A Sample of Bermuda's 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.

Dr. Kim Dismont-Robinson, folklore officer at Government’s Department of Communication and Information, when expressing an opinion on the worth of traditions said that they have the ability to access a past that an individual has not experienced, they encapsulate those cultural customs that created structure for generations, they provide meaning and direction and they unite a community.

Gary Phillips, chairman of the Bermuda National Gallery, feels strongly about the significance of traditions that he describes them as being the starch in the back or fabric of a society. Starch helps a garment to maintain its quality, freshness and shape and prevents it from being limp and dull. In his view traditions do the same for a community and they provide the platform for those accepted norms that express the true essence of that community.

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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Ceremonies

Several Bermudian traditions are connected with ceremonial events.

Peppercorn Ceremony

This annual colourful event takes place on Kings Square in St. George’s. It began in 1816 when the seat of Government was moved from St. George’s to Hamilton. The move left the State House unoccupied. It was then leased to the Masonic Lodge, No.200 for the nominal rent of one peppercorn which is paid, annually, on the most suitable day nearest April 23rd, St. George’s Day. St. George is the patron saint from whom the town derived its name. On the day of the ceremony Kings Square is always packed with spectators. The main participants – always in ceremonial dress – are His Excellency, The Governor, who arrives by landau, the Mayor of St. George’s, Aldermen, Common Councillors, Officers of the Masonic Lodge who hand over a peppercorn to His Excellency, the Band of the Bermuda Regiment and Members of Parliament. Perhaps it should be noted that ladies among the invited guests sport the most elegant hats.

After the rent is paid and His Excellency is given the key to the State House, the dignitaries proceed to the State House where a Parliamentary session is held.

The Cannonball Ceremony

This takes place at the western end of the island, that is, at the Dockyard in Sandys Parish. It is usually held on the closest Saturday to Trafalgar Day in a late afternoon setting in the Keep Yard at the Maritime Museum. A cannonball is given,annually, as symbolic rent to the West End Development Corporation by the Bermuda National Trust for the use of the Maritime Museum.

Remembrance Day Ceremony

On the 11th of November each year a special service takes place at the Cenotaph on Front Street in Hamilton. This outdoor service which is in commemoration of Bermudians who perished in World Wars I and II is attended by parliamentarians, war veterans, other dignitaries and the general public. It culminates in two minutes of silence. The bugler’s playing of the Last Post and the Rouse (Reveille) are always extremely moving.

Wreaths are placed at the base of the cenotaph. Following the service the war veterans accompanied by the Band of the Bermuda Regiment and other local bands parade along Front Street.

Queen's Birthday Parade

This spectacular parade is held in June on Front Street. It is performed to celebrate the official birthday of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, whose actual birthdate is April 26th . The Band of the Bermuda Regiment, a detachment of troops, naval units, police cadets, scouts, girl-guides and other marching units join the parade. After His Excellency, The Governor, inspects the troops, a ‘feu de joie’ (gun salute) is fired and His Excellency leads the ‘three cheers for Her Majesty’.

Other

There are many other ceremonies among which are the convening of Parliament, Beat Retreat, Tattoo, graduations from Senior Secondary Schools, the swearing in at Government House of a new Premier, newly appointed Cabinet Ministers, Justices of the Peace etc, the opening of a new building or business, the christening of a new building by the pouring of black rum on the roof or through prayers, the installation of a new Bishop or priest and the christening of a baby, an event which ranges from small and private to huge and spectacular with fancy christening gown, lots of god-parents and big reception.

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Nick-Names

The tradition in Bermuda, it appears, is to dub only males with nick-names. Very few females have nick-names. Traditionally, also, nick-names are handed down from one generation to another. For example, a current male could well be carrying a nick-name that was his great, great grandfather’s. It is not unusual for all the males in a household to have the same nick-name. In a particular family, grandfather, father and all his sons are called “Cat” because they all have eyes the colour of cat’s eyes.

