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# What “Kanak” Means and Why I Claim This Identity
- URL: https://educatedkanak.pikapod.net/what-kanak-means-and-why-i-claim-this-identity/
- Published: 2026-09-10T17:06:12.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-10T18:21:54.000Z
- Description: Although originally derived from a Hawaiian word meaning ‘person,’ Kanak became a derogatory label in Germany targeting immigrant workers. I claim this identity not out of cultural inheritance, but as a deliberate social and political stance to navigate my own migration experience in Berlin.
- Author: Educated Kanak 
- Tags: aboutme, kanak, immigration, identity, immigrationnarratives, berlin, #Import 2026-10-14 06:15

The term 'Kanak' originated from the Hawaiian word 'kanaka' meaning 'person' or 'human being' ([see the indigenous people of New Caledonia](https://historyrise.com/the-kanak-study-guide/?ref=educatedkanak.liberta.vip#the-colonial-impact-french-colonization-and-kanak-resistance)), but in Germany acquired a derogatory meaning towards immigrant workers ([Wiki](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanake?ref=educatedkanak.liberta.vip)).

Kanak is a term that served as a derogatory label in Germany, aimed at immigrant workers—particularly those of Turkish origin—who arrived during the guest worker era. Over time, many communities have reclaimed the term as a symbol of cultural pride and resistance against social exclusion and racism ([Zaimoğlu 2007](https://journals.uc.edu/index.php/fogs/article/view/521/476?ref=educatedkanak.liberta.vip), [Özbek 2017](https://guilfordjournals.com/doi/10.1521/prev.2017.104.6.707?ref=educatedkanak.liberta.vip)).

My immigration to Berlin is tied to political reasons rather than economic ones, unlike the guest workers’ case. Additionally, I was (somehow[\[1\]](#fn1)) among the privileged in the country I come from (as a cis-man, upper middle-class, urban, ethnically part of the majority), whereas the “Kanaks” (referring to those who migrated to or were born in Germany) were also often looked down upon by people living in Turkey. I believe this creates a significant difference in terms of identity formation. Therefore, I think Turkish immigrants or those with a migration background have every right to tell me that I am not one of them and that I should write under a different label —if it's the case reach me on [@douuuu@mastodon.social](https://mastodon.social/@douuuu?ref=educatedkanak.liberta.vip).

Until that moment, however, I plan to keep it as it is—because despite these differences, many people in Germany still see me as a *Kanak* based on my appearance, and I feel empowered to use this label.

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1. “Somehow”, because being leftist and/or atheist often means giving up certain privileges, at least in the country I come from. [↩︎](#fnref1)

​#aboutme #kanak #immigration #identity #immigrationnarrative #berlin #writing #blog #blogging