After arriving in Vanuatu it won't take long before you see,
hear and taste kava. Taxi drivers will often ask you around three questions
'Where are you from?', 'Are you married?' and then of course 'Do you drink kava?'.
For as long as Europeans have been harvesting grapes and drinking wine, so to
have the pacific islanders been grinding up the root of this plant and enjoying
the narcotic effects of Kava.
Kava is consumed throughout the pacific island cultures in Polynesia,
Melanesia and Micronesia. In the Melanesian island nation of Vanuatu, kava was
traditionally a ceremonial drink, only chiefs and respected men were allowed to
drink the intoxicating liquid. Often if chiefs were arguing or there was some
dispute to settle, kava would be served and its relaxing effects would help
facilitate reconciliation. Since the country became independent, in 1980,
drinking kava grew in popularity from ceremonial drink to today where it is the
beverage of choice to end a working day
with. Every day on almost every corner around 4.30pm onwards there is a kava
bar or nakamal, which is a chief's meeting place, serving kava to locals,
expats and tourists alike. The sedative drink is a great way to unwind and
socialise.
Being a person who likes to try new things and believes in
the philosophy of 'when in Rome...' I was eager to try kava from the moment I
landed in Vanuatu. I had no idea what to expect so I recommend you go with
someone who knows what they're doing, because there are some kava etiquette
rules that should be observed.
Kava is not to be mistaken for beer or wine in the method of
which it is consumed. Do not, I repeat do not sip kava, think of it as a large
Tequila shot. Get in down as fast as you can it is not a flavour you would like
savour. Also, the vessel in which kava is presented is
a little unusual, it is served in shells.
Whether that be a half coconut shell or a small bowl it is always
referred to as a shell. They come in different sizes according to the cost. The
most common sizes are the 50vt, 100vt, 150vt and 200vt shell. You don't often
drink kava alone, when you go to the bar to buy a shell it is polite to ask
around 'Whose up for a shell?'. And the best part about drinking kava is,
shouting a round to your new found friends will only set you back a few
dollars.
When the green murky liquid is poured into your shell be sure
to grab a glass of water, juice or soft drink as a chaser. There is often an
area designated to drinking kava, where you stand with your back to everyone
and guzzle down the liquid as fast as you can, quickly followed by some
spitting and gargling of your chosen chaser.
The taste of kava is a much discussed topic and can be a
good conversation starter. It is somewhere between cucumber juice, pepper, clove
oil , a wheatgrass shot and a pinch of dirt. It kind of reminds me of that
taste you get in your mouth when you fall face first in a field of grass and
dirt, its earthy and it makes you feel tough for trying it. Once the concoction
enters your mouth your tongue will usually go a little numb and your face will
involuntarily appear like a cat's bottom. Hence the need to stand with your
back to everyone while you drink it. After the initial 'why on earth would
anyone drink this awful bin-juice like substance' you'll feel a wave of euphoria wash over you as your
muscles relax and your mind slows to a meditative state.
Kava can affect everyone differently so after a shell, sit
quietly and talk amongst your new friends and it may be another hour or so
before you have your next shell. The story sharing aspect of drinking kava is
as important as the drinking. In Vanuatu, people are very generous and will
offer you food, water, shelter and they only thing they ask in return; is a
good story. In Bislama, the native language of Vanuatu, the sharing or stories
is called 'storian' and it is an integral part of the culture. So sit back,
relax and enjoy the good old fashioned story telling that takes place over kava.
There are also different degrees of strength in kava which
is usually attributed to where the plant has been grown and how it has been
prepared. The kava on the islands of Malekula is known to be some of the
strongest of the Vanuatu islands. It is
mostly stone-ground kava. The roots are ground up with stone, the juice is
strained for pulp, a little water is added and then it is served. The first
time I tried kava on Malekula, I was mesmerised by the stone grinding process.
The young man grinding up the root was working up quite a sweat and once he was
happy with his work, he added some water to the mix, took off his shirt and
used it to strain out the pulp. Despite
what you would think, the mix of sweaty shirt and freshly ground kava was
brilliant, the best I've had. On Santo the kava is mostly machine kava which is
prepared by cutting up the roots into small cubes and mixing it through a hand
wound meat grinder, don't worry the grinder is primarily for kava not meat. Sometimes
you can taste the metal in this style of kava but again you don't drink kava
for the taste. In Tanna, kava was traditionally prepared by young boys chewing
the root in their mouths and spitting it into a bowl. Lucky for me, woman are not allowed to drink
this regurgitated-penguin-style kava on Tanna, but I hear it is very good. In
Vila they mostly serve dried kava mixed with water as there isn't many kava
crops on the island of Efate. The strength of dried kava is purely dependant on
the kava bar serving you, it can be very strong or quite weak and this will
differ from day to day.
Be mindful that kava bars are not a loud venues with
dancing, flashing lights and people yelling at each other to be heard over blasting pop music. Kava bars are dimly lit,
if lit at all, places where people sit and speak in soft tones. While you won't
hear gregarious laughter or rambunctious squeals you will be overcome by the
cacophony of spitting, grunting and general nasal noises.
In Vanuatu, unlike
other pacific islands that love kava, after people consume kava quite a bit of
spitting ensues. People will spit directly onto the ground so always be mindful
of where you step and it is best not to put your bag down. In fact, if you drop
something on the ground, leave it. There is no 3 second rule here, chances are
whatever you have dropped is now glued to the ground with someone's mucous
infused spit never to be seen of touched again.
While there are not many conclusive medical studies on kava
most of the information you'll find is anecdotal. It is said to cause weight
loss as it can cause a lack of appetite. It is also said that overuse and
abuse can cause scaly skin and liver
damage but this could also be contributed to the poor diets and malnutrition
often found in the South Pacific. It is
has been safely consumed in the Pacific for around 3,000 years and will
continue to be. Give it a try and feel
the effects for yourself.
