Perhaps nothing reflects the Fijians' reverence for tradition like yaqona (kava) drinking. Visit any Fijian village or home and you will probably come upon the spectacle of a family sitting on the floor around a large wooden bowl filled with a muddy-coloured liquid, drinking the contents from half a coconut shell.You definitely should try a cup, though don't expect ambrosia. The drink is prepared from the pulverised root (Piper methysticum) a plant from the pepper family, and has a tingly numbing effect on the tongue. The taste, not unpleasant, takes some getting used to and from a visitor's point of view it is de rigueur at least to Tovolea mada ("Try please").
The most important aspect of yaqona drinking is psychological. Sitting around a bowl in the village, exchanging talanoa (conversation, chat) and listening to the guitars hammer away is a very pleasant experience.
Most importantly, the act of sharing a bowl creates an invisible bond between the participants. The visitor feels a warmth and acceptance among complete strangers that is normally associated with family or close friends. It is no accident that in Fiji many business deals and social contracts are consummated around a yaqona bowl!Yaqona is a Fijian link to the past, a tradition so inextricably woven into the fabric of culture that life without it is unimaginable. It is consumed ritually when welcoming visitors, sending village members on journeys, christening boats, laying the foundations of homes, casting magical spells, making deals, settling arguments and, as is usually the case, chatting. It is also presented as a sevusevu, a traditional gift offered by guests to the host, or as a token of respect to visitors of higher rank in official ceremonies.
Legend says that yaqona was derived from the Fijian god Degei (means from heaven to the soil and through the earth), who asked his 3 sons where they wanted to live and what they wanted to do with their lives.
They replied with where they wanted to dwell and what they thought their tasks should be. Degei was pleased but told his sons that although they had power and strength, they lacked the wisdom to make decisions. He gave them two sacred crops, yaqona and vuga from which to draw wisdom. The sons in turn gave them to the people and to this day, goes the legend, the crops grow where the Fijian descendants live.A nonalcoholic beverage, yaqona has varying effects on the individual, ranging from a fuzzy-headedness to mild euphoria. The drink always acts as a diuretic and has been used as such by pharmaceutical manufacturers. Early explorers spoke in awe of yaqona's effects, but no-one knows for sure if their accounts were exaggerated or if the grog was more potent in those days. One theory postulates that because the root was chewed (by young virgins) before mixing, the saliva somehow reacted with the active ingredients to intensify the effect. Another more plausible theory is that additives -possibly hallucinogenics such as angel's cap 
and yaqoyaqona- were added to the mix. Even though the chemical make-up of yaqona is known, organic chemists haven't figured out the specific active ingredient(s). Pharmacologist say that their nature is not like a stimulant such as cocaine, but cannot be described as a depressant either. Yaqona has a calming effect somewhere in between.
Although yaqona is used primarily as a social drink, local healers have cured ailments ranging from tooth decay and respiratory diseases to gonorrhoea with it. Excessive yaqona drinking causes a host of disorders including loss of appetite, bloodshot eyes, lethargy, restlessness, stomach pains and scaling of the skin. The latter condition, known as kanikani by Fijians, is fairly common among heavy drinkers who may consume up to 6 litres or more in the course of a day.
In villages the brew is generally consumed by men in a home or community bure, but occasionally women gather in the kitchen and drink among themselves. A woman visitor will generally be offered a bowl with no compunction;
however, unless she is someone of rank, a man will be given the first opportunity to drink.
and yaqoyaqona- were added to the mix. Even though the chemical make-up of yaqona is known, organic chemists haven't figured out the specific active ingredient(s). Pharmacologist say that their nature is not like a stimulant such as cocaine, but cannot be described as a depressant either. Yaqona has a calming effect somewhere in between.Although yaqona is used primarily as a social drink, local healers have cured ailments ranging from tooth decay and respiratory diseases to gonorrhoea with it. Excessive yaqona drinking causes a host of disorders including loss of appetite, bloodshot eyes, lethargy, restlessness, stomach pains and scaling of the skin. The latter condition, known as kanikani by Fijians, is fairly common among heavy drinkers who may consume up to 6 litres or more in the course of a day.
In villages the brew is generally consumed by men in a home or community bure, but occasionally women gather in the kitchen and drink among themselves. A woman visitor will generally be offered a bowl with no compunction;
however, unless she is someone of rank, a man will be given the first opportunity to drink.Today, although yaqona is central to the Fijian culture, it is controversial in terms of how healthy it is for economic growth. Whereas in the old days grog was strictly used for ceremonial purposes by chiefs or priests, today it is drunk copiously in villages, often to the detriment of gardening, fishing or other productive activities. Because of the negative side effects of this drinking, which certainly do not promote hard work, some Fijian officials have asked if excessive grog drinking is good for the country...
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment