Archaeology of the Campgrounds of Muslim Cameleers in Western Australia: Lifeways along a Cultural Frontier, 1890 to 1920

Abstract A few thousand Asians, Muslim and male, migrated to Australia in the nineteenth century to work in the Australian British colonies, mostly in camel transport serving remote settlements and mines in the arid interior. Many Islamic practices were retained intact in Australia. Social customs ranged from strict maintenance of purdah to adoption of the Australian business methods. Campgrounds showed accumulations of alcohol bottles, probably indicating various ethnicities living side by side. Other artefacts reveal details of daily life in campgrounds on the fringes of towns. Muslims living in enclaves within Australia lived as Muslims yet made many practical adjustments to survive along this cultural frontier.