BERMUDA DAY 2016

Bermuda Day falls on May 24th.  It used to be called Victoria Day and then Commonwealth Day.  The island is not an independent nation as it still falls under the British Overseas Territories.   However, it is internally self-governing with an island parliament.  The Head of State in Bermuda is the Governor appointed by the Prime Minister of  England and represents the British monarch Queen Elizabeth II.  The current Governor is George Fergusson who has been in office since 2012. 

The current head of Bermuda government is the Premier, Mr. Michael Dunkley.  There is a House of Assembly, with 40 elected members, as well as a Senate with 11 appointed members.  There is also a system of local government with the island divided into nine parishes, each one headed up by an elected Mayor. 

We live in St. George - claim to fame is that it is the fifth oldest municipality in the Western hemisphere founded by British Admiral Sir George Somers in 1609.  Earlier municipalities include St. John's Newfoundland, Annapolis Royal in Nova Scotia and Montreal.  Pretty long history I would say and nice to see the connection to Canada.

So much for history.  On this day in 2016, we found ourselves bouncing along on the winding lanes on a bus headed to Hamilton to watch the day's festivities.  Parking is not our friend on busy days in Hamilton.  It seems everyone else had made the same decision to attend, as we arrived to banks of people lining the main thoroughfares of Front Street, Queen and Church Streets.  Obviously settled for the day, families were parked under huge shade tents and umbrellas, armed with large coolers, and copious amounts of pop and ice. 

We sat watching a somewhat disorderly parade of various dance groups, bands and cheerleaders.  A very happy crowd observing very relaxed and happy participants.  Met the Gombeys for the first time:  a very unusual group of musicians and dancers.   Dancers can be traced to a mix of Afro-Caribbean and Native American influences.  In a tribute to history - all of the body and faces of the dancers are covered to avoid identification, as slave-owners frowned upon the practice of their slaves participating as Gombeys.  Lots of use of drums and bottle-whistles that soon had the crowds dancing and swaying to the beat.  

All in all, a great day celebrating with  Bermudians.