Early Settlers' Graves, Home Island facts for kids

The Early Settlers' Graves are special burial places located on Home Island in the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Australia. These graves are important because they are listed on the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List, which means they are protected as a significant part of Australia's history. They were added to this list on June 22, 2004.

A Look Back in Time

Long ago, the main cemetery on Home Island wasn't always in the same spot. In the late 1800s, there were other smaller burial grounds closer to where people lived. Around the year 1900, a doctor visited the island. He was worried about the community's drinking water. Because of his advice, people decided to create a new, separate burial ground further away.

Some of these older grave sites can still be seen today. The Early Settlers' Graves are one example. They are located near the current school. One very special grave belongs to a man named Suma. He was one of the first people to settle on the Cocos Islands with a group led by Alexander Hare.

Suma came to Cocos as a young boy. Later in life, he became an 'imam,' which is a Muslim religious leader or priest. A famous sailor named Joshua Slocum visited the islands in 1896. He wrote about Suma's great leadership.

What Do They Look Like?

The Early Settlers' Graves are found on Home Island. They are located between a road called Jalan Kipas and a sports field. You can find them behind the Home Island School.

There are three graves in total. Two of them have carved wooden headstones. These headstones look like the ones you might see in Europe. About 35 meters (about 115 feet) to the east, there is a square stone that lies flat with the ground.

In 1996, the wooden headstones looked beautifully aged from the weather. The top of one headstone was broken off. The concrete around the graves was also cracked. It was clear that these old headstones needed urgent repairs to prevent them from being lost or damaged further.

Why Are They Important?

The Early Settlers' Graves are very special because they are rare examples of graves from the late 1800s on Home Island. They show us how the early settlers were buried.

Suma's Grave is especially important. It connects us directly to the group led by Alexander Hare. This group first settled on the Cocos (Keeling) Islands in the 1820s. Suma's Grave also links to the Clunies-Ross family, who owned and managed the Islands during the 1800s. Suma was a small boy when he first arrived with Alexander Hare's party. He grew up to become an important imam, or priest, in the late 1800s.