Kava

Vanuatu is the homeland of kava – it was domesticated here, and drinking the strong brew in the nakamal each evening is a nationwide ritual.

Kava is a shrub growing 2–3 m tall, with heart-shaped leaves and thick, jointed stems. Cultivated varieties do not produce seeds, so they are propagated from stem cuttings. The drink is made from ground roots steeped in water; the kavalactones they contain numb the mouth and induce relaxation and drowsiness. In Vanuatu kava is traditionally prepared from fresh roots, which makes it exceptionally strong.

Significance in the country

Genetic studies point to northern Vanuatu as the place where kava was domesticated, and the country has the largest number of kava varieties in the world. The Kava Act of 2002 allows only so-called noble varieties to be exported, and at dusk men gather in the nakamals to drink a cup of the brew in silence.

Where it grows

Grown on almost all inhabited islands; most kava comes from Pentecost and Maewo (Penama), Espiritu Santo, Malekula and Tanna.

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