What are Kava Cultures?
Western Oceanian religious and cultural practices that use kava are known as kava cultures. Although different tribes and islands use kava in somewhat similar ways, each also has its distinct customs. These cultures have great respect for the plant and place high importance on it.
In Fiji, a kava ceremony can play a role in important social, political, or religious functions. This will usually involve a presentation of the bundled roots as a gift and drinking of the kava.
Locations of traditional Kava cultures include:
- Fiji
- Futuna
- Hawaii
- Rotuma
- Samoa
- Tonga
Kava in The West
Kava has been around for thousands of years and its consumption of it in the United States is still considered a newer trend with its own unique narrative.
It is no secret that the West has turned the growing demand for Kava into a huge cash crop. However, the regions that cultivate are able to not only keep their kava tradition alive but can also make money from the demand as well. Win/Win
Instead of losing its identity and significance in the flux of its users’ migration, kava has found itself willingly and invitingly interwoven into the culture of migrants’ host countries and communities; this is a prime image of the hybrid fifth stage of the diaspora in real, living time (Aporosa, 2015).