Kava i strong tumas: All you ever needed to know about Vanuatu's favorite drug
Kava (Piper methysticum) is the preferred “drug” of choice in Vanuatu. Here’s everything you need to know about this elusive drink.
Kava is an opaque muddy brown drink that is drank ceremonially and casually in Vanuatu and other South Pacific cultures. The effects of the sedative are different person to person, but generally first include a calming effect and slowness (in speech and movement), and a light-headedness and wobbly walking as an alcohol drunk would provide. The first sips of kava will make your mouth, throat, and tongue feel a slight numbness. In many parts of Vanuatu, alcohol is seen as taboo as well as being expensive, so kava is the preferred drink. Very little research has been done on the effects of kava, both short- and long-term, but some believe it can help with back pain and many locals here in Vanuatu believe it to be a cure-all.
Kava is served at kava bars that are also known as nakamals. In the past, only men were traditionally allowed to drink it, so many patrons at nakamals tend to be male, but it is changing more and more. However, there are still villages/nakamals that forbid female patrons. In cities like Luganville and Port Vila, locals and tourists alike can enjoy kava without fear of disrespecting the local culture.
Kava is served not in cups or mugs, but “shells” which are essentially small ramen bowls. You don’t order a glass of kava, you order a shell. You order a shell based on quantity of kava, so a 100 shell is smaller than a 150 shell. A 100 shell costs 100 vatu, a 150 costs 150 vatu, etc. There is no regulation on the quantity that a shell contains, and it varies bar to bar, but I would guess that a 100 shell is about 3 or 4 ounces of kava. You can also take a “plastic” to go, as we often did in training, which is when they measure out kava into a plastic soda or water bottle, and sell it at the amount of shells it contains. A liter bottle usually houses 1000 worth of kava, which made us assume it was measured in milliliters, but sometimes at other nakamals the bottle is not completely filled. It really depends.
The way kava is prepared varies. To create drinkable kava, one needs to pulverize the root, strain out the pulp, and add water. Strength of the kava’s effects vary depending on how much it is watered down. Kava served to the public in places like Luganville or Port Vila is prepared by grinding the kava root with either a meat grinder or a blender. Some villages prepare it in this manner as well. Another popular preparation is “ramming” the kava, which is done by hitting the kava root with a heavy bamboo pole or a stone (stone-ground).
Finally, there is the preparation that might deter most westerners but REALLY isn’t that bad when you drink it (I’ve tried it), is chewed kava. This is typically done in an intimate setting such as someone’s home or at a wedding. Several people will cut off chunks of the root and gnaw on them until they are mushy, then spit out the pieces onto a piece of muslin fabric that is then used to squeeze and strain out the concentrated liquid, and then water is added to it. Fellow PCV Matt prepared this for a handful of us volunteers while we were in Port Vila. The spit is really not detectable, and the flavor definitely can’t get worse.
So, kava looks like a watery mud, but what does it taste like? It depends on if it is “good” or not. If it is good and smooth, then it really doesn’t have a strong flavor. It tastes earthy – it is a root drink, after all – and it also has a slight peppery taste. “Bad” kava will often taste too strongly earthy, or have a slight aftertaste (once, I had some nasty stuff that had an odd cilantro and tart orange aftertaste). It’s important to stir kava before you serve it, as the sediment can settle to the bottom, leaving the last few shells to be quite strong in flavor. Kava is always prepared fresh, as it can develop those aftertastes over time. Kava served in the USA (my first kava was in NYC at Kavasutra...and they have some in Chicago at Tropikava) is powdered kava that is made by drying out the ground root. You add water to it and voila! But because it isn’t fresh, it is quite nasty in flavor. When I came to Vanuatu and had my first local shell, I was pleasantly surprised, since the shell I drank in NYC was quite nasty. In Vanuatu, many shops sell powdered kava for tourists to bring home as souvenirs.
You need to “respect the kava” as many elders in our training villages told us. That is a very general statement that can mean everything from pacing out your shells to not talking or attempting to do anything physically exerting while enjoying its effects.
Just as we Americans may like a beer after a long day of work, Ni-Vans typically enjoy kava in the afternoon or evening, after a long day of work. However, in the local Vanuatu culture, feeling the effects is part of the experience, as no one drinks kava for the flavor. While in the states, drinking alcohol is something one does to feel the effects, people will often also say it is for the flavor. Americans drink a beer or a cocktail to enjoy the flavor but also to enjoy the effects. In Vanuatu, you drink kava to solely feel the effects, so precautions are taken to boost the effects as much as possible.
First, as I mentioned before, you drink kava in the early evening, and that is so you can drink it before a meal. If you drink kava after eating, it can make you feel queasy or cause you to vomit. But if you drink kava before, and get to a good state, and then eat food (just a little bit), the effects often increase. I remember drinking kava in Epau during training, feeling the effects somewhat, but then feeling quite kava drunk after just a few small bites of rice at my host family’s house.
