12232016 weekend by tribune242

The Tribune

Friday, December 23, 2016

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Weekend

a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;litâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; xmas Page 8

Deck the halls Festive flowers for Christmas Holidays, page 9

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life through a lens PHOTOS/CAY FOCUS PHOTOGRAPHY

Helping the hungry at Christmas

hristmas is a time for giving, not just of gifts but also of time. This was never better exemplified than last weekend at Mosseff House, Fox Hill, where dedicated volunteers of The Bahamas Feeding Network (BFN) spent many hours, day and night, preparing, cooking, serving and packing up 2,000 meals for less fortunate residents. The BFN supports some 130 churches, feeding centres and soup kitchens, including homes for the aged. On Sunday afternoon, pastors, reverends and administrators took the plated food - chicken, peas nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; rice, salads - back to the people in their communities who depend on the hot meal and know there will be at least one day a week when they will not go to bed hungry. Under the patronage of His Excellency Frank Crothers and managed by the tireless Philip Smith, the BFN has been helping to alleviate the plight of the poor since 2013. It demonstrates that when people pull together, they can make a difference in their communities and reveals the goodness that lies within the Bahamian heart and within people everywhere.

Have you taken a selection of photographs that might make a Life through a lens feature page? If so please submit it to weekend@ tribunemedia.net for consideration

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Inside Weekend Interview

4-5 Cara Hunt sits down with Bahamian theatre legend James Catalyn to talk past, future and favourite Christmas memories

Food 7 Taste the islands at Bahama Grill Holidays 8-9 Look beyond the traditional tree to Yuletide flower arrangements this season, plus how to make sure your Christmas is ‘lit’

Shopping 10-11 Louis & Steen’s hosts first pop up Christmas market Society 12-13 Bahamian Escapes makes a toast luxury

Fashion 14-15 Kalico Bay shows off latest trends in kids’ fashion

Books 18 Author tells untold history of WWII U-boats in the Bahamas Music 19 - 20 D-Mac and Friends rock the island of Exuma, old school reggae for Christmas, plus top artists bring country vibes to the islands

Film 21 Latest releases “Fences” and “Assassin’s Creed” reviewed

Literary Lives 22-24 Sir Christopher Ondaatje remembers the American author who inspired the Christmas favourite “It’s a Wonderful Life” Forgotten Facts 25 The riot at Inagua of 1937

Animals 27 Christmas advice for pet parents, plus Pet of the Week

Gardening 28 Jack Hardy talks winter flowers Cover photo | Shawn Hanna

My perfect Bahamian Christmas John Williams The Valley Boys’ “King John”; Customs officer Q: Go to Junkanoo or watch it on TV? “I cannot by any means watch Junkanoo on TV, so I would most definitely go to and participate in it.” Q: Artificial tree or the real thing? “Christmas would not be Christmas without that real pine smell.” Q: Fruit cake or guava duff? “Oh, without a doubt guava duff – over any dessert in the world.” Q: Early shopper or is it a Christmas Eve rush? “I don’t like pressure or traffic, so it’s early shopping for me.” Q: What are your last-minute Christmas preparations? “As a result of early shopping, the only preparations are for my costumes for the Boxing Day and New Year’s Day parades.”

Things 2 Do this Christmas Friday • Popeye’s Bahamas Bowl 2016 Time: 1pm (pre-game fan fest at 10am) Venue: Thomas A Robinson National Stadium For the 2016 game, the Popeyes Bahamas Bowl has the Mid-American Conference and Conference USA as participating conferences, and Eastern Michigan (MAC) will meet Old Dominion (C-USA). If the first two games, which had a combined 173 points and 24 touchdowns scored, are any indication, fans in the Bahamas will be treated once again to exciting high-flying football, and everyone watching on ESPN will experience the wonder and beauty of the country. Tickets start at $10. • United Christmas Production “Tell the Story”

Time: 7.30pm Venue: Christian Life Centre on John F Kennedy Drive. This year’s show – a musical and lights presentation with a cast of 200 – focuses on the theme “Tell the Story.” Ten local churches have once again come together to stage their annual Christmas production. The musical and lights presentation boasts a cast of 200 and focuses on traditional Gospel narratives and the persecuted church. Admission is free, but an offering will be taken. • “Blackout: The Winter Wonderland” Time: 7pm -7am Venue: Thomas A Robinson National Stadium Featuring international superstar DJ Duffey from “Basketball Wives LA”, the 12-hour party is presented

by KO Productions, Absolut & BTC. Tickets start at $25 and can be purchased Airbrush Junkies, Club One Fitness, Stiletto Shoe Loft, Velvet Hanger, Fine Threads and Galleria Cinemas JFK, or online at onlinedealfind.com.

Monday • Junkanoo Boxing Day Parade Time: 12:01am Venue: Bay Street • Shhh! Teen Headphone Party Time: 6pm Venue: Skate City DJ Lil Giant presents the teen version of the popular ‘Shhh! Headphone Party’ series. Admission is $15 and includes the headphone rental.

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interview For more than three decades, James Catalyn has done his best to promote Bahamian culture, be it in his role as a Ministry of Tourism representative or as a playwright. And after all this time he still believes in the importance of being able to laugh at oneself. He talks to Cara Hunt about what he misses about the past, his wishes for the future, and his fondest Christmas memories.

James Catalyn

heatre and performing have always been a part of legendary entertainer James Catalyn’s life. The playwright, poet and actor, who has inspired thousands of Bahamians to “laugh at we self”, told Tribune Weekend that the foundation for his life on the stage was laid at an early age. “I know that my interest in the theatre dates back to my childhood. I grew up in The Pond, and we were surrounded by churches – St Matthew’s Anglican Church, Ebenezer Methodist Church, Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church and the Salvation Army. There was always some concert that was going in St Matthew’s school room or in Epworth Hall, or at youth group that held my interest. Also at school, we had to do a lot of reading which broadens the scope, including a lot of Shakespeare,” he said. “As I got older and my circle of friends widened, a lot of them wrote poetry and were into performing.” Growing up he also got to experience the productions of several groups that performed regularly in Nassau, such as the Nassau Players, who could be seen at the Dundas Civic Centre, which is now the Dundas Centre for the Performing Arts, and the Nassau Operatic Society, which performed at the Kirk Hall. Additionally, he said, there was a group of performers called the Friends of the Bahamas which was formed by expatriates and focused on various ar-

eas of interest, including drama, music and photography Eventually, Mr Catalyn was invited to join the Bahama Drama Circle, which performed in the Wesley Methodist Church school room and later moved to the Dundas Civic Centre. “We had to borrow chairs for the performances,” he remembers. In addition to performing on stage, Mr Catalyn said his interest in writing also started at a young age. “I think I was 16 or so when I started writing poetry, I was working at the Ministry of Tourism’s office in Chicago and I wrote these poems about the oak trees and all these things, and Jeannie Thompson read some of my poetry and said, ‘Do we have these things in the Bahamas? What do you know about these things? You should write what about what you know’.” This inspired him to start writing what he called “The Great Bahamian Novel”, based on his childhood, but it never saw the light of day. While that book did not go anywhere, the idea behind it did, and to this day he focuses on writing about things that are familiar to him. His very first play was “The Courtship”, inspired by his sister and her boyfriend during a time when couples would sit and visit in the “front room of the house”. “I found that people found the way that I said certain things humorous, but I don’t know if I ever thought that I was a comedian,” he said. Then in 1979, Mr Catalyn started

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a venture which was to evolve into a beloved mainstay of Bahamian theatre. “Carl Bethel of ZNS fame started a one-hour television show called ‘An Evening with…’. He invited me to come be on the show one night, but I thought that it was presumptuous to have an evening with James Catalyn alone, and so I invited some people to join me and it became ‘An Evening with James Catalyn and Friends’, and that is really how the whole thing started,” he said. Today, James Catalyn and Friends is the leading troupe in Bahamian theatre. They are especially known for Summer Madness, their annual revue of typical, topical and timely topics which presents a satirical look at aspects of Bahamian life, from politics to religion and social mores. Mr Catalyn said he came up with the idea of “laughing at we self”, which he said is meant to encourage Bahamians to lighten up and find humour in daily life. “The expats are coming here and laughing at us, so it is better that we do it. That’s the problem with the leadership today, they don’t have a funny bone in their body. These are serious times, but you don’t have to take everything so seriously.” He also came up with the motto, “Guard our heritage. Speak Bahamianese! Use English only when necessary.” “I realised that a lot of Bahamians are not proud of the way we sound. The English never lose their Cockney, the Jamaicans never lose their Patois, and the Haitians never lose their Creole, but some Bahamians change to please everyone else,” he said. Mr Catalyn worked at the Ministry of Tourism from 1968 to 2000, back in what he calls “the glory days of tourism”. He was the first Bahamian tourist sales representative to be stationed overseas when he was sent to the ministry’s Chicago office. He also had stints in Boston, Toronto and Freeport. “Back then we launched People to People, which is still successful today, and we had Goombay Summer, which was very successful as well. Additionally, we would host garden tours where people would open up their gardens to visitors. We had teams that welcomed people when they arrived at the airport and the hotels always had something going on.” He admitted to being disappointed in the state of affairs today, particularly when he thinks about the decline of Bay Street.

