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Big Island Hawaii awa fans?

umaumaawa

umaumaawa

Newbie
Heyo awa buds. Now that covid is more or less under control for the moment, I'm itching to meet some fellow awa heads. Any other Big Islanders out there who might like to meet up and talk story?

Here are some random thoughts/observations about my awa/ kava experiences on BI:

1) Mystic Kava (the dudes who sell awa by the gallon at the Kaimu market and Fridays on the Hilo bayfront) has some tasty as hell mo'i and it's powerful, too. As far as I know, they're the only fresh kava I can find in town now that the bayfront bar is closed. The only downside is that I can't drink a full gallon fast enough before it loses potency. Anyone know of any other sources for non-dried kava? Anyone tried the frozen stuff you can get at Island Naturals?

2) I've sent him an email already, but I really hope to meet Chris of Gourmet Hawaii Kava someday. He was the source of some good awa I had before I moved to Big Island. Now I really want to meet an awa farmer and the plant in person! And maybe even grow some myself! (I have a black thumb but a gal can at least try.)

3) Anybody tried the Kava Lounge that's meeting on Fridays in Hilo at Waianuenue and Kiawe? Any thoughts?

4) As you may have guessed, I'm based more or less in the Hilo area and prefer to stick around there. But I'm up for a road trip if someone's game to try some awa with me. I've been to Uncle Robert's but haven't tried their awa, and I am curious to check out Kanaka Kava in Kona the next time I get out there. Any other fav places, folks? I plan to be in Hawi/ Kohala over the Easter weekend and would love to have a shell somewhere good.
 
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M

Michael Nielsen

Kava Enthusiast
The frozen kava at Island Naturals is from Puu O hoku at Molokai. Its great kava.

Kanaka kava might be an option for fresh kava. both frozen and by the gallons.
 
nashfire

nashfire

Stay Rooted
Aloha! I'm on the mainland, we love the islands. Mostly goto Kaua'i; there last fall and couldn't find any fresh awa tho (got some med grind and whole root "chews" at a market). I shared a shell of some instant I had with a local bra who was a Nā Pali Coast guide, it took him back to childhood, said his family used to make it all the time, didn't know where to get fresh tho. Kaua'i needs an awa bar! Gallon jugs of fresh made! Yea I would live on that and poke! ::happyshell:::cool: Good luck on your quest (and growing!) Aloha and Bula
 
Kalm with Kava

Kalm with Kava

Kava Vendor
umaumaawa said:
Heyo awa buds. Now that covid is more or less under control for the moment, I'm itching to meet some fellow awa heads. Any other Big Islanders out there who might like to meet up and talk story?

Here are some random thoughts/observations about my awa/ kava experiences on BI:

1) Mystic Kava (the dudes who sell awa by the gallon at the Kaimu market and Fridays on the Hilo bayfront) has some tasty as hell mo'i and it's powerful, too. As far as I know, they're the only fresh kava I can find in town now that the bayfront bar is closed. The only downside is that I can't drink a full gallon fast enough before it loses potency. Anyone know of any other sources for non-dried kava? Anyone tried the frozen stuff you can get at Island Naturals?

2) I've sent him an email already, but I really hope to meet Chris of Gourmet Hawaii Kava someday. He was the source of some good awa I had before I moved to Big Island. Now I really want to meet an awa farmer and the plant in person! And maybe even grow some myself! (I have a black thumb but a gal can at least try.)

3) Anybody tried the Kava Lounge that's meeting on Fridays in Hilo at Waianuenue and Kiawe? Any thoughts?

4) As you may have guessed, I'm based more or less in the Hilo area and prefer to stick around there. But I'm up for a road trip if someone's game to try some awa with me. I've been to Uncle Robert's but haven't tried their awa, and I am curious to check out Kanaka Kava in Kona the next time I get out there. Any other fav places, folks? I plan to be in Hawi/ Kohala over the Easter weekend and would love to have a shell somewhere good.
Click to expand...
I'm on the Big Island every couple of months and could definitely get you in front of a couple thousand plants if you aren't able to in the meantime. I think I'll be there next in May, or maybe June. Let's meet up and drink 'awa?! Here's a Borogu we just harvested last week...
 

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M

Michael Nielsen

Kava Enthusiast
Kalm with Kava said:
I'm on the Big Island every couple of months and could definitely get you in front of a couple thousand plants if you aren't able to in the meantime. I think I'll be there next in May, or maybe June. Let's meet up and drink 'awa?! Here's a Borogu we just harvested last week...
Click to expand...
So yours borogu grows on big island?
 
