Undersea caves, Grand Cayman | Wish you were here (July/August 2019) By Caribbean Beat | Issue 158 (July/August 2019) Postcards from the Caribbean’s most extraordinary places
Need to know | Events calendar (July/August 2019) By Andre Bagoo and Shelly-Ann Inniss | Issue 158 (July/August 2019) Essential info to help you make the most of July and August across the Caribbean — from Reggae Sumfest in Jamaica to Carifesta in T&T
Bookshelf (July/August 2019) | Book reviews By Shivanee Ramlochan | Issue 158 (July/August 2019) This month’s reading picks, with reviews of The Caribbean Biography Series — Earl Lovelace, Derek Walcott, Marcus Garvey, and Beryl McBurnie; Tentacle; and Where There Are Monsters
Playlist (July/August 2019) | Music reviews By Nigel Campbell | Issue 158 (July/August 2019) This month’s listening picks, with reviews of the latest by Trishes; Jeremy Hector; MizikOpéyi; and Carlos Santana
Q&A with Arturo Infante | Screenshots (July/August 2019) By Jonathan Ali | Issue 158 (July/August 2019) Cuban filmmaker Arturo Infante talks about his new sci-fi feature, The Extraordinary Journey of Celeste García
Fire up | Cookup By Franka Philip | Issue 158 (July/August 2019) When it comes to cooking, there’s nothing more elemental than an open fire, says Franka Philip — who talks inspiration from two popular Instagram chefs as she plans a meaty menu for her grill
Far and near — Milton Kam | Panorama By Shelly-Ann Inniss | Issue 158 (July/August 2019) Suriname’s indigenous communities walk a line between the traditional and the contemporary, distance and proximity — documented in a new book of photographs by Milton Kam
Koffee: Strong and sweet | Backstory By Nazma Muller | Issue 158 (July/August 2019) Dancehall’s latest sensation, nineteen-year-old Koffee, is captivating fans across the globe with her vibesy toasting, catchy riddims, and cheeky lyrics. Nazma Muller reports on the pint-sized Jamaican phenomenon with the relentlessly positive attitude
Naomi Osaka: a Haitian-Japanese star on the rise | Snapshot By Caroline Taylor | Issue 158 (July/August 2019) For anyone who likes easy answers to questions of identity, Naomi Osaka is a conundrum: half-Haitian, half-Japanese, raised for part of her childhood in New York City, visibly hybrid. As Caroline Taylor learns, Osaka hasn’t always been comfortable with the role of mixed-race role model — but she’s learning to embrace it, on her own terms
Santiago — carnival city | Explore By Donna Yawching | Issue 158 (July/August 2019) Santiago, Cuba’s second-largest city, has long been a hotbed of culture — and it comes to a blaze each July, as Santiago’s unique annual Carnival, centred on the feast of St James the Apostle, takes over. Donna Yawching explains the historical roots of Santiago Carnival, and why it’s a time of year when no one expects to get much sleep
In the pink | Destination By Caribbean Beat | Issue 158 (July/August 2019) The seven hundred islands of the Bahamas boast every colour of the tropical rainbow — but everywhere you look, a certain rosy tint catches your eye
Brimstone Hill, St Kitts | Bucket list By Caribbean Beat | Issue 158 (July/August 2019) The “Gibraltar of the Caribbean” is the most impressive heritage site in St Kitts, and a monument to the violence of colonialism
Archaeology’s eye in the sky | Discover By Erline Andrews | Issue 158 (July/August 2019) For centuries, much of the evidence for Mayan civilisation has been covered in dense rainforest. Now new developments in LiDAR technology have made it possible for archaeologists to do sophisticated aerial surveys — revealing tens of thousands of previously unknown structures. Erline Andrews learns more
Get a kick | On this day By James Ferguson | Issue 158 (July/August 2019) Kick ’Em Jenny sounds like a comic name, but for the scientists who study this underwater volcano, first recorded eighty years ago, it’s no laughing matter. The Caribbean was shaped by its volcanoes, says James Ferguson, which created our mountainous island landscapes — but can also wreak havoc
Bob’s blender | Classic By Philip Sander | Issue 83 (January/February 2007), Issue 158 (July/August 2019) Philip Sander visits the Bob Marley museum at 56 Hope Road and sees the most precious relic of them all. Originally published in 2007, this Beat classic was reproduced in the July/August 2019 issue