Moke is a term used in the British Isles as slang for "donkey". In Australia it refers to a nag or inferior horse, and is employed by residents of the Hawaiian Islands in similar fashion as the British to derogatorily describe segments of the local Polynesian population. In practice, the word "moke" is similar to "redneck", as it is only used to describe a certain personality type, instead of an entire ethnic group.
In literature Later portrayals include W. S. Merwin's The Folding Cliffs,Merwin, W. S. The Folding Cliffs. New York: Alfred A. Knopf Press, 2001. and Paul Theroux's Hotel Honolulu.Theroux, Paul. Hotel Honolulu. Boston: Mariner Books, 2001.
Also of note is the reference in Captain Joshua Slocum's Voyage of the Liberdade,Slocum, Captain Joshua. Voyage of the Liberdade. New York: Dover Publications, 1998. where the term refers to a native of the Bahamas.
The term appears in the song "Wot Cher! Knocked 'em in the Old Kent Road" (1891).
J. R. R. Tolkien uses the word in the poem "Perry the Winkle;" e.g., "then all the people went with a will, by pony, cart, or moke".
See also
Moke, definition on Wiktionary Mook, definition on Wiktionary Mini Moke, small British utility vehicle (styled "MOKE" in post-2012 revival version)
References