This November, as we celebrate Native American Heritage Month, we also mark a significant milestone: 22 years since the powerful and transformative reconnection between St. David’s Islanders and members of Northeastern tribes in the United States. This anniversary offers a meaningful opportunity to reflect on the shared history, cultural bonds, and enduring resilience of these communities.
In 2002, the Reconnection Committee was established with a bold vision to restore ties between St. David’s Islanders and their Indigenous heritage, focusing on tribes like the Narragansett, Mashantucket Pequot, and Mashpee Wampanoag. For too long, the contributions of Indigenous people to Bermudian heritage, particularly those enslaved and brought to the island, have been overlooked. The descendants of these individuals, many living in St. David’s today, carry the legacy of their ancestors.
St. David’s Islanders & Native Community committee at the June 2023 Powwow in St. Davids. From left: Treasurer Antione Lugo, Trustee Harold Millett, Edith Minors, Anthony Paynter, Vice Chairman Irwin Trott, St. Clair “Brinky” Tucker, Nives Filice, Trustee Stephen Tucker, Chairwoman Terlena Murphy, Chelsea McMorton, Ian Pitcher, and Janet DeBraga
These Indigenous ancestors—who endured unimaginable hardships—left a legacy that continues to shape the island’s unique cultural identity. This anniversary is especially significant for me, as I’ve undergone a personal journey to reconnect with my family’s ancestral links to the Mashantucket Pequot and Wampanoag tribes. Through this reconnection, I’ve found not only a deeper understanding of my roots but also a profound sense of belonging and pride in the resilience of my ancestors. My journey reflects the broader historical reconnection that St. David’s Islanders have been pursuing for over two decades. To truly understand the importance of this anniversary, we must explore the history that has shaped these lasting connections.
Women’s traditional dance at the June 2023 Bermuda Powwow in St. Davids
Bermuda’s ties to Indigenous peoples began as early as 1609 with the arrival of the Sea Venture. In an article from the Virginia Magazine of History & Biography, “Namontack’s Itinerant Life and Mysterious Death,” we learn of an exchange between Christopher Newport, captain of the Sea Venture, and Chief Powhatan in 1608. Powhatan, the father of Pocahontas, sent his trusted aide, Namontack, on diplomatic missions to gather intelligence on the English, in return a 13-year-old English boy named Thomas Savage, would live among the Powhatan people to learn their language and customs.
Months later, Namontack and Machumps, Powhatan’s brother-in-law, embarked on a return journey to Jamestown aboard the Sea Venture after their second mission to England. William Strachey, writing about the Sea Venture’s fateful arrival in Bermuda, describes the unfamiliar fish species and the English attempts at fishing with nets “long enough to close the mouth of Mullet Bay.” He also mentions the construction of canoes, a craft likely familiar to Namontack and Machumps, whose people in New England were skilled in building Mishoons—dug-out canoes made by burning out the trunk of a tree.
This raises the question: did Namontack and Machumps, like their relatives back in Virginia, help the English survive on Bermuda by teaching them essential skills such as canoe building, fishing, and vegetable sowing? These Indigenous men, with their practical knowledge of the land and sea, may have been crucial to the colonists’ survival, though their contributions remain largely unsung.
Seven years later in 1616, the ship Edwin, owned by Governor Tucker, returned to Bermuda from a West Indies whaling voyage with “one Indian and a Negroe.” Nathaniel Butler described them as likely pearl divers, calling them “the first these islands ever had.” It’s unclear if this referred to the colony’s first African or Indigenous presence. However, records like a letter from a Rich estate tenant—highlighted by Packwood in Chained on the Rock—stating that “Indian slaves would prove the best labourers for this country” suggest a prior awareness of the enslavement of Indigenous peoples’ and their importance to the colony’s success.
Vignette from the Hall of History mural, illustrating pearl diving by enslaved Native American and African men
Similarly, narratives surrounding Namontack and Machumps, two Powhatan emissaries stranded in Bermuda after the 1609 Sea Venture shipwreck, hint at early Indigenous contributions.
Following the arrival of European colonists in the New World and the formation of permanent settlements in 1607, it drastically altered life for tribal groups along the Eastern coast. These tribes, known as “first contact tribes” experienced years of conflict with the colonists, resulting in many of our ancestors killed or sold off as slaves.
During the infamous Pequot War of 1636-38, the conflict pitted English colonists from Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay against the Pequot tribe, with the colonists allied with the Narragansett and Mohegan tribes to overpower the Pequots and claim their lands. Hundreds of Pequots were killed, and the survivors were either sold to allied tribes or sold to English colonies, including Bermuda and various islands in the West Indies. This devastating war led to the enslavement and displacement of many Pequot people, some of whom were forcibly sent to Bermuda, leaving a lasting impact on the island’s Indigenous heritage.