“The expats are coming here and laughing at us, so it is better that we do it. That’s the problem with the leadership today, they don’t have a funny bone in their body. These are serious times, but you don’t have to take everything so seriously.”

“We used to get dressed up to go on Bay Street to watch the cruise ships, and there where at least 13 to 15 clubs and nice restaurants and shops,” he said. Mr Catalyn also shared some of his fondest memories of the festive season. “To me, Christmas is personal. I am a true Christmas person. I just love the feeling you get during December. Everyone is happy and is in a good mood. It’s a pity that feeling of love and camaraderie can’t last all year.” While he said Christmas can also be a sad and lonely time when you reflect on the loved ones you have lost, it is important not to allow that sadness to detract from the joy of the holiday. Mr Catalyn said when he was a child the Christmas season began with Guy Fawkes Day, which is observed on November 5. After that, the Junkanoo groups would begin their practice and families would clean their homes and yards in preparation for the big day. “You would paint the house and leave a tub of water on the ground to absorb the paint, and you always had a new oil skin table cloth,” he recalled. Mr Catalyn said that while his fam-

ily was not wealthy, and he may not have gotten everything on his wish list, he always received presents and was happy with whatever he got. Christmas was a happy time, filled with visits with family, carollers, and lots of food and desserts. As a young adult, Mr Catalyn said Christmas Day was an all-day affair, beginning with midnight mass and ending with parties with friends and family. After the family dinner, he said, friends would get dressed up, head back out to see a matinee and party at the nightclub The Cat and the Fiddle before following the Junkanoo groups onto Bay Street. “We would get all dressed up to go out and have a marvellous time,” he said. Reflecting on a time when people could about their lives with minimal fear of crime, Mr Catalyn said that his Christmas wish this year is for the country is a return to peace and tranquillity. “You are afraid to go out and you are afraid to be at home, we need to return to calmer more peaceful days,” he said.

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section

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food Photos/Aaron Davis

Taste the grill

By Cara Hunt cbrennen@tribunemedia.net

reputation for consistency and satisfied customers have made Bahama Grill a local success story. For the past seven years, the West Bay Street restaurant has prided itself on serving up tasty helpings of the best in down-home barbecue and grilled seafood. Rickiera Gibson, the restaurant’s

manager, said that since opening its doors in 2009, Bahama Grill has seen a steady increase in its customer volume, primarily due to word of mouth. “Our signature dish are our ribs. We have pork ribs and baby back ribs. Patrons can get their choice of three sauces,” she explained. “We have the house sauce, which is the mild sauce; the tropical sauce, which has pineapple in it and is the most popular, and a spicy sauce.” Other favourites are the fish, grilled

conch and conch balls, and sides like macaroni and cornbread. Ms Gibson said a large part of Bahama Grill’s appeal is that they are consistent with the quality of their food. “We cook from recipes. That means that it doesn’t matter which of our cooks is on, the food will taste the same,” she said. Another thing that Ms Gibson feels makes Bahama Grill stand out among Nassau’s many eateries is that all of their food is grilled and not fried, and

that they offer guests a choice of multiple side dishes. In addition to its lunch and dinner menu, Bahama Grill offers its popular family platters and can serve groups as large as 300, both on and off property. “Catering is a part of our business which is flying. Right now we are pulling out our hair trying to get our Christmas orders out,” she said. The restaurant also hosts happy hour with free drinks and live music on Fridays.

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holidays

How to have a ‘lit’ Christmas By JEFFARAH GIBSON Tribune Features Writer jgibson@tribunemedia.net

HILE it can be overly commercially and gift-oriented, Christmas is really what people make of it. For the holiday season to have meaning depends on what people are willing to do to make the festive season significant. One of the main things that make the holiday special for people is spending time in the company of family and friends who come together for a time of fun and fellowship. For many Bahamians, this fun and fellowship involves having Christmas dinner at home or house-hopping, visiting relatives and friends who are hosting celebrations. And to kick these gatherings up a notch, Tribune Weekend spoke to Jaquay Adderley, founder of Unorthobox Entertainment, to get some tips on activities families can engage in to ensure their Christmas is “lit” this year.

1. Enjoy a staycation Taking a truly non-traditional approach to Christmas would be opting for a staycation at a local hotel or resort. Jaquay said this idea allows families to connect with one another on a deeper and more intimate level. “There are families that do come together, but mostly for the food that Aunt Jemima and Mama Johnson makes. There is a lack of communication at these gatherings due to the new technology age, so booking a stay at a resort/hotel without phones or laptops would be ideal. It forces communication, bonding and togetherness,” he said.

2. Friendly competition What family gathering is complete without games? Jaquay suggests pulling out all the games you loved growing up for some extra Yuletide entertainment. “One of the best things persons love to have is bragging rights, especially over their cousin or siblings. Having an all involved competition will spice up the family gathering and the fellowship. You can either have an mega UNO competition, dominoes, cards, Monopoly, darts, Wii, chess, checkers, or Connect 4, etcetera. Loser has to wash all the dishes and the winner gets to freely tote an extra plate of food,” he said.

3. Talent show

Try and enjoy real communication with family members this Christmas.

Although you may have known them all your life, your family members may possess some hidden talents you don’t know about. They might be suave dancers, adept magicians or even proficient acrobats. During your family gathering, why not host a talent showcase so that your loved ones can show off of their skills. It is an activity that young and old can get involved in. “Kids are super entertaining. Having a family talent show with the kids will ensure lasting memories and a lot of gut-wrenching laughs,” said Jaquay.

4. Say it in a song Even if you or your family are not the Whitney Houstons or Luther Vandross’ of our time, staging a sing-off or your own family karaoke can be a fun activity. “It’s beautiful to hear the voices of family members you haven’t heard from in years, but imagine those voices coming together to sing favourite and well-known songs; from oldies to New Age. Karaoke would be an ideal partystarter and ensure a night full of laughs, singing and good cheer,” said Jaquay.

Karaoke is always good for a laugh during festive family gatherings.

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holidays Photos/shawn hanna

Deck the halls with boughs of holly…

Arrangements by Nassau Florist

‘Tis the season to be jolly. And while the Christmas tree is usually the centrepiece of the holiday home, you can carry the spirit of the season all through the rest of the house with some gorgeous Yuletide flowers. Or consider purchasing a special arrangement as a Christmas gift for family and friends. It’s a gift that will be sure to make their season brighter. According to Jim Whitehead, owner of the Nassau Florist located on Dowdeswell Street, the 2016 trends in Christmas flowers of course include the traditional colours of red and green, but also white with accents of gold and silver. “Hydrangeas, calla lilies, red and white roses, and orchids are popular choices, with the accents of Christmas pine and pine cones,” said Mr Whitehead. For persons looking for something different to the decorate the table and display on their mantels, he said there are a myriad of artificial arrangements that would be just as lovely as the real thing. “The trend in artificial arrangements is a lot of sparkle,” he said. “The arrangements have a fantasy looking feel to them with metallic hues like grey smoke and silver.” Or, he added, persons may wish to go a nontraditional route with choices such as peacock inspired jewel tones like green, blue and purple.

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shopping

Louis & Steen’s hosts first pop up Christmas market By ALESHA CADET Tribune Features Writer acadet@tribunemedia.net

HILE the Louis & Steen’s New Orleans Coffeehouse on West Bay Street may be a relative newcomer to these shores, it is committed to providing avenues to showcase local businesses, arts and crafts. Last Saturday, the coffee shop hosted its first Christmas Market Pop Up Shop in an effort to encourage people to “buy Bahamian” this holiday season. The market featured companies such as Green Leaf Farms, Pop Stop, Fine Ocean Jewellery, Imogene Walkine, Keesha’s Creations, Chiccharney Farms, V & V Condiments, Pursenal ParaDiyse, LVC Resortwear, and Relish 242. “We were delighted to facilitate this opportunity for them at our coffeehouse,” said Tara Russell, owner and operator of Louis & Steen’s alongside husband Davin Russell. “In addition to providing specialty coffee and authentically Southern New Orleans cuisine, we wanted to ensure that we offered the market to our customers to assist with their Christmas shopping. Ocean Views and specialty coffee plus authentic Bahamian creations equal the perfect paradise.” Tara said the coffeehouse’s motto, “Brewing Love in Every Cup”, speaks to the emotion customers feel when drinking their specialty coffee, and also ties into the story of Davin’s grandparents, Louis and Earnestine “Steen” Carter of New Orleans, entrepreneurs who used their skills to bring people together. “We are sharing the dream of Louis and Earnestine to bring the community together, while

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Photos/shawn hanna

Louis and Steen’s Pop Up Christmas Market.

