Kava Ceremony, Tavarua, Fiji

The Kava ceremony is one of the central Fijian traditions.  When visiting a village it is customary to honor the chief by participating in the ceremony and presenting him with the Kava root.  The local village people dress in traditional costume, adorned with flowers and leaves.  The visitors sit on the floor lining a long mat.  After the chief has spoken and welcomed the people to his village, and the gifts of Kava have been given to the chief, the kava root that has been ground and diluted with water is distributed to each person.  Kava promotes relaxation and helps to relieve stress.  We all agreed it tastes a little like rotting trees, but after downing a cupful, your throat and tongue become slightly numb and the next cup isn’t so bad. The ceremony was followed by a traditional Fijian meal, music and dancing.  It was a beautiful event that will live long in all of our memories.

 

 

 

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