It is typically Bermudian that this tiny Island, divided in so many other ways, could find the stuff of national unity in, of all things, a two-day game of cricket. But even as the just completed Cup Match partitions the Island into two opposing camps, the spirit which nevertheless pervades here at this time of year is one largely of goodwill and fellowship.

No doubt the holiday’s heady, midsummer mix of sun and sport and abundant rum account for much of its near-universal appeal. Like all carnivals, it is a welcome respite from the trials and tedium of endless working days. Even those who care nothing for cricket are drawn to the festivities.

But there is more to it than that, of course.

The origins of the holiday lie, as we know, in an annual celebration of the date of Emancipation in 1834. With every Cup Match played, then, we mark another year on from the end of that odious chapter in our history.

In that sense, the ubiquitous Cup Match colours of red and two shades of blue are, taken together, not merely emblems of sporting loyalty but also symbolic of freedom, reconciliation and unity. We celebrate not just the end of slavery, but also the fruits of Emancipation.

Yet with every passing year we are also reminded how far we have yet to go. Although generations of Bermudians have grown up never knowing segregation, true social integration remains elusive.

Meanwhile, historic racial tensions, although concealed, are never really far from the surface here. At every turn one is reminded that the legacy of slavery casts a pall on Bermudian life even now, almost two centuries later.

Cup Match offers, if only for a few days, an antidote to all that. Whether it be cheering together in the stands of the Somerset Cricket Club or Wellington Oval, or rubbing shoulders in the sweaty confines of the Crown and Anchor tent, or rafting up boats at Mangrove Bay, Bermudians of all backgrounds can celebrate as one and rediscover all they have in common.

For once, “coming together as Bermudians” is less a trite political slogan and simply an observable fact. However they may choose to keep their tradition alive, Bermudians invariably do so by enjoying one another’s company.

And, for a time, the racial-economic divisions that normally stand between them matter very little. Over the brief four-day holiday we have all enjoyed, the idea of a Bermuda not so burdened by its own past seems just possible after all. That is the beauty of this uniquely Bermudian holiday.

The revelry cannot last forever, of course. Monday has arrived and with it a hangover and the jolting return to everyday routines. The good feeling of the holiday will subside — helped or worsened slightly by the outcome of the cricket.

Perhaps this year might be different. Bermudians continue to face mounting hardships. The contracting economy has taken a heavy toll on many, and spared only a few.

Is it fanciful to imagine that this year’s holiday might foster the spirit of co-operation and cohesion Bermuda so desperately needs?

Surely, if that could be the result of this year’s Cup Match, no matter what colours you wore this weekend, it would be something worth celebrating.