“We are here to encourage other young aspiring entrepreneurs. We are a small business and we are looking to motivate others to illustrate that business ownership is within the reach of the Bahamian people.”

offering a superior product. We are here to encourage other young aspiring entrepreneurs. We are a small business and we are looking to motivate others to illustrate that business ownership is within the reach of the Bahamian people. At future open house markets we are hoping to feature and showcase musical artisans who can also showcase their talents,” she said. For Tara, it has been a joy to see people from all walks of life utilising the coffeehouse for various reasons: work or relaxation. It has proved especially popular with on-the-go entrepreneurs who use the space as their virtual office. “Louis & Steen’s creates a community environment, bringing together families, friends and faith. We are a new small business, offering a new product in the community. We are the first specialty coffeehouse in the Bahamas; our beans are roasted fresh on a weekly basis. One of our mandates is to continue to highlight the talents of our Bahamians. Thus, some of our products are provided by local vendors,” said Tara. She said she believes the Bahamas’ economy is strengthened by small businesses, and Louis & Steen’s is here to encourage them all.

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society

A toast to luxury Bahamian Escapes hosts ‘Christmas and Champagne’ By ALESHA CADET Tribune Features Writer acadet@tribunemedia.net

icking off the holiday season with panache, the luxury real estate and lifestyle brand Bahamian Escapes last Friday hosted its exclusive “Christmas and Champagne” party to celebrate the finer things in life. The company is known for highlighting the best of the Bahama islands, particularly luxurious estates, boutique resorts, fine restaurants and art. Bahamian Escapes is also a partner of HG Christie International Real Estate. Shamon Campbell, Bahamian Escapes CEO and luxury estate agent, said she believes that they have made their mark Nassau’s social scene the by hosting unique events at exceptional, on-the-market properties. Their latest event was held at a model house in Oakridge Estates, which impressed with its 10ft doors and 12ft-high ceilings. Guests toured the interior of the estate before gathering on the balcony with a lake-front view for drinks and tasty treats. Highlights of the evening included a live performance by singer Chase Fernander and her band, Juke Box Live, and a showcase by artist Andrae Evans of The Art Room. “Bahamian Escapes’ ‘Christmas

and Champagne’ has become an annual event for the brand and is really an opportunity to celebrate the end of the year with our subscribers and supporters,” Shamon told Tribune Weekend. “It brings together a wide cross section of the society. From socialites to key decision makers; the guest list is ultraexclusive.” The event is also an opportunity for the brand to introduce readers of the Bahamian Escapes magazine to the luxury properties that will be featured in the next edition. Bahamian Escapes representatives chose this approach to allow their readers to really immerse themselves in a property, so that when they are flipping through the next issue they feel a deeper connection to the home in question, having walked its halls. Shamon believes one of the most incredible features of the Oakridge Estates is its easily operated computer system. From the iPads in every room, guests got the opportunity to manage lights, televisions, speakers and alarms. “We wanted to show the home’s technology off by promoting our website on the screens of the iPads and televisions throughout the house,” she said. Upon entering the home’s double doors, Editor-in-Chief of Bahamian Escapes Magazine Kendeno Knowles greeted each guest. “I’m pretty sure at some point in our lives we’ve all stumbled into an event, major or otherwise, and found it difficult to maneuver or find our way. I remember thinking about how shy it would make me and also determine my mood for the rest of the event,” said Kendeno. “It was against this premise that we made the decision for us to ensure our guests never felt that. Our luxury is the kind you don’t only see and feel, but

(l-r) Rhys Campbell with Shamon Campbell and Kendeno Knowles of Bahamian Escapes

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it’s the overall experience. And that is why it was important for me to greet our readers and subscribers, as well as those that aren’t, to show them how important they are to us as well as the overall experience. We call it the Bahamian Escapes experience.” Rhys Campbell, vice president of corporate affairs and strategic planning at Bristol Wine and Spirits, said his company was pleased to partner with Bahamian Escapes, which featured some of Bristol’s premium brands such as Laurent-Perrier, Justin Wines and Grey Goose. “Laurent-Perrier is a family owned champagne

house, just like our company. We really take the time to find partners that we can work with, that really have the same values that we have,” said Rhys. “When we think of the Bahamas and how much we consume champagne here, we really want to ensure that our customers get the premium experience of Laurent-Perrier, and that is why it is a natural fit for us to partner with Bahamian Escapes tonight.” Shamon said the ‘Christmas and Champagne’ event grows with every year and they are already thinking of new ways to showcase their brand in the future.

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fashion

The young and the stylish

PhotoS/ShAWN hANNA

Kids’ boutique shows off latest trends; gives back to community

By CARA HUNT cbrennen@tribunemedia.net

he cute factor was in full effect at the Kalico Bay’s A Children’s Fall Fashion Affair for 2016. The young models confidently walked the runway at SuperClub Breezes, showing off the latest in kids’ fashion. Hundreds of patrons enjoyed the event which featured special holiday cupcakes created by the “Baking Barrister”, Vivienne Dean, and entertainment by DJ Fun. According to store owner Danielle Anusiem, “Everyone had an amazing time. The cupcakes were decadent, DJ Fun kept the crowd excited, and the makeup was provided by Sarsha Lepeche and the girls looked like angels.” However, Mrs Anusiem stressed that the event was much more than just a fashion show. She said the company also used the

opportunity to make special presentations to two children’s homes, which she said are often overlooked during the holidays. Residents of the two facilities – The Elizabeth Estates Children’s Home and the Bilney Lane Children’s Home – will each receive a special outfit so that they can look and feel their best during the holidays. “I will also go into the homes and talk to the children about personal deportment and how to present themselves,” said Mrs Anusiem. “We want to add value to their lives. This donation gives the team at Kalico Bay an opportunity to be truly involved in the community and we always want to keep the community in mind. They keep the business moving and thriving,” she said. “As long as you can help others, that same good fortune will follow you. And we are more than delighted to do this for some very deserving children.” The Kalico Bay boutique is located on Christie Avenue 84 in Stapledon Gardens,

Kalico Bay Children’s Fall Fashion show at SuperClubs Breezes.

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fashion

The young and the stylish

PhotoS/ShAWN hANNA

Kids’ boutique shows off latest trends; gives back to community

By CARA HUNT cbrennen@tribunemedia.net

Kalico Bay Children’s Fall Fashion show at SuperClubs Breezes.

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celebrity The Weekend Fashion Report “Passengers” premiere

FAIL

HIT

FAIL

SPLIT

Jennifer Lawrence “Passengers”

Anna Faris “Mom”

Jennette McCurdy “iCarly”

Dania Ramirez “Devious Maids”

Rachael Leigh Cook “Robot Chicken”

Karin says: “Dior still doing Jen wrong...or wrongish in this case. It’s not as unflattering as some of their other designs for her, but it’s not great either. It’s just blah. Alas, as long as she’s the brand ambassador we probably won’t see her really rocking the red carpet.” Cara says: “I hope that heart detail is symbolic of something....or maybe she needed it to get into the party. If not, I don’t understand why you would be walking around like you spilled something on what is otherwise a very nice, if a tad bit boring, white ball gown. And I know we talk about needing a pop of colour, but this just looks silly.”

Karin says: “We haven’t really seen Anna since she won the Bahamas Film Festival Rising Star Award in 2008 (oops), but I must say she’s looking good. I’m not 100 per cent sold on the length of the dress, but I’m loving this blue/grey lace. The necklace is also perfect for the plunging neckline.” Cara says: “It’s a really cute dress. I think she needs a bit of colour – maybe a brighter, more festive lipstick, but she’s looking really good. I’m on the fence with the shoes, but overall it’s a nice ensemble.”

Karin says: “This is clearly a ‘I want to look grown and sexy’ fail. I know ‘Sam’ is in her mid-20s now, but it doesn’t seem right. The red is nice on her, but the bandeau top is just not working, and I hate to say it, but that choker just emphasises the bobble head syndrome.” Cara says: “So the choker and the bandeau top trends are here to stay it seems. At some point, since I can’t beat it, I guess I have to get on board with it...doesn’t mean I have to love it. Or maybe I’m just bitter because I know I can’t wear a bandeau due to belly fat and all.”

Karin says: “It’s half a kimono! It’s half a Flamenco gown! Actually no, it’s just a shirt dress gone really wrong. I hate the way it buttons up the front and I hate the huge ruffles on the sleeve. It’s just all too much. There is no clear style here.” Cara says: “This is all right. The print is cute, but the belt is hideous, and probably only added as an afterthought. And while I like the shoes, I think the bag is a little too boring for an evening out.”