Engraving depicting John Endecott’s landing on Block Island at the start of the Pequot War (1636-38) by A.R. Waud. New York Public Library Digital Collection: http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/id?808137
Following the conflict, the number of Indigenous slaves in Bermuda saw a significant increase. Approximately 80 Pequot captives were taken to Bermuda, most of whom were sold to one of the largest landowners in St. David’s, Captain Anthony White. Further enslaved Indigenous individuals were imported to Bermuda following King Philip’s War (1675-1676) one of the bloodiest tribal wars in the US, named after the Pokanoket sachem or chief Metacomet, known to the English as King Philip. Oral histories in both Bermuda and New England suggest that Metacomet’s wife and son were captured and sent to Bermuda. These stories underscore how Indigenous knowledge was exploited for survival and the colony’s growth, foreshadowing the widespread enslavement of Indigenous and African peoples that followed.
The presence of Indigenous people in Bermuda’s early history is often overshadowed or omitted from mainstream accounts. The brief mentions of such figures in the contemporary accounts and later omission from popular histories and research questions reflects the broader marginalisation of Indigenous peoples. John Smith’s The Generall Historie of Virginia briefly mentions Namontack’s mysterious death, reportedly at the hands of Machumps in Bermuda, yet these Indigenous men are otherwise absent from the celebrated tale of the Sea Venture, which most school children, myself included learn. This exclusion mirrors the erasure of Indigenous stories from the wider colonial narrative, despite their foundational contributions.
For me, this encapsulates the joy of interning at the NMB—uncovering Bermuda’s lesser-known connections to the wider world and exploring these fascinating historical intersections.
Conducting research at the Bermuda Archives during my summer internship this year.
Reflecting on my Indigenous ancestors who were brought to Bermuda, I am also struck by the ways they were compelled to engage with the land and how this experience might have resonated with—or conflicted against—their spiritual traditions. Early Bermuda industries, such as cultivating tobacco, building with cedar, and growing crops like corn, central to their heritage, raise questions about how they might have felt when forced to work with materials reminiscent of those back home. While we cannot know for sure, this is an avenue that deserves deeper exploration, shedding light on the complex relationship between displacement, labor, and the enduring connection to the healing knowledge of the land.
Like other Sacred Medicines particularly tobacco, cedar is used as an offering or a means of communication with the Creator and Spirits. When cedar bushels are placed in the fire, the crackling sound is believed to attract the attention of the spirits, signalling that an offering is being made. Similar to sage and sweetgrass, elders say that the scent of Cedar is pleasing to the spirits. It plays an essential role in ceremonial practices, such as sweat lodges, where it is offered to protect and heal both the participants and the sacred space. Additionally, cedar’s healing properties can be experienced in practical ways, like soaking in a cedar-infused bath for cleansing and renewal. Although Bermuda cedar is a juniper and not a true cedar like its North American counterpart, they share many similar characteristics. This connection between the land and those who honour it is deeply intertwined with practices of cultivation and care.
It was clear to the colonists that experts were needed to complete their endeavours, as the English lacked the skills to survive in unfamiliar territory. Indigenous peoples, brought to Bermuda for their expertise, became integral to these early efforts, yet what remains unclear is the daily lived experiences of these groups as they navigated a foreign land and the demands placed upon them. This mixed-race society would help to transform Bermuda’s economy and ultimately shape Bermuda into what it is today.
My family’s story reflects this layered history. My first recollection of my indigenous ancestry comes from my grandmother, I remember glancing at her St. David’s Islanders quilted blanket draped over her couch. She would share stories of our relative Jacob Minors, a well-known St. David’s pilot believed to descend from Pequot captives brought to Bermuda. His portrait, featured in Lefroy’s Memorials of the Discovery and Early Settlement of Bermuda and on the cover of Bermuda Five Centuries, filled me with pride. Yet, it also reminded me of the discrimination St. David’s Islanders faced.
Portrait of Jacob Minors
Life on St. David’s was greatly different from the rest of Bermuda mainly because of its isolation from the main Island, as there were neither roads nor bridges. Over time, many of Bermuda’s surrounding islands, including St. George’s, Somerset Island, and Boaz Island, were connected to the main island by bridges, except for St. David’s, which became the most isolated community, earning the nickname “An Island near Bermuda”.
St. David’s isolation from the main island fostered a self-sufficient and distinct community. For years, residents were mocked for their lifestyles, labeled “Mohawks” for their mixed Indigenous, African, and European heritage. Despite this prejudice, St. David’s Islanders developed unique traditions rooted in their diverse ancestry.
