Participating In Fiji’s Kava Ceremony

While in Fiji, I had the opportunity to participate in the traditional Kava, ceremony. Traditionally known as yaqona, kava is the traditional national drink of Fiji. It has been used as a welcome drink when entering one’s home, like when you’d offer a cup of coffee, tea, or glass of champagne. It’s also used as a form of celebration or daily drink.

 The drink itself is made only from the crushed root of the yaqona plant. In Fiji, the roots are sun-dried for seven days then ground down to a fine powder and mixed with cold water. It is a mildly narcotic and sedative drink that’s served in a large communal bowl as part of the traditional kava ceremony. For most, when drunk, it creates a numb feeling around the mouth, lips and tongue, as well as a sense of calm and relaxation. I did experience the numb feeling around the mouth and lips but can’t say that I experienced a sense of calmness and relaxation.

Despite the naturally calming effects of kava, the true experience comes from participating in the kava ceremony. Kava is traditionally served as part of a ceremonial atmosphere, most commonly in welcoming guests into a village and on important occasions. In the olden days, the kava ceremony was very strict where people had to remove their hats and had to refrain from speaking and laughing as a sign of respect for the ceremony. My participation was during my 50th birthday celebration and I couldn’t have been more honored!