Fiji - Yaqona (Kava) Ceremony

Yaqona (Kava) Ceremony -
Fijian welcome ceremony showing the three main parts - mixing the kava, offering the bilo and the clapping of hands.

Drawing by Bill Bates

postmarked in 1977 with two Fiji stamps



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Yaqona, kava drinking ceremonies

As a guest in Fiji, you will frequently be invited to participate in one of the most common ceremonial and social customs in the islands, the Kava Ceremony. The drinking of kava, or Yaqona, is quite common on social occasions. It is regarded in Fiji as "the National Drink". In the past, Yagona was drunk only by chiefs.

Kava is made from the bare root of a pepper tree, pounded into a fine powder and then mixed with fresh water. Near Matangi Island, the family grows and exports kava root to the United States and Europe for use in homeopathic drugs and over-the-counter pills to aid in relaxation.


But in the Fiji Islands, the old customs still prevail. In fact, turning down an offer to drink a bowl of Yagona is considered insulting in Fijian society. In traditional times, Yagona was prepared by young village girls, who chewed the pieces of raw Yagona into a soft pulp before adding water. Today, the chief or head of the ceremony mixes the powdered root with water in a large hardwood bowl, called a Tanoa, straining the root through a cloth to keep out the grit. When it is ready, he claps with cupped hands to make a hollow "pop" sound.

Sitting crossed legged on the floor, guests are arranged in a circle. Each guest in turn is offered a bilo, a small bowl made from half of a coconut, containing the liquid. He or she must clap before and after drinking. Honored guests are served first, then others according to their status in the group. The drink should not be sipped. It should be drunk in one continuous drink. The clapping of hands and the word "maca" signifies that you have properly emptied your bilo.