Christmas Island Culture
Celebrating the Chinese New Year.
The ethnic makeup of Christmas Island is diverse. The first settlement of the Clunies-Ross family included some Javanese people, as well as Cocos-Malays. Chinese labourers were contracted when the mine was first established, and other workers came from Java and Ambon. Indians were brought to the Island to supervise the labourers. In order to supplement their deficient diets, the Chinese, Malay and other Asian workers hunted some of the edible wildlife and harvested fish and other marine animals. The natural resources of the Island environment were essential for the survival of these new Islanders. Despite the difficult conditions, Chinese and Malay people established strong religious and cultural practices on the Island, which remain today.
For more information on the cultural aspects of Christmas Island, visit the Christmas Island Tourism Association web site at: http://www.christmas.net.au/
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