Where does “Kanak” come from?

Kanak (English) comes from French canaque, from English kanaka, from Hawaiian kanaka, from Proto-Polynesian taŋata, from Proto-Oceanic *tamʷata — human being, person.

Kanak (English): An indigenous Melanesian inhabitant of New Caledonia

Definitions

  1. An indigenous Melanesian inhabitant of New Caledonia

Ancestry of “Kanak”, step by step

Kanak traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via French canaque

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1FrenchcanaqueKanak
2EnglishkanakaA person of Hawaiian descent; A South Pacific...
3Hawaiiankanakahuman being; subject, retainer; a Hawaiian
4Proto-Polynesiantaŋataman, person
5Proto-Oceanic*tamʷatahuman being, person

via Sanskrit कनक

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Sanskritकनकgold; thorn apple; Mesua ferrea
2Sanskritकणिक—
Every word from Proto-Oceanic *tamʷata →Every word from Proto-Polynesian taŋata →Every word from Hawaiian kanaka →