Port Vila Attractions
Description
Venue: Nakamals around Port Vila When: Daily
Made from kava roots and drunk from coconut shells, kava is a popular drink in the South Pacific and an integral part of most ceremonies. But Vanuatu has the strongest variety of this, the world's only legal narcotic!
Kava has 32 active ingredients and is not to be confused with alcohol. It is a muddy looking drink which can be diluted with water. The taste can only be described as revolting and consequently this is not a drink to sip, but to gulp down as quickly as possible. Two to three "shells" in a few minutes, on an empty stomach, is the recommended dose. The effects are relaxation and a heightened perception of the senses, which is why nakamals are dimly lit. There's also numbness of the mouth as a side effect, but apparently the worst that can happen is sleepiness!
In different parts of Vanuatu, different rituals surround kava. On Tanna, for example, women are not allowed to partake. Here the kava preparation involves the roots being chewed by young men, whose saliva is thought to contribute to the general potency.
Powdered kava is now imported to Europe and North America and forms an important cottage industry for many South Pacific islanders. Kava is not recommended for pregnant women.
Made from kava roots and drunk from coconut shells, kava is a popular drink in the South Pacific and an integral part of most ceremonies. But Vanuatu has the strongest variety of this, the world's only legal narcotic!
Kava has 32 active ingredients and is not to be confused with alcohol. It is a muddy looking drink which can be diluted with water. The taste can only be described as revolting and consequently this is not a drink to sip, but to gulp down as quickly as possible. Two to three "shells" in a few minutes, on an empty stomach, is the recommended dose. The effects are relaxation and a heightened perception of the senses, which is why nakamals are dimly lit. There's also numbness of the mouth as a side effect, but apparently the worst that can happen is sleepiness!
In different parts of Vanuatu, different rituals surround kava. On Tanna, for example, women are not allowed to partake. Here the kava preparation involves the roots being chewed by young men, whose saliva is thought to contribute to the general potency.
Powdered kava is now imported to Europe and North America and forms an important cottage industry for many South Pacific islanders. Kava is not recommended for pregnant women.
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