Frequently the nickname given is the result of the recipient’s actions or behaviour, idiosyncrasy, physical features, or likes or dislikes or as a ridicule or praise. The nick-name “Muscles” is borne by a petit gentleman. He is about 5ft tall and looks as though he doesn’t have a muscle in his body. Another very small man who is about the size of a toothpick is called “Termite”.

Sometimes a nick-name is not very flattering but favourable or not everyone acknowledges his nick-name. In some cases a person is known to most people by his nick-name only because his given name is so infrequently used. Traditionally, nick-names appear in the telephone directory, in news items and mostly in death notices in the daily newspaper. It should be noted that anyone from any level of the economic, social, intellectual, professional or class spectrum may be the target of a nick-name. The same holds true for anyone from any ethnic background.

A small example of nick-names is as follows:

Henry “Greedy” Tucker George “Rusty” Bartlett David “Snappa” Saints Henry “Getting Late” Eve Harry Kim “Dirty” Gordon Arnold “Midnight” Knights DeForest “Shorty” Trimingham

Vincent “Porky Moore Vivian “Smokey” Proctor George “Sea Gull” Bean Gary “Cheetah” Darrell Charles “Natureboy” Wade Thomas “Shrimpy” Masters

William “Cheese” Ray Allan “Pickles” Bulford Mark Anthony “Snowy North Wesley “Big Snipes” Hall Cyril “Hooks” Cooper William “Bulldozer” Madeiros

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The Sea

Life in Bermuda is inextricably bound to the sea. Traditions established very early in the Island’s history have a nautical flavor. Shipbuilding, piracy, privateering, transportation, trading, the Salt Trade a Turk’s Island and piloting all helped 400 years ago to lay the foundation on which traditions connected with the sea were built

Shipbuilding

The tradition of shipbuilding has faded but boating is still a strong past-time in Bermuda. Proof of this is the extraordinary number of pleasure craft seen either lying at anchor within the Island’s peaceful bays and harbours or sailing calmly off shore, racing in the Sound or participating in the annual Non-Mariner’s race or powerboat Round-the-Island annual race.

Names

Many homes, areas and businesses have names that connect with the sea. Unlike several other geographical locations, it is traditional in Bermuda for homeowners to name their homes. Some of the house names are, By the Sea, Conch Shell, Blue Narrows, Surf Song, Mizzentop, Ocean Sound, Boat’s wain’s Watch, Yonder Sea, Ocean Spray and Reef Song. There are many, many more. Some of the area names are Ferry Drive, Admiral Walk, Whale Bay Road, Turtle Bay Lane, Abbot’s Cliff, Cove Point Lane, Dock Hill, Harbour Road, Fishermen’s Hill, Sea Wall Drive, Port Royal Gardens, Mid-Ocean Drive and Water Street.

Businesses also use names that reflect the sea, names such as Gulf Stream Insurance, Mid-Ocean Club, Gulf Stream Engineering, Lobster Pot, Aqua Seaside Restaurant, The Reefs etc. It is a tradition to name everything, e.g. boats, cars, motorcycles etc.

Water Sports

This area of sports extends from swimming to snorkeling and scuba diving, yachting, waterskiing, windsurfing, fitted dinghy racing, surfboarding, deeps ea fishing, powerboat racing, trips to shallow marine gardens, exploring the many wrecks in Bermuda’s waters, reef fishing, and shore fishing.

Races

The 24th of May is, traditionally, the day when many boat owners launch their vessels some of which may have been on dry dock all winter. It is on this date that fitted dinghy racing takes place in St. George’s Harbour. This is a long-standing tradition.

Each spring Bermuda Invitational Race Week takes place when visiting yachtsmen compete with local mariners in many classes. From late spring through to early autumn it is not unusual to see races in the Great Sound. International one designs, Sunfish, Dinghies and other types of boats fill the waters. Comet sailing is also popular. The Newport-Bermuda Yacht race is held every two years and the year in which this does not occur The Marion-Bermuda race takes place. A round the island powerboat race every August starts and ends at the eastern end of the island.

