAY’S SOlUTION abhor ABHORRING argon bairn baring barn baron barring bighorn boar boring born brag brain bran briar brig bring garb giro grab grain gran grin groan groin hair haring hoar horn iron noir nori noria oaring orbing organ rain rang rani raring rhino rigor ring roan roar roaring robin robbing

Voluntarily (6)

EASY PUZZLE

Down 1 Cunning (8) 2 Former (8) 3 Very strong wind (4)

Having a chance to win (2,3,7)

Ready and willing (4)

Authoritative decision (6) 8 Naval flag (6) 11 Moment of decisive change (7,5) 15 Thick slice of meat (5) 16 To pound (5) 18 Plead in favour of (8) 19 Menial work (8) 21 Counterbalance (6) 22 Tell (6) 26 Passable (4) 27 Tolerate (4)

a tough twist on

CAN you crack the Alphabeater? It’s a tough your mental muscles to the limit. Each grid in Alphapuzzle, every letter of the alphabet the given letters and the given black squares To add to the fiendish fun, Alphabeater same if you turn the page upside down. So, for example if there is a six-letter a corresponding six-letter word Across which Every black square has a symmetrical number. This can help identify other black corresponding ‘twin’. Solution next Saturday.

mental muscles to the limit. Each grid number below in Alphapuzzle, every letter of the alphabet is used. But the given letters and the given black squares below the To add to the fiendish fun, Alphabeater is ‘rotationally same if you turn the page upside down.

So, for example if there is a six-letter word Across which a corresponding six-letter word Across which ends in the Every black square has a symmetrical ‘twin’ but the number. This can help identify other black squares. Of corresponding ‘twin’. Solution next Saturday.

TOdAY’S TARGeT Good 10; very good 15; excellent 20 (or more). Solution next Saturday.

lAST SATURdAY’S SOlUTION abhor ABHORRING argon bairn baring barn baron barring bighorn boar boring born brag brain bran briar brig bring garb giro grab grain gran grin groan groin hair haring hoar horn iron noir nori noria oaring orbing organ rain rang rani raring rhino rigor ring roan roar roaring robin robbing

SOlUTION abhor ABHORRING argon bairn baring barn baron barring bighorn boar boring born brag brain bran briar brig bring garb giro grab grain gran grin groan groin hair haring hoar horn iron noir nori noria oaring orbing organ rain rang rani raring rhino rigor ring roan roar roaring robin robbing

Yesterday’s Kakuro Answer

Call 0907 181 2586 for today’s Target solution *Calls cost 80p per minute plus your telephone company’s

Bahamian chef gets to explore impact of African cuisines at World of Flavors conference

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

‘A

dynamic and innovative cultural exchange through food’ just about sums up the experience for Bahamian Chef Simeon Hall Jr, who was invited for the very first time to present at the World of Flavors Interna tional Conference and Festival held last week in Napa Valley, California.

The event, which attracts attendees from all over the world, featured three days of events with hundreds of like-minded, flavour-seeking culinary pioneers, mixing business with pleasure.

There are cooking demonstrations, presenta tions, panels, and workshops that showcase both the most modern of techniques and century-old traditions, giving attendees the latest data on trends and demographics.

And of course attendees get sample the food they watch being made.

This year’s event centered around the theme “Africa and the World – Reclaiming the Past, Crafting the Future: An exploration of food, cul ture, and innovation on the African continent and impacts and flavors of the African Diaspora.”

“This was the first ever African Diaspora ‘con versation’ for the World of Flavors,” Chef Hall told Tribune Weekend.

The conference started with the mother cuisines of Africa, considering their evolution, and learning how they are being renewed and reimagined in the top professional kitchens across the continent.

It also delved into the African Diaspora, and shed light on how the resulting movement of peoples, foods and culinary techniques shaped the cuisines of the Caribbean, parts of South America, the American South and restaurants led by Black chefs across the United States today.

“The event chair, Therese Nelson, saw it fit ting to include the Caribbean, and for me more directly, the Bahamas, in the dialogue,” said Chef Hall.

“I was involved in one demo where I made oldfashioned peas and grits pelau; or grits with peas, salt beef, salt pork, pigeon peas, bottled tomatoes, crab. Then, for the Market Lunch, I made newfashioned stewed fish, swingecat biscuits with conch butter.”

Chef Hall was also invited to take part on a panel featuring Gullah culture bearer BJ Dennis; culinary ambassador and humanitarian Selassie Atadika, and which was moderated by Stephen Satterfield from the Netflix documentary High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Trans formed America.

