KAVA DRINKERS & KAVA CLUB GOERS - "STAY HOME & SAVE LIVES"
Manase Lua, National Manager Kanorau / Principal Advisor Pasifika shares an important message for those who are breaking the rules and gathering for Kava sessions -
To my fellow kava drinkers and regular kava club goers, please listen to the authorities. The more of you breaking the rules and meeting secretly to have kava together, the higher the risk of transmission of the Coronavirus into our communities. These are your parents, sister, aunts, grandparents and kid’s lives you are playing with. Your selfish actions could actually kill people, your people, your own family members. That’s how serious this thing is. Save lives. Stay home. Drink kava online with friends. The faster we beat this virus, the fast we can return to our normal tradition of drinking together.
“Ki’i pinepine pe ‘i ‘api fanga tokoua, kae ‘oleva kuo mate e Kolonavailasi ka tau toki foki ki Fale Kalapu!”
(translation – just hang in there at home my brother until we beat this virus and then we can return to our beloved kava clubs.)
How often do you normally attend a kava session? And where would you attend them?
Every weekend I attend my village Kalapu faikava in Onehunga.
.
For those who are unfamiliar, can you explain what a kava session is for? why people attend them? who can attend them? how many people would usually attend?
There are many Kalapu faikava in Auckland and well over 100+ kava clubs in the Auckland area alone. These Kava Clubs are the social gathering place for mostly Tongan men to fundraise, socialise and drink kava. The kava clubs have been used to enhance social cohesion amongst Tongans from their respective villages, Old Boys networks for schools like Toloa and Atele to fundraise and support their communities. Many community projects, funerals, visiting groups from Tonga have been supported financially through the Kalapu kava tonga networks. Tongan men enjoy the peaceful and harmonious atmosphere of the Kalapu Kava Tonga because unlike social gatherings involving alcohol, there is never any violence or fights. In fact, it is forbidden in most Kalapu Kava Tonga for anyone drunk or under the influence of alcohol to enter the club. This is an important social outlet for Tongan men to talanoa and share information and transmit cultural knowledge and history in a peaceful and non-antagonistic way. When you enter the door of a kava club, you hang your position, title, PhD, status and ego at the door and everyone is equal. The average kava club is usually run from a garage or smaller building adjacent to the house like a sleepout or to a large hall. The average size is about 10 but can go to over 100 at large community functions or gatherings.
How do your virtual kava sessions work?
No different to a normal faikava club. The only difference is that it is done online. So you have an online host via Zoom or Skype platform, he/she sets up the zoom and invites the participants (or open link via email or FB messenger). All people need is to have kava or any other refreshment they would prefer (in moderation of course). The only rule is to be respectful of each other. The moderator or host determines the topics and plays music, invites songs to be song by people or a DJ can play music during breaks. This allows people to socialise online and still have their kava without leaving home. The same etiquette applies the only difference is that each person is in their own home and their own bubble.
When are they held?
I have offered to host my Inasi World Wide online kava club in the evenings FREE and ALL WELCOME from 9pm to late (usually when everyone is ready to retire for rest or host initiated) on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.
I will be offering up a programme of special speakers and events in the coming weeks including:
* My online kava club is International, we have had people tune in from all over the world…
* A free viewing of Dr Mike Poltarek’s “the healer and the Psychiatrist film”…
* Hiva kakala wars online – a competition with prizes for the best Lock Down inspired Tongan love song…
* History nights – special academics/researchers guest speakers and our traditional knowledge holders
* Friday night is a free for all kava party and talanoa about anything and everything or nothing at all but listening to the music of Pacific DJ’s and musicians
Manase is hosting one again tonight at 9pm - all you need to do is download the Zoom app to your laptop, ipad or phone.
Topic: Inasi World Wide Online Kava Klub
Time: Apr 4, 2020 09:00 PM Auckland, Wellington
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/369106795
Meeting ID: 369 106 795
Password: 022398
How did week one go? I heard it was a success!
Week one was a great success and we had some fantastic people join from as far away as the US, Australia, Tonga and Fiji. A special highlight was having the founder of Kava Bowl Online (1995) the very first Pacific Chat room online Taholo Kami join us one evening. Topics of discussion ranged from our experiences in the Lock Down for COVID19 to sports, MMT, history, myths and legends, ancient martial arts, navigation, inasi concept for modern times, politics, community issues, RSE scheme etc… we had around 37 on the first session (Friday) and then a steady core of 6-10 die hard members joining during the week. We even had some frontline clinicians join us on their break while serving at the hospital.
Why is it important for Pacific people to adjust their thinking about cultural / social gatherings during the lockdown?
We need to find new and innovative ways of maintaining our culture and traditions and not allow the pandemic destroy our social fabric. However, we need to do this safely and from our own homes. Technology is so advanced now that we can connect online and use video platforms that allow us to communicate as if we are there face to face. Sometimes, all people need in these troubled times, is a safe place, free from judgment and completely open and inclusive, that they can go to and have talanoa or just to listen and enjoy the camaraderie and friendly banter.