The reconnection efforts by the St. David’s Islanders & Native Community (SDI&NC) have been pivotal in preserving this heritage. The group not only hosts local powwows but also fosters ties with tribes in New England. As I’ve grown older, my desire to research and learn about my ancestry and heritage has become a passion.
The 103rd annual Mashpee Wampanoag Powwow: Grand Entry with various tribal members
Over the years, I’ve attended many of our local powwows in St. David’s watching from the sidelines as a young girl, eager to learn the dances and customs. Now as a young adult, I participate in the powwow circles, dancing alongside my family and adorned in regalia. This year I had the privilege of visiting the town of Mashpee in Cape Cod along with my family participating in the 103rd annual Mashpee Wampanoag Powwow—a first of many visits I hope to make.
St. David’s Committee members led by Chairwoman Terlena Murphy in the 103rd annual Mashpee Powwow circle
Warwick Gombey troupe member alongside women advocating for the Missing Murdered Indigenous Women at Schemitzun Feast of the Green Corn and Dance (Mashantucket Pequot Powwow 2024)
As I stood in the powwow circle in Mashpee I looked around seeing mirror images of faces I knew too well. Elders that had the same smile lines and brown spots adorning their dusky complexion as my grandmother and long black hair fashioned in braids and stout pointy noses similar to my own. Even though I had never met these people, and grew up miles away from them, I was surrounded by familiar faces. I could feel and hear the presence of my ancestors as they said Kuweeqâhsunumun nâtôquhsak, Welcome to all my relations.
From left: SDI&NC members Secretary, Dominique Williams, Makayla Simmons, Committee Chairwoman Terlena Murphy, and Michelle St. John
With cedar laid in my moccasins, a handcrafted cedar rattle clutched to my side, and wampum earrings adorning my ears I danced to the beat of the drum, a rhythm my spirit recognised. As the drumbeat echoed and the war cries rang out I felt deeply rooted, standing on the damp ground alongside my relatives. Stepping onto the soil of my ancestral homelands is like reconnecting with a part of myself that has long been dormant. Each step resonates with echoes of history, binding me to the stories of those who came before me. I began to imagine the lives they lived, the atrocities they endured and the trauma of being torn from these grounds to a place that was unknown.
SDI&NC Committee Treasure Antione Lugo, dancing “Men’s Eastern Traditional” at 103rd annual Mashpee Powwow
Understanding Bermuda’s Indigenous ties is essential to appreciating the island’s history. These connections extend beyond historical significance—they are integral to the island’s cultural identity. As Native American Heritage Month comes to an end and we approach Thanksgiving, a National Day of Mourning for our relations in the United States, I hope this implores many to reflect on the complex history and ongoing struggles faced by Indigenous communities around the world and uncover untold or hidden histories within in their own communities. Similarly, the legacy of Indigenous connections in Bermuda extends beyond historical significance; it is an essential part of the island’s cultural identity.
Sitting to receive traditional markings by local artisan at 103rd annual Mashpee Powwow
After receiving traditional markings from local artisan on Mashpee Powwow grounds
Organisations such as the St. David’s Islanders and Native Committee are dedicated to preserving and promoting the unique culture of St. David’s Island while opening their spaces for other Bermudians wishing to connect with their Indigenous heritage, highlighting traditions like the Bermuda Gombeys at our local powwows, which were formed from a mixture of Indigenous and African cultures.
Warwick Gombey troupe and tribal youth at Schemitzun Feast of Green Corn and Dance (Mashantucket Pequot Powwow 2024)
Bermuda’s Indigenous connections, though often overlooked, offer a compelling lens through which to view the island’s history. My time as an intern at the National Museum has sparked an interest in making sure our histories and experiences are recorded and shared for the public to learn more and understand a history they may not know too much about. In recognising and celebrating Bermuda’s Indigenous connections, we honour the past and pave the way for a more inclusive future that acknowledges the vibrant tapestry of cultures that define our community and people.
The SDINC encourages those who want to reconnect with their heritage to attend our up and coming powwow in June 2025 or for more information on upcoming events to contact st.davidsinc@gmail.com.
Notes:
- Cyril Outerbridge Packwood. Chained on the Rock. Slavery in Bermuda 1993. Pg 2.
- Bermuda Historical Quarterly “Cast Aways on Bermuda” Summer Quarter 1959
- Vaughan, Alden T. “Namontack’s Itinerant Life and Mysterious Death: Sources and Speculations.” The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, vol. 126, no. 2, 2018, pp. 170–209. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/26431964. Accessed 19 Oct. 2024.
- Smith, John. The Generall Historie of Virginia, New-England, & the Summer Isles. United Kingdom, Applewood Books, 2006. Pg 344.
