“It is critically important that we preserve the traditions and culture of our Native American ancestors, such as the Pow Wow, to remind all of Bermuda of this poignant and prominent part of our history,” said the Hon. Wayne Furbert JP, MP at the unveiling of the Post Office’s Commemorative Stamp collection honouring the 20th Anniversary of the St David’s Islanders and Native Community’s Pow Wow.
The Minister for the Office of Cabinet, Minister Wayne Furbert stated, “I welcome you all here today to join us on this momentous and auspicious occasion. I cannot think of a more fitting location for this event than the picturesque grounds of St David’s County Cricket Club, which has played, and continues to play, such an enormous role in the life of the St David’s community.
“Today, we are gathered to officially launch the issue of the St David’s Islanders and Native Community Pow Wow Stamp. These stamps seek to capture the glorious and rich heritage that forms part of the cultural identity of St David’s in particular and Bermuda in general.
“It is a historical fact that Native Americans were brought from the Americas to our shores as enslaved people. We know that a significant portion of these slaves settled here in St David’s, while others went further afield across Bermuda. It is also a fact that many Bermudians, therefore, have the blood of Native American slaves coursing through their veins.
“As we participate in our emancipation observances in Bermuda this month, it is appropriate that we also remember to honour the many Native American slaves who were brought to the island in the 1600s. Their legacy and cultural impact are deeply embedded in our history. They have shaped our community over many generations, and I know that throngs of Bermudians are extremely proud of their native American roots, and rightly so. Where once this ancestral lineage was the subject of ridicule and scorn, especially towards St David’s Islanders, they are now the source of immense pride by many Bermudians.
“Since the St. David’s Islanders and Native Committee was founded in 2002, the St. David’s Pow Wow has become an increasingly important event on our community calendar – where stories, customs, and traditions can be preserved and handed down from one generation to the next. It is heartening to note that so many Bermudians have embraced their Native American heritage and are now proud to be associated with and a part of it.
“So today, we are very pleased to present the stamp issue that will commemorate the St David’s Islander and Native Community Pow Wow.
By way of background, the Stamp Design Advisory Committee had planned to commemorate the Pow Wow in 2020, but due to the pandemic, the event was cancelled. The Committee postponed this stamp issue until the next Pow Wow event in June 2022 to coincide with the St David’s Islander and Native Community’s 20th anniversary of community togetherness and cultural preservation.
“The newest stamps, which feature vibrant imagery of this key aspect of our culture and heritage, are now available for purchase from the General Post Office in Hamilton, as well as various sub-post offices around the island.
“The Bermuda Post Office is pleased to join in celebrating our Native ancestral connections with this unique commemorative stamp series highlighting the St. David’s Pow Wow as an integral thread in the fabric of our island culture.”
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