Ceremonial drink in the Pacific…

Pacific way of life honours kava for any ceremonial function. Kava is commonly known as yaqona, pronounced yang-GO-na. It is a non-alcoholic tranquilising drink. When drinking kava, it numbs the tongue and lips. There are two types of kava. Dried kava roots are known as waka and lewena is the rhizomes or above-ground stump. Lewena kava is suitable for the novice drinkers while waka is much stronger. It will give a kick. Kava plant is a species of the pepper plant. There are many varieties of kava and the Noble variety is suitable for human consumption.

Kava ceremony is a feature of the formal life throughout the Pacific. They perform these ceremonies with unconditional gravity. It performs according to a spiritual rituals. These ceremonies may mark installation of a new chief, welcome a special guest. Today, it may be to celebrate births, marriages or deaths.

The Fijian Ritual 

The Fijian ritual often begins with new mats first spread on the floor. Then, they will place a tanoa is on the mat. A tanoa is a hand-carved wooden bowl. It may be up to a metre wide. Cowrie shells decorate a long fibre cord which leads from the bowl to the guests of honour. A white cowrie at the end of the cord symbolises a link to ancestral spirits. Thus far, there may be up to 70 men take their places around the tanoa. So, the officiates are adorned with tapa, fibre, and croton leaves. They smear their torsos with glistening coconut oil. They often blacken their faces too.

The guests, on their arrival present a bundle of waka to the host. Hence, they will explain the reason of their visit. It is a custom known as ‘sevusevu’. The host usually receive and acknowledge the sevusevu with a short acceptance speech. 

Ritual Preparation

The kava roots are then cleaned and pounded in a tabili. It is like a mortar. Previously, they used to chew the roots. Today, the pulp is put in a muslin cloth sack and mixed with water in the tanoa. In the ceremony they knead the yagona. Then they strain through vau fibres. Vau is better known as hibiscus.

The person who mixes the grog displays the strength to the ‘mata ni vanua’ or master of ceremonies. The mixer will be pouring out a cupful into the tanoa. When the mata ni vanua believes the mix is too strong, he calls for wai or water. Then he will tell to ‘lose’ which means mix. Hence, the mixer proceeds with mixing. He will again show the consistency to the mata ni vanua.

Loba time

So, when the mix appears right, the mata ni vanua says ‘loba’. Loba means to squeeze. Hence the mixer squeezes the remaining juice out of the pulp. The he puts it aside and then announces, ‘Sa lose oti saka na yagona, vaka turaga’. Thus far, the announcement means ‘kava is ready, my chief’. He will then run both hands around the rim of the tanoa and clap three times. The mata ni vanua then tells to ‘talo’ which means to serve. So, the cup bearer squats in front of the tanoa with a ‘bilo’. A bilo is half coconut shell traditional kava bowl to drink. The mixer then fills the bilo. So, the cup bearer presents the first bilo to the guest of honour. The guest of honour claps once and drinks kava mix. Everyone else at the ceremony will clap three times.   

Orderly servings

 The second is served to the guests’ mata ni vanua. The tradition is the person who drinks claps once before drinking. Thus far, everyone claps three times after. Now, the person sitting next to the mixer calls out ‘Aa’. So, everyone answers ‘Maca’ which means empty. The third cup is served to the local chief. Then the mata ni vanua of the first local chief. The same occurs for the second local chief and his mata ni vanua. When these six honourable persons finish their cups, the mixer announces, ‘Sa maca saka tu na yaqona, vaka turaga’. The mata ni vanua will say ‘cobo’ which is clap.

So, the mixer runs both hands around the tanoa rim and claps three times. Thus, this terminates full kava ceremony. However, they prepare a second mix for everyone to drink. A complete silence is important during the drinking of the first tanoa.

Australian enjoyment

Kava is now available in Australia under pilot program. Thus far, you can bring your kava ceremony home. Many people drink kava during social gatherings, religious or ceremonies in Australia. Fijians often refer to kava as ‘grog’ too. Ancient Pacific Islanders are known to have been using kava for an alternative treatment and relaxation.