Kava: The Calming Pacific Elixir

This article originally appeared in the July/August 2022 issue of Zymurgy Magazine

By David Schmidt

I stood in the traditional Tongan thatched hut, known as a fale and chatted with my new friend, Sione. On a raised platform before us stood the wide, hand-carved wooden bowl, crafted for one of the most important parts of Tongan life: the beverage known as kava.

“There’s no better way to spend time with friends and family than by drinking kava,” Sione said. He wore an ornately woven tupenu, the traditional wrapped sarong skirt of Tonga. “You sit around enjoying each other’s company and ‘talk story’ together. It’s the nicest thing in the world.”

The fale was perfectly designed for this tropical weather. A refreshing island breeze blew in through the open doorway as Sione explained the cultural significance of kava: a sacred tradition, a rite of passage, the drink of royalty, and the sacramental link to ancestral spirits. “I’m glad the young generations are keeping the tradition alive,” he said. “It’s important to…”

Our conversation was interrupted by a knock on the doorway of the hut.

“Excuse me.” A sunburned Midwestern man wearing Oakley sunglasses peered in. “Did I miss the four o’clock dance performance?”

Sione checked his Apple Watch. “No, you’ve got time. It’ll be in Ampitheater B, just past the snack cart.”

Ok, we weren’t actually in Tonga at the time. Instead, the traditional fale hut was located in the Polynesian Cultural Center, a theme park in Hawaii.

Still, everything Sione told me about kava was true. This relaxing, euphoric, ancient brew has been a part of Polynesian traditions for millennia, in places like Tonga, Hawaii, and far beyond. In recent years, it has seduced the rest of the world as well.

This article covers topics including:

• The Ancient Island Brew
• Sustenance of the Gods
• From Prohibition to Celebration
• Kava Makes a Comeback
• California’s Kava Scene
• Coast-to-Coast Kava
• Too Much of a Good Thing
• Where to Find Kava
• Natural Medicine for the Body and Mind

Access the full article in the July/August 2022 Zymurgy magazine.