The History of Kava

As you sip from your shell and bite into a piece of sweet pineapple, you might wonder how the drink in front of you came to be. Kava has a long, storied past. Settle in with your bilo and take a journey through the traditions that shaped kava into what it is today.

Ancient Pacific Origins

Kava's story stretches back roughly 3,000 years in the western Pacific. The plant — a shrub in the pepper family with heart-shaped leaves that thrives in tropical island climates — spread across Melanesia and Polynesia, becoming woven into daily and ceremonial life in places like Vanuatu, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, and Hawaii. It is the plant's root that matters: dug, cleaned, and prepared into the communal drink shared across the region for millennia.

European Records and a Botanical Name

Written European accounts of kava date to the Pacific voyages of Captain James Cook in the 1770s, when the expedition's naturalists documented island communities preparing and sharing the root drink. From that era of Pacific exploration, the plant came to carry its botanical name, Piper methysticum — placing kava formally within the pepper family.

Traditional Preparation

Historically, the fresh root was broken down by chewing or pounding, mixed into water in a communal bowl, and strained through coconut-husk fibers to separate the root from the drinkable brew. Today the root is typically dried and ground or grated before being kneaded with water and strained through cloth — the method we use behind our bar — though traditional preparation continues in parts of the Pacific.

Kava in Ceremony

Across the Pacific, kava has long marked life's important occasions: weddings, funerals, naming ceremonies, and the welcoming of honored guests. The drink is prepared in a large communal bowl called a tanoa and served in a half coconut shell called a bilo. Tradition holds that the chief drinks first, and guests clap once and say "Bula!" before drinking. The ceremony is, above all, an act of community — a way of bringing people together in a shared moment.

Kava Today

That communal spirit is exactly what kava bars carry forward. At Elixir Lounge in Old Town Spring, we serve kava the way it was always meant to be enjoyed — together. Learn more on our What Is Kava page, browse the menu, or get in touch. We're at 206 Main St, open seven nights a week for guests 18 and up.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Kava products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Elixir Lounge serves guests 18 years of age or older.