"Kanaka" etymology from Lonely Planet Publications

[David D. Robertson]

In Lonely Planet's "Pidgin Phrasebook:  Pidgin Languages of Oceania" the
section on Bislama (spoken in Vanuatu) has this:

"The term 'Kanaka' was coined during this time to refer to the Pacific
Islanders working on the [Queensland, Australia] plantations.  The exact
origins of the term are unclear, but one possible explanation is
that 'Kanaka' was derived from the English 'cane hacker'."  [page 15]

I have been under the impression that 'Kanaka' was of Polynesian origin,
maybe a native or pidgin Hawaiian word.

We have at least a couple of experts on relevant fields among our list's
membership.  Anyone care to comment on this word that also entered Chinook
Jargon?

--Dave