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kai


food, tucker - possibly taken from PNG or Torres Strait pigeon language: That's good kai, hey?

Contributor's comments: Kai is derived from neomelanesian pidgin, commonly used in PNG. Theres a parody of waltzing Matilda called kaikai the buai (which means chew the betel nut).

Contributor's comments: There's an interesting linguistic association here. The Maoris use the word, too, to mean food. On Marlborough's east coast (NZ) there is a straggling village of fishermen's cottages and a couple of hotels called Kaikoura, which means "seafood," as the area used to be well known for its lobsters.

Contributor's comments: 'Kai' is the Maori word word food in general. It's very commonly used in NZ even by non-Maoris.

Contributor's comments: I lived in New Guinea for a couple of years as a child in the late 1960s. Ever since, my family have said "anyone for Sweet-Kai" when asking if anyone wants dessert.