The Origin of Kava
A Tongan chief and his wife prayed to the gods for a child. Their prayers were answered with a son, but he was born with leprosy. The grief-stricken parents buried the child, and from his grave grew two plants—a tall, branching plant (the kava) and a shorter broad-leafed plant (the sugarcane). A wandering spirit discovered these plants and instructed the people on how to prepare them. The kava root was chewed and mixed with water to create a ceremonial drink that brought peace, unity, and connection to the ancestors. Thus kava became the sacred beverage of Tongan ceremony, used to seal agreeme