English Folk Song - King of the Cannibal Islands

King of the Cannibal Islands is an English folk song published as a broadside ballad in 1858. It is a comical song telling of a sailor's interaction with the king of the Cannibal Islands, a name applied to the islands of Polynesia in the Victorian era. It reflects the contemporary English view of Polynesian society as one of cannibalism, savagery and unintelligible speech. It became popular in society and was frequently sung at events pertaining to the Pacific Ocean, such as by students of Oxford University upon the visit of Sir George Grey, governor of New Zealand. Recording credit: Flying Fish Sailors, Loch Ness Monster This channel is dedicated to preserving the neglected culture of English folk songs in the form of short lyrical videos. The folk songs of the English have been overlooked compared to those of the other British peoples, something that this channel hopes to fix.