Welcome to Bermuda

From the strong British and American influences to the local culture and traditions, the visitor will marvel at all Bermuda has to offer. The national sport of cricket is celebrated at Cup Match weekend at the end of July – a festivity that sees the island’s two top teams go head to head and lasts four days with plenty of other activities and side shows to keep even the most non-cricket fan happy. Also if you get the chance don’t miss the famous Gombey dancers – a key part of Bermuda’s heritage dating back to the 17th century representing the African culture through the rhythm and beat of the music and colourful and intricate styles of their dress. 

History

Bermuda takes its name from Spanish sea captain Juan de Bermudez, who sighted the island around 1503. The island was founded a century later in 1609 by Admiral Sir George Somers when his vessel the Sea Venture was shipwrecked while carrying supplies en route to Jamestown, Virginia. It went on to play a pivotal role in the US Civil War as a centre for blockade-runners and was frequented by famous literary writer Mark Twain. Today it remains a British Overseas Territory while still enjoying a heavy US influence.

People

Bermudians are a typically conservative but friendly people. Everything from wig-wearing judges and Bobbies on the beat to afternoon tea and cricket is quintessentially British. The population is very multi-cultural with a make-up of three-quarters locals including, blacks, whites and Portuguese, and the remainder consisting of ex-pats, mainly Brits and Canadians.

Music

The Gombey dance is the iconic symbol of Bermudian culture with its unique music and drum beat. Other musical traditions include steelpan, calypso, choral, and bagpipe music played by the descendants of Irish and Scottish settlers, the largest of which is the Bermuda Islands Pipe Band. The Bermuda Strollers are one of the most popular Caribbean music groups in the US, while artists Heather Nova and Collie Budz have also gained international repute for their work.

Cuisine

Located in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, Bermuda’s staple diet is seafood, of which the Bermuda fish chowder, codfish breakfast and fish sandwiches are the most traditional. Peas ‘n’ rice are another local delicacy, while codfish cakes in a hot cross bun at Easter and cassava pie at Christmas are virtual Bermudian institutions. Gosling’s Black Seal Rum is the base for most signature cocktails from the dark ‘n’ stormy (mixed with ginger beer) to the rum swizzle (an alcoholic fruit punch).

Religion

The majority of the islanders are Christian but there has been an increasing shift from the old-guard sects towards the more evangelical churches. Those affiliated with the Anglican church remain the highest in numbers but have dropped off in recent times, closely followed by Roman Catholic, African Methodist Episcopal and Seventh-Day Adventist. Other houses of worship comprise the Methodist, Jehovah’s Witness, Baptist, Pentecostal and Christian science faiths.

Language

Bermudians speak English with a distinct local lilt that sounds American with a twang. Slang interchanges ‘w’ for ‘v’, ‘ing’ to ‘in’ and ‘th’ to ‘f’, while ‘um,um’ is often the precursor to sentence. For ‘ask’ insert ‘axe’, drunk is replaced by ‘full hot’, and ‘de Rock’ means Bermuda (indicating the volcanic rock the island is built on).