Karin says: “OK, so I’m thinking this is supposed to be a fun take on the ‘I’m a good girl, but also a bit naughty’ theme, seeing as she opted for a Victorian high collar but decided to let her black bra show through. In the end it’s neither sexy nor modest, just plain ugly.” Cara says: “I don’t hate it. I think that the bra needed to be less grammy-like...that huge bra is just too distracting. I like the idea behind the lace and the sheerness of it, but it needs a few changes.

ap photos

With Karin Herig and Cara Hunt

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podcasts

Festive listening Shows to reflect on the meaning of Christmas By Stephen Hunt shunt@tribunemedia.net

T’S the most wonderful time of the year... though not for all of us. Christmas can be fantastic, and it can be stressful – so here are some shows that make us reflect on the season, and perhaps offer some guidance for those struggling to be happy at a time when everyone else seems to be.

The Sporkful The Sporkful is normally a show about food – check their back history of shows and you’ll see all kinds of shows such as when is it OK to send food back in a restaurant, alternative types of food you can discover such as a Puerto Rican form of eggnog, and so on. But the latest show is very much in the spirit of Christmas. Host Dan Pashman says he was feeling down after the US election result and felt he ought to do something to help others to lift his own spirits. He decided to help deliver food to New Yorkers who were unable for one reason or another are unable to cook or shop for themselves, and rather than wait until Christmas, he was so taken by the idea that he started right away. He’s a warm and charming host but that’s not what makes this show worth listening to. It’s the people he visits, from the elderly woman in whose voice you can hear the passion when she says that when she came to work “I was an actress” or the former policeman with walls adorned with art whose sadness can be heard in his voice when he says he won’t be visiting family for Christmas because they have plans. There’s some adult material here, in the descriptions of situations by that

former police officer, but listening to this show reminds us very much of the people who might need a helping hand this Christmas. If you listen to this, you’ll want to reach out to those in your own neighbourhood, and that’s a good thing. Website: http://www.sporkful.com

Happier with Gretchen Ruben My first taste of this show was just that, a brief morsel – the latest show being little more than a minute in which host Gretchen recalls an occasion when she let a man have her taxi, and the sincerity of his “Bless you!” left her reflecting on the importance of such moments. I needed more, so I dove into a previous episode, ‘Don’t Treat Yourself’. The episode urges just that, not treating yourself – which may seem contrary as we head into the Christmas season. However, the focus is on what comes after the treat. If you’re the sort to feel guilty or ashamed after a treat, if you have that piece of chocolate and then spend hours wishing you hadn’t, or had that extra glass or two of wine then struggle the next morning, then the suggestion is to treat yourself by not having that after-effect. Turn away the

treat, and reward yourself with the lack of consequences. It’s a thought that may help some as we head into the season of excess. The show also features an interview with Jonathan Fields, of the Good Life Project, whose show I reviewed a few weeks ago. He’s a really good guest, lively and insightful, and very much focused on the fundamentals of who we are and how we can set about living, well, a good life. I’m not totally sold on this show – I’m not sure exactly where to put my finger on it, but it feels like a show for those with the time and comfort to explore how to be happy. Still, there will be those who find it hits the spot. Website: http://gretchenrubin.com/ podcast/

10% Happier With Dan Harris Dan Harris is a familiar voice – he’s the co-anchor of Nightline and the weekend edition of Good Morning America. In fact, he had a panic attack live on that latter show, which led him to explore ways of dealing with happiness and panic, and taking up meditation, something he previously thought ridiculous. The aim of the show is to explore

whether ambition and happiness, enlightenment, are compatible. For the Christmas season, the latest episode explores how to handle holiday stress. Alongside guests Sharon Salzberg and Kate Johnson, both meditation teachers, as well as David Gelles, a New York Times business reporter, they discuss the sometimes absurdities of the festive season – such as striving to create the perfect environment in which we then shut ourselves in with all our family and start drinking alcohol. It’s little surprise some arguments ensue! It’s a useful discussion, touching on such things as how we compare our holiday with that of others we see on social media, or how if we set ourselves high expectations from our holiday break – or on into our New Year’s resolutions – we can set ourselves up for failure. The advice here can help to focus the mind on the goal of enjoying the holidays, rather than the goal of striving for a perfect holiday, and that might help some of us as we dash through our last Christmas preparations. Perhaps a little long for a pre-Christmas listen at 55 minutes, but if you’re stressed out, then this is one to listen to when you take over the bathroom for some important me time. Website: http://www.stitcher.com/ podcast/10-happier

18 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, December 23, 2016

books

Author tells untold history of WWII U-boats in the Bahamas

hile most World War II historical study focuses primarily on mainland Europe and the Pacific, Eric Wiberg takes a different approach, training his periscope on waters closer to home in his latest book, “U-Boats in the Bahamas.” Many historians overlook the wartime activity in the waters surrounding the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos, but Mr Wiberg – a maritime recruiter, lawyer and mariner who grew up in the Bahamas – seeks to explain how these waterways were supply lines vital to an Allied victory. Until now, very few realised the stakes and cost men paid for keeping these passages open. In the new book, readers get to witness World War II through the eyes of Allied sailors who faced danger at every knot and fathom as German and Italian submarines sought to sink every ship they could. Merchant mariners had their vessels continuously attacked, many of them sinking to the great below. Through a wide array of historical sources, Mr Wiberg tells the stories ranging from the enemy U-Boat crews to even the Bahamian islanders who generously provided refuge for desperate castaways. The new publication has already garnered praise from fellow authors who have an interest in this field. “Quite impressive and excellent,” is how to Gaylord Kelshall, author of “The UBoat War in the Caribbean”, describes the book.

Meanwhile Captain Paul C Aranha, author of “The Island Airman . . . and his Bahama Islands Home”, said:“Eric Wiberg’s ability, to unearth obscure historical facts, keeps me in a constant state of surprise. I commend his relentless determination to verify every detail.” Herbert A Werner, a former Kriegsmarine naval officer who is known for his acclaimed memoir “Iron Coffins Books: A Personal Account of the German UBoat Battles of World War II”, praised Mr Wiberg for producing an “excellent historical combination of these events which have not been detailed in publications.” Mr Wiberg, who is known to Tribune Weekend readers for his multiple part column on the history of local mailboats, grew up in the Bahamas as the son of the Swedish Consul-General stationed here. A licenced maritime lawyer, his thesis for a Master’s Degree in Marine Affairs was publishes as Tanker Disasters. For three years he commercially operated tankers in Singapore. Over 25 years he has sailed on 120 vessels, most of them sailboats, for 80,000 miles, including voyages across the Atlantic and Pacific and over 30 ocean passages to or from Bermuda. He has published five books, the latest being “U-Boats in the Bahamas”. A graduate of Boston College, he studied at Harris Manchester College, Oxford his Junior Year and in Lisbon during law school. Employed in the shipping industry in New York City, he lives in Westport, Connecticut.

The U-156 (foreground) and U-507 (background) on September 15, 1942. The U-156 was responsible for the sinking of the steam ship SS Willimantic close to Bahamian waters.

Author Eric Wiberg

The Tribune | Weekend | 19

Friday, December 23, 2016

music

Old school reggae for Christmas

Bodine Johnson

D-Mac

‘D-Mac and Friends’ spread cheer in Exuma By JEFFARAH GIBSON Tribune Features Writer jgibson@tribunemedia.net

-Mac and Friends will continue to rock the island of Exuma this weekend with their Christmas All-Star musi-

cal festival. The three-day event kicked off yesterday with a free gospel concert, and will resume tonight and Saturday with performances by some of the country’s top entertainers. The musical extravaganza unites a cross section of DJs, bands and singers from multiple genres, including gospel, rake n’ scrape, reggae, soca and calypso, with the added bonus of Bahamian food and an authentic cultural show featuring limbo and fire dancers. It all takes place at the Regatta Park beginning 9pm nightly. Tonight and Saturday night’s attractions include the Kalik Beer Fest, featuring D-Mac, Elon Moxey, Veronica Bishop, Blaudy, Bodine, Sammi Star, M-Deez and Benje, all accompanied by Exuma’s Tropical Breeze Band.

Elon Moxey Also performing are the Synergy Band, the Calypso Band and the Sweet Love Band. The event will be hosted by the Mighty Pencil and Dwight Hart, with music by DJ Rev, DJ Scooby, DJ Spliff and Code Red. Both concerts nights will honour Exuma legends George Whylly, Kenneth Nixon and Godfrey Bowe. ‘D-Mac & Friends’ Christmas’ was first hosted back in 2013 in Exuma, and in both Nassau and Exuma in 2015. D-Mac told Tribune Weekend that he decided to once again musical festival in Exuma because it gives the islanders something to do during the holiday season. “We wanted to start focusing on

Dyson Knight the islands because too often they are neglected. People tend to think that Nassau is the entire Bahamas, and that is not the case. We want to present the island people with fun events to participate in,” he said. “I love Exuma so much. I’m passionate about the growth of the island and I appreciate the support I receive from my family and friends every time I come home. Last year we had blast with ‘D-Mac and Friends Christmas in Exuma’, so this year I extended it to three nights of non-stop music because I wanted to create economic opportunities for the island. I am thankful to all the sponsors for supporting my passion.”

