An upcoming television miniseries produced by a US television channel will document Bermuda’s ties with Native American tribal groups in New England.

Reconnection: How New England Tribes Found Family in Bermuda is to be released on November 16 on Connecticut Public.

A film crew from the channel visited the island in May when they met elders from St David’s and heard from other organisations.

The trip was in anticipation of America’s 250th anniversary and the 350th anniversary of King Philip’s War (1675-76), which trafficked many enslaved Native Americans to Bermuda, along with the Pequot War, one of the deadliest events in America’s early colonial history (1636-1638).

It followed a story published last year on the hidden history of indigenous slavery.

“They came down to continue a story that started in 2025,” explained Dominique Williams, the vice-chairwoman of The St David’s Islanders and Native Community.

“I did a short interview with them on St David’s connection and the tribes in New England.

“They wanted to dive in deeper to the Bermuda connection; that’s why they did this one.”

Ms Williams added: “We are related to Jacob Minors. He was described to be a Pequot descendant. I have always known it and heard my granny and auntie speak of it.”

Mr Minors, who died in 1875, aged 84, was described in a book about Bermuda as a native Bermudian of strongly marked Indian features; reputed to be of Indian descent, and probably descended from one of the Pequot captives.

That was a clue to those on the island, who had grown up hearing stories from family members passed down through generations.

They later discovered they were descendants of enslaved Pequot, Narragansett and Wampanoag Indians, and that researchers across the Atlantic had been carrying similar traditions and stories and were also trying to reconnect.

Ms Williams said the history is not talked about too often, and the keen researcher was driven to get the “very important” tale documented to make sure it does not get lost.

“Future generations can learn about it and elders can hear their stories,” she said.

“We want to get into schools and educate the rest of the island about who we are.”

Producers of the series filmed with St David’s elders, including St Clair “Brinky” Tucker, Ronnie Chameau and Elaine Fox.

They also met Janet DeBraga at Carter House and Irwin Trott with members of the Warwick Gombeys, while visits were paid to the National Museum of Bermuda and the Bermuda Archives.

The St David’s Islanders and Native Community and Warwick Gombeys took a contingent of 50 Bermudians to Connecticut this year for the Schemitzun, a powwow held by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation.

They were able to reconnect with the Connecticut Public team and tell of their experiences visiting relatives and stepping foot on ancestral lands.

Ties also exist between Bermuda and the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe of Cape Cod, the Narragansett tribe of Rhode Island, and the Shinnecock Indian Nation of Long Island, New York.

Members from these groups have travelled to St David’s during the biennial powwow.

Ms Williams added: “As St David’s people, we can’t actually go back and find out which tribal groups we come from due to the poor records, but we know there’s a connection because we have all heard the stories.

“We know groups of people from those two wars came to Bermuda and came to the east.

“In St David’s, these histories, cultures and traditions were able to stay on the island.”

Being involved in the filming was “thoroughly enjoyable” for Ms Williams and she is looking forward to seeing the final edit.

The release of the miniseries this month also coincides with Native American Heritage Month.

The St David’s Islanders and Native Community will hold a libation ceremony and potluck social on November 28 at St David’s Primary School Hall to honour a Day of Mourning and Thanksgiving Holiday in the US.