May 24. Bermuda Day. Enroute from Somerset to Hamilton, I drive along a long string of people dotted along Middle Road waiting for the marathon while packs of pedal bikers head to Dockyard for their race start. It's only 9am and Front Street is already packed in anticipation of the marathon finish and the Bermuda Day Heritage Parade. I recognise a few folks who I saw camped out late Wednesday night staking claim to their sidewalk territory with duct tape, barricades, even spray paint, or their very presence.
I'm down at Bermudiana Road early to check out the floats and do some interviewing with the float makers since the Parade's theme this year, like Heritage Month, is 'Bermuda's Maritime Connections'. Indeed, each year's specific Parade theme is mainly carried thru the Parade floats, whereas other live performing elements of the Parade tend to be less influenced by the theme.
There's about eight full size floats this year, some made by individuals, some by community groups including a couple the Mid-Atlantic (North Shore) and East End Comet sailing clubs, some by government departments (Tourism, Parks, Works & Engineering) and three go-kart floats contributed by primary schools (St. David's, Purvis and Paget). The floats are decorated with natural flora and fauna including dried flowers, vegetation and organic products as per the strict competition requirements giving eligibility for assorted non-monetary Government prizes of ribbons and plaques. This year has a reasonable floats turnout relative to recent years as float-making has lost popularity, despite enthusastic encouragement and float material subsisies (such as free dried flowers) by the Department of Cultural Affairs and the unfailing comitment of several stalwart local float-makers.
Having attended some of the floats meetings at Clutural Affairs in the couple months leading up to today I'm interested how the ideas stimulated by a maritime theme have been realised in the tangible form of the float and in what ways notions of history, tradition or 'pastness' is represented thru it. Sailing (Comets and sloops), forts (Fort St. Catherine), whales and whaling, fishing, slavery (the Enterprise), marine biology (Beeebe's bathysphere), maritime trade (within the island before motorised transport and trans-Atlantically) and maritime landmarks (Somerset Bridge and Gibbs Hill Lighthouse) are all represented. Original boats (Kitty Hawk and a Comet from Mod-Atlantic Boat & Sports Club), cannon and other artifacts are used to create or embellish the floats, or as one float-maker said 'to give the crowds something extra'. Some floats makers have added movement to the floats by way of mechanism or utilising original ddesign, such as th moving rudder and sail of Kittty Hawk. Each float's conceptualisation, design and detail is remarkable with hours upon hours of tedious work obviously going into each, not to mention floatmakers presence at the Parade for judging and parading from 7:30am until evening.
Perched at the birdcage I take in the Parade from start to finish and the atmosphere is electric among interacting performers, float-makers and the crowd. One can understand why this becomes a given annual pilgrimage for so many Bermudians, guest workers and visitors and such a crucial site for the making of identities and inclusion. Although diminished in their numbers, the floats continue to put their stamp on the Parade and this year convey specific messages about local conceptions of our maritime past and present.
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