Contributor Cha'von K. Clarke is a native of Bermuda, where her stories have won several awards. This story is about a young man who wants to participate in a Bermuda tradition - the Gombey dance. This story can also be found in a new book that Cha'von has published, called

Gombey dancers wear elaborate costumes that include towering headdresses. Their dance, to the rythm of drums and fife pays tribute to an old Afro-Carribean dance tradition. Dancers wearing mirrors in their costumes pantomine chasing away evil spirits and stage mock battles called "cock-fights."

The Christmas Gombey by Cha'von K. Clarke

The evil spirits shunned their ugly faces from the revealing shimmers of cut mirrors adorning the regal cape. They screamed as their presence dissolved into the bitter heat-absorbed asphalt and there they lay while the harmony and rhythmic beats of Bermuda Gombeys drowned their existence.

The colorful crowd gathered and children from the audience performed the unique spirit dances as all heard the whistles, bells and drumming, signaling Bermuda’s beautiful tradition of the Gombey. Boxing Day had come and from the time the rooster welcomed the new day, the streets were blessed with the most intriguing custom held dear to the island’s renowned history.

The Gombey troop led their following through the streets, pausing at special homes that welcomed all with food and drink and encouraged the group to perform on their lawns. There was one particular home that offered nothing less than a feast and invited the entire troop into their home. This was the Trimingham House on Pitt’s Bay Road, where little Petey Trimingham lived. Petey could barely hold his excitement each year! He was now seven and determined to dance with the stunning Gombeys. As soon as he heard the drum beat, he leapt from his bed and rushed over to the window. He watched as the tall peacock hats in the distance swayed to and fro as the dancers moved throughout the streets!

It was time!

Petey ran to his closet and pulled out his own hat, fully-trimmed with mask and green and red wool outlining the borders. Ms. Davis, the Trimingham family housekeeper and cook, instructed Petey on how to make the Gombey hat and mask and they spent days making it just right with beautiful beads, mirrors and ribbon.

Petey carefully rested the hat on his side table and rushed back to the closet. Twinkling in the back was the most fascinating Gombey costume ever made. He smiled to himself as he pulled the suit down and began to undress. Ms. Davis showed him how to fix the skirt, scarf and gloves many times so within minutes, Petey stood dressed and ready to make his debut. He crept over to the door and peeked into the hallway. It appeared that everyone was outside so he quickly moved to the stairs and slowly made his way through the kitchen. He moved smoothly and deliberate, just like a Gombey would but just as he reached the back door he realized that he forgot his Gombey ax. After a brief pause, he ran upstairs and reached high on the shelf of the closet for his weapon of choice.

When he opened the door to his bedroom the second time, he saw a shadow in the hall but he couldn’t make out who it was. See, the hallway on the second floor of the Trimingham home was very long and there were several dark areas along the way. Petey was sure that his family shared the estate with ghosts of the past and he spent many nights afraid but today was different. He closed his door, counted to ten and then moved out into the hall. As his maneuvered downstairs, his cape of beaded jewels and mirrors glistened, protecting him from all evil spirits.

Finally, he reached the top of the steps and looked down on the huge Balsamic Fir Christmas tree his parents had purchased from Gorham’s hardware store. He remembered his parents piling his two sisters, Julia and Dori, and him into the car to pick out the largest and most beautiful tree on the island, a Trimingham family tradition. Through the year, his parents worked day and night at a large corporation in the City of Hamilton, and Petey loved to visit their offices during Christmastime because City Hall and the rest of Hamilton was so festive with pretty lights and decoration. Christmastime was also great because his parents finally took a break from work and spent ‘family time’ with Petey and his sisters. They joined with other families and set about the neighborhoods singing Christmas carols and even volunteered their time at the senior homes and the hospital. His church, St. Mark’s Cathedral, put together Christmas bins and presented them to needy families, from St. George’s to Dockyard.

Yes, Petey loved Christmas for many reasons but the top reason year after year was that he knew he would see the Gombeys. Petey enjoyed everything about the mysterious Gombey, including the historical facts. Ms. Davis explained that the idea of the Gombey reflected slavery: the slave would cover himself from head to toe so that his slave master would not be able to identify him. He would then perform dances of liberation and even tell Biblical stories through dance. Each aspect of the costume had meaning and the peacock feather was chosen for the top of the hat to show that no matter what the slaves had endured, they were still proud of whom they were and in that, they would soon be free.

Petey couldn’t understand why people could be so cruel yet still smile and go about their day. He was taught in Sunday school that God loves everyone, regardless of the color of one’s skin. Christmastime is when we all reflect on God’s unconditional love but Petey also knew that we should love one another all year ‘round! This is why Petey decided to use Christmas colors of red, gold, green, silver and white for his Gombey suit.

Petey knew that his parents would never allow him to dance with the Gombeys. Though they welcomed them onto their lawn and offered drinks, he knew that it was only due to the Christmas season, so he didn’t tell anyone about his plan to join the dance this year.

Once he made it to the kitchen door, he tip-toed around the corner of the house and saw lots of people in a circle around the Gombeys. He could hear the bass drum and started to bop his head immediately. Then he moved his feet to the snare drum and jerked his body forward with the ax on his shoulder. Beyond his control, his eyes closed and his body moved around the yard and when he reopened them, he saw hundreds of eyes on him. He was right in the middle of the circle and the crowd cheered him on!

Though he had planned this a million times in his head, he now stood frozen, unsure of what to do next but the Captain, in a long majestic cape and a hat with extra tall feathers (at least it seemed that way to Petey), blew his whistle and signaled for another small Gombey to join Petey for a Cock Fight. He watched the little feet move around him with style, charisma and passion. His eyes moved up and he saw the legs criss-crossing slowly and the arms moving in coordination with the drumbeat. The crowd was silent with only light breathing full of anticipation of what would happen next.

As Petey’s eyes met the mask of his opponent, his body started to move with grace and confidence and within seconds he joined the Gombey and their fight looked as if it were a unity dance instead of a battle. Each movement was calculated and designed by studying the rival’s strategy.

The crowd went crazy! The drummers felt the energy and picked up their rhythm! The Captain danced nearby and soon signaled for the other dancers to join in! Petey proudly danced along with the Gombeys and truly felt accepted!

Just before his father spoke, inviting everyone in the house for delicious minced pies, rum cake and Barritt’s Ginger Beer, Petey sneaked through the crowd and rushed to the back door, up the stairs and down the hall towards his bedroom. When he opened the door, he saw Ms. Davis making his bed. At first he stood in shock and then he heard his mother’s voice in the open closet and was truly afraid. She walked out and stood staring down at him. Then she smiled and walked towards him. Her hug was warm and she whispered in his ear, “Welcome Home, my Christmas Gombey!”

That was many years ago and as the elderly man looked intently at the beautiful Christmas tree near the window of the Pembroke Rest Home, I heard the whistles, bells and drum beat of the Gombey troop making their way towards the building. They stopped right outside and I helped Mr. Pete Trimingham to the door and down the walkway. The crowd opened when they saw he was near and a small child handed him a beautiful hand-painted ax. Petey, even at seventy-two years of age, moved the crowd and excited the drummers, adding Christmas spice to an extraordinary Bermudian tradition.

The legend of The Christmas Gombey will proudly live on in the hearts of Bermudians for years to come!

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