Kava Ceremony in Fiji Etiquette
When visiting Fiji you will find yourself taking part in many a Kava ceremony. It is an important aspect of visiting any village and it is customary to present a gift of Yaqona (Kava root) to present to the executive head of the village.
It can be a little confusing when you don’t know what to do, but don’t worry, the Fijian people are very patient and will talk you through the process. But to make things a little easier for your next trip to Fiji here are some facts and tips on what to expect when partaking in your very own Kava ceremony.
Kava Ceremony Etiquette
- When entering a village always bring a gift of kava root. It can be picked up at a local market.
- Women should always wear a sulu (sarong) and dress modestly.
- Men should dress respectful as well.
- The eldest man enters the house first followed by the rest of the men and then the women
- Everyone must sit down and remain seated during the ceremony.
- You are allowed to take photographs, but it is always respectful to ask.
- The chief (the eldest man in your group) presents the root to the Village Chief.
- The ceremony then begins as the villagers grind up the Kava and strain it through a cloth bag into a large wooden bowl placed in the middle of the room.
- It is then offered to your chief and second
- Then the village’s executive head drinks the Kava before it is offered to the rest of the room.
- After that it is shared with everyone.
- The men drink first and then the women.
When receiving Kava
drinking kava at the kava ceremony
- Clap once with a cupped hand making a hollow sound
- Yell: Bula!
- Drink in one gulp
- Clap three times
- Say: Mathe
You will be offered the option of “high tide,” or “low tide”
This means full cup or half cup.
How you will feel.
Once you drink, you will probably feel tingling and numbness in your tongue.
Kava is a very mild narcotic and is known to make people feel relaxed. You are guaranteed to have a good nights sleep after a couple of high tides and you will wake up feeling well rested and energized.
Fijian people are known to be some of the happiest on the planet and somehow we think that the Kava may have something to do with that. It was sold as an relaxant in the States in pill form at one time, but they couldn’t capture the exact formula of drinking it fresh from the root.
How it tastes?
Like muddy water, literally. With a bit of bitterness. It is how should you say…an acquired taste
Once the ceremony is over, the festivities of song and dance can begin.
The Kava ceremony brings two families together and they are now one once the ceremony begins.
After the Kava ceremony, the visitors are free and welcome to enter and explore the village as they please.
22 Responses to Kava Ceremony in Fiji Etiquette
Leave a Reply
Sponsors
The Planet D on TV!
Posts
- New Tools for Planning the Perfect Summer Trip on May 16, 2012 by debndave - 1 Comment
- Win a Trip for 4 With Intrepid Travel on May 15, 2012 by debndave - 1 Comment
- Travel Inspiration – Abandoning The Status Quo on May 14, 2012 by debndave - 8 Comments
- Meet The Planet D’s New Social Media Manager on May 13, 2012 by debndave - 6 Comments
- Honesty, Fear and Triumph – Dear Reader on May 27, 2011 by debndave - 166 Comments
- Petra by Night in Photos on May 4, 2011 by debndave - 149 Comments
- What’s With All the Hatin’ in Travel Blogging? on October 29, 2011 by debndave - 127 Comments
- So You Want to Be a Pro Blogger in The Travel Business on November 14, 2011 by debndave - 126 Comments
Online hotel reservations
Great post… what I want to know is how did kava taste?! I’ve heard it tastes just like muddy water.
.-= Kieron´s last blog ..5 reasons we’re joining the gym before traveling =-.
Great question Kieron, so good that I added the answer into the post. I actually meant to do that, so thanks for reminding me! And you are right. Kava tastes exactly like muddy water with a bit of bitterness. But really, it is just like muddy water. But the Fijians seem to love the taste. I think it is an acquired taste. Dave and I didn’t mind the taste at all.
Pingback: Tweets that mention Kava ceremony Etiquette | The Planet D: Around the World Adventure Couple -- Topsy.com
You know there are so many things I wish I had better documented before I started blogging and my Kava experience is one of them. It was definitely a highlight for me in Fiji.
