The Tribune

Summer is officially here, students have time off from school and adults are taking vacation. Travel may seem too complicated and be too expensive right now, so we have to think about how we can make the most of this time here at home. There is more to do than most of us realise, likely because our days our packed with too many errands and obligations in addition to employment. When we have time off and set fun as the goal for the day, even the most ordinary outings can be enjoyable.

See our parks

When is the last time you visited a national park? For many of us, The Retreat on Village Road is a place to go once per year for Jollification. While Jollification is fun, we are usually so taken in by the booths, products, people, music and activities that we don’t pay much attention to the setting. Treat yourself to some time at The Retreat. Follow the paths, identify the trees and flowers, look out for birds, take great selfies and sit down for a much needed break when you’ve covered everything. Be sure take water with you and stay hydrated.

The Primeval Forest National Park seems to have been one of the best kept secrets until recently. It is a 7.5 acre hardwood forest with sinkholes and limestone caverns that are up to 30 feet deep. The relatively undisturbed part of New Providence is one you have to see to believe it exists. It is one of the only places you can find the backland coppice that was once plentiful on New Providence. Located in the southwestern part of the island near Albany, the Primeval Forest is open on Saturdays from 9am to 4pm.

Bonefish Pond National Park is 1,235 acres of wetland with a 600-foot boardwalk that makes it easy to see the mangrove, see schools of bonefish, and catch sight of over 50 bird species like clapper rails. There are even areas where you can step into the water when the tide is low. When the tide is high, you can kayak and snorkel. Bonefish National Park is open on Saturdays from 9am to 4pm and admission is currently free.

Beach fun

We are surrounded by some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Most of us drive past them far more often than we stop to enjoy them. Make this time to check out the beaches you pass all the time and to discover some that you have never seen or have not seen in years. Remember to stay hydrated, wear sunblock (yes, Black people need protection from the sun too), take a bag for trash, and carry it away with you when you leave.

There are beaches for you if you like full sun, and there are beaches for you if you like time in thee shade. There are some with rocks if you’re not a fan of sand, and there are lots of sandy beaches. Try your hand at make a sandcastle. Take a ball and get playful. Get in the water for a full body workout, a relaxing float, or a simple cool down.

A search for the best…

What do you like? Conchy conch fritters, seafood boil, guava duff, burgers, ice cream? Are you a big fan of outdoor dining? Its your family always look for new, interesting takes on traditional Bahamian food? Turn it into a summer-long adventure. It can be exciting to spend the week looking at reviews, asking around, and being attentive as you drive around so you can spot new places, then try one of them every Friday. By the end of the summer, you should have a list of places with your favourites dishes or elements, what worked and what didn’t work, which ones you would try again, and the ones that stood out and won you over. You can do this with multiple items and categories. Best lemonade, friendliest staff, most family-friendly, biggest beer mugs, best karaoke performances, and the list goes on. Chart your own course.

Community parks

Have you been on a basketball court lately? Practice your layups, teach someone to dribble, and play some one-on-one. Get competitive and find your skills with a game of Around the World, making consecutive shots from different spots around the court.

Take sidewalk chalk with you and find a good space for hopscotch, big games of hangman, and creating group chalk murals. See how many indoor activities you can take outside. Pack a picnic lunch, colouring books, novels, good music, a deck of cards, and whatever else you can think of. It doesn’t have to be expensive to get your family out of the house and having fun together.

Back in the day

The oral tradition should not be lost. Spend some time with your parents and grandparents, listening to the stories their parents and grandparents told them. When did you last hear a B’Booky and B’Rabby story? Do you know what a chickcharney looks like?

What is coconut jimmy, and how do you make it? Which bush tea is best for this or that? Which straw plait is from which island? Why was your great-grandmother so miserable?

Work on that family tree. Find out about popular businesses that used to occupy buildings we know for something else now. Compare the versions you get of the same story from two or three different people. Finally understand why that family member refuses to get rid of that seemingly useless object. Discover things about yourself, and why you may want to accept something you have always wanted to change or change something too many people before you decided to accept. Enjoy learning about the past and see all the ways it is still with us now.

Farmers markets

Here’s a good reason to wake up and get out early on a Saturday morning. Farmers markets are great places to get locally grown produce at great prices. Find out who is growing what, and learn about the seasons and processes. Most farmers markets have much more than fruit and vegetables. There are locally-made teas, breads, pastries, and even candles, plants, jewellery, and art. While there, you can usually get a light meal and refreshing beverage while chatting with new and old friends. You may even want to challenge yourself to cook with a new ingredient or challenge friends and family to a cook-off, getting creative with a selection of locally-grown produce. Have fun with it!

Art galleries

When was the last time you visited an art gallery? At the National Art Gallery of The Bahamas on West and West Hill Streets, you can see Floating Rib and Inherit the Earth until August 15 and Medicine & Memory: Public Health in The Bahamas until October 21. An all-woman exhibition curated by Natalie Willis, Floating Rib “displays dramatic works of art by creatively powerful and Bahamian women.” It features work by Margot Bethel, April Bey, Kendra Frorup, Tamika Galanis, Anina Major, Jodi Minnis, Khia Poitier, Tiffany Smith, and Averia Wright. Inherit the Earth is Lynn Parotti’s solo show depicting “our inheritance under colonizer-capitalist greed, exhaustion and exploitation”. Medicine & Memory: Public Health in The Bahamas includes work by Jacob Frank Coonley, Tyrone Ferguson, Leanne Russell and Nettica “Nettie” Symonette and looks at healing and medicine practices in Bahamian history. Its accompanying online show is accessible at nagb.org.bs.

The contemporary Sixty 2 Sixty Art Gallery on Bay Street, owned by artist June Collie, represents emerging and established artists. The current exhibition is Ashely Cooper’s “Dear Diary, During the Pandemic, I… and the gallery is open Monday through Saturday from 11am to 5pm.