West End Sail Boat Club has a race every June – on the Queen’s Birthday holiday – from one end of the island to the other. This race which traditionally attracts many entries has an alternating system. One year the race goes from Somerset to St.George’s and the following year from St. George’s to Somerset. A part of the tradition is for boat owners to fill their boats with family members, friends and food and follow the race. These spectators are as traditional as the race itself.

Other Sea Traditions

• Old wives’ tales state that anyone who goes fishing on Good Friday will be lost at sea and if you swim when it is raining you will get boils.
• It is common practice for keen gardeners to collect seaweed from the beaches and spread it in their gardens to enrich the soil and kill insects.
• It is believed that the sea has curative powers. If you soak a wound in the ocean it will heal quickly. They say that soaking in the ocean also soothes arthritic aches.
• Some churches follow the tradition of baptizing a new convert in the ocean. This is baptism by submersion.
• Piloting has been a tradition since the 1600s. Several slaves were first class pilots.
• Fishing off the rocks or from a bridge is still an engaging activity for some folks.

Cuisine

Bermuda does not have many traditional dishes but what does exist is absolutely delicious.

Sweet potato pudding is still made today but was, until the 1960s combined with the tradition practiced on November 5th – Guy Fawkes Night. Commemorating a foiled plot to blow up the Houses of Parliament in England in 1605 that tradition involved burning an effigy of Guy Fawkes on a bonfire, setting off fireworks and eating sweet potato pudding.

The traditional Sunday breakfast consists of codfish, avocado pear, ripe bananas, boiled potatoes and a tomato sauce to cover the codfish. Other fish dishes include hash shark, fish chowder, fish cakes, conch stew, lobster, mussel pie, fish and chips and fish stew.

Other dishes include paw-paw casserole, pumpkin stew, hot cross buns, syllabub, peas and rice which is traditionally referred to as ‘Hoppin’John’ and cassava pie, a Christmas dish, or farine pie and the local style of potato salad.

Some recipes are based on local fruits – loquat jam, loquat pie, Bermuda cherry jam (with Surinam cherries), loquat chutney, loquat liqueur (Bermuda Gold), ripe paw paw served with ice-cream (green paw paws are used as a vegetable or meat tenderizer), baked ripe bananas, orange marmalade, bay grape jam. Note, loquat and cherry picking are traditional past-times when these wild fruits are in season.

Dark and Stormy is a popular drink. It consists of black rum and ginger beer.

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Public Holidays

These are the traditional holidays when everything shuts down except the hospitals and other essential services. On these holidays some of the island’s traditions are readily obvious.

New Year’s Day – Jan.1. Gombey dancers perform all over the Island on this day. The traditional dish is pea soup. This ensures that you’ll have plenty all year and also provides an opportunity to use the turkey rack and ham bone left over from Christmas.

Good Friday – this is the Friday before Easter Sunday. The traditions for this day are to fly traditional Bermuda Kites and eat fish cakes and hot cross buns. Perhaps it should be noted that kite-flying in Bermuda, i.e. the flying of the Bermuda style kite has religious symbolism. The cross in the centre of the kite is to serve as a reminder of the cross on which Christ was crucified. The humming, mournful sound the kite makes while flying is symbolic of Christ’s mournful sounds on the cross and the kite soaring in the air symbolizes the resurrections. It is hardly likely that this is remembered by persons engaged in kite flying in these times.

Bermuda Day – this occurs on the 24th of May. During the morning scores and scores of runners participate in the half marathon from Somerset to Pembroke and in the afternoon a parade of floats, bands and dancers wend its way through the city to Bernard Park. The streets are lined with thousands of spectators for both events.