The panel’s topic was “Reframing our relation ship with the African Diaspora.”

Chef Hall said his presentation was received “amazingly good.”

“People are here to hear about culture, and more importantly, to taste it. And of course I showed off with all our flavors,” he said.

The experience, he added, was “dope and delicious”.

“Truthfully speaking, this was a regenerative and rejuvenating experience; to be around persons who in their spaces are agitating cultural change and redefining through food was the ‘plug-in’ that I needed. To most, I am an irritant, and proudly

so, but to this group, I was simply normal. So as I return to my Bahamas, supercharged and ready for what’s next, I am excited to know that my work is surely purposeful and important.”

One of the other highlights from the event was Chef Hall being singled out along with Chef Michael Elégbédé, a celebrated Nigerian-Ameri can chef, to speak to a room of students.

“What was supposed to be a 10-minute powwow ended up being a 45-minute chat with us both. It was amazing. Their support during the week was also very invaluable. I am sure we will stay connected with several of them and hopefully return on day to do a full fledge class on Bahamian cuisine,” he said.

‘New-fashioned’ stewed fish, swingecat biscuits with conch butter

CHEF Simeon Hall Jr puts the finishing touches on his dishes

gardening

Washing away

Good day, gardeners. I had intended to write about backyard farm ing today after a visit to a friend’s farm, but unfortunately the weather here in Eleuthera prevented me from visit ing said farm.

It seems that the ocean is find ing its way onshore in many places today, and this is a big problem for many using oceanside roads and those living on the coast. What do we expect when we remove all of the native habitat to create a vision that we humans believe to be ideal? Is it time to go on a mass coastal regen eration kick? What can we do?

The power of the ocean is some thing that I’m not sure anyone has found a solution to. All I can say is that if you have a coastal home, or in the case of government with Saun ders Beach, for example, we ought to be looking for solutions.

The water is over the road, and we will lose our coastline if we don’t do anything about it, but what to do?

The answers will not come cheaply, nor will they come easily. Do we need to invest in recreat ing natural dunes, or will that get washed away as well? In those places where there used to be mangroves, it is my belief that we should be replanting mangrove by the millions, tens of millions. No effort will be too large, as the ocean seems to be able to destroy whatever it wants to that is in its path.

It has been proven by science that mangroves are about the best protection for a coastline. So where did all the mangroves go? This is a major issue for generations to come.

I do believe that a good place to start is to stop destroying the coast line to mould it into this fantastical image of what we think it should look like. We must restore the coastline as a barrier of protection rather than as a pretty little vista for us minions to look at.

New Providence is going to catch hell if we don’t act. It is not enough to simply clean up after a rage; it is high time to begin reconstruction of the coast as our primary defense against the sea. That’s my five cents.

I have had the pleasure of visiting several gorgeous properties here in Eleuthera that have not touched the natural dune that exists, and these wizened folks will not touch the dune as they are well aware that to do so would only be self-destructive.

Enough of this build as we wish all willy-nilly to serve the selfish purposes of a single property owner or developer. What can us garden ers do? I haven’t a clue. I, too, seek answers and solutions. I am grateful that I do not live on the coastline

in some imaginary fairy tale land where it has been altered to serve a human aesthetic purpose. We need to rewild our coastline! Now. Before it is all gone. So, for us lucky enough to have a garden to dig around in, please keep digging. There are so many fine examples of how we can make our own little slice of Eden into a useable space that not only feed ourselves and our neighbours but also the birds and the bees and the creatures that we share this tiny slice of rock that we call home, whatever island one may call home. I encourage you all to join local gardening groups on social media, or even better, in person. I am fortunate being in the business of growing plants that I get to talk to people every day that share the same passion, and if it one thing that I have found over the years, it is that I have never stopped learning, and if I listen to others that I will only continue to learn. No one has all of the answers, and even a master gar dener can learn something new. The adage that one cannot teach an old dog new tricks is a very limited and short-sighted saying. It seems that the gist of my spiel today is to ask you to please keep planting, please keep growing, please keep learning and please keep sharing that knowl edge, oh passionate gardener.

As always, I wish you happy gardening.

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

Christmas concert to raise funds for Children’s Emergency Hostel

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

’T

is the season to celebrate with well-known Bahamian singer and songwriter Adrianna Munnings and her friends at a special Christmas concert.

The singer told Tribune Weekend that she and her fellow artists are excited to present Adrianna Munnings and Friends Live in Concert on Decem ber 4 at the Remnant Tabernacle Church, #309 Carmichael Road West.

