KavaRoot.com
Title
Kava Root.com - This web site contains information about Kava, including folklore, ceremony, geography, health studies, science, history, news, and preparation.
Description
Kava (Piper methysticum) is an age-old herbal drink that was the beverage of choice for the royal families of the South Pacific. Believed to originate from Melanesia, kava grows abundantly in the sun-drenched islands of Polynesia. Although drank for centuries by the islanders, it was only during Captain Cook’s voyage to the Pacific in 1768-1771 when white man first encountered the plant and its consumption in sacred ceremonies. According to Cook’s account, natives chewed or pounded the root and mixed it with water to produce a brownish, often bitter brew which they then consumed for its psychoactive properties. A soothing drink with proven medicinal effects, kava is now available to anyone seeking to calm nerves or ease stress as well as anxiety while combating fatigue the natural way. Its special anti-depressant components fight the "blues" and bring on a happy, tranquil state. Kava is amazing for treating ailments like migraine headaches and cramps but best of all, it keeps the mind alert as the body relaxes. This traditional drink still plays a key role in Fijian, Samoan, and Tongan societies where it is drank in ceremonies meant to honor visitors, unite participants and validate their social identities. A member of the black pepper family, kava’s active properties stems from the kavalactones found in its roots. The roots are dried then pounded into a powdered form that LavaKava mixes and delivers to you. LavaKava only uses "Waka" grade kava, which contains the highest concentration of kavalactones. This ensures a pleasurable and beneficial experience every time for the consummate kava drinker.
When Europeans first made contact with the Pacific islands in the early 18th century, they found kava to play a central role in the islanders’ religious, political and social life (Lebot, 1992: 1). The natives chewed or pounded the root and mixed it with water to produce a brownish, often bitter brew, which they then consumed for its psychoactive properties. Captain Cook’s voyage to the Pacific in 1768-1771 may have produced the first account of white man encountering the plant and its consumption in sacred ceremonies. A number of writers and scholars have since described this plant and its properties, giving various theories of origin and explanations of use. Many writings examine the cultural role of kava. Questions such as how kava is affected by the introduction and use of alcohol, the commercialization and appropriation of kava and its use in foreign cultures are some issues that are of interest.
Kava is so prevalent in Oceania that it can be seen as the one item in the Pacific peoples’ material culture that connects them across thousands of ocean miles. It is thought to have a similar sociological role comparable to the use of peyote in many Native American tribes, the chewing of coca leaves in Peru and the use of opium in the Middle East and Asia. Although the use of kava has lessened due to missionary prohibitions and introduction of alcohol, which was non-existent in Oceania prior to first contact, kava is still consumed today, most especially in Western Polynesia in both formal and informal ceremonies. There is a growing interest in kava due to political independence and renewed concern for ethnic traditions, which had been clamped down by missionaries and colonization. The kava drink still holds an important position and continues to function as a social beverage, as a medicine for various ailments, and as a soothing relaxant in islands such as Fiji, Tonga and Samoa.
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