Kava Root
Artist
Samoa
MediumKava
ClassificationsMaterials
Credit LineBequest of Carrie Ormsbee
Object number1936.67.29
DescriptionKava is a variety of pepper (piper methystiam); nearly all Polynesians drank kava; the drink was prepared by crushing the fresh root by chewing or pounding, adding water, and straining out the solid parts with a bundle of fiber or a kava strainer; the saliva from chewing helped release the alkaloid which was the active principle for making it; cloudy white in color; not intoxicating as thought, but has an astringent effect and numbs the tongueOn View
Not on viewCollections
Japan