Ruth Leon recommends… Gombey Dance – Bermuda

Gombey Dance – Bermuda

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Gombey performance was initially a street tradition in Bermuda bringing enslaved people of West African, Native American, and Caribbean heritage together to celebrate during the Christmas season.  Gombey reflects both its deep historical roots as a symbol of creative resistance to colonial authority and its modern role as an emblem of the nation.  

The Warwick Gombey Troupe,  is one of five troupes in Bermuda today. Irwin Trott, both a master drummer and educator of Gombey performance, founded this Troupe in 1996, dedicated to representing the unique heritage of the island of Bermuda through its Native roots that trace back to the Wampanoag, Pequot, and Narragansett people of New England.
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The Warwick Gombey Troupe’s debut at Jacob’s Pillow in New England represents a kind of homecoming to the land of their ancestors.

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