With the country slowly coming back to normal after nearly three years of the COVID-19 pan demic, Adrianna said people can once again reunite in person to commemorate the most joyous time of the year, the birth of Jesus Christ.

“The theme for the concert is “Let’s Do It Again – Be Merry, Be Happy, Merry Christmas,” she said.

“Join us as we share in laughter, songs, food and great memories with family and friends. We wanted to be sure to have an event that was designed for the entire family. We set the concert price much lower for kids and we will have special things just for them. So, we hope that families can come out and enjoy this show.”

Adrianna also put on her writing skills for the event. She has written a special play and a song just for the evening.

“The play is called the ‘Bahamian Virgin’,” she said.

“It is a retelling of the classic Christmas story but told with a Bahamian sense of humour.”

“(The Bahamian virgin) finds herself in a rela tionship and pregnant although she is still a virgin and she tells her sister-in-law, who has a typical Bahamian reaction; there are a lot of laughs.”

She has also written a song that she will debut at the concert.

Adrianna will be joined by fellow artists Judy Stubs, Val Griffin, Raynell Miller, Paula Mckeva, Leshaundra Strachan, Kendera Darville, Deshan non Watson, Keturah Clarke, Don Collie, Urvan Moxey Tyrone Knowles, Rashad Cunningham, Tamiko Taylor, Rashad Lynesm Abrue, Nathan Coakley, and Aldo Stubbs.

Several musicians will also be participating including Orval Stubbs, Leonardo Darville, Calvin Rolle, Travis Bodie, Michael Davis, Celixene Fortilien, Neil Andrews, Tomeka Jolly and John Evans.

Adrianna said concert-goers can expect to hear covers of songs from Otis Redding, Luther Van dross, Boyz II Men, with some Bahamian remixes as well.

“It will be an evening; you will not want to miss,” she said.

Adrianna added that proceeds from the show will be donated to the Children’s Emergency Hostel.

“Our plan is to be a great blessing to the Chil dren’s Emergency Hostel with proceeds going towards placing smiles on the children’s and staff’s faces there.”

However, she noted that they do need spon sorship to help make the event as successful as possible.

“I am asking everyone, corporate businesses or individuals, to consider making a donation or pur chasing an advertisement in the souvenir booklet,” she said,

A reception will be held prior to the concert at 6pm. Tickets are $30 for adults and $15 for chil dren under 15.

ADRIANNA and Friends will perform their fundraising Christmas concert

SINGER

SONGWRITER

Adrianna Munnings

Literary lives – Dame Catherine Cookson

From dockside waif to one of the world’s best-read novelists

Sir Christopher Ondaatje talks about the British author whose books were inspired by her deprived youth in South Tyneside, North East England, and who became one of the most prolific British novelists.

“Numbers stack up around her. She published over ninety novels, under her own name, and under the pseudonyms Catherine Merchant and Katie McMullen. In the 1990s, she topped the Public Lending Right List, which records borrow ing from Public Libraries ... Her combined sales, at the time of her death, were calculated at over a hundred million. She is plausibly reckoned to have been the most read British novelist of her time ... even though she did not start publishing until her mid-forties.”

Sutherland Lives of the Novelists, 2011

Catherine Cookson was born and registered as Catherine Ann Davies on June 20, 1906, in Tyne Dock, South Shields, South Tyneside in England.

She was known as “Katie” as a child, and was the illegitimate daughter of an alcoholic named Kate Fawcett. She grew up thinking her unmar ried mother was her sister, and was brought up by her grandparents Rose and John McMullen. Her father was a bigamist and gambler, Alexander Davies, from Lanarkshire in Scotland.

When she was very young she moved to East Jarrow, which would become the setting for one of her best-known novels The Fifteen Streets.

Unhappy with the Catholic school she attended, she left when she was 14 and got a job as a domes tic servant.

“God came into my life and with him came the Devil, and Miss Corfield, the school mistress of St. Peter and Paul’s, Tyne Dock, and with her came mental and physical torture.

– Catherine Cookson

Our Kate, 1969

Her next job was in a laundry at Harton Work house in South Shields. In 1929, she moved south to run the laundry at Hastings Workhouse and saved her earnings to buy a large Victorian house where she took in lodgers.

When she was 34, in 1940, she married Tom Cookson – a teacher at Hastings Grammar School. After four miscarriages she was diagnosed as

having a rare vascular disease, telangiectasia, which causes bleeding and results in anaemia and eventual blindness.

