Kava Culture Fresh or dried

[Michael Nielsen]

How is the culture in the Pacific when it comes to drinking kava.

Do they make it from fresh roots or is it from dried roots?

 

[The Kap'n]

How is the culture in the Pacific when it comes to drinking kava.

Do they make it from fresh roots or is it from dried roots?

Truly depends on where in the south Pacific you're referring to. Fiji tends to dry and powder their kava where Vanuatu usually makes it fresh.

 

[sɥɐʞɐs]

Once upon a time, all of them that grew kava drank fresh kava. I don't think dry kava emerged until after contact with Europeans. But anyway, the current breakdown is something like this:
Fresh: Vanuatu, Solomon, Micronesia, Hawai'i, Marquesas, New Caledonia and possibly PNG.
Dry: Fiji, Tonga, Samoa

Any other islands that historically grew kava but are seemingly no longer associated with it, like Tahiti, will still have pockets of natives growing and drinking fresh kava.
Islands like Kiribati, small, low laying, coral islands with bad soil are more likely to import kava and drink it dry.

 

[fait]

Marquesas, New Caledonia

I knew New Caledonia drank it. Reading about this specific place made me become aware of it, even. I didn't know they still drank it on the Marquesas.

 

[sɥɐʞɐs]

I knew New Caledonia drank it. Reading about this specific place made me become aware of it, even. I didn't know they still drank it on the Marquesas.

It's not as commonplace the way that it once was, but I contacted the owner of small hotel once, near the part of the marquesas that was known to grow the most kava...and I asked her if she was aware of any kava still being around (I was trying to get her to send me cuttings), she said yes, some of the local/native guys still go up in the hills and fetch kava and they still use it for ceremonies. She wasn't willing to ask around and send me cuttings, but she did offer to let me stay at her place if I ever went there myself. But since it's not a popular destination, the flight is too expensive.

 

[Michael Nielsen]

I believe you need a phyto sanitary certificate to import cuttings.

 

[sɥɐʞɐs]

I believe you need a phyto sanitary certificate to import cuttings.

That's something I need to look into more, each country would probably have certain rules and re-entering the US would have certain rules.
It's a dream of mine, should I ever have the means to do it, to seek out and collect rare cuttings from places like Tahiti & Marquesas and bring them to Hawai'i where they can be preserved and multiplied. Maybe @Alia & @Gourmet Hawaiian Kava would be willing to help me with that part, should I ever actually do it.

I'd also like to get some cuttings from Tanna and other Vanuatu islands...but they've banned the export of kava stems. But honestly, if I couldn't work out some legitimate way to get them out of the country, I'm not above smuggling. I've even considered making a kava stem "lei" flower necklace (with fabric flowers) and just walking on the plane lookin' like a tourist with a flower necklace on.

 

[Alia]

That's something I need to look into more, each country would probably have certain rules and re-entering the US would have certain rules.
It's a dream of mine, should I ever have the means to do it, to seek out and collect rare cuttings from places like Tahiti & Marquesas and bring them to Hawai'i where they can be preserved and multiplied. Maybe @Alia & @Gourmet Hawaiian Kava would be willing to help me with that part, should I ever actually do it.

I'd also like to get some cuttings from Tanna and other Vanuatu islands...but they've banned the export of kava stems. But honestly, if I couldn't work out some legitimate way to get them out of the country, I'm not above smuggling. I've even considered making a kava stem "lei" flower necklace (with fabric flowers) and just walking on the plane lookin' like a tourist with a flower necklace on.

If you ever get here for a life change, I would be glad to give you cuttings and 'awa plants from my collection.
These you could plant on your own property when you get that property. A well known kava authority did his post-doc work here and
brought cuttings from many other parts of the Pacific so Hawaii has cultivars from other regions as you know.
This is a controversial practice, to some, but others feel that wide range of growing regions is best for preservation.
I decided to devote much of my life to Hawaiian 'awa at the age of 32. It is never too late.

 

[sɥɐʞɐs]

If you ever get here for a life change, I would be glad to give you cuttings and 'awa plants from my collection.
These you could plant on your own property when you get that property. A well known kava authority did his post-doc work here and
brought cuttings from many other parts of the Pacific so Hawaii has cultivars from other regions as you know.
This is a controversial practice, to some, but others feel that wide range of growing regions is best for preservation.
I decided to devote much of my life to Hawaiian 'awa at the age of 32. It is never too late.

I like the sound of that, and if I ever make it happen, you will likely be the 1st person I visit.

--
I think there's a conversation to be had about the controversiality of taking cuttings from certain islands and growing them elsewhere in the world.
I've considered starting a forum post about it before, to see how the opinions vary. Maybe I'll create that post soon.

 

[AlexisReal]

Once upon a time, all of them that grew kava drank fresh kava. I don't think dry kava emerged until after contact with Europeans. But anyway, the current breakdown is something like this:
Fresh: Vanuatu, Solomon, Micronesia, Hawai'i, Marquesas, New Caledonia and possibly PNG.
Dry: Fiji, Tonga, Samoa

Any other islands that historically grew kava but are seemingly no longer associated with it, like Tahiti, will still have pockets of natives growing and drinking fresh kava.
Islands like Kiribati, small, low laying, coral islands with bad soil are more likely to import kava and drink it dry.

And on that excelllent info, and not nec connected- the Kavatime Gourmet Savusavu, I really notice the smokey aroma and taste every time now. I actually quite like it.

But then I swear I read about them fire drying the Gourmet Savusavu for 6 hours(?) Before packing very airtight.

So in a way it is both dry, but also kept fresh in a sense.

 

[kasa_balavu]

So in a way it is both dry, but also kept fresh in a sense.

Some people prefer to use the term green kava instead of fresh kava for that reason. But since there are some green-stemmed kava cultivars, that can also be confusing.

 

[AlexisReal]

Some people prefer to use the term green kava instead of fresh kava for that reason. But since there are some green-stemmed kava cultivars, that can also be confusing.

Thanks. Im very knew to grasping kava still, despite a 10 month user.

It seems a slow and gradual learning and adpating experience to myself.

I really appteciate all of your wise contributiins. Heck if health conditions didn't keep my energy so low I'd be "Taxing your arse" all the time lol!

You know that old English slang- basically harassing with questions and ideas lol, thank god hey.,?