Kava

No ceremony in Fiji happens without yaqona – a guest presents the village chief with a bundle of roots, then everyone drinks from one coconut shell.

Kava is a shrub growing to 2–3 m, with heart-shaped leaves and knobbly stems divided into nodes. Cultivated varieties are sterile and propagated solely from cuttings. The dried, powdered roots are mixed with water to make a cloudy, earthy-tasting drink whose kavalactones gently numb the mouth and have a relaxing effect. The plant is ready for harvest after 3–4 years, and its roots are an important export commodity.

Significance in the country

The sevusevu ritual – presenting yaqona roots to the chief – opens every visit to a Fijian village, and the drink, colloquially called “grog”, is served from a wooden tanoa bowl at gatherings, festivals and official ceremonies. Fiji is one of the world’s largest kava producers.

Where it grows

Grown on all the large islands; the most famous plantations are on Taveuni, Kadavu and Vanua Levu and in the mountainous interior of Viti Levu.

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