It took her 10 years to recover from a resulting mental breakdown. She took up writing to coun teract her depression and was a founding member of the Hastings Writers’ Group in 1947.

Her first novel, Kate Hannigan, was published in 1950 when she was forty-four. Although billed as fiction, it was a thinly disguised biography of Cookson’s mother who finds romance and scandal

with an unhappily married man. The book launched her career as a best-selling author.

“Those who say they would write a book if only they had time will never become authors.”

– Catherine Cookson

Although her books were labelled “romantic fiction” and were popular, they were in fact, she later admitted, historical novels about people and places she knew. She didn’t agree with the publisher’s stereotype but didn’t argue with their publicity and popularity. She had little to do with the London literary circle, being more concerned with the practicalities of writing. She did her own research – sometimes uncomfortable and perilous like going down dangerous mine shafts.

She wrote about grand people in grand houses, but always successfully concentrated on people ground down by circumstances. Having been brought up in a slum in an area dominated by the ship-building industry she was able to describe the areas vividly. She wrote about the Second World War years and the depression and danger that

– John

A YOUNG Catherine

affected ordinary people. She records losing her faith.

“I dared to make a stand against superstition, against faith, against God ... I was answering back my fears for the first time. What the hell does it matter! To blazes and bloody damnation with it all!”

– Catherine Cookson

She also knew the value of money and concen trated on fiction aimed primarily at the woman reader, knowing that her books would sell.

After her sight failed Cookson relied on the tape recorder and became fluent dictating to the machine. She wrote the “Tilly Trotter Trilogy” delving into a working class girl who braves gossip and scandal, and in her 1953 Colour Blind her protagonist gets herself pregnant by a coloured seaman.

Refusing to have an illegal abortion she marries her daughter’s father. She was bravely impervious to criticism – even though a racially bigoted Eng land advertised “no coloureds” in boarding houses and pubs all over the country.

Her strongest settings were in the North-East where she was raised and to where she and her husband relocated.

Cookson wrote almost a hundred books, which sold more than a hundred and thirty million copies. Her novels were translated into over 20 languages. Many of her novels were adapted for films and the stage: Jacqueline (1956) directed by Roy Ward Baker based on her book A Grand Man; then Rooney (1958) directed by George Pollock. Both films starred John Gregson and, for commercial reasons, the plots of both films were transferred from South Shields to Ireland.

But it was on television that Cookson enjoyed her greatest media success.

Tyne Tees television adaptations of her novels achieved huge ratings. Between 1989 and 2001, 18 books were produced by Ray Marshall from Festival Film and TV and starred Sean Bean and Catherine Zeta-Jones. The first film The Fifteen Streets was nominated for an Emmy Award, and the second production The Black Velvet Gown won an International Emmy for Best Drama in 1991. The mini-series attracted audiences of

over ten million viewers, and is still shown in the United Kingdom.

“The only thing I want from my money is to die in comfort.”

– Catherine Cookson

In her later years Catherine Cookson became an extremely wealthy woman. She was also spectacu larly philanthropic. She pledged over £800,000 to the University of Newcastle who set up a lecture ship in haematology, and used much of the money to help bleeding disorders which had blighted her life, and for ear, nose and throat studies. A building in the university is named after her. She also gave large sums to both St Hilda’s College, Oxford, and to Girton College in Cambridge. A million pounds went to telangiectasia research, and she created a fund for struggling authors.

She received the Freedom of the Borough of South Tyneside, and an honorary degree from the University of Newcastle. She was created an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1985, and was elevated to Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1993 – not for her literary achievements, which were considerable, but for her patronage and charitable activities.

Catherine Cookson died on June 11, 1998, in Newcastle, England. She was 91 years old. She had been bed-ridden for the last few years of her life. Her novels, many of which had been dictated from her sickbed, continued to be published post humously until 2002.

• Sir Christopher Ondaatje is the author of The Last Colonial. He acknowledges that he has quoted liberally from Wikipedia; Our Kate (1969) by Catherine Cookson; and Catherine

ACTORS Simon Shepherd and Carli Norris in the 1999 film adaptation of Cookson’s most successful novel,

COOKSON wrote more than a hundred novels_

CATHERINE with her husband Tom

history

‘If crab no walk’ – A different take on Columbus’ error

The people of the Baha mas dislike their islands being included in the West Indies. I have never been able to understand why. The name West Indies has persisted throughout the centuries and the Bahamas have a better title to it than any of the Caribbean islands. They should be proud of it, because “although the name perpetuates a geographical misconception, it was the most glorious misconception of all time.”

