Local Traditions

After leaving Levuka we arrived to Kadavu (pronounced Kandavu) following the Ferry's route through the reef into the bay. It was pouring rain but we had to go into the village to meet the chief and present our yaqona (pronounced yangona).

Let me explain about the yaqona. Although Fiji was under British Rule from 1874 to 1970, they retained many of their traditions. For example, each village has a chief which is a title descended from a family that has traditionally ruled that area. When you enter a bay it is expected that you should go ashore and visit with the chief to tell him who you are and why you are there. And when meeting the chief you should present him with a gift of yaqona. They call this a Sevusevu.

Yaqona is a pepper plant from which the stalks and roots are dried and pounded into a fine powder and then mixed with water. It looks very much like a dirty gray water. If you drink sufficient amounts of this stuff, you get a numb feeling all over your body and it is supposed to give a calmness but clarity of mind. It starts with a numbing of the lips and tongue and slowly makes its way throughout your body. The drinking of yaqona, or kava as it is known in Tonga, is a very social activity. It is usually consumed during the evenings when the men of the village gather with their guitars and mandolins, sing a few tunes, chat and sip yaqona. The yaqona is served from a large shallow bowl with four legs made out of a single piece of wood. They are often nicely carved and decorated with mother of pearl. A cup made of a half coconut shell is used to scoop out the beverage. It is served by one person who is in charge of the kava bowl, stirring and tasting as necessary. When a cup of yaqona is passed to you, you must first clap (making a hollow clapping sound by rounding out your palms). Then you accept the yaqona using both hands to take the bowl. It must be drunk in one go and the cup returned to the server, after which you then clap three times.

So, back to the Sevusevu. Before meeting the village chief, someone from the village has met you on the beach and asked you several questions about yourself and your journey. This way, he can make a proper introduction of you to the chief. We are ushered into a house and asked to sit on the floor facing the chief. Once we have been introduced we present the yaqona bundle to the chief. He says a few words in Fijian followed by a prayer. The purpose of this ceremony is to get to know you and to welcome you to their village. You are then considered one of them for the duration of your stay and they fully expect you to attend church services if you are still there on Sunday.

To complete they sevusevu they would open the bundle of yaqona roots, pound it into dust and make some kava which you are then obligated to drink with them until the bowl is empty. It seems we always arrive to a village at mid-day or when the chief is away, so we haven't had that experience which is fine because neither Jens nor I really fancy the flavour or the numb feeling it gives. However it is nice to be welcomed to the community and meet the local families and their children who are always there with enthusiastic greetings of BULA!