Tales from the Logbook--The Kava Ceremony

My dive travels have taken me all over the world.  Diving abroad is not just about seeing different fish and habitats; it is also about honoring and embracing the local culture and traditions, to the extent that they are offered by the locals.  I never could understand people who travel considerable distance to dive and go from the airport directly to the boat on arrival and then from the boat directly to the airport on departure when not compelled to do so by connections or logistics.  Some of the tales from the logbook have nothing to do with submersion and everything to do with immersion.

The evening of October 16,  2017 found us at anchor in Gau Island's lagoon.  Many folks worked on laptop computers refining the many underwater images collected during the day.  I scribbled my recollection of that day's four dives including two in the Nigali Passage and transfered the images from my underwater camera to my tablet.  Others discussed their dives.  This mix of activities is pretty routine on dive boats.  But tonight was special.

The crew of Naia invited the passengers to share kava, a traditional drink across much of the western Pacific Islands used for medicinal and ritual purposes.  The crew honored us with the invitation.  Fujian kava derives from the crushed root of the yaqona (pronounced yang-GO-na) plant, a member of the pepper family.  The kava powder is strained with water and served from a large communal bowl as part of the traditional kava ceremony. When consumed, it creates a pleasant, numb feeling around the mouth, lips and tongue, as well as a sense of calm and relaxation.

We gathered for the Kava ceremony on board the Naia after evening dinner.  Participants in the ceremony were encouraged to dress appropriately.  In place of the t-shirt and shorts that constitute evening wear on most live-aboard dive boats, I donned a floral patterned tropical shirt (called a bula shirt in Fiji) and a sulu, basically a large piece of cloth wrapped around the midsection, much like a towel, to make a skirt that goes to about mid-calf. (I always pack at least one tropical shirt; Naia provided sulus to each passenger.)

At the start of the ceremony, crew and passengers sat around a large wood ceremonial bowl.  Crew members mixed the kava, which is in a cloth sack, with water in the bowl.  The resulting brown liquid is strained and ready for consumption.  The host asked each person, in turn, if they would like to receive a full cup—“high tide” or a half cup “low tide” of kava.  I requested a “high tide.” When presented with the cup, I clapped once and shouted “Bula!" (happiness and good life). I drank the beverage in one gulp and then clapped three more times. The cup bearer then declared “maca” (it is done) pronounced ‘maw-they’.This sequence continued until all participants had received kava.  The ceremony continued through a few more rounds punctuated by story telling, music and singing--all which created a sense of communal connection.

After a couple of high tides I retired to my cabin for a restful night's sleep.