These words were written in by Owen Rutter (1889-1944), a British historian and travel writer, Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and of the Royal Anthropological Institute, in his 1933 book “If Crab No Walk - a Traveller in the West Indies.”

He went on to say, “Some writers adopt a superior attitude to Colum bus’ error. They tend to regard him as a poor fish because, when at last he made his landfall, he did not real ise what he had discovered. Actually, it was perfectly reasonable for him to suppose that he had reached Asia. It would have been astonishing if he had believed anything else, because it would have meant demolishing the reputation of the greatest geogra pher and astronomer of the day, in whose judgments Columbus had profound faith.

“Paolo Toscanelli (1397-1482) was regarded as the highest authority on navigation and cosmography of the age, and it was Toscanelli’s map and sailing directions which gave Colum bus confidence to set off on his first voyage.

Toscanelli’s map was largely based on information supplied by Marco Polo. It showed the island of Cipango (Japan) lying off the coast of India…and, due north of Cipango, it showed an archipelago, lying in ‘Oceanus Orientalis Indiæ’, in the same latitude as the Azores. Because Toscanelli had no suspicion of the American continent, his map showed no land between this archipelago and the Azores.

Such was the fame of Toscanelli that Columbus no more questioned

the accuracy of his map…so, when he reached the group now known as the Bahamas, it was but reason able for him to imagine that he had reached the archipelago shown on the chart.”

The inhabitants called their island Guanahani. Columbus re-named in San Salvador, but its exact loca tion continues to be a subject for

believed the Bahamas government was right to officially rename Watlings Island San Salvador; the site of a discovery that changed the history of the world.

debate. Rutter

PAOLO dal Pozzo Toscanelli

OWEN RUTTER, author of ‘If Crab No Walk’

Animal matters

animals A gem in Jenny

Kim Aranha

Storm comin’ A

storm is on its way, we know. We get count less weather updates on the TV, radio and every friend we have ever had sends us the latest weather map with several pages of storm details and computer models with a mass of spaghetti lines heading in the same direction.

However, have you noticed, there is always one rogue that sends the storm scurrying in the opposite direc tion… Storm soon come, pick up those lightweight objects in your garden, wrap your orchids with plastic wrap so they don’t get torn off the trees by the unrelenting wind, cut those coconuts down, and move the car away from under a tree…how many times have we all done this, coupled with intermi nable lines in the supermarket, and the quest to find the last five-gallon bottle of water available on the island?

Have you noticed the way animals behave when a storm is on its way? One of the most glaring examples is the comportment of birds pre-storm. There is invariably an eerie silence as we prepare and one of the reasons is because the birds stop chirping, they head deep into the bush, deep in amongst the twigs and leaves where the wind simply cannot penetrate, even the raindrops have a tough time fight ing through the foliage to get anything really wet.

It is not very different in the sea. Our marine animals are able to tell that a storm is brewing, many fish swim deeper to get away from the strong undercurrents. The larger sea dwellers such as sharks, whales and porpoises will swim rapidly away looking for calmer waters. Many marine animals have to be careful because they run the risk of being thrown up on the beach and perhaps stranded to die.

When you walk the beaches after a big storm with strong tidal surges and waves it is absolutely amazing what treasures you might come across, ran dom items that may have been nestled

in the sea for years, lost objects unac counted for, somebody’s prized pos session lost to them forever, flung back to the world by mother nature’s whim. The found objects make that walk a pleasure and an adventure, but none of us would enjoy seeing a turtle gasp ing on its back in distress or a dolphin desperate to get back to the sea. It is always a good idea to know who you would call if you came across a marine animal in distress. In Nassau, Atlantis is extremely helpful. I would always be happy to refer you should you find marine life in need of assistance.

I am sure that we all remember that terrible tsunami in Phuket, Thailand, in 2004. So many people died, so many

PET OF THE WEEK

By The Bahamas Humane Society

“Hi, there! My name’s Jenny, and I’m one of many older kittens avail able for adoption at the Bahamas Humane Society. I’m fairly mellow, but I do love attention, and I’d love to chat with you, too.

I’m OK with having other cats around. I’m not too sure about those dogs, though.

Do you need a conver sationalist in your life? One who will snuggle as well as chat? Then I’m the girl for you! Come to the BHS to

people disappeared, and so many people were injured physically and mentally scarred for years. Hard to believe that it was almost 20 years ago, isn’t it?