Everyone always wants to know how much you drank. When, during training, my fellow trainees and myself would go drink kava, my host parents always wanted to know how much. This isn’t asked in a judgemental tone, but rather a smile. It’s like they want to know how much you could handle, and also how drunk you could be at that moment.
Typically you begin with a larger amount and then the subsequent shells are smaller. Kava is unique in that it has “reverse tolerance.” Your first shell should be a larger quantity, to get a light buzz, and then after that you just need little boosts to get you to your ideal high. For me, I like to start with a 150 shell, and then do 100s after that. I have never gone more than 350, but some PCVs have done as many as twice that, if not more. Sometimes I only need 150 or 250 if the kava is strong.
When the time comes to enjoy your first shell of kava, there’s some etiquette you will need to know. If you go with family or friends, and they offer to buy your shell, let them. Don’t give them money for it. It’s expected you’ll buy the next round, or a round the next time you visit. While with friends, you’ll often cheers first before drinking. Look towards something beautiful, like the ocean. If not near the ocean, look in the cardinal direction of the nearest shore. Before you drink your shell, you spit on the ground. Don’t smell the kava, as that may make you regret your decision. Just hold it up to your mouth and drink it all at once, essentially chugging it. Then you spit again. Often, people will continue spitting until they get the taste out of their mouths.
Many kava bars will have washemaot which is the Bislama word for “wash your mouth” or, as we colloquially know it, a chaser. These are cheap snacks that cost 20-100 vatu and can be as simple as peanuts or fried banana chips and as fancy as chicken wings or sausages. Anything can be a washemaot. In nakamals and in PCV private gatherings, I have seen/tried everything from: pineapple, papaya, watermelon, meat, chips, Oreos, crackers, soda, juice, or bread. As I mentioned before, you don’t want to eat too much, especially if you plan on drinking more kava, because you don’t want to get sick.
After you have reached your kava drunk or kava high, how you internally feel can vary. I personally want quiet, and I prefer to separate myself from the group and just sit and look at the stars or the ocean. Others can feel chattier, or want to listen to music. Sometimes I like to move around, and other times I want to be still and lay down. It is a sedative, and definitely makes you tired. I sleep well on kava, but some of my friends have complained of poor sleep after a good kava drunk. The next morning, I don’t usually experience any sort of hangover other than a general tiredness, which is easily fixed with a single cup of coffee. Others can experience a general laziness or exhaustion that takes a day to recover. Hemi depend, or, it all depends on the person.
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| Frances, Annalisa, Eve, myself and Sydney enjoy a shell at Canal View Nakamal in Luganville. Photo courtesy of Frances. |
Kava is an opaque muddy brown drink that is drank ceremonially and casually in Vanuatu and other South Pacific cultures. The effects of the sedative are different person to person, but generally first include a calming effect and slowness (in speech and movement), and a light-headedness and wobbly walking as an alcohol drunk would provide. The first sips of kava will make your mouth, throat, and tongue feel a slight numbness. In many parts of Vanuatu, alcohol is seen as taboo as well as being expensive, so kava is the preferred drink. Very little research has been done on the effects of kava, both short- and long-term, but some believe it can help with back pain and many locals here in Vanuatu believe it to be a cure-all.
Kava is served at kava bars that are also known as nakamals. In the past, only men were traditionally allowed to drink it, so many patrons at nakamals tend to be male, but it is changing more and more. However, there are still villages/nakamals that forbid female patrons. In cities like Luganville and Port Vila, locals and tourists alike can enjoy kava without fear of disrespecting the local culture.
Kava is served not in cups or mugs, but “shells” which are essentially small ramen bowls. You don’t order a glass of kava, you order a shell. You order a shell based on quantity of kava, so a 100 shell is smaller than a 150 shell. A 100 shell costs 100 vatu, a 150 costs 150 vatu, etc. There is no regulation on the quantity that a shell contains, and it varies bar to bar, but I would guess that a 100 shell is about 3 or 4 ounces of kava. You can also take a “plastic” to go, as we often did in training, which is when they measure out kava into a plastic soda or water bottle, and sell it at the amount of shells it contains. A liter bottle usually houses 1000 worth of kava, which made us assume it was measured in milliliters, but sometimes at other nakamals the bottle is not completely filled. It really depends.
The way kava is prepared varies. To create drinkable kava, one needs to pulverize the root, strain out the pulp, and add water. Strength of the kava’s effects vary depending on how much it is watered down. Kava served to the public in places like Luganville or Port Vila is prepared by grinding the kava root with either a meat grinder or a blender. Some villages prepare it in this manner as well. Another popular preparation is “ramming” the kava, which is done by hitting the kava root with a heavy bamboo pole or a stone (stone-ground).