For the slightly more mature crowd who are looking for an enjoyable night out this Boxing Day, the Concepts entertainment company is hosting its annual holiday edition of the popular old school reggae party series, ‘One Blood’. It all goes down at Smugglers, in the courtyard of the Pirates Museum on George Street – incidentally the site of the original event 12 years ago. Doors for the event open at 9pm. In keeping with the theme, an irie – red, gold and green – dress code is suggested. While the group has hosted other iterations of the signature reggae throwback event over the years, ‘One Blood’ has become known as a special December treat for reggae lovers. The event aims to take party-goers on a trip down memory lane, as DJs bring back old school reggae tunes from the likes of Half Pint, Dennis Brown and Barrington Levy, among others. Music for the throwback reggae party will be provided by two of Nassau’s most skilled and versed DJs when it comes to old school reggae – Selector Ty and Selector 3D. Leah Davis, organiser of the event, explained the initial intention was to host a party that she herself would like to attend. The demand persisted and the events began to fill a gap in the entertainment market for the over 25-year-old crowd looking for a safe night out with good people and good vibes. “I have been hosting old school reggae parties since 2004; the first ones were called ‘A Reggae Flashback’ and were hosted at Pirates of Nassau. The events have had several homes, but regardless of the venue they have consistently delivered a musical experience specifically for lovers of old school reggae and dub,” she said. “This event is always a safe and ‘irie’ experience that my patrons have grown accustomed to and look forward to twice annually. It will be a fun musical experience where guests will hear songs they have not heard since way back when, laugh and dance the night away.”

20| The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, December 23, 2016

music Photos/Dimitrios Kambou ris/Getty Images for Sand als Royal Bahamian

Top artists bring country vibes to the islands Sandals’ concert series gives back to Bahamian youth

FTER a successful event in Montego Bay, Jamaica, it was Nassau’s turn to host some of the hottest country music artists as part of Sandals’ second edition of the ‘Story Behind the Songs’ concert series. From December 8-11, the Royal Bahamian Spa Resort and Offshore Island teamed up with CMT After MidNite With Cody Alan to bring some country flavour to the islands. The Nassau leg of the event comprised a four-day getaway featuring live performances by Grammy-nominated and ACM Award-winning chart-toppers, the Eli Young Band, and a rocking opening performance by breakout singer/songwriter Tucker Beathard. The musical events included backstories of each song told first-hand by the artists, from memories on the road to the inspiration behind the songs. This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity was enjoyed by Sandals LIV+ vacationers, along with 30 lucky radio listeners who won their way to paradise by tuning into their favorite local country station or the nationwide contest on CMT After MidNite with Cody Alan, CMT All Access with Cody Alan, and CMT Radio Live with Cody Alan. The music carried from the Bahamas to the airwaves throughout the weekend as the artists met with 17 radio stations garnered by MicnE Productions. DJs and radio hosts caught up with the artists on air as the stations broadcasted live from the tropical Sandals resort. As the official event host, award-winning country music personal-

(l-r) The Eli Young Band onstage during the CMT ‘Story Behind the Songs’ LIV + Weekend at Sandals Royal Bahamian Spa Resort.

Recording artist Tucker Beathard performs at Sandals Royal Bahamian Spa Resort.

The rake n’ scrape band and school choir from Gerald Cash Primary perform during the ‘Story Behind the Songs’ welcome cocktail party.

Mike Eli (left) and James Young of the Eli Young Band join the rake n’ scrape band and school choir from Gerald Cash Primary on stage.

ity Cody Alan also sat down with the Eli Young Band and Tucker Beathard as they shared their ‘Story Behind the Songs’ experiences, including a red carpet meet and greet with fans, a VIP LIV+ official wrap party with DeeJay Static and special presentation by the Sandals Foundation, the non-profit arm of Sandals Resorts International. In an effort to improve the lives of those in the Caribbean, proceeds from ‘Story Behind the Songs’ T-shirt sales, silent auction and a portion of LIV+ package sales were donated to the Sandals Foundation’s holiday effort. As a special thank you for the donations and in-kind holiday toys that will go to local children in the Bahamas, the local rake n’ scrape band and school choir from Gerald Cash Primary School prepared a surprise musical performance, singing Eli Young Bands’ hit single, “Even If It Breaks Your Heart.” In total, the ‘Story Behind the Songs’ event raised $7,894 for the Sandals Foundation, of which 100 per cent of the proceeds will go to benefit local community programmes in the Caribbean. Future musical events facilitated by Alliance Connection and other Sandals LIV+ events will soon be announced at www.sandals.com/liv-plus/.

The Tribune | Weekend |21

Friday, December 23, 2016

film

review

Videogame pic ‘Assassin’s Creed’ is anything but fun Assassin’s creed running time: 115 mins

n “Assassin’s Creed “ a death row inmate is saved by a shadowy organisation because they need him to unlock the memories of his 15th

century ancestor Aguilar to find the location of an apple that contains the genetic code to free will because Marion Cotillard wants to end violence ... or something. There have surely been sillier film premises, but even in a year that gave us “Independence Day: Resurgence,” I’m hard pressed to think of anything as convoluted and, in the end, as joyless and unrewarding as this. Yes, “Assassin’s Creed” is attempting to give a serious narrative origin story to the popular video game, ostensibly setting up interest in possible future films. But it’s hard to even feign interest in this one, let alone what might come next. Director Justin Kurzel’s film embodies the worst tendencies of modern blockbusters to feel not like a full movie, but a tease for what’s to come – a television pilot on the big screen. In the case of “Assassin’s Creed,” they try to give an emotional entryway into understanding the ancient conflict

Michael Fassbender as Cal Lynch

review

Wilson’s words sing in Washington’s ‘Fences’ fences running time: 139 mins

Denzel Washington as Troy Maxson and Viola Davis as Rose Maxson in “Fences”. The Blues music of “Fences” sings with a ferocious beauty in Denzel Washington’s long-in-coming adaptation of August Wilson’s masterpiece of African-American survival and sorrow. Transfers from stage to screen often serve up only a pale reflection of the electric, live-wire theater experience. But Washington, in his good sense, has neither strained to make August’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play particularly cinematic nor to “open it up” much from the confines of the staged settings. What we have, instead, is a meatand-potatoes drama, delivered with

full-bodied, powerhouse performances and an attuned ear to the bebop rhythms of Wilson’s dense, musical dialogue. The 1957-set “Fences” surely doesn’t call for anything like a Stanley Kubrick treatment. Just give us the words and the people, with passion. “Fences,” part of August’s celebrated 10-part, decade-by-decade Century cycle, ought to have been made decades ago. It nearly was once, but Wilson’s insistence that a black director make it was deemed impractical by a backward Hollywood.

So Washington’s “Fences,” the first big-screen adaption of any of Wilson’s plays, is righting a wrong. The upside to the timing is that it would be difficult imagining better performers than Washington and Viola Davis, who starred together in a 2010 Broadway revival. Washington plays Maxson, an illiterate former Negro League baseball star who spent 15 years in prison, is a nine-to-five, blue-collar patriarch in loud revolt against a life that’s ground him down. With almost unrelenting bombast, he’s at war with the racism

between the Templars, who want order, and the Assassins, who have sworn to preserve free will at all costs, through the story of Cal Lynch. We meet Cal as a kid, a daredevil troublemaker who bikes home to find Patsy Cline’s “Crazy” blaring over the speakers and his mother dead at the kitchen table. His father, sporting a dramatic hooded cape, is there with a knife and tells Cal that he needs to get out and “live in the shadows.” Then some government types in black SUVs storm the house as Cal escapes on the rooftops. Did his dad kill his mom? Was he trying to protect Cal? Does any of it make a bit of sense having never met any of these characters before? And what was with that cape? The answers sort of come, but not for a while. By that point you may have forgotten that you were supposed to care in the first place. LINDSEY BAHR AP Film Writer that’s boxed him in his whole life, with the changing world around him and with his own mortality. Feeling the devil near, Maxson is building a fence to keep him out – though there are other reasons he’s closing himself off. The other characters operate in reaction to the verbal force that is Maxson. First and foremost is his wife, the demure but formidable Rose (Viola Davis), who gradually moves from the kitchen toward the centre of the film. She’s a figure of devotion whose own pains and regrets don’t spill out until her climactic speech: “I planted myself inside you and waited to bloom,” she tells Maxson. It’s a knockout moment, delivered by a blistering Davis with tears and snot smeared across her face. The heart of the drama, though, is its father-son story. Jovan Adepo plays Cory, whose college hopes rest on his football skills. Maxson lectures him again and again: “The white man ain’t gonna let you get nowhere with that football noway,” he tells him. Washington’s performance is titanic, surely one of the best of his career. Maxson’s deluge of dialogue — all its tale tales, braggadocio and pain — just flows out of him. “Fences” may never lose the look and sound of a play, but Washington’s close-up focus on the characters only heightens the dignity Wilson bestowed on them. JAKE COYLE AP Film Writer

22 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, December 23, 2016

literary lives philip van doren stern

A Christmas crisis “Frank, if you want to do a movie about me committing suicide, with an angel with no wings named Clarence, I’m your boy.”