M

Michael Nielsen

Kava Enthusiast
The chu
nashfire said:
Aloha! I'm on the mainland, we love the islands. Mostly goto Kaua'i; there last fall and couldn't find any fresh awa tho (got some med grind and whole root "chews" at a market). I shared a shell of some instant I had with a local bra who was a Nā Pali Coast guide, it took him back to childhood, said his family used to make it all the time, didn't know where to get fresh tho. Kaua'i needs an awa bar! Gallon jugs of fresh made! Yea I would live on that and poke! ::happyshell:::cool: Good luck on your quest (and growing!) Aloha and Bula
Click to expand...
The church has been quite nasty against the Hawaiian culture. They banned the use of kava.

Kava could be a lot more popular in Hawaii than it's is.

Then i am not aware of the unofficial use.
Like kava that is consumed within families and friends.
 
Alia

Alia

'Awa Grower/Collector
Michael Nielsen said:
Does your private borogu grown on Hawaii differs from the one grown in Vanuatu?
Click to expand...
The original source for Borogu plants coming to Hawai'i was due to modern Pacific trade.
Long before it was illegal to export kava plant material from Vanuatu, an anthropologist
living with Ni-Vanuatu (for many years) was given cuttings to take back to Hawai'i.
Most all the Borogu here are from that exchange.
PS, apology for getting off-topic from @umaumaawa
original post!!
 
nashfire

nashfire

Stay Rooted
Michael Nielsen said:
The chu

The church has been quite nasty against the Hawaiian culture. They banned the use of kava.

Kava could be a lot more popular in Hawaii than it's is.

Then i am not aware of the unofficial use.
Like kava that is consumed within families and friends.
Click to expand...
Ya that's what colonizers do isn't it? Try to destroy local culture / language etc and sub their own. What I find quite ironic is the picture I once saw of the Pope tossing back a shell! (May have been in Vanuatu tho)
Bula to the free peoples!
 
umaumaawa

umaumaawa

Newbie
Kalm with Kava said:
I'm on the Big Island every couple of months and could definitely get you in front of a couple thousand plants if you aren't able to in the meantime. I think I'll be there next in May, or maybe June. Let's meet up and drink 'awa?! Here's a Borogu we just harvested last week...
Click to expand...
Sounds like a plan! I'll direct message you.
 
jewalker7842

jewalker7842

Kava Curious
Michael Nielsen said:
The chu

The church has been quite nasty against the Hawaiian culture. They banned the use of kava.

Kava could be a lot more popular in Hawaii than it's is.

Then i am not aware of the unofficial use.
Like kava that is consumed within families and friends.
Click to expand...
Gosh that really upsets me. I am a Baptist (very right wing Protestant) and I see NOTHING wrong with drinking kava. Kava does not alter your mind. You are the same person albeit, a bit happier, but that is it. I'm sorry that is a stigma that some missionaries or local church's have put it on it. It is an awesome plant that improves creativity, conflict resolution, and happiness. There is nothing wrong with that.

As a Christian I have never once gotten a conviction about it. In fact, I feel I have been encouraged to tell more people about this wonderful plant. Why? Because even though I am happy in the Lord, content, and He has blessed me more than I deserve. Life is hard and it's brutal Sometimes you need the ability to unwind, relax, and smell the ocean breeze. Kava allows you to do that without changing who you are and without being harmful.
 
The Kap'n

The Kap'n

The Groggy Kaptain (40g)
KavaForums Founder
jewalker7842 said:
Gosh that really upsets me. I am a Baptist (very right wing Protestant) and I see NOTHING wrong with drinking kava. Kava does not alter your mind. You are the same person albeit, a bit happier, but that is it. I'm sorry that is a stigma that some missionaries or local church's have put it on it. It is an awesome plant that improves creativity, conflict resolution, and happiness. There is nothing wrong with that.

As a Christian I have never once gotten a conviction about it. In fact, I feel I have been encouraged to tell more people about this wonderful plant. Why? Because even though I am happy in the Lord, content, and He has blessed me more than I deserve. Life is hard and it's brutal Sometimes you need the ability to unwind, relax, and smell the ocean breeze. Kava allows you to do that without changing who you are and without being harmful.
Click to expand...
I think, today, that you'll likely find your sentiments echoed over the overwhelming majority of religious individuals. They just want to live and let live, and kava is far from anything to be concerned about.

It was bad, quite bad in the South Pacific when colonialism brought western ideologies and "rules" to a place that had never once considered them for themselves. In all honesty religion was, by far, the biggest destructive force for kava in its several thousand year history. Today that isn't the case less a few odd Brigham Young University staff that still believe it a sin.
 
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