Geographically, Bermuda may not be part of the Caribbean, but its cultural and historical ties to the region run deep through the people who call our island home.
The management committee of the West Indian Association (Bermuda) proudly trace their roots to Trinidad, Jamaica, Dominica, St Lucia and, of course, Bermuda, and insist that every single one of the Caribbean islands is represented here.
Job opportunities have certainly been a draw — West Indians in Bermuda work as nurses, teachers and accountants, and can be found in policing, hospitality and many other fields.
Personal connections have also led them here. Members of the Association explained that many couples met while studying at university and returned to Bermuda together.
Their presence has left a lasting cultural impact.
“Caribbean nationals have woven their contributions into the fabric of Bermuda’s history and culture,” one member said, adding that a single article could never fully capture the scope of that influence here.
The contributions of Caribbean leaders in Bermuda are significant. Sir Edward Richards, originally from Guyana, became the first Black Premier. Dr Clarence James, whose father hailed from St Kitts, was Deputy Premier, a general surgeon and the first Black Minister of Finance.
From Trinidad came Edgar Fitzgerald Gordon, a National Hero of Bermuda, member of parliament and the founder of the Bermuda Industrial Union.
Dr EF Gordon’s leadership of the Bermuda Workers Association led to legislation in 1946 that allowed for the formation of trade unions.
Another Trinidadian, Choy Aming Sr, was instrumental in launching the Clayhouse Inn and co-organised the first Bermuda Day Parade in 1979. His Carnival-styled parade helped pave the way for Jason Sukdeo (Bermudian-Guyanese) and the eventual launch of Bermuda’s Carnival in 2015.
Jamaica is also strongly represented in Bermuda’s historical record. James “Dick” Richards arrived in 1903 with the Third Battalion of the West India Regiment and became the first Black man in Bermuda to own a hotel licence.
He also helped bring the first West Indies cricket team here in 1939. Victor Fitzgerald Scott, another Jamaican, led the then-Central School, which was later renamed in his honour. His son, Dr Victor Scott, was inducted as an Honorary Fellow of Bermuda College in 2013.
Women have played a pivotal role as well. Dame Pamela Gordon, daughter of EF Gordon, became Bermuda’s first female Premier in 1997. Hazel Christopher, originally from Jamaica, was instrumental in forming the Jamaican Association (Bermuda) and was honoured with a star on the City of Hamilton’s Walkway of Fame for her work as a champion of underdogs.
Retired Justice Norma Wade-Miller spent more than 25 years in Bermuda’s judiciary and was the first woman appointed as a permanent magistrate and Supreme Court Justice, later becoming Acting Chief Justice. She was named an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in 2016.
Other key figures include Shurnett Caines, a Jamaican who helped found the West Indian Association (Bermuda) alongside John Evans of Trinidad. Ms Caines has worked on residency rights, offender treatment, and was honoured with Her Majesty the Queen’s Certificate of Honour and as a Bermuda Day Grand Marshal.
The historical connection goes beyond people. In 1902, CH Walker and Company brought 230 skilled Caribbean workers to Bermuda under indentureship to support the expansion of HM Dockyard.
Even Bermuda’s cultural traditions reflect this connection. Cassava, a staple of our traditional cassava pie, was introduced from the West Indies in the 1600s. The island’s iconic Gombey performance style blends African, British, Native American and Caribbean influences. Similar rhythms and pageantry are found in the Bahamas’ Junkanoo and St Kitts’ Moko Jumbie stilt walkers, who have performed at Bermuda’s Gombey Festival.