Finally, there is the preparation that might deter most westerners but REALLY isn’t that bad when you drink it (I’ve tried it), is chewed kava. This is typically done in an intimate setting such as someone’s home or at a wedding. Several people will cut off chunks of the root and gnaw on them until they are mushy, then spit out the pieces onto a piece of muslin fabric that is then used to squeeze and strain out the concentrated liquid, and then water is added to it. Fellow PCV Matt prepared this for a handful of us volunteers while we were in Port Vila. The spit is really not detectable, and the flavor definitely can’t get worse.
So, kava looks like a watery mud, but what does it taste like? It depends on if it is “good” or not. If it is good and smooth, then it really doesn’t have a strong flavor. It tastes earthy – it is a root drink, after all – and it also has a slight peppery taste. “Bad” kava will often taste too strongly earthy, or have a slight aftertaste (once, I had some nasty stuff that had an odd cilantro and tart orange aftertaste). It’s important to stir kava before you serve it, as the sediment can settle to the bottom, leaving the last few shells to be quite strong in flavor. Kava is always prepared fresh, as it can develop those aftertastes over time. Kava served in the USA (my first kava was in NYC at Kavasutra...and they have some in Chicago at Tropikava) is powdered kava that is made by drying out the ground root. You add water to it and voila! But because it isn’t fresh, it is quite nasty in flavor. When I came to Vanuatu and had my first local shell, I was pleasantly surprised, since the shell I drank in NYC was quite nasty. In Vanuatu, many shops sell powdered kava for tourists to bring home as souvenirs.
You need to “respect the kava” as many elders in our training villages told us. That is a very general statement that can mean everything from pacing out your shells to not talking or attempting to do anything physically exerting while enjoying its effects.
Just as we Americans may like a beer after a long day of work, Ni-Vans typically enjoy kava in the afternoon or evening, after a long day of work. However, in the local Vanuatu culture, feeling the effects is part of the experience, as no one drinks kava for the flavor. While in the states, drinking alcohol is something one does to feel the effects, people will often also say it is for the flavor. Americans drink a beer or a cocktail to enjoy the flavor but also to enjoy the effects. In Vanuatu, you drink kava to solely feel the effects, so precautions are taken to boost the effects as much as possible.
First, as I mentioned before, you drink kava in the early evening, and that is so you can drink it before a meal. If you drink kava after eating, it can make you feel queasy or cause you to vomit. But if you drink kava before, and get to a good state, and then eat food (just a little bit), the effects often increase. I remember drinking kava in Epau during training, feeling the effects somewhat, but then feeling quite kava drunk after just a few small bites of rice at my host family’s house.
Everyone always wants to know how much you drank. When, during training, my fellow trainees and myself would go drink kava, my host parents always wanted to know how much. This isn’t asked in a judgemental tone, but rather a smile. It’s like they want to know how much you could handle, and also how drunk you could be at that moment.
Typically you begin with a larger amount and then the subsequent shells are smaller. Kava is unique in that it has “reverse tolerance.” Your first shell should be a larger quantity, to get a light buzz, and then after that you just need little boosts to get you to your ideal high. For me, I like to start with a 150 shell, and then do 100s after that. I have never gone more than 350, but some PCVs have done as many as twice that, if not more. Sometimes I only need 150 or 250 if the kava is strong.
When the time comes to enjoy your first shell of kava, there’s some etiquette you will need to know. If you go with family or friends, and they offer to buy your shell, let them. Don’t give them money for it. It’s expected you’ll buy the next round, or a round the next time you visit. While with friends, you’ll often cheers first before drinking. Look towards something beautiful, like the ocean. If not near the ocean, look in the cardinal direction of the nearest shore. Before you drink your shell, you spit on the ground. Don’t smell the kava, as that may make you regret your decision. Just hold it up to your mouth and drink it all at once, essentially chugging it. Then you spit again. Often, people will continue spitting until they get the taste out of their mouths.
Many kava bars will have washemaot which is the Bislama word for “wash your mouth” or, as we colloquially know it, a chaser. These are cheap snacks that cost 20-100 vatu and can be as simple as peanuts or fried banana chips and as fancy as chicken wings or sausages. Anything can be a washemaot. In nakamals and in PCV private gatherings, I have seen/tried everything from: pineapple, papaya, watermelon, meat, chips, Oreos, crackers, soda, juice, or bread. As I mentioned before, you don’t want to eat too much, especially if you plan on drinking more kava, because you don’t want to get sick.
After you have reached your kava drunk or kava high, how you internally feel can vary. I personally want quiet, and I prefer to separate myself from the group and just sit and look at the stars or the ocean. Others can feel chattier, or want to listen to music. Sometimes I like to move around, and other times I want to be still and lay down. It is a sedative, and definitely makes you tired. I sleep well on kava, but some of my friends have complained of poor sleep after a good kava drunk. The next morning, I don’t usually experience any sort of hangover other than a general tiredness, which is easily fixed with a single cup of coffee. Others can experience a general laziness or exhaustion that takes a day to recover. Hemi depend, or, it all depends on the person.
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