The Kava Culture of Samoa
The Kava Culture of Samoa In the central South Pacific, there is a group of islands known as Samoa, comprised of two countries, American Samoa, and the Independent State of Samoa. It is in these islands that a unique culture surrounding the use and consumption of kava arose and is still in existence to this day. One of the major features of Samoan kava culture is the use of ritual and ceremony. The kava
The Kava Culture of Micronesia
The medicinal and recreational drink known and loved as kava has been nurtured within a wide range of traditional cultures in the Pacific Ocean. One of these is Micronesia, a vast archipelago of 2,100 islands covering over a thousand square miles in the Western Pacific Ocean. Micronesia can be better thought of as a cultural region rather than a single country or culture. There are six separate sovereign states that lay claim
The Drink of the Gods: Kava in Samoa and Hawaii
Religion and psychoactive substances, in the minds of most Westerners, do not belong in the same sentence. The closest most Westerners come to making that connection is drinking a small swig of wine during the Catholic mass with a thin, unappetizing wafer. Western colonization of the New World resulted in the recreational use of substances once considered divine. The ‘shrooms college students consume by the bushel have been used by Mexican shamans
Kava Strains: The Hawaii Edition, Part 2
When you think of Hawaii, what immediately comes to mind? Coconuts? Palm trees? Outsiders to Hawaii most often think of this group of islands as a tourist destination, not a rich traditional culture. So tourists to Hawaii hole up in a resort and drink nothing but beer and martinis…all the while not realizing that Hawaiian culture provides, a safe, mellow alternative: kava, or as the Hawaiian natives call it, “awa”. Newcomers to kava
Kava Strains: The Hawaiian Edition
Hawaii, like many Polynesian islands, has a long history of using kava—traditionally called “awa” by the native population. This state is home to several strains that even seasoned kava drinkers may not be aware of but are worth exploring. Hawaii boasts 13 strains, all of which are suitable for drinking. This article will profile five of them. Hiwa Pronounced “Hee-vuh” this cultivar of kava is also known as “Black Kava” because the stems of
The Importance of Kava in the Tongan Culture
Americans are well acquainted with beer, but that can of Budweiser you’re drinking right now probably doesn’t have its traditional uses—or legends. But there is an archipelago, called Tonga, in the South Pacific with a traditional drink called kava—it means “bitter” in the Tongan language, named after the taste—with its own ceremonies and origin legends. This is because Tongans have been using this plant for thousands of years, and its use permeates
Understanding the Kava Culture of Fiji
The traditional Polynesian drink known as kava is thought to have originated either in Papua New Guinea or the Vanuatu archipelago over three thousand years ago. But today, many other Polynesian cultures have taken root. Now it is consumed all over the South Pacific and the island of Fiji is no exception. As the Polynesian islands have started implementing kava into their culture, they have developed their own unique culture around the
Understanding Kava Culture: Vanuatu
Have you ever wondered where that shell of kava in your hand originally came from? There is one small island in the South Pacific with a unique culture that can rightfully claim kava as its own: Vanuatu. Where Is Vanuatu? East of Australia sits an archipelago of islands that boasts the greatest number of kava strains. This tiny nation is culturally and linguistically diverse, where, in addition to English, French, and the national
Ohana Kava Opens Second Location on Academy
Ohana Kava Bar has been slinging delicious Kava drinks and other healthy beverages in Colorado Springs since November 2015. Opening the first Kava Bar in Colorado Springs, our chill vibe and island atmosphere have been attracting customers to our downtown on Boulder Street location for the last few years and we’re ready to expand our community to our new Academy location! The owner of Ohana Kava Bar, Matthew Clark, is humbled to be