Gombeys flanked the entrance to Hamilton's Anglican Cathedral on Saturday to pay their respects at the funeral service for former MP Louise Jackson.

Ms Jackson's love of dance led her to become a historian of the quintessentially Bermudian art-form — as testified by her book “The Bermuda Gombey: Bermuda's Unique Dance Heritage”.

According to fellow historian Gary Phillips, who has taken on the mantle as a fellow historian of the Gombeys, the dancers are a fixture at all manner of significant events, including funerals. Members of the H and H troupe turned out for Ms Jackson's service.

The veteran artist, educator and politician passed on January 2 at the age of 83, was recalled warmly by her colleague John Barritt, also a retired MP for the One Bermuda Alliance.

“Louise herself celebrated life to the fullest,” Mr Barritt told the gathering. “She was a vibrant lady who was full of vim and vigour and vitality to the very end, with a very good sense of humour too — and so I believe she would have us celebrate in her honour.”

Fittingly, an honour guard of Gombeys bowed their heads as Ms Jackson's casket was carried into the Cathedral — and again as it was brought back out at the close of service, with drumming, whistles and dance to send her off.

“I've always been into the Gombeys,” Ms Jackson told The Royal Gazette as she prepared for her retirement in 2012.

“When I first came to Bermuda I saw people didn't respect them, didn't want them dancing on their lawns and it's one of the few things that we can turn to and say that is Bermudian.”