A look at the art and culture of Gombeys in Bermuda

1. A look at the art and culture of
Gombeys in Bermuda
For: Grades 3 and up
By: Holly Archeval

2.  Gombey comes from an African word that
means rhythm
 It is a popular dance in Bermuda that is an
important part of their culture and traditions

3.  Sadly enough, there was slavery in Bermuda
during Colonial times.
 Afro-Caribbean slaves in Bermuda had a big
influence on how Gombeys came about
because of their culture and traditions

4.  It was not easily accepted in society
 In 1761 there was a slave revolt, and so they
made a law banning Gombeys.

5.  Their reason was that they felt people could
commit crimes and not get caught because
their faces were hidden behind the Gombey
masks.

6.  Only after the mid 1800s did the art and
music of Gombeys become accepted

7.  The Gombey dance groups are usually male
and ranges from 10-30 dancers
 In more modern times, some females have
joined the groups
 Even little ones join in
Askdzign, “baby gombey dancer” May 24, 2006
Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-NoDerivs

8.  Usually 2 snare drums are used along with
Kettle drums and sometimes a fife
Kansasphoto, “Gombeys” July 18, 2009 via Flickr, Creative Commons Attribution

9.  The music is very rhythmic and the dance
gets faster and more energetic the longer it
goes on
Kansasphoto, “Gombeys” July 28, 2009 via Flickr, Creative Commons Attribution

10.  A Gombey costume is very colorful like an
exotic bird
 The dancer is completely covered from head
to toe with different decorations

11.  They have tassels, mirrors and bells on their
costume as well as other decorations
Kansasphoto, “Gombeys” July 18, 2009 via Flickr, Creative Commons Attribution

12.  The leader or captain of the troupe will wear
long capes and carry a whip
 The idea of the whip is to control a wild
crowd and/or the troupe
 He also blows a whistle to give directions
within the dance

13.  The headdress of the Gombey has peacock
feathers sticking out from the top
 The mask is painted over so you cannot see
their face
Ecotist, “Gombey Dancer” April 14, 2006 via Flickr,
Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-NoDerivs

14.  The Bowman is known as the Lead Indian.
 He will carry a bow and arrow and his job is
to walk slightly ahead of the troupe with the
idea that he is scouting out the long trails
Kansasphoto, “Gombeys” July 18, 2009 via Flickr, Creative Commons Attribution

15.  The other dancers are known as Warriors
 They carry a tomahawk otherwise known as
an axe
 They will put the axe on their shoulder when
doing a faceoff with another dancer

16.  Gombeys used to only perform on Boxing Day
which is December 26th and also New Year’s
Day.
 These were times that slaves were allowed
some free time
Rich Cumbers, “Gombey dancing” April 22, 2011
Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial-NoDerivs

17.  Today, Gombeys perform on many occasions
and holidays.
Kansasphoto, “Gombeys” July 18, 2009 via Flickr, Creative Commons Attribution

18.  During the summer months they perform
weekly at Harbor Nights which is an evening
when artists and vendors come out and
showcase their talents

19.  Many Bermudians and tourists come out for
Harbor Nights because it is a fun time for
everyone
 Crowds will follow and throw money at the
Gombeys. They have specific people there to
pick up the money

20.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gombey
 http://www.bermuda-attractions.com/bermuda2_00002a.htm
 Clipart taken from: http://www.clker.com/
 Pictures taken from: http://www.flickr.com/