Culture of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands

The islands are an Australian External Territory and the culture of the islands are influenced, in large part, by their governance with laws, language, gazetted holidays, education, media and cuisine from mainland Australia.

Secondary languages, traditions, religious holidays, cuisine and customs have all been heavily influenced by the islands' large Cocos Malay population.

The Islands have a strong history of art and traditional crafts influenced by Cocos Malay traditions and Australian surf culture. The Islands' tourism office encourages visitors to try their hand at traditional basket weaving and "learn about traditional jukong (boat) building".[1]

On Home Island, residents have established a museum dedicated to the Islands' former copra industry and an art gallery, The Big Barge Art Centre, which sells traditional artworks, modern paintings and photographic works and hosts art workshops for tourists.[2]

In the 2016 census, 75% of the population was Muslim.[3] Eid AlFitr (at the end of Ramadan) remains the Islands' "biggest event" of the year.[1]

The majority of the remaining population consider themselves non-religious (13.4%) with small Christian including Anglican (3.5%) and Catholic (1.5%). 6.5% of the population chose not to state their religion.[3]

• Culture of Australia

• The Cocos (Keeling) Islands: Australian atolls in the Indian Ocean by Pauline Bunce (Jacaranda Press, 1988)
• Local Economic and Employment Development Culture and Local Development by the OECD (OECD Publishing, 2005)