The Queen’s Birthday – the celebration of the Queen’s official birthday falls on second week in June. This is marked by a spectacular parade of uniformed units in the city.

Cup Match and Somers Day – both days are referred to as the Cup Match holiday. This two day holiday falls on the Thursday and Friday closest to August 1 because August 1 1834 marked emancipation from slavery. The Thursday is the day to celebrate Emancipation and the Friday, Somers Day, is in commemoration of Sir George Somers whose shipwreck on July 28, 1609 in Bermuda waters led eventually to the peopling of Bermuda. The annual Cup Match is a cricket match between a team from the east end, St. George’s and a team from the west, Somerset, although the players are from many parts of the island. The winning team holds the cup. This cricket match is a major tradition. It was established in 1902.

Labour Day – This falls on the first Monday in September. Workers and politicians parade to Bernard Park where people gather to hear political speeches. This is often very much like a rally and picnic combined.

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Remembrance Day – November 11 (see Ceremonies (c))

Christmas Day – December 25

This Yuletide season starts with the festival of lights when, as early as possible in December, homes an businesses all over the island are decorated outside with thousands of lights. Sometimes the décor follows a theme. Some people set up a Christmas or winter scene beautifully lit on their lawn. Many enter the Bermuda Electric Light Company’s competition. The winners’ favourite charity receives a cash donation.

During December boats decorated with lights according to a theme parade in Hamilton Harbour. This spectacular event draws thousands of spectators The Christmas tree and gift-giving are a part of the season’s traditions and the cassava pie or farine pie form a major segment of the Christmas Day dinner. Many concerts filled with Christmas music take place throughout December. Many churches display a nativity scene.

Boxing Day – December 26

The Gombeys feature strongly on Boxing Day. Several Gombey crowds dance all over the island. They are usually followed by large numbers of people.

VI. Architecture

This is a very visable aspect of Bermudian traditions. All the buildings are stone structures. Only a few wooden houses exist. Bermuda has an architectural vernacular which is changing gradually particularly in the city. This change is to accommodate need – the need for large office buildings. The traditional cottage-style is not suitable for huge buildings. Some of the building traditions that are continuing are as follows:

• Each structure has its own water tank which is excavated under the structure before the walls are erected.
• Roofs are whitewashed. The roof of every building or 99% of buildings is white. Buildings are painted white or in pastel shades, brick red, chocolate brown, shades of green or grey. The houses represent a riot of colours.
• Some buildings have decorative features such as eyebrows, pilasters and quoining. The beltcourse of rounded stone separating the upper from the lower floor in two-storey buildings is another decorative feature and so too is the moongate.
• Each roof is designed with a hidden gutter along which rain water runs into the tank.

VII. Celebrations

Weddings

Traditionally, weddings are large and while most take place in church a few brides opt for the ceremony to be conducted in a garden setting, on the beach, on the grounds of their parents’ homes or on a boat. Every wedding is unique, yet all weddings are held together by such common traditions as the horse and carriage, the gold and silver wedding cakes, the moongate and the cedar tree planting ceremony. Symbolism is imbedded in these traditions.

Moongate

Bermuda copied the moongate from the Orient. According to folklore, if you step through a moongate with the one you love your relationship will be blessed with fidelity, longevity and happiness. It has become traditional for bride and groom to step hand in hand through a moongate following the marriage ceremony.

Wedding Cakes

These are steeped in symbolism. The bride’s cake which is a tiered fruitcake symbolises fruitfulness. The hope is that she will give birth to many children. The bottom layer of her cake is covered with delicate silver leaves that are placed over the icing. Silver is the symbol of purity. The groom’s cake is a single layer and is a pound cake. It is covered with royal icing and gold leaf. The gold symbolises plenty and is an expression of hope that the groom will always be able to provide, abundantly, for his family. Both the gold and silver leaves are edible.

Cedar Tree

The tradition of the planting of a young cedar tree at the reception by the bride and groom is sometimes replaced by having a sprig of cedar at the top of one of the wedding cakes.

