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Caring & Family:�Marriage Migration among Cocos Island ‘Malays’�

By

Nicholas Herriman & Monika Winarnita

ARC Discovery Project

Anthropology, La Trobe University, Melbourne Victoria

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1. Introduction

Cocos Islanders

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470 ‘Cocos Malays’ on Home Island

Ancestors = labourers imported from 1826

100 + married couples

      • 40 spouses marriage-migrated

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Structure

  1. Introduction
  2. Cocos ‘Malay’ Migration: Historical & Contemporary
  3. Marriage migration in Diaspora
  4. Home Island culture and society
  5. What marriage means for Cocos Malays
  6. Description of Marriage-Migration Patterns
  7. Discussion: Marriage, Migration, & Care
  8. Conclusion

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Structure

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2. Marriage Migration in the Asia-Pacific Region

Initial settlement 1826

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  • c 100 people by Alexander Hare, from:

  • “Chinese, Papuan and Indian descent” as well as a “few African and Papuan individuals”

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  • “Malay” people of the Southeast Asian colonies, in contrast to “Chinese” and “Indian” migrants, and “European” colonisers
    • do not seem to identify as ethnic “Malays”

2. Cocos ‘Malay’ Migration: �Historical & Contemporary

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2. Marriage Migration in the Asia-Pacific Region

Clunies Ross takes over 1827+

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  • 1829, population 175
  • His successive generations ruled the Cocos Malays
  • 1836 uprising: families who wished to be repatriated were given the opportunity

2. Cocos ‘Malay’ Migration: �Historical & Contemporary

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2. Marriage Migration in the Asia-Pacific Region

Convict migration 1854-1872�

  • From “Bantam”/“Banten”
  • Work in the coconut industry

2. Cocos ‘Malay’ Migration: �Historical & Contemporary

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2. Marriage Migration in the Asia-Pacific Region

Post war exodus 1946 (popn 1800 > 400)�

  • Christmas Island
    • large phosphate mine
  • Singapore (British colony)
    • international port
  • Borneo (British colony)
    • Balong Kokos, Tawau

2. Cocos ‘Malay’ Migration: �Historical & Contemporary

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2. Marriage Migration in the Asia-Pacific Region

WA emigration 1970s +

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  1. Port Hedland

Pilbara iron-ore

  • Katanning�Halal abattoir
  • Geraldton�Perth (Canning Vale)
  • Bunbury

2. Cocos ‘Malay’ Migration: �Historical & Contemporary

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2. Marriage Migration in the Asia-Pacific Region

Return from exile: 1980s +��

  • Cocos Islands Australian territory� (1984)
  • Emigrants from ‘north’ & �descendants returned
    • Partly thru marriage
  • Links with Western Australian �communities have become �dominant
  • Predominant movement was �southwards

2. Cocos ‘Malay’ Migration: �Historical & Contemporary

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2. Marriage Migration in the Asia-Pacific Region

2 points:

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  1. Migration = �huge factor in Cocos history
  2. Comparatively large diaspora �and small ‘home’ community

2. Cocos ‘Malay’ Migration: �Historical & Contemporary

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2. Marriage Migration in the Asia-Pacific Region

“Diaspora” = �

  • Dispersion, homeland orientation and boundary or identity maintenance
  • Perceived similar cultural traits or values and beliefs
  • Perpetuates a homogenous, bounded category?
  • But still useful to explain in-marriage �(endogamy)

3. Marriage Migration in Diaspora

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2. Marriage Migration in the Asia-Pacific Region

In-marriage 2 trends

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1. Seek spouses in ‘home’ country

    • eg. Australian Vietnamese man seeks wife from Ho Chi Minh City

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2. Seek spouses in diaspora

    • eg. Taiwanese man seeks Southeast �Asian Chinese brides�

3. Marriage Migration in Diaspora

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2. Marriage Migration in the Asia-Pacific Region

Ethnic group in-marriage�

  • Attempt to maintain identity or group ‘homogeneity’
    • eg Greeks, Italians, Macedonians, Lebanese, Turkish, and Vietnamese
  • Most marked amongst 1st, declines among 2nd and 3rd, generation migrants
    • Eg. Greeks did not marry Greeks 10-20% �(1st), 35-40% (2nd), 80% (3rd generation)

