Ethnography of Micronesin,. 57 



and Melanesia, i.e., New Guinea (Dutch portion excepted), Banks 

 Islands, New Hebrides and Fiji Islands. In Samoa old people 

 believe that a little kava strengthens them and prolongs life.^ 

 Kava is a Polynesian word. The drink is obtained from the 

 root of a plant called Pljjer methysticum, which grows wild in 

 Ponapé and Kusaie, particularly in the former. In Ponapé it is 

 called chakau or cholco, but seha in Kusaie. It is doubtful whether 

 >ieka is cognate with the Japanese sah' or liquor, though F. W. 

 Christian institutes a comparison between the two words. There 

 are different ways of making the beverage, even in Polynesia. 

 The islanders of Ponapé crush the roots between pieces of stone. 

 In Kusaie, too, the roots are pounded on stone. In connection 

 with kava making there are often ceremonies held, of wliicli 

 Christian gives a minute description.'^ 



In the East Caroline and Marshall Islands I did not see betel- 

 nut chewing which, however, I observed in the West Carohne 

 group. I was told that betel- nut trees are plentiful in l'onapé and 

 Kusaie, while kava making, it is said, is unknown in the West 

 Caroline Islands. This seems to imply that betel-nut chewing and 

 kava drinking are not found together. In the vicinity of tlio 

 islands under Japanese occupation, the custom of chewing betel- 

 nut is met with in the Malay Archipelago, a part of Melanesia, 

 i.e., Admiralty Islands, New Guinea, and Solomon Islands; while 

 kava making is common in Polynesia and some parts of Melanesia, 

 as above noted. And even in New Guinea where the two customs 

 prevail, the natives, it seems, do not indulge in both betel-nut 

 chewing and kava drinking. " It seems highly probable " observes 

 Christian on this subject " that kava drinking was a logical deve- 



' (r. Turner, '• Stimo.i," p. 114. 



•i F. W. Chrisit.in, "The Caroline Islanas," pp. 188, IDD. 