Sir Christopher Ondaatje has profound personal reasons to remember the American author and historian whose short story inspired the Christmas favourite “It’s a Wonderful Life”

ave you ever stayed alone at Christmas? I mean, absolutely alone? Well I have - and the experience changed my life, although not in quite the way I had intended. It was the Christmas of 1958 and the Canadian winter was extremely cold. Deep drifts of snow lay on the roads of Montreal, the ice on the pavements was treacherous and a bitter east wind was blowing across the city. I had just moved there from Toronto after chucking up my stockbroking job in the accounts “cage” at Burns Brothers. The job had been leading me

- James Stewart to Frank Capra, director of “It’s a Wonderful Life”, 1946

The original poster for “It’s a Wonderful Life”, based on the short story “The Greatest Gift”. nowhere for a couple of years. I knew I had somehow got to break away and start afresh, maybe in publishing. So I had given up $55 a week, collected together what little money I had (and it was very little), and grabbed the night train from Toronto’s Union Station. My sole introduction in Montreal was to a young man, Stuart Horne, who ran a boarding house on Côte des Neiges. This was called Amherst House

and, at one time, it had been lived in by General Amherst, who commanded General Wolfe’s troops in Quebec in 1759. I’ve always liked history, but my immediate problem in the here and now was how to rustle up $150 in advance for the monthly rent at Amherst House. I simply didn’t have the money. So I pawned my typewriter for $200 and made my way to Côte des Neiges, where Stuart Horne gave me a single bed in

the downstairs library. I felt really lucky to have anywhere at all to stay and silently praised myself for having got a good deal on my typewriter. There were only two people staying there, because every other resident had gone away to family or friends for the Christmas holidays. I remember the date of my arrival clearly: Monday, December 22, 1958. I had no job, knew no one and had barely enough money to survive for a month. Three days later, on Christmas Day, I was the only person in residence at Amherst House. The place was quiet - almost as quiet as a grave - and of course it was cold. General Amherst’s huge library windows, with their tattered curtains, hardly kept out the freezing winter draughts. But eventually I plucked up the courage to peel myself out of the narrow bed, shave, put on as many clothes as I physically could, then think about what I was going to do for my Christmas breakfast. Funnily enough, although my situation was miserable, I felt excited. For the first time ever I was totally alone. I

Continued on page 23

The Tribune | Weekend | 23

Friday, December 23, 2016

“Funnily enough, although my situation was miserable, I felt excited. For the first time ever I was totally alone. I knew then that whatever I would do in my life I would have to do for myself.” James Stewart, who plays George Bailey, in a scene from ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’ Continued from page 22 knew then that whatever I would do in my life I would have to do for myself. There was no food in the house. I decided, just to fill in the time, to walk all the way down Côte des Neiges to St Catherine’s Street and treat myself at one of the cafés to a big meal of bacon and eggs. I set out around 10 o’clock. The walk down icy Côtes des Neiges was a long one. Although I had wrapped myself up as far as possible, my overcoat, muffler and woollen hat - pulled right over my ears - did not keep out the bitter wind, while the ice and snow soon soaked my thin leather shoes, making the journey even more uncomfortable. Many of the cafés and restaurants were closed, but eventually, after an hour’s walk, I found a tiny café on St Catherine’s Street. By this point I was far too cold to be hungry: more important than food was some warmth, away from the street. I decided to stay in the café for as long as they would allow me. Toast, two pats of butter, fried eggs, crisp bacon and a mug of piping hot coffee, then a second mug, filled my stomach. Life now wasn’t exactly wonderful, but neither was it all that bad.

After breakfast, I would have liked to have gone to church, but I had no idea where to go. Moreover, my clothes made me a little ashamed. So I trudged aimlessly further down St Catherine’s Street, braving the winter weather, looking at all the closed shops, including the

Philip Van Doren Stern, author of ‘The Greatest Gift’, the short story that inspired the classic Christmas film ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’

windows of a department store. Practically no one else was walking, and there were very few cars on the slippery Montreal streets either. I had no idea what to do for the rest of the day. Past noon, I found myself in front of a tiny movie hall, the Bijou Cinema. But that, too, was closed and would not open until two o’clock. Still, here was an idea. If I went to the cinema, I could spend the afternoon in comparative warmth. In the meantime I had about two hours to kill, so I continued to walk east, as far as St Lawrence Boulevard and then back again. Luckily the cinema opened half an hour early and there were a few other people buying tickets. The film was a fairly old one, “It’s a Wonderful Life”, which I had heard of but never seen. Seeing this film by sheer luck turned out to be the best Christmas present I could ever have imagined. ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’, based loosely on a short story, “The Greatest Gift” – initially printed by the author Philip Van Doren Stern as a Christmas card to his friends in 1943 - was produced and directed by Frank Capra. It is a terrific

Continued on page 24

24 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, December 23, 2016

Forgotten facts Paul C Aranha

Film poster from ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’ Continued from page 23 film, now regarded as a classic, which the American Film Institute rates among the best 100 American films and number one on its list of the most inspirational American films of all time. But when it was made in 1946, it failed to win a single Oscar and was considered a commercial failure. The film’s setting is the fictional American small town of Bedford Falls, after the Second World War. It stars James Stewart as George Bailey, a man whose imminent suicide on Christmas Eve attracts the attention of his guardian angel, Clarence Odbody, who is sent to help him in his hour of need. Much of the film is told through flashbacks spanning George’s life, narrated by two unseen senior angels who are training Clarence for his earthly mission to save George and thereby earn his angel’s wings. In these flashbacks we see all the people whose lives have been touched by George and the difference he has made to the small-town community in which he has always lived. When George was 12, he rescued his younger brother from drowning after he fell through the ice on a pond. Later, as an errand boy in a pharmacy, he saved his boss from mistakenly filling a child’s prescription with poison. Later still, having married his childhood sweetheart Mary, on their way out of town for their honeymoon they witness a run on a bank that leaves the town’s Building and Loan Society in danger of collapse. George and Mary give the $2,000 they have saved for their honeymoon to the townspeople. But things go from bad to worse. George misplaces $5,000 he had to deposit in the Building and Loan Society. When he appeals for a loan from a powerful slum

landlord, Henry Potter, to save the society, the Scrooge-like Potter refuses. In panic, George crashes his car into a tree during a snowstorm and runs to a nearby bridge to end his life. He is worth more dead than alive, he feels, because of his $15,000 life insurance policy. But George’s guardian angel intervenes and shows him a nightmare vision of what the town of Bedford Falls would have been like, had George and his good deeds never existed - a horrifying slum called Pottersville, with a main street dominated by pawn shops and sleazy bars. In the nightmare vision, his younger brother was drowned; his boss was convicted of manslaughter; and Mary, his wife, is a spinster librarian with failing eyesight and a broken heart because she didn’t marry George. In the end, George begs his guardian angel to let him live. His prayers are answered and he returns to Bedford Falls with a new outlook. He finds that his friends have raised a huge amount of money to rescue both him and the Building and Loan Society. At a party, his brother proposes a toast to George as “the richest man in town”, not only because of the many individuals he has helped but also because of the enormous difference he has made to the town. George Bailey realises that, despite some awful problems, his life really is wonderful. When I walked out of the Bijou Cinema in the late afternoon gloom of Christmas Day, 1958, I felt as if I were walking on air. Despite the snow and the sleet and the wind, I no longer felt cold and my own problems seemed surmountable. I was alone but I knew that my family, though thousands of miles way in Ceylon and England, were all well and, I hoped, having a marvellous Christmas together. It made me feel better just to think of them. I had made the right decision to break away and seek a new life in a new country. A new world lay at my feet. There was opportunity around every corner, and everything was up to me. Life felt great. “It’s a Wonderful Life” remains a favourite film. Over the years since 1958 I have urged every member of my family to watch it – particularly at Christmas. I see it every year and, each time, the film reminds me of my lonely first Christmas in Montreal. I can’t help wondering how things would have turned out for me if I hadn’t stumbled on it at this particular moment in my life. I also wonder how many lives of other people it has changed, even though, like me, they didn’t believe in angels. NEXT WEEK: The legend of Conchy Joe • Sir Christopher Ondaatje is an adventurer and writer resident in the Bahamas. A Sri Lankan-born Canadian-Englishman, he is the author of several books, including “The Last Colonial”.