3. Marriage Migration in Diaspora

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2. Marriage Migration in the Asia-Pacific Region

Formal economy�

  • Unemployment c. 65%,
    • Centrelink supplemented with fishing around the atolls
  • Employment
    • Shire Council, the Cocos Islands Co-operative, Virgin Blue, small tourist sector
    • Jobs sought after and politicised

4. Home Island Culture & Society

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2. Marriage Migration in the Asia-Pacific Region

Ritual & Life-cycle�

  • Huge rituals
    • No longer for birth & circumcision
    • But for marriage and death

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUE184bmON8&feature=related 1:18 of 7:08 (nb. female marriage-migrant)

4. Home Island Culture & Society

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2. Marriage Migration in the Asia-Pacific Region

Marriage & life-cycle

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You need to have children to achieve status, and you need to get

married to have children

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3 stages of life-cycle:

1. Childhood: learning responsibilities

2. Parenthood: status

    • “Mak Kiki” (Kiki’s Mother) and “Pak Kiki” (Kiki’s Father).

3. Grandparent: more status

    • Kiki’s first child, say “Winston” > “Nek Winston”

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4. Home Island Culture & Society

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2. Marriage Migration in the Asia-Pacific Region

Residence: extended family �

    • 53 houses had one generation (eg. husband-wife, sister-sister)
    • 9 had two (eg. parents and children)
    • 31 had three
    • 7 had four

Even if not under same roof, �tend to live behind or beside

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4. Home Island Culture & Society

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2. Marriage Migration in the Asia-Pacific Region

Identity:

    • Indonesian/Malay?
    • Muslim
    • Australian
    • Orang Kokos (Cocos Person)
    • Orang Pulu (Island Person)

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4. Home Island Culture & Society

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2. Marriage Migration in the Asia-Pacific Region

Jodoh�

    • Noun = jodoh = “a (good) match”
    • Verb (passive) = dijodohkan = “match made ” or “married”
    • Adjective = jodoh = “matching” “suitable”

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5. What marriage means for Cocos Malays

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2. Marriage Migration in the Asia-Pacific Region

Right match

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    • Potential spouse
    • Process

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5. What marriage means for Cocos Malays

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2. Marriage Migration in the Asia-Pacific Region

Potential spouse�

    • Has to be Muslim
    • Preferably a practicing, as opposed to nominal
    • Preferably Malay/Indonesian
    • Preferably a Cocos Malay

…reflected in statistics…

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5. What marriage means for Cocos Malays

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2. Marriage Migration in the Asia-Pacific Region

Out of 40 marriage-migrants�

At least 38 are Muslims (2 need verification).

    • 32 are from Southeast Asia:
      • Sabah (24: 17 males, 7 females),
      • Singapore (5: 2 males, 3 females)
      • Trengganu (2 males)
      • Indonesia (1 female)
    • 4 are Cocos Malays from Western Australia:
      • Geraldton (1), Perth (2), Katanning (1)
    • 4 are ‘white’—and we know two of these have converted

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5. What marriage means for Cocos Malays

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2. Marriage Migration in the Asia-Pacific Region

Process of matching and betrothal�

    • Parents or family should be involved.
    • No physical contact until meet for betrothal.

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The stories of marriage migrant’s introduction and courtship were ideal

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5. What marriage means for Cocos Malays

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2. Marriage Migration in the Asia-Pacific Region

Musa & Wati�

  • Musa (Trengganu) visited brother who married a Home Islander
  • Met older couple, took Musa to Perth, introduce him to two daughters
  • Musa chose Wati & got married
  • Couple had baby, moved to Home Island
    • Wati’s parents look after grandchild
    • Achieved status of ‘grandparents’
    • Wati look after them when they got older

= jodoh !

