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History, Culture & Language
The Cocos Keeling Islands has a tiny local community of around 600 people. Despite mixed origins, the Cocos Malay people have achieved an identity of their own.
History, culture & language Discover the story behind the islands
The Cocos (Keeling) Islands are more than a remote tropical escape. They are home to a living Cocos Malay culture, a distinctive island community and a fascinating history shaped by trade, settlement, wartime events and life in the Indian Ocean.
The Islands（https://cocoskeelingislands.com.au/about/the-islands/）
Culture Life on the islands today
The Cocos (Keeling) Islands are home to a small local community, with Cocos Malay culture remaining a strong part of island life today. Community, family and faith continue to shape daily life on Home Island, where visitors can experience a side of Cocos that feels deeply connected to place and tradition.
Language Cocos Malay
Cocos Malay is an important part of the islands’ identity. The language reflects the community’s diverse origins, with links to Malay and Indonesian languages, while English is also widely used. For visitors, it is one of the many small details that makes time on the islands feel culturally distinct as well as geographically remote.
History A colourful island history
The peaceful pace of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands gives little hint of their eventful past. From early settlement in the 1820s and the rise of the Clunies-Ross family, to decades of copra production and the dramatic wartime history of the Indian Ocean, the islands have long played a role far beyond their size.
Coconut plantations once shaped life across the atoll, and the legacy of that era is still visible today in the extensive coconut palms found throughout the islands.
History Cocos in wartime
During both World Wars, the Cocos (Keeling) Islands became strategically important because of their location in the Indian Ocean. In 1914, the Cocos Cable Station was attacked by the German raider SMS Emden, before the ship was defeated by HMAS Sydney.
During the Second World War, the islands were again drawn into conflict, with shelling, bombing and later a major Allied military presence on West Island.
Today, this history adds another layer to the islands for visitors interested in heritage as well as natural beauty.
Home Island Experiencing culture
A visit to Cocos can offer more than beautiful beaches and lagoon time.
Spending time on Home Island, learning about local traditions and approaching the community with curiosity and respect can add real depth to your trip.
As on any culturally significant destination, respectful behaviour goes a long way. Please dress modestly and avoid drinking alcohol outside of your accommodation when visiting Home Island.
Home Island（https://cocoskeelingislands.com.au/about/the-islands/home-island/）
Ossie's Cultural Tours（https://cocoskeelingislands.com.au/operator/ossies-cultural-tour/）
Pulu Cocos Museum（https://cocoskeelingislands.com.au/things-to-do/see-do/activities/home-island-museum/）
Oceania House Historic Tour（https://cocoskeelingislands.com.au/operator/oceania-house-historic-tour/）
Historical events on Cocos Keeling Islands
1609
Captain William Keeling discovers the Cocos Atoll during one of his voyages from Java to England.
1805
British hydrographer James Horsburgh charts the islands and calls them the Cocos-Keeling Islands in his sailing directory. He names one of the islands after himself.
1825
Captain John Clunies-Ross, a Scottish trader, lands on the islands on his homeward voyage from the East Indies. His orders are to investigate Christmas Island for settlement. Bad weather prevents these plans but he surveys the Cocos Keeling Islands, digs wells and plants fruit trees.
1826
Alexander Hare, British merchant known as the ‘English White Rajah of Borneo’, and a group of his slaves are brought to the islands by Robert Clunies-Ross (brother of John) on the Hippomenes. Hare sets up the first settlement on Home Island (then called Goose Island).