King of England Charles IIIcurrently on tour Australia and Samoaa territory that in the past was a British colony. His health was being monitored by many as this was his first long trip since his cancer diagnosis. However, the monarch did not deprive himself of any of the traditions of the places he visited. Including the use of a narcotic drink typical of the Pacific Islands: kava.
On each island this drink has a different name. For example, in Hawaii it is known as awa, in Fiji as grog, and in New Guinea as wati. In Samoa, where it was taken by Charles III, its most common name is awa. Despite their different names, all these drinks have the same origin, as they are extracted from the root of a plant called kava (Piper metisticum).
Initially, its use was ceremonial, although there are also those who drink kava for recreational purposes. In the case of Carlos III, he did this at the beginning of the ceremony in which he was named. Great Chief of the Island. No doubt it’s a great honor, but what exactly did you drink to claim it?
Kava, a traditional drink of Samoa and other Pacific Islands.
Originally, the Samoan islanders cut the root of kava, put it in their mouth and then chew it, they passed it on bowl of cold water to obtain a characteristic brown drink. It was consumed during religious or social ceremonies, where the highest ranking member would start drinking it, and then it would be passed down to the others, descending to the lowest levels of their hierarchy. It was drunk in a vessel made of half a polished coconut. We do not know whether they will continue to chew the root, but the vessel is the same, since it is the same one from which Charles III drank on this journey.
Over time, other uses were found for it. For example, many Australian Aborigines had serious alcohol problemsTherefore, kava began to be drunk as a substitute for alcoholic beverages. Their effects are relatively similar. It is also a depressant drug. That is, depresses the central nervous systemcausing slowed thinking, muscle relaxation and drowsiness. These effects can be considered beneficial when extreme relaxation or ceremonial trance is required. However, in some cases, nausea, numbness of the mouth and throat, loss of appetite, and loss of muscle control may also occur. All this, logically, is much less pleasant.
Consequences that Charles III will not experience
Charles III could have experienced any of the above effects. Luckily, since you only drank it once, you won’t have to experience the long-term effects of this Samoan drink as it can cause lethargy, difficulty breathing, weight loss or even the ease of contracting infections.
For a person newly diagnosed with cancer, these symptoms can be especially difficult to cope with. But it seems that it took very little time to become the Paramount Chief of Samoa, and nothing more.
Many tourists travel wanting to try it, and there are even bars and specialty foods. At the very least, he resorted to ritual consumption of the products of his origin. Would you like it? For now, we will have to imagine the answer.
Source: Hiper Textual
