Ethos Bermuda

Bermuda’s cultural identity is extremely diverse, in part, due to the absence of an indigenous population prior to the 17th Century. Island traditions point to the truly global nature of this little dot in the vast North Atlantic ocean.

In the early 1600’s, native people in mainland North America were fighting for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Conflicts with the British such as the Pequot War (1636-1637) and King Phillip’s War (1675-1676), resulted in the transportation of Pequot, Wampanoag, Narragansett, Mohegan, Cherokee and Taino people, in addition to South and Central Americans, to various European colonies, including Bermuda.

These people did not have a choice of where they would travel to, they were slaves.

The St David’s Islanders and Native Community holds a pow wow every two years, a space for reconnection and continuance of tradition.

This video shows the final dance with members of the Community moving together with members of the public and the Warwick Gombeys. The MC invited all in attendance to join the dance and in doing so, to 'receive some of the medicine’.

To travel by choice is a privilege. We look forward to welcoming you to Bermuda to share more of this island with you.

The following reference materials supported this post and are available to read onsite at the National Library:
- St David’s Island, Bermuda: Its People, History & Culture by St Clair “Blinky” Tucker
- Recollection and Reconnection: Voices of the St David’s Islanders and their Native American Relatives by Rosalyn Howard PhD
Bermuda Tourism