Pulu Cocos Museum,[1] also Home Island Visitor Centre & Museum, also Cocos Museum,[2] is a tourism office, visitor centre and museum on Home Island in the Cocos (Keeling) Islands.
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| Location | Cocos (Keeling) Islands |
|---|---|
| Type | Heritage centre |
| Collections | Military; Southeast Asian diaspora |
| Website | https://www.cocoskeelingislands.com.au/visitor-centre |
Background edit
The museum was established in 1987, in recognition of the fact that the distinct culture of Home Island needed formal preservation.[3][1] The site includes the displays on local culture and traditions, as well as the early history of the islands and their ownership by the Clunies-Ross family.[4][5] The museum also includes displays on military and naval history, as well as local botanical and zoological items.[2] In February 2021 the Shire of Cocos applied for a grant in order to adapt the Tokoh/Old Workshop on Home Island into a new museum and visitor centre.[6]
Collections edit
The collection includes objects relating to the Malay communities who were indentured labourers under the Clunies-Ross family. Military objects in the collection include firearms[7] cannonballs and bows and arrows.[8] There is also a small numismatic collection.[8] Objects include traditional Malay costumes and examples of wayang kulit, which were used in performances by Nek Ichang, the island's dalang (puppeteer) until his death in 1949.[8][1] Examples of the wayang kulit from the museum's collection featured on a set of Australian $1 and $2 stamps in 2018.[1]
Objects relating to the cultural heritage of the islands are held in overseas collections: for example the American Numismatic Association holds a complete set of the island' plastic token currency.[9]
References edit
- ^ a b c d "Cocos (Keeling) Islands Shadow Puppets". Australia Post Collectables. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
- ^ a b "Cocos Museum". Commonwealth Walkway Trust. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
- ^ Conference, Museums Australia National (1997). Unlocking Museums: The Proceedings : 4th National Conference of Museums Australia Inc. Museums Australia. ISBN 978-0-949069-23-8.
- ^ "Home Island | Cocos Keeling Islands". www.cocoskeelingislands.com.au. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
- ^ RACWA. "Things To Do on Christmas Island and Cocos Keeling Islands | RAC WA". RAC WA - For a better WA. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
- ^ "From The CEO's Desk 12 February 2021". shire.cc. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
- ^ McCarthy, M (2005). Direction Island Unidentified (Cocos Keeling Islands) Inspection Report (PDF). Department of Maritime Archaeology Western Australian Museum. p. 15.
- ^ a b c Ricasa, Lourdes Odette Aquitania (21 December 2020). Love Echoes...Share and Inspire. AuthorHouse. ISBN 978-1-6655-0940-4.
- ^ "Tokens of the Cocos Islands | American Numismatic Association". www.money.org. Retrieved 7 November 2022.