.-= ayngelina´s last blog ..Viva Cuenca! =-.
This was also a highlight for me on my trip to Fiji many years ago…I still remember it well.. We brought Kava and partook in the ceremony as a request to enter their village and to hike to their waterfalls (one of my BEST travel experiences!).
How did you feel after the Kava? I felt like I was ready to go to the dentist! LOL
.-= Melanie´s last blog ..Nov 21- First Time Flying =-.
How fun! Years ago I had tried the pill form of Kava to help me sleep but it never did work well, I’m sure because you’re right – they can’t really distill the essence of the root and keep it strong enough in pill form…especially since most people would not like to feel a numbness…but Fiji is on my “bucket list” so now I will look forward to experiencing this ceremony!
.-= Trisha Miller´s last blog ..Is Self-Publishing Your Book Right For You =-.
Ummmm, love me some kava! Great post!!!
.-= Andi´s last blog ..Cuba- Day 5 Part 1 =-.
Pingback: Sigatoka Jet Boat Safari | The Planet D: Around the World Adventure Couple
Pingback: Oho Caves at Tao Village Fiji | The Planet D: Around the World Adventure Couple
I really didn’t like the taste of the Kava (it’s like dirty sandy water, urgh) but the ceremony itself was fun, for sure. The traditional singing was so awesome. The first ceremony we went to, the guy who wrote the Lonely Planet Fijian phrasebook took us to it! Then the villagers took us out on a outrigger canoe at sunset which was amazing.
Fortunately, as a woman, after the first cup of Kava I had the option of saying I didn’t want anymore. The Fijians assume it’s “too much” for women to deal with so they let you get away with it. Men have less of that option but if you’re a foreign guy, they don’t look down on you as much as they would a Fijian man who turned down Kava.
My favorite part was shopping for the Yaqona (yang-oh-na) in the market in Suva. Some of the ones you can buy are HUGE and expensive! We had fun looking at all the different bundles at various stalls. Bargaining with the owners is the best part.
Thanks for writing up these steps for a traditional Kava ceremony. My cousin in Hawaii had a few bags of powdered kava that we experimented with and I became extremely relaxed, good stuff! Would love to try out a real ceremony sometime!
.-= Migrationology´s last blog ..Casinos- Fortresses and Egg Tarts- 12 Hours in Macau =-.
Hi Dave and Deb, thank you for sharing this! I love the formality of ceremonies like this. I’ve been intrigued with kava ever since I interviewed photographer Greg Davis for my blog. One of the best experiences of his RTW trip was drinking kava with locals in Fiji.
.-= Jennifer Barry´s last blog ..Live Richly Round-up 8- Thanksgiving Edition =-.
Been there, done that. And Kava does taste like muddy water!
More here!
http://www.thetraveltart.com/fiji-kava-ceremony-like-drinking-muddy-water/
.-= The Travel Tart´s last blog ..South Africa Homes – The Villa at Days At Sea =-.
Great post. Allow me to add that while drinking kava is the hard fix to overcoming depression and anxiety, the softer subtle cure comes from the camaraderie experienced when interacting with others.
More here: http://www.fiji-taro-and-kava.com/benefits-of-kava.html
Simione recently posted..Jan 30- This Financial Advisor Says Stop Grovelling For Want And Start Living Abundantly
Well put Simione:)
Pingback: Fiji Highlights and Lowlights: Beautiful Lagoons and Bumpy Skin | Vagabond Quest
I’ve taken Kava for my anxiety for years and only recently have started to look into it’s cultural importance and history in other countries. Thanks for this post.
Interesting thanks Mike. I had heard that you can buy it in the pill form, I can believe that it would help with anxiety. You feel very relaxed after drinking it.
Pingback: Staying above water in Fiji’s mainland » Northern Nomad
Pingback: Young Love in Paradise
Pingback: PHOTO ESSAY: The Yasawa Islands, Fiji « Our Voice: Politics Albury-Wodonga
Pingback: Fiji - What to do on the Main Island