Christmas Island Culture
Cultures on Christmas IslandTourist Office Christmas Island - Culture
The island has developed into a captivating crucible of civilizations since the discoveries of phosphates in 1881, when colonists and workmen with rich heritage and religion were born. Today, the visitor is welcome and encourages to join in, learning more and experiencing the blossoming, modern "feeling" of Christmas Island in the many astonishing dishes, festivities and places.
The people of the island are proud of their homeland and their harmonious atmosphere, with a mixture of Buddhist, Christian, Taoist and Moslem culture open to celebration. Click here for information and links to policies and documentation related to the culture and heritage of Christmas Island as created by the National Trust of Western Australia.....
Numerous ethnical celebrations throughout the year show that the variety of indigenous languages and culture of the colonists has affected the island's own culture. Nowadays, most of the inhabitants are Chinese, followed by Australians/Europeans and Mayans. They are all permanently resident in Australia and most of them have Australia-citizenships.
Although English is the main English dialect, there are many people who usually speak English in Malaysia or one of the four Mandarin languages. Settingtlers first used English and Cocos Malaysia, a one-of-a-kind form of Bahasa Indonesia that has been insulated from the principal streamanguage for over 150 years. A lot of early placeholders around the island are cantonesian words - like Poon Saan - which means halfway up the hillside.
In the aftermath of the conflict, Penang imported other Mandarin tongues, such as Hakka, Hainese, Hokkien and Teochew, while those from Singapore imported Mandarin. The Malaysian Bahasa Malayu is widely talked about by the Malaysian people. Since English was not a requirement for work, a considerable part of today's municipality does not speak English fluently and many inhabitants still speak their mother tongues.
Attendance of visitors has affected the island's culture. It is often used in conjunction with many of the Mandarin tongues. You can sometimes hear the words speak Tai, Japanes, German and some other European tongues. The Christmas Island's eateries, cafés and bars offer a wide range of culture from savoury Asiatic dishes to contemporary West European cuisines.
Use the many picknick and grill areas of the island and grab your own laundry basket from the range of available stores. During Ramadan, Chinese New Year and Christmas, the Visitor Information Centre can give information about what is open during your stay.
Since most of the groceries are exported on Christmas Island, the costs of groceries and mealtimes may be higher than in other places to meet the extra transportation costs. People are cordially invited to visit and take pictures of the Chinese temples and take part in the festivities. In spite of its mix of race, language and religion, the fellowship works in perfect balance, dividing the communities among themselves as they wish and borrows culture from each other.
The number of Buddhist, Taoist, Muslim, Buddhist, Confucian and others in China, as well as a Muslim mosque and a Baha'i center show the number of Tibetan churches. There are many celebrations of religion and culture such as Christmas, Easter, New Year and Hari Raya. Because of the island's rich culture, there has been an adjustment and mixing of different notions.
They will tell you why things can sometimes be different on Christmas Island!