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5. What marriage means for Cocos Malays

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2. Marriage Migration in the Asia-Pacific Region

Residency�

  • In over 40 houses there are 2-4 generations
    • 2/3 matrilocal
    • 1/3 patrilocal

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5. What marriage means for Cocos Malays

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2. Marriage Migration in the Asia-Pacific Region

‘Practical’ or sanguine approach to marriage�

  • Romantic love are apparent, mostly among teenagers
  • Teenagers restricted in ‘dating’
    • perfectly normal to date just one person then marry them.
  • De facto relationship is sinful (zinah)

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5. What marriage means for Cocos Malays

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2. Marriage Migration in the Asia-Pacific Region

Many marriages involve migration�

  • 40 of 100 households

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  • Often marriage-migrant:
    • Met on holiday
    • Had a Cocos Island ancestor
    • Followed a sibling or other family member who migrated
    • Divorced/widowed or married a divorcee/widower
    • Lived in a household with an extended family

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6. Description of Marriage-Migration Patterns

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2. Marriage Migration in the Asia-Pacific Region

Often match-made on ‘holiday’

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    • English word used, but with different sense = kunjungan “visiting”
      • Esp. of relatives
      • Often to attend wedding as guest
      • Subsequently match-made by relatives

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6. Description of Marriage-Migration Patterns

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2. Marriage Migration in the Asia-Pacific Region

Often match-made on ‘holiday’

    • Hawkins had Singapore holiday (visiting Home Island relatives)
      • Was “match-made” (dijodohkan) to Katidja
      • Moved to Home Island

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6. Description of Marriage-Migration Patterns

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2. Marriage Migration in the Asia-Pacific Region

Often had Cocos Island Ancestor

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    • Eg. Katidja (Hawkins’ wife) one of 3 sisters had C.I. ancestors
      • Lived on Pulau Brani with other C.I. descendants
      • Might be seeing her relatives everyday without knowing it

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6. Description of Marriage-Migration Patterns

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2. Marriage Migration in the Asia-Pacific Region

Following a family member: sibling

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    • Katidja and Hawikins’ daughter married
    • Katidja’s younger unmarried sister, Zaiton, came

met Jada (divorcee)

    • They were “a match” (sudah jodoh)

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    • Another sister Hayati was “holidaying” on Home Island
    • Was match-made with a divorcee, Wezen

6. Description of Marriage-Migration Patterns

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2. Marriage Migration in the Asia-Pacific Region

Following a family member: sibling and relative

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    • Two brothers (Lipton and Macrae) and Lipton’s son Bacman
    • Emigrated from Home Island to Balong Cocos
    • Macrae returned to Home Island.
    • Six of Macrae’s children (all Sabah-born) married Home Islanders

6. Description of Marriage-Migration Patterns

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2. Marriage Migration in the Asia-Pacific Region

Divorcees/widowers marry

    • Marriage migrant = divorcee/widower
      • Hayati (Singapore), Pateh (Sabah), Jane (Perth) divorced

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    • Marriage migrant’s spouse = divorcee/widower (eg. Jada, Bat Byni
      • Wezen was divorced; then married Hayati
      • Jada was widowed; then married Zaiton
      • Bat Byni was widowed; then married Pateh
      • Nek Sue was widowed; then married Jane

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Choices limited esp on Home Island

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6. Description of Marriage-Migration Patterns

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2. Marriage Migration in the Asia-Pacific Region

Live in multiple generation houses

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    • Over 40 Home Island houses had multiple generations
    • 25 out of 40 marriage migrants live in 2-4 generations

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6. Description of Marriage-Migration Patterns

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2. Marriage Migration in the Asia-Pacific Region

Participants mentioned:�

      • Well-being
        • extended family, grandparents & children
        • Marriage-migrants not leave uncared-for relatives

7. Discussion: Marriage, Migration, & Care

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2. Marriage Migration in the Asia-Pacific Region

Consider this case:

    • Grandfather migrated to Sabah
    • Grandson free of caring duties in Sabah
    • Marriage-migrates back to Cocos
    • resides matrilocally
    • Has child
    • Wife’s parents look after grandson

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7. Discussion: Marriage, Migration, & Care

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2. Marriage Migration in the Asia-Pacific Region

Care is organised through kinship

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9. Conclusion

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2. Marriage Migration in the Asia-Pacific Region

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THANK YOU

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