Recollection and Reconnection

This is one of few publications focusing on the people of St. David's Island - a community in Bermuda that developed a unique and little known culture. In this book, the St. David's Islanders reveal previously unrecorded personal stories about their mixed ethnic heritage, what it was like growing up on a self-described idyllic and isolated island, and about their recent reconnection with long lost Native American relatives from the USA. The St. David's Islanders were a mystery to many other Bermudians for a number of reasons: their geographic isolation; strong sense of community and distrust of outsiders; dietary habits, eating 'strange' foods; speaking with a 'funny' accent; and their physical appearance that was very different from most other Bermudians. They were often taunted by outsiders and called "Mohawks" because of their mixed ancestry that includes Native Americans, Africans, and Europeans. St. David's Islanders recollect their stories in interviews with the author, a cultural anthropologist. They reveal how an important part of their oral history that was silenced for generations has become a vocal and passionate part of their existence over the past two decades. That passion is the search for details about their Native American heritage, which they are seeking to accomplish by reconnecting with their long lost relatives, and conducting research in the archives and other repositories for documents that might shed light on their ancestry. The St. David's Islanders and other Bermudians with Native American ancestry formed an organization to plan a "Reconnection" event that would celebrate their Native American ancestry and re-establish a bond with their relatives from various North American tribal nations including: the Mashantucket Pequot, Narragansett, Mashpee Wampanoag, Cherokee, Nipmuc, and others. In 2002, the first Reconnection Festival and Powwow was held on St. David's Island. Since their Reconnection, they have discovered remarkable similarities in some of their cultural practices, maritime skills, and physical resemblances. In "Recollection and Reconnection," you will hear the voices of the St. David's Islanders, their North American Native relatives, and Bermudian government officials. In addition to the interviews, there are many photographs of the interviewees and of participants in the Bermuda and US Powwows.