Culture of Bermuda

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Statue of Johnny Barnes, located near the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute.

The culture of Bermuda reflects the heritage of its people, who are chiefly of Native American,

US Dollar; Bermudians frequently watch television from the US. Dress in Bermuda, however, is distinct from either American or British styles. While in the US or the United Kingdom, shorts are considered casual dress, Bermuda shorts
are considered to be formal attire in Bermuda, and are worn with a jacket and tie.

Bermudians may seem more conservative than people in the UK or North America, and are more concerned with etiquette. The islanders highly value protocol, and place a great emphasis on pomp and ceremony. For example, to ask somebody for directions in Bermuda without first saying 'good morning' or 'good afternoon' is considered to be abrupt and rude. This causes misunderstandings and embarrassment on the part of many US or British visitors, for whom this is perfectly normal, and who intend no offense. Topless sunbathing is not simply frowned upon as immodest - it is against the law.

However, Bermudians can also be tolerant of behaviour that would be considered eccentric elsewhere. One example is Johnny Barnes, a retired bus driver who stood by the road in Hamilton, greeting commuters on their way to work, often by name, wishing them a good morning, and telling them all I love you!. So great is the esteem in which he is held locally that a statue of him now stands in Hamilton.

Architecture

Literature

Bermuda's early literary history was largely limited to non-Bermudian writers commenting on the island. These included

A.J. Cronin and F. Van Wyck Mason
, who wrote on Bermudian subjects.

Music

A traditional form of music and dance is known as The Bermuda

slaves worked in British military bases. These dances are traditionally performed on New Year's Day, Boxing Day
, and 24 May (Bermuda Day).

Notable cultural figures

1900 to 1950

  • Gordon Thomas (1916 in Bermuda – 2016) played outsider music
  • Lance Hayward (1916 in Bermuda – 1991) was a jazz pianist, he settled in New York City at the age of 50.
  • Phyllis Simmons Brooks (1926 in Bermuda – 2012 in Canada) emigrated to Canada in 1945, was a Canadian educator. After retiring from teaching, she taught adult literacy courses.
  • Brian Burland (1931 in Bermuda – 2010 in Bermuda) was a Bermudian writer, poet and author of nine acclaimed novels that typically dealt with colonialism, family strife and race
  • David B. Wingate OBE (born 1935 in Bermuda) is an ornithologist, naturalist and conservationist. He rediscovered the black-capped petrel in Haiti in 1963.
  • Michael Mortimore (1937 in Bermuda – 2017 in Somerset) was a British geographer and a prolific researcher of issues in the African drylands. He speaks with some authority about 'desertification'.
  • Michael K. Frith (born 1941 in Bermuda) is a director, consultant, designer and puppeteer; contributed extensively to The Muppets
  • Angela Barry (born Bermuda c.1950) is a Bermudian writer, educator and lecturer. Her creative writing reflects her connections with the African diaspora, and as a PhD student at Lancaster University she worked on cross-cultural projects

1950 to date

  • Gina Swainson (born 1958 in Bermuda) is a Bermudian model and beauty queen who won Miss World 1979
  • David Morris (born 1964 in Bermuda) is a musician who is best known as the frontman for Cold Water Army
    , and his current band Bag We Bag
  • Heather Nova (born 1967 in Bermuda) is a Bermudian singer-songwriter and poet
  • Kenneth Amis (born 1970 in Bermuda) is a tuba player and composer
  • Mishka (born Alexander Mishka Frith in Bermuda in 1974) is a reggae musician
  • Jon McGregor (born 1976 in Bermuda) is a British novelist and short story writer. In 2002, his first novel was longlisted for the Booker Prize as its youngest contender
  • Kieran O'Neill (born 1987 In Bermuda) is an English entrepreneur known for founding several Internet companies. He co-founded Playfire, the largest social network for video games and is currently CEO of a fashion startup company. He moved to England when he was 14 and currently lives in London
  • B. Dylan Hollis (born 1995 in Bermuda) is a Bermudian-American TikTok influencer, baker, and author. He is best known for showcasing unusual vintage American recipes.
  • Jordan Claire Robbins is a Bermudian model and actress.

Cuisine

See also

References

  1. ^ "Hunter: Battle of the Summer Islands, by Edmund Waller". Archived from the original on 14 May 2011. Retrieved 12 April 2011.
  2. ^ Bartleby.com, Inc.: III. Writers of the Couplet. § 4. Edmund Waller.

External links