The Bermuda cedar (juniper cedar) is a very sturdy, fertile tree which can remain standing through the most violent hurricane. Its wood is beautiful and aromatic. The ritual of planting a cedar sapling by the newlyweds reinforces the hope that the marriage will be as strong, beautiful and fertile as the cedar tree and that it will grow as the sapling grows.

c. Funerals

A funeral service can be as brief as twenty minutes or as long as three to four hours. The non-traditional churches have the longer funeral services. The non-traditional churches have the longer funeral services. The tradition of wearing black or other somber colours to funerals is changing very gradually. Funeral notices in the newspaper sometimes add, “Colours may be worn”. This depends on the family’s wishes. Many churches now refer to funerals as a celebration of life or as a home-going service. Occasionally, a burial takes place at sea. Most burials are in vaults or graves excavated to a depth of six to ten feet. All graves are whitewashed.

Miscellaneous

• Bermuda has a tradition of service. Countless volunteers are involved in community service and many charities exist.
• It is the tradition for all children to wear uniforms to school. Each school has its own colour and style.
• Bermuda shorts for men may be classed as the island’s only national dress. The shorts which have to be the right length and properly fitted are worn with Clark shoes, dark knee-length socks and jacket and ties are added for professional or dressy occasions.
• Over 100 churches of various denominations exist. Church attendance is still a strong tradition for may families.
• The traditional sports are cricket, tennis, golf, soccer, equestrian activities, rugby, track and field, squash and sailing.
• Anyone accused of being a voyeur is called ‘a webber’. ‘Webber’ is a Bermuda word, a part of the vernacular. It came into being many, many years ago when Police Constable Webber was adept at catching voyeurs. Whenever people saw him carrying someone off to prison they would remark, “There goes another Webber.” The word stuck and is now a tradition. This should not give the impression that the island is full of ‘peeping Toms’.
• During the early spring people engage in whale-watching off the South shore.
• It is traditional to greet everyone with “Good Morning”, “Good Afternoon” etc. Upon entering a bus it is customary to say, “Good morning, everybody” or “Good Evening, everybody”. It all depends on the time of day. Upon leaving the bus the custom is to say, “Thank you”, to the driver.
• Shark oil is used as a barometer
• Children, upon reaching the age of 16, can become licensed to ride a moped. This has become a traditional rite of passage.
• A Palm Sunday tradition is the Bermuda National Trust Walk. During the afternoon hundreds of people are led by National Trust members on an extended walk through fascinating and usually private properties.
• On Good Friday a pageant re-enacting the crucifixion and events that led up to it takes place in St. George’s. Beautifully decorated churches, sun-rise services, Easter Lilies, the placing of flowers by families on graves of their loved ones and roast lamb at dinner are all segments of Easter Sunday tradition.
• A long established tradition is the Gombeys, the island’s masked and costumed street dancers. They appear mainly on public holidays. Their infectious music reflects the drum beats of West Africa, the West Indies, Native Americans and the English militia. Their instruments are snare, kettle and bass drums, a triangle, fife and an empty soda bottle. Sometimes a triangle is added. The dance is highly choreographed.
• A roofing rally is a great tradition. This is when men get together to help a friend or relative to slate the roof of the home he is building.
• It is traditional for Bermudians to travel all over the world.
• The honking of a horn of a vehicle may not be a warning. It may simply be a greeting.
• An annual three day event, the Agricultural Exhibition is a treasured tradition. This Thursday to Saturday show sports a combination of exhibits such as crafts by adults and children, baked goods, jams and jellies made from local fruits, plants, flowers, vegetables and livestock. Sporting activities also take place. The Friday is a day off from school. This gives children and teachers an opportunity to explore the exhibits.

This is only a sample of the Island’s traditions. Many of which have served the island well. It is the hope that their significance will not be lost in the midst of progress and change.