Local Customs and Traditions

By Ruth Thomas, MBE

With the passage of time some cultural practices may diminish in value, undergo a change of style, be ridiculed as passé and irrelevant or they may even be replaced or entirely forgotten. The inherent position held in any culture by its traditions gives those traditions the power to both protect aspects of that culture and play the invaluable role of preserving and localizing that culture’s mores.

Traditions should not be underestimated. Like the church and the law of the land they can be effective and significant regulators. They provide cultural identity.  They hold people together. Hence, they need to be understood and respected even if they are not fully accepted. This is particularly relevant in Bermuda which is constantly bombarded by outside cultural influences through factors such as tourism, a high percentage of guest workers from numerous geographical regions, through proximity to the U.S. and, perhaps, even through Bermudians who acquire diverse cultural tastes during extended periods of study abroad.

The following identifies some of Bermuda’s traditions, that is, some of the practices that reveal the local identity and keep this island community alive and relevant.

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