Preparing Kava
O.K. Do you remember about 10 years ago, maybe less, when a natural medicine for stress and anxiety, Kava Kava, was available in the health food stores? Remember, if you ever tried it, that it worked? Do you also remember it being pulled from the shelves due to a study (probably funded by big pharma) stating it could cause liver damage? (Like none of big pharma drugs do !!!!)
Well now I know where Kava comes from. Kava is a plant indigenous to Fiji (perhaps elsewhere too). It’s root (and root only) is pulverized and turned almost into a powder. This powder is placed into a mesh bag – kind of like a giant teabag, and placed in water. The bag is then squeezed thoroughly uintil all the elements in the powder, except the fibre, is squeezed out. The result is a muddy coloured, medicinal tasting liquid called, you guessed it, Kava.
Serving up Kava
It is quite a ritual, its preparation, done in a large wooden bowl. The resulting drink is drunk out of wooden bowl shaped cups. Perhaps they are coconut shells, I am not sure. It is shared and drunk for the most part, communally. It is extremely mild and often drunk all day. you would have to drink copious amounts to get very high from it, but it does have a gentle relaxing effect and also makes your tongue numb a bit. It can certainly result in giving you a pleasant sleep.
Well I asked around about the relationship to the Kava Kava “bruhaha” that happend in the Western society. I have been told that the merchants that started pushing it for sale for Western consumption in the gel caps, sold the whole plant. As a result, the entire plant was crushed up including the bark/or outer skin. Well no Fijian would be so stupid as to use the bark. Every Fijian knows that the skin is toxic and has elements that can damage the liver.
So there you go, once again, Western society takes an age old indigenous medicine and screws it up in their drive for mass production and profit.
Kava is drunk and used quite readily in Fiji, mostly by the men. In fact, I just saw my bus driver with his plastic bottle of identifable Kava and his wooden bowl get into the driver’s seat and carefully place it beside him. At one stop where we had 20 minutes, he added some fresh water to his concoction and had a couple of bowls.
No wonder they are so “chill” here!
A downpour relieves everyone of all of the heat but does not discourage or stop the volleyball game.
Hi Sara, it is March 2nd and I thought I would check up on you. Your blog has a totally new look, very nice, and always interesting. Have fun, and looking forward to reading on, Annette
Thanks Annette. I keep playing with the look to find one that at least in my eyes is the most user friendly and enjoyable. More blogs to enter later today once I get to Auckland