Where does “kanaka” come from?

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

kanaka (English): A person of Hawaiian descent; A South Pacific...

Definitions

  1. A person of Hawaiian descent; A South Pacific...

Ancestry of “kanaka”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Hawaiiankanakahuman being; subject, retainer; a Hawaiian
2Proto-Polynesiantaŋataman, person
3Proto-Oceanic*tamʷatahuman being, person

Words derived from “kanaka”

Every word from Proto-Oceanic *tamʷata →Every word from Proto-Polynesian taŋata →Every word from Hawaiian kanaka →