Cocos Malays are a community that form the predominant group of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, which is now part of Australia. Despite that they all have assimilated into the ethnic Malay culture, they are named in reference to the Malay race, coming from places such as Bali, Bima, Celebes, Madura, Sumbawa, Timor, Sumatra, Pasir-Kutai, Malacca, Penang, Batavia and Cirebon.[1] The first Malays are believed to have arrived and settled in the Islands in 1826 "when Alexander Hare, an English adventurer brought his Malay harem and slaves there." [2] In 1827 John Clunies-Ross changed the lives of the Malay slaves when he settled the Islands with his family. The existing Malays and large number of newly arrived Malay immigrants that Clunies-Ross brought with him were employed to assist with the harvesting of coconuts for copra.[2] In September 1978, the Clunies-Ross family sold Cocos Islands to the Australian government. Since then, the Chief of State has been Queen Elizabeth II, represented by the current Governor-General Administrator B. Cunningham. The Chairman of the Islands is Council Haji Wahin bin Bynie.
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Religion
Most Cocos Malays follow the Sunni branch of Islam.[1]
Dress-code
The Cocos Malays have their own dress-code - Baju Kurung for the women and Baju Melayu for the men. Baju Kurung consists of a loose tunic (in which it refers to a long collarless shirt with a short neckline that is pinned together with a brooch) and is worn over a skirt or sarong. Baju Melayu is a loose shirt (either with a collar with three or more buttons or collarless with a neckline) worn over...
