Origin Of "Kanaka"

Letter to the Editor Fyour February issue I note that your correspondent in Tahiti writes re origin of “Kanaka.”

I am certainly not Qualified to speak finally, but I desire to give you some data which may be of assistance.

It is undoubted that among the Mela nesians the appelation of “Kanaka” is looked upon as a slur—infra dignitatem.

It has not, for me. a Polynesian origin.

Likewise, in the Melanesian languages, there is nothing in any way close to it, indicating “man.” See R. H. Codrington, the great authority.

I remember reading in Captain Thomas Forrest’s “Voyages to New Guinea and the Molucca Islands. 1774/76” (a very interesting book published in London in 1779) a description of a reception held by one of the Sultans of Mindanao, wherein it was related that first came the high officials, then others, and. lastly, came the Kanakans, otherwise the serfs, low people, who had no right to stand, but had to ramp in on the floor. Thus, it is evident that the Kanakans were serfs— “the low people.”

The early trading in the Pacific was made by trepang (beche de mer) fisher men and sandalwood cutters, who came from the East. Hence, they would have probably termed the natives Kanakans, and treated them as such. Traces of this remained; and, for me, this would account for the general dislike among the Melanesians of being called Kanaka.

When a Melanesian is asked why he dislikes the term, he says: “Me no savee ’em, ’e no goot.”

I am, etc.,

N. Hagen.

Noumea. 31/3/44. (Another letter on the same subject appears on page 26, this issue.)