Note 48 — WILLIAM ENDICOTT’S NARRATIVE

Yaquona of the Fijians, kava of the Tongans and awa of the Hawaiians, is an infusion of the root of the pepper plant (Piper methysticum). The root is first chewed or grated, after which the macerated mass is placed in a bowl and covered with water. The infusion is then strained through a fibre mesh and is ready to drink. It was used on occasions of ceremony or entertainment and its preparation was accompanied by a more or less elaborate ritual. It is used by the races in the Pacific who do not chew the betel nut. Its effects are intoxicating and narcotic.