▁B erm uda ▁G om bey , ▁which ▁is ▁of ▁West ▁African ▁deriv ation , ▁and ▁involves ▁rh yth mic ▁chant ing ▁and ▁rapid ▁drum be at . ▁The ▁G om bey ▁incorpor ates ▁traditional ▁West ▁African ▁dance ▁with ▁components ▁from ▁Christian ▁mission aries , ▁British ▁soldiers ▁and ▁pe op les ▁of ▁contin ental ▁North ▁America ▁and ▁the ▁Car ib bean . ▁Also ▁encountered ▁in ▁the ▁Bah am as , ▁the ▁B erm ud ian ▁version ▁of ▁the ▁dance ▁involves ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁military ▁sn are ▁drum , ▁be aten ▁with ▁wooden ▁st icks . ▁This ▁practice ▁st ems ▁from ▁the ▁fact ▁that ▁many ▁slaves ▁worked ▁in ▁British ▁military ▁bases . ▁These ▁d ances ▁are ▁tradition ally ▁performed ▁on ▁New ▁Year ' s ▁Day , ▁Box ing ▁Day , ▁and ▁ 2 4 ▁May ▁( B erm uda ▁Day ). ▁ ▁Notable ▁cultural ▁figures ▁▁ 1 9 0 0 ▁to ▁ 1 9 5 0 ▁ ▁Gordon ▁Thomas ▁( 1 9 1 6 ▁in ▁B erm uda ▁- ▁ 2 0 1 6 ) ▁played ▁out s ider ▁music ▁ ▁L ance ▁Hay ward ▁( 1 9 1 6 ▁in ▁B erm uda ▁– ▁ 1 9 9 1 ) ▁was ▁a ▁jazz ▁pian ist , ▁he ▁settled ▁in ▁New ▁York ▁City ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 5 0 . ▁ ▁Ph yll is ▁Sim m ons ▁Bro oks ▁( 1 9 2 6 ▁in ▁B erm uda ▁– ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁in ▁Canada ) ▁em igr ated ▁to