The riot at Inagua

orty six years have passed since the demise of Bahamas Airways Limited (BAL) and it is refreshing to hear how many people are happy to read about the country’s first airline, Oakes Field and related stories In August, 1937, BAL’s only plane, the Douglas Dolphin that H G Christie had bought from Alfred Vanderbilt II, was flown to Hartford, Connecticut, for overhaul, leaving the Colony without air service. Six days later, government in Nassau received a broken, telegraphed message reporting disturbances at Inagua and requesting police assistance. The wireless connection had been interrupted before the full text of the message could be sent, but it was clear that help was needed. With no plane available, a boat - carrying five police constables under the command of Major Lindop - was despatched on the 48-hour trip With a land surface of 560 square miles, Inagua ranks third in size in the Bahama islands behind Andros and Abaco. It is more than ten times as big as New Providence, but the entire population, some 700 in all, lived in Mathew Town, where the Erickson family’s salt industry was king. The events at Inagua are described, in detail, in at least two books. Margery O Erickson writes about “The Riot” and Gilbert Klingel uses the words “Revolution on Tropical Island - Eight Americans and Twenty

Employees Flee Uprising on Island of Inagua - Settlement in Flames”. There was extensive coverage in the Nassau newspapers and, ultimately, George and Willis Duvalier, who had fled to Haiti, were charged with the murder of John Munroe, extradited from Haiti and put on trial in Nassau. Bahamas Airways had been criticised for not being available when most needed, but it was Captain Collar, in the Dolphin, who flew down to Port au Prince, Haiti, and brought back the Duvalier brothers. Flying time from Port au Prince to Nassau was four hours 55 minutes, BAL’s longest revenue-flight up to that time. The trial opened in the Supreme Court in Nassau on November 2. The accused were convicted the next day and hanged on November 21. The ‘Inagua Riot’ underlined the need for dependable air service and a message was sent to the House of Assembly regarding the establishment of an Interinsular Air Service. Debate took up the remaining months of the year and focused on the expected £1,500 cost to the Public Treasury. In retrospect, £1,500 may look like a paltry amount, but it must be viewed in relation to the financial state of a colony that had only 1,454 motor vehicles. Revenues for 1937 totalled £513,926. Expenses reached £419,235. There was not much left over for air service. •islandairman@gmail.com

A postcard showing the Hamburg American Line buildings in Inagua. The company’s ships used to call at Inagua, on the voyages from Germany to Central America, picking up stevedores and dropping them back on the way home. Because of HAM, Inagua was, for a while, the General Post Office of the Bahamas. Mail came from Europe to Inagua, then travelled by mail boat to Nassau.

The Tribune | Weekend | 25

Friday, December 23, 2016

section

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.

O D Y TARGETV R BTHE

network access charge. Chambers you have

26 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, December21st 23, 2016

section

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

Century Dictionary (1999 edition)

Y E E O D Y V R B

CRYPTIC PUZZLE

12 14 15

Yesterday’s Easy Solution

Down 1 Simple? Yes, with Across: 1 Surplus, 5 Balsa, a form (4) 8 Upper hand, 9 Wit, 10 Poor, 2 Ideal trio to arrange daily 12 Cauldron, 14 Suburb, 15 Sonata, 17 Polished, 18 Tend, work perhaps (9) 21 Own, 22 Enigmatic, 24 Elect, 3 Mails mislaid going to 25 Highway. Muslim areas (5) Down: 1 Slump, 2 Rap, 3 Lurk, 4 Ignored trouble in the 4 Seaman, 5 Bad blood, 6 Lower French department (7) case, 7 Antenna, 11 On balance, 5 Fabulous supporter of 13 Prospect, 14 Suppose, royalty (7) 16 Zenith, 19 Decoy, 20 Smug, 23 Tow. 7 A change of heart for one mother (5) 8 Attribute of the successful gear selector (5,5) 9 Moved in an unnatural Yesterday’s Cryptic Solution way (8) 14 A good deal may come Across: 1 Abridge, 5 Caleb, from it (6,4) 8 Mayflower, 9 Nod, 10 Tail, 16 It may be struck in 12 Antelope, 14 Bridle, a 9 Down manner (8) 15 Peanut, 17 Freehand, 18 Oral, 18 Dancer all bare in 21 Ada, 22 Boardroom, 24 Octet, confusion (9) 25 Remarks. 20 Possibly glad I included Down: 1 Admit, 2 Ray, 3 Dill, 4 Edwina, 5 Cornered, it in a sort of watch (7) 6 Landowner, 7 Bad debt, 21 Start in rebuilt 11 Itinerant, 13 Alphabet, conveyance (7) 14 Buffalo, 16 Unfair, 19 Lamps, 23 Tests out badger’s 20 Adam, 23 Oar. homes (5) 25 Customary treatment of an American era (5) 26 Whistle for a cask of wine (4) Down Across 1 Reputation (4) 1 Presage (10) 2 Breed of sporting 6 Quite good (4) 6 7 8 dog (9) 10 Maxim (5) 9 3 Incline (5) 11 Secretly 4 Insulting (7) dishonest (9) 5 Remnant (7) 12 Realistic (8) 7 Old 13 Greek saying (5) Mediterranean 13 island (5) 8 Misleading clue (3,7) 15 Deserving affection (7) 9 Debris (8) 18 17 Betrayer (7) 14 Witchcraft (5,5) 19 Eager to learn (7) 16 New York theatreland (8) 21 Infest (7) 18 Exciting (9) 22 Toned down (5) 20 Break into 24 Legislative pieces (7) council (8) 25 21 To remark (7) 27 Surety (9) 26 23 Religious 28 Boring pamphlet (5) tool (5) 28 25 Exemplary (5) 29 Quote as authority (4) 26 Small piece 30 Permission to of land (4) proceed (5,5)

HOW many words of four letters or more can you make from the The Target CAN crack letters shown here? In you making a theYesterd word, each letter Alphabeater? may be used EachBlack grid s uses once only. Each must contain the 11, 12, 16 represents a 34, lett3 words 27, centreinletter and number there must be at Across: – or black in least one nine-letter word. Nosquare. As theplurals mainor verb forms ending in “s”. Alphapuzzle, everyDoubles letter

Skinhea body of Gnocchi the alphabet is used. But TODAY’S TARGET Stovepip Chambers Good 13; very good 20;have excellent you to complete the Blinked, 26 (or more). Solution tomorrow. Down: D 21st grid too! Use the given Talk, En letters and black squares YESTERDAY’S SOLUTION Century Kilo, Spe gent gite girt gritbelow ignitethe igniter Chop, E grid to start. T Dictionary inert inter intern kent kite kiting Meld, W grid is ‘rotationally knit nitre rent renting rite tern (1999 Extra tier tiering tiger symmetrical’ tike tine ting – in other 0907 tinge tinier tinker TINKERING edition) words, it looks the same

tinnier tire tiring trek trig trike

Across 1 Becoming uniform for a social occasion (7,3) 6 Quarrel that can be relatively bitter (4) 10 Shed light (5) 11 Check the power of support? (9) 12 Nothing more than a captaincy for a serviceman (8) 13 Character of those who are different (5) 15 Employ someone /else as a model (7) 17 Powerless to become famous (7) 19 Recently in bed, hence delayed (7) 21 Takes uncertain steps (7) 22 Trees newly transplanted (5) 24 Crumbs are slung out (8) 27 It’s done at random for medicinal purposes (9) 28 Bail arranged by one having a reason for innocence (5) 29 When bulbs come to life? (4) 30 Nevertheless, shows no distinctive qualities (3,3,4)

grid too! letters an below the grid is ‘ro symmetr words, it you turn down. So

(Deduct

each extr trine you turn the page upside HOW many words of four letters Fu down. Solution tomorrow or moreYesterday’s can you make fromCall the0907 Yesterday’s 181 2585 for 0907 Target solution letters shown here? In makingtoday’s a*Calls *Calls co Yesterday’s solution Sudoku Answer Kakuro Answer cost 80p per minute plus your your telephone company’s word, each letter may be used plusnetwork Black squares: 1, 5, 8 netwo access charge. once only. Each must contain the 11, 12, 16, 19, 23, 24, 2 27, 34, 36, 37. PLAY centre letter and there must be at *SP: Spoke – Helpline 0333 202 3390 Across: Mixed, least one nine-letter word. No Doubles, Flung, plurals or verb forms ending in “s”.

TODAY’S TARGET Good 13; very good 20; excellent 26 (or more). Solution tomorrow. YESTERDAY’S SOLUTION gent gite girt grit ignite igniter inert inter intern kent kite kiting knit nitre rent renting rite tern tier tiering tiger tike tine ting tinge tinier tinker TINKERING tinnier tire tiring trek trig trike trine

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

EASY PUZZLE

*SP: Spoke – Helpline 0333 202 3390

Skinheads, Doze, Toll Gnocchi, Ewer, Yawn Stovepipe, Pique, Blinked, Crude. Down: Duress, Igloo, Talk, Engraving, Digs Kilo, Speed, Fount, Chop, Epic, Objectify, Meld, Wound, Sylvan.

