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(Traditional)
Translated from French by Lake Davineer.

"The word kanaka is of Polynesian and Melanesian origin, with the meaning of "man" or "human being": indeed kānaka ōiwi, kānaka maoli or Hawaii maoli is how the indigenous peoples of the Hawaiian Islands refer to themselves. The same word is found only slightly changed in the Maori language of New Zealand as tangata." -from www.shanty.org.uk

lyrics

*capo 2nd fret
D
On a whaling ship John woke today
D A D
John Kanak Kanak a too la aye
D
Just as some bloke called "anchors aweigh!"
D A D
John Kanak Kanak a too la aye

Chorus
D
Ah too la aye ah too la aye
D A D
John Kanak Kanak a too la aye
D
Ah too la aye ah too la aye
D A D
John Kanak Kanak a too la aye

They signed 'im up in a beer café
Got him drunk for free but soon he'd pay

Now he hoists the sail in the cold sea spray
while the bastard captain he sips Mount Gay!

Rounding Cape Horn John started to pray
But god is cruel in a stormy way

They look for whales or the live long day
Ain't caught naught but the towering waves

E
John jumped 'a' ship down at Spirits Bay
E B E
John Kanak Kanak a too la aye
Met a Maori girl from Whangarei

Now John's content with his Wahine
Swears to her he'll never whale again.

credits

from NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL SEA SHANTIES vol. 1, released July 1, 2013

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Wellington Sea Shanty Society Wellington, New Zealand

Aotearoa New Zealand's Most 'Sea Worthy' Shanty Group™

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