I have always been fascinated by a story that I was told many years ago. They had elephant rides in Phuket, and it was a very popular attraction. The day of the tsunami, a family had let their daughter have an elephant ride as a treat, because she had begged so often. Suddenly, during the peace ful walk along the beach, the elephant took off towards the hills with the little girl on his back and the parents and the elephant driver in hot pursuit. When the elephant finally came to a

meet me or call 325-6742 for more information. I look forward to meeting you!”

• Christmas has arrived at the BHS Thrift Shop! There are many Christmas items available along with all the other treasures the shop normally sells. Shop hours are Wednesday/ Thursday/Friday, 11am to 3pm, and Saturday 10am to 2pm. Please be sure to bring your bag(s)!

halt and the people on foot caught up, the tsunami had engulfed the village, and the family and driver were safe because the elephant had sensed that the tsunami was coming.

I am told there was not one animal that was not tethered that died in Phuket that day. The roaming animals took to the hills in time to be safe from the gigantic wave.

I noticed that my newest of friends, Mr Ibis and his new girlfriend, disap peared on Wednesday and were nowhere to be seen. On Thursday morning the entire flock was in my garden feasting on some unsuspecting underground delicacy.

I am told that if the flamingos of Inagua sense a hurricane coming they sink into the marshland and are pro tected by the mud and mangroves, and the donkeys wallow in the water with just their noses visible.

All these stories, tales of survival, instinct, and animal intelligence that makes you just want to throw yourself on the grass and look up at the corn flower blue sky that graced us the day after Nicole’s passage, and say, “Ain’t nature grand?”

We in Nassau were, once again, amazingly fortunate and just got the waves, the king tide effect, and some very welcome bursts of rain. I pray that the residents of Grand Bahama and Abaco do not have too much to repair after Nicole. What must that have brought back to them?

My thoughts were constantly with them as we tracked Nicole. She is now no longer.

books

Bahamian author pens easy-to-read history book celebrating African royalty

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

Mario Woodside is a man who wears many hats; he is an entrepreneur, a hip hop artist, and now a first-time author.

He recently made his debut as a writer with his book Glory: A Jour ney Into African Royalty.

“My inspiration for writing came with the births of my daugh ters. Looking at the offerings of educational materials, it was very Eurocentric, to say the least. So, I wanted to create something that would add to their confidence level,” he told Tribune Weekend.

“The book is obviously a bit too advanced for them now, but when their minds are ready to digest the information, it will be there waiting for them.”

The book offers a quick deep dive into African history, focusing on four kings and four queens in particular: the Egyptian Pharaoh Khufu, builder of Great Pyramid at Giza; Queen Amanirenas of the Kingdom of Kush who fought Caesar’s armies; Mansa Musa of the Mali Empire known for his great wealth; Hatshepsut, the second historically confirmed female pharaoh; Shaka Zulu, the famous founder of the Zulu Kingdom; Yaa Asantewaa, the warrior queen of the Asante; Askia Muhammad I, the great king of the Songhai Empire; and Amina of Zaria, the warrior queen of Zazzau.

Mario said he set up the pages of his book and designed them to offer “bite-sized snacks” of information. He wanted his book to be accessible and not overwhelm readers. To help in this endeavour, local artist Craige Culmer created accompanying illus trations for the chapters.

“When I was crafting this book, I wanted to create a very reader friendly environment. This was definitely the first time I have ever published a book. It was a phenom enal feeling to get my package in the mail, open it up and see the physical

manifestation of my thoughts. It truly shows me that thoughts can become things,” he said.

“The major motivation for me writing this book was just the current state of affairs of the world. The fact that no matter what country you go to in this world, once there are decedents of Africa, poverty and crime seem to follow in lock and step fashion. All problems in this world stem from the mind, so if the mind

can get right, the body will follow suit.”

He said the overall message in the book is simple: “Man, know thyself, and to know self is to know God.”

Mario said the goal of the book is to create a bridge between past glories

and the future, and manifest them here.

“For those who read it so far, it has all been positive energy and love. Once they read it, their goal is to pass it on to someone else. The book seems to be very infectious. I am rolling out the book in phases,” he explained.

Glory: A Journey Into African Royalty is currently available on online at Amazon and in Nassau at the Woodside Photoshop and Gal lery on Soldier Road.

“I am in talks with bookstores all around, and it is just one or two steps away from having availability in all book stores,” he said.

“I am also following the book up with a limited podcast series I am starting called Food For Thought. The podcast will feature eight special individuals who currently embody the spirit of the one of eight kings or queens.”

AUTHOR Mario Woodside and his daughters