Source of 'Awa
- Kuialuaopuna
- Jan 13
- 5 min read
Kii: Leilehua Yuen, Kahele Hawaii
Kava in Hawai
Volume 57 1948 > Volume 57, No. 2 >
Margaret Titcomb,
pg 106-109
The study of the 'awa custom is of interest because it was cultivated in Polynesia wherever it could be grown and its use was of significance. Indeed its presence is an indication of Polynesian influence, and 'awa vies with the betel nut of Melanesia in being closely and tenaciously associated with culture.
The 'awa custom is of interest in Hawaii because it was a sacred drink of importance in many phases of Hawaiian life. Outside of water and drinking coconut, no other drink was known. Its effect is to relax mind and body and it was used by farmer and fisherman for this purpose. Medical kahunas (learned men) had many uses for it. It was customary for chiefs to drink it before meals, for commoners also if obtainable. It was essential on occasions of hospitality and feasting, and as the drink of pleasure of the chiefs. The manner of its use indicated rank, though not to the extent displayed in western Polynesia. It was a fit and necessary offering to the gods and the gods shared with man the desire for its potent effect.
There is more than one legendary source for 'awa. The discovery of Hawaii is credited to the adventurous sea roamer, Hawaii-Loa. In Fornander's version of the story (21, VI: 278) it happened this way:
“One time when they (Hawaii-Loa and his company) had thus been long out on the ocean, Makalii, the principal navigator, said to Hawaii-Loa: ‘Let us steer the vessel in the direction of Iao, the Eastern Star, the discoverer of land . . . There is land to the eastward, and here is a red star . . . to guide us . . .’ So they steered straight onward and arrived at the easternmost island . . . They went ashore and found the country fertile and pleasant, filled with 'awa, coconut trees . . . and Hawaii-Loa, the chief, called that land after his own name . . .”
Did the ancient composer of this tale assume that 'awa was growing in Hawaii when the first Hawaiians came from the south, or was it his figurative way of describing any fertile land, to sketch in 'awa, coconuts and other desirable things?
Makalii, the navigator, is described as a “celebrated king in Kahiki Kapakapaua-a-Kane” (21, VI, p. 272) and a hoarder of food.
“During a season of great fertility he sent his messengers all over the country and collected all the food they could get at and stored it up in Makalii's storehouses and forts. A famine followed, but Makalii was stingy and had all the food gathered up in nets and hung out of reach, and great distress came over man and animals. The rats scoured the earth and climbed up on the black shining cloud of Kane . . . and on the rainbow and from there they nibbled at Makalii's nets until they broke and tore them, so that the food fell out on the earth again; and thus the earth was restocked with potatoes, taro, yam, etc.”
This legend is referred to in a chant in the tale of Kaukaieie (48 s.), a chant to accompany an offering of 'awa.
He 'awa keia no'u no Awini,
He kanaka lawai'a au
No na pali hula'ana nei
O Laupahoehoenui me Laupahoehoeiki,
Na Kane me Kanaloa i kanu,
No'u akua o ka lewa lani, ka lewa nu'u,
O ka 'awa Popolo a Kane i kau i luna,
I ulu i luna, i lau i luna, i o'o i luna,
I hului ia e Makali'i pa'a i luna
I ki'ina ia i ka 'iole moku ka 'alihi
Helelei ilalo nei, ulu laha i ka honua
Aha'i ka manu kau i luna o ka la'au
Iho mai ka 'awa Hiwa me ka Makea
Elua laua.
O ka Papa'ele me ka Papakea,
Elua laua.
O ka Mo'i me ka Mokihana,
Elua laua.
O ka Nene me ka Waimakaakamanu,
Elua laua.
Ho'awa ko 'awa e Kane i ka wai
Inu ka 'awa, pupu i ka i'a
No ko pulapula o Hanoalele
Amama ua noa, lele wale ho'i.
Here is 'awa from me, Awini,
A fisherman am I
Of the inaccessible cliffs
Of greater Laupahoehoe and lesser Laupahoehoe,
A plant set out by Kane and Kanaloa,
My gods of the heavens above and the heavens below,
The 'awa popolo of Kane, that existed above,
Grew above, leafed above, ripened above.
It was seized by Makali'i and hung on high.
The rat ascended and chewed the rope that held it.
Down it fell, multiplied and spread over the earth.
The birds carried some up into the trees,
The awa hiwa and the makea came down,
A pair were they.
The dark papa and the light papa,
A pair were they.
The mo'i and the mokihana,
A pair were they.
The nene and the ka-wai-maka-a-ka-manu,
A pair were they.
The 'awa of Kane is mixed with water,
The 'awa is drunk, fish is eaten for an aftertaste.
This is for your offspring, Hanoalele,
Amama, it is freed, it has flown.
The chanter has here gathered together some of the salient points in the legendary history of 'awa—that it was set out by the gods, Kane and Kanaloa, that for a time it was denied mortals, or else almost disappeared during a famine or blight, and that it later spread widely. Some was carried to the trees by the birds, and there flourished. And then he tells us some of the varieties, the pairing signifying species that were similar. (Pukui, personal communication.)
Another statement, by Mana (21, V: 606-608), gives credit to Oilikukaheana, who brought it from Kahiki for a “fishing plant,” which Fornander explains by saying that it was a “favorite of sharks at the hands of kahunas.” It was planted first on Kauai, and then spread by chance to Oahu, where the legendary character, Ewa, had the courage to test its effect and discovered its intoxicating character. “Ewa said: ‘Let me first eat of this plant, and should I die, do not plant it, for it would be valueless; but should I not die, then we will be rich.’ When Ewa ate it she became drunk and was intoxicated all day. When she awoke she called the plant ‘awa’; from thence forward this plant was called awa, the awa of Kaumakaeha, the chief.”
Mana admits that: “There are many other places mentioned as to where awa came from. It is said that birds brought it and planted it in the forests of Puna, Hawaii. Others say that a son of Hi'ilei brought it. But this is what I have been told by friends as to the origin of the awa.”
'Awa has been found by botanists in many of the high islands of the Pacific, in Polynesia, Micronesia, Melanesia and New Guinea. It was used as a beverage throughout Polynesia. Hawaiian plants were doubtless brought from the Society islands whence the Hawaiians are said to have migrated.
Missionaries discouraged ancient Hawaiian practices, which included drinking ‘awa because it had its ties in Hawaiian religious practices. They pushed to abolish awa use and in 1846 laws were passed to restrict the sale of Awa. This led to a decline in its use. Alice Kim writes in her article ‘Awa (Kava): A Polynesian Drink that "The 1910s saw the demand for ‘awa increase. On the mainland United States, ‘awa served as an ingredient in patent medicines. Frank Daas offered seven cents per pound of ‘awa or $140 per ton and received tons of shipments from all over Hawaii.Suddenly, people raided previously ignored ‘awa patches up on the mountains on government land". Harvesting ‘awa on government lands was then banned by the division of forestry, but after a few weeks after the ban ‘awa already became rare there.
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