Vanuatu! Cultural Differences: #1 Kava

First off, Kava is pretty awesome. Thus far, I think what I like the most is the social aspect it provides. Alcohol and cigarettes are expensive ($3 a beer when you can find it in tiny home-run stores, and anywhere from $4.50-6 in bars, and $0.50 a cig), so a $1 shell of Kava is most people's vice of choice. I haven't gone off on my own to drink in our community yet, but am certain it'll be one of the best ways to assimilate in Narango once we fully arrive in April to site. Kava bars, or commonly called (miscalled?) nakamals, are placed sporadically throughout the villages and towns. It seems anyone can open a kava bar (maybe you need some loose business license - definitely doesn't appear to be any health inspections!) on their property, or even in their backyards. So you can casually stroll through the village, walk into someone's yard, and buy a shell or two. Kava is sold in 50, 100, or 150 portions, relating to the cost in Vatu (local currency). The size of the "shell" - the cup you use to drink, although I've yet to see a real coconut shell being used - depends from island to island, and the potency of the kava really drastically depends. I think it depends on where it's grown, when it was harvested, how much water is used in mixing, and how it was prepared. 

Preparation: Kava is chopped up into manageable sections, then it can be mashed, ground or chewed. Seems most is ground in a meat grinder, then you use a cloth (or I've seen someone using children's underwear - clean? I'll never know) to squeeze the kava to release all the goodness. Chewed kava is interesting...some islands in particular enjoy their kava chewed - elder men have young prepubescent boys chew the kava continuously, then spit it into a bucket, where it's cut with some amount of water and drank immediately. Sounds good, huh? When we first got to Lelepa, I drank two shells of this type of kava from the island of Tanna. They had it left over (2 weeks left over I later learned) from a local boys circumcision ceremony. I immediately sat down on the ground and watched my world spin around. It was awesome and awful at once...but it wears off eventually. 

Taste: bad. Like peppery muddy water. It's hard to get down your throat, and gets harder with each shell. Not even the locals seem to enjoy the taste, as they spit continuously afterward and cough up all kinds of loogies. Most kava bars have some water for you to "klinimaot" and food for you to "wasemaot" the taste. It doesn't seem to be an acquired taste, just something you have to get used to if you want to reap the benefits. 

Feeling: pretty schweeeet. Depending on the kava, after shell #1, you immediately will feel your lips and tongue tingle and go slightly numb. If you try stand, you'll notice your motor skills have begun to slow down and aren't at 100%. If you are quiet and just chill out, you'll become aware of all sounds and sights around you. It's a cool feeling. There's so much always going on that we don't take the time or effort to consider, but kava helps you appreciate it all...at least in my opinion. Each subsequent shell either adds to the feeling(s), or simply helps to prolong it. I have only been doing 1-2 shells when I drink. One Saturday I did 5 (including that Tanna chewed delicacy), and was pretty messed up, if I'm being honest. You gotta find your limit somewhere...? You never feel drunk like you would off alcohol (at least I haven't...yet), but I'm finding I'm enjoying the experiences. Each kava bar also has its own personality, which is cool. 

Come to Vanuatu and drink kava with me!