Extra letter clue

0907 181 2560

(Deduct three minutes f each extra clue letter hea

Full solution

0907 181 2558

*Calls cost 80p per minu plus your telephone compa network access charge

PLAY MORE C

The Tribune | Weekend | 27

Friday, December 23, 2016

animals

Christmas advice for pet parents

o, ho, ho! Merry Christmas to one and all! “All”, incidentally, includes your pets. It is especially important to remember your animals because they may not fully understand what is going on. To start with, you have probably moved a tree into your house. Just stop for a minute and try to imagine what your dog must be thinking. Trees belong outside; they are in the garden. Your dog lifts his leg on a tree... but not this tree! The rules have all changed but nobody has explained that to him. Then you put lights and sparkly things on the branches – very appealing to a young puppy or cat. In fact. that tree is an invitation to climb and explore, until something terrible happens like, crash, and the tree falls over. So now, how do we help our furry babies from making utter fools of themselves in the house over Christmas? It is actually much easier with dogs. I put up a long “puppy gate” and keep a couple of doors closed so that they cannot get to the tree when I am not around. We also put only unbreakable ornaments from “tail level” down on the tree, as fast moving waggy tails can inadvertently cause a huge amount of damage. So make sure breakable ornaments are placed up high. It will save you a ton of stress. Protecting the tree from kitty is a bit more difficult, as they are harder to barricade as they can literally climb over, or up, anything! Probably best not to allow kitty into the area where the tree is unless you are there. It is an invitation for disaster. One of my friends was just telling me the other day how she had been woken up during the night by strange noises in the sitting room, and when she got up to investigate she found one of her cats had freaked out and had been caught

A song for Michelle By The Bahamas Humane Society

pet of the week

“M

ichelle, ma belle” sang The Beatles; they could well have been describing Michelle, a two-year old possible Doberman mix available for adoption at the Bahamas Humane Society. Michelle is so happy to be around people that she smiles. She’s good with other dogs, with children, and even with cats! Michelle loves to walk on a leash and would make a great addition to any home that needs a ‘woofy’ dog to alert them of some one at the door. Do you have a song in your heart for Michelle? If so, come in to the BHS to meet her or call 323-5138 for more information. Adoptions hours are 11am to 4pm, Monday to Friday, and 10am to 4pm on Saturday. Please note, the BHS will close at 1pm on Saturday, December 24, and Saturday, December 31. We will also be closed Monday, December 26, Tuesday, December 27, and Monday, January 2, for the Christmas, Boxing Day

Patricia Vazquez

Animal matters Kim Aranha

and New Year’s holiday days. Emergencies only those days. • There is still time to purchase your BHS Raffle tickets. The draw is December 30 and the grand prize is $10,000 worth of groceries from SuperValue. Tickets are available at the BHS, Windermere (east and west), Graham Real Estate, Bahama Art & Handicraft, the Sign Man, and other locations. Thank you to all our prize donors!

To prevent your pets from pulling down the Christmas tree this holiday season there are certain precautions you can take. up in the tree lights. I asked how the tree was and she told me, “Well, the bottom bit is a little worse for wear.” Which brings me to the bit about

having a sense of humour. You have these animals in your home because you want them there; they are your friends, you love them, they love you,

but please remember that although very smart indeed, you pet does not always see things the same way you do. Christmas is loud, crowded, and you are frenetically trying to get everything done in time. Perhaps when you are baking or wrapping, your dog or cat has wanted to “get involved”, and you may have pushed them away a little sharply? They do not understand your flustered demeanour. For them, Christmas is just another day on the calendar. We must make ourselves remember this. Laugh out loud; see the funny side. Please, no pushing them away or sharp voices. Those lead to hurt feelings, and hurt feelings can very easily lead to bad behaviour to punish you for your behaviour towards them – a chewed shoe, a puddle on the floor, a stolen and destroyed gift. Give them the time they need every day. It is not that difficult because they are happy to lie there quietly while you do things as long as you include them and let them sniff things first. My dog Chief loves to lie on the bed when I wrap gifts. He gradually gets covered with paper and presents and is a happy as a clam because we are doing “stuff” together. Food at Christmas: we cover this every year because it is so very, very important. Do not let your pet “pig out” on Christmas Day; this is not a kindness. A little taste here and there is fine, but go easy. Keep them as far away as possible from chocolates as these can kill them! If you find that your pet has eaten chocolates get them to the vet as quickly as possible. The vet will give them medication to make them vomit. They then will likely have to go on a drip to rehydrate, and may have to stay in the clinic overnight. Save yourself the stress and expense and keep the chocolates where Rover or Kitty cannot get to them, and be sure to tell family and friends (especially kids) not to share their chocolates. If you have friends and relatives who drop by on Christmas Day (or Eve or Boxing Day) be sure your dog is somewhere he cannot escape. We have lots of lost and missing dogs over the Christmas because people are just not careful enough. All in all Christmas is a wonderful time and can be the best day ever, provided you are well prepared. I want to wish you the happiest of Christmases!

28 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, December 23, 2016

gardening

Winter flowers Jack Hardy declares his love for petunias and explains which varieties of the ever popular flower are easiest to grow.

t the moment my favourite annual for potting is definitely the humble petunia. Although it is a high maintenance plant – I have to pick off the sticky folded dying flowers every day – the cheerful display of both rich and pastel colours brightens my back patio and puts me in a good mood for the day. Petunias originated in Argentina and come in varieties with different growing habits. Grandiflora has flowers that can be four inches across and in addition to the classic trumpet shape come in double flowering form. Multiflora petunias have somewhat smaller flowers but produce masses of them. Milliflora petunias have smaller features all the way round both in plant and flower size. If you want petunias as a ground cover you should choose a spreading variety. Use a spreading variety in a hanging pot and it will hang down most attractively. With a large enough pot you can plant both upright milliflora or

Petunias can be high maintainance, but they brighten up every garden or backyard. multiflora and spreading petunias for an extravagant display. Petunias can take full sun at this time of year but in summer need some shade. A pastel pink spreading variety of petunia I sowed last spring lasted through the summer in shaded conditions and died in late November. Petunias started from seed now should last into early summer. Petunia seeds are very small and have to be scattered on the surface of a seed starting soil mix and misted morning and evening until established. Some seed varieties come in pelleted form that usually contains a compatible mix of different flower colours. These are easier to deal with but are quite expensive. Impatiens is still not being exported from the US in seedling form so must be raised from seed if we are to enjoy what world-wide is still the leading annual. Impatiens plants are made for banking and massing. While with some flowers – like petunias – we take time to match colours, the sheer exuberance of impatiens encourages us to sprinkle a mixed packet here, another there, and enjoy the resultant riot of colours. Our mild winters allow us to grow virtually any annual we can pick off the rack at our local nursery or order from a seed house. The English among us can raise heavenly-scented sweet peas, Texans can sow their beloved blueflower, and Baltimoreans can enjoy black-eyed susans long before the Preakness. The following are flowers that are particularly popular during

Bahamian winters. Marigolds are tough enough to survive summer but are at their best in winter. I like the smaller varieties of intensely-coloured gold and red. The plants are not long lasting but invariably produce lots of seeds once the flowering period is over. Re-plant these and the show will go on. If you like the more sedate and traditional marigold form try calendula or pot marigold. We have mentioned petunias as a floral ground cover but the ethereal blue of lobelia is my favourite. Lobelia takes quite a while to establish but is worth it. There are reddish-purple flowering lobelias that may be more appealing to some but blue is such a rare but refreshing colour in tropical gardens. Another flower that likes to be grown in masses is the poppy. Modern poppies are far removed from the traditional red weed of remembrance fame. California poppies have large heads and bloom for months in a wide range of pastel colours. Iceland poppies only grow a foot tall and come in a wide variety of recessive colours with white being the basic hue. Their growing time is brief but their presence is striking. Nasturtiums can be hanging pot specimens or ground cover. In pots they display their neat foliage that hangs over the edge but also add the joy of their intricate flowers. As a ground cover the flowering display usually lasts a season but many pea-sized seeds are produced for further sowing. Nasturtiums can flower into the summer but rarely survive all the way through. I can deal with Echinacea and rud-

beckia together because in the garden I have to look closely before being able to tell the difference. They obviously confuse nurserymen too as both are called cone flowers. The plants grow three feet tall and the prime colour is golden yellow with a black centre. There are other colours available but golden yellow is traditional. Some gardeners are really into sunflowers. The traditional giants that provide edible seeds are still eye-catchers while dwarf sunflowers make a fine display when massed. If you really want to attract attention plant a Coconut Ice sunflower that has white instead of yellow petals. Other varieties such as Solar Flare feature petals that are half red and half yellow and really attractive. Last – but far from least – we have the amazing zinnias. These natives of Mexico have been hybridised into varieties that are between one and five feet tall and come in just about every colour, colour combination, and petal formation imaginable. They grow well in winter yet are tough enough to revel in summer heat. I have never experienced any disease problems with zinnias and their culture is not as intensive as most other bedding annuals. Zinnias are reliable and rewarding. We can use their wide range of heights to create mounds in front of walls and buildings by planting small varieties at the front, medium size in the middle and tall at the rear. Zinnias grown this way will take the heat, even in a southfacing location.

• For questions and comments e-mail j.hardy@coralwave.com.