Kava History Lorde Howe Island Kava?

[TheKavaSociety]

A friend of mine has told me that apparently there is some kava growing on the Lorde Howe Island (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord_Howe_Island). This is very odd. Apparently: "It appears that, prior to European discovery and settlement, Lord Howe Island was uninhabited, and unknown to the Polynesian people of the South Pacific". If this is true, then who brought kava there.. Or maybe it's not real kava? I think I should perhaps plan a mini expedition.

 

[TheKavaSociety]

BTW, it doesn't look like a bad place to visit:

 

[kavadude]

Says there was trade with Vanuatu in the 19th century. While it seems like it was mostly westerners going back and forth, maybe someone planted some kava to have their own personal supply?

 

[theGrogfather]

Beautiful place, worth a trip even without a possible kava stash.
Found this webpage mentioning it
http://www.lhimuseum.com/category/view/33

 

[TheKavaSociety]

Beautiful place, worth a trip even without a possible kava stash.
Found this webpage mentioning it
http://www.lhimuseum.com/category/view/33

oh, the scientific name they provide is not piper methysticum! It seems that what they actually have is kawakawa (aka Maori kava) and not kava (piper methysticum). At least that's what this website says. My friend was pretty sure it was p. methysticum though.

 

[theGrogfather]

oh, the scientific name they provide is not piper methysticum! It seems that what they actually have is kawakawa (aka Maori kava) and not kava (piper methysticum). At least that's what this website says. My friend was pretty sure it was p. methysticum though.

I came across a book stating it is macropiper as well
Page 15 & 16
https://books.google.ca/books?id=J2FnAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA251&lpg=PA251&dq=kava+on+lord+howe+island&source=bl&ots=hZRdlHM5kn&sig=tksBrRVaQPWMbqmPQAPML3GwDLg&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiB37yBgLvPAhVS32MKHSAcCZoQ6AEILTAC#v=onepage&q=kava on lord howe island&f=false

 

[Deleted User01]

You guys from New Zealand have all the fun. @Henry, if you were to visit that Island, how would you get there? And I was just harping about the Maori last week so this is a fun find. If someone could bring back some samples, maybe the origin of the kava could be determined. You said uninhabited but someone lives there now. Do they?

 

[Kojo Douglas]

BTW, it doesn't look like a bad place to visit:

View attachment 6957

:O

 

[moff000]

It looks a bit like a coastal town near me called Cleethorpes !