Kava and Maaori: New drug fashion or re-engagement with 'kawa'? [Invited presentation]

Abstract

It is estimated there are more than 20,000 kava users in New Zealand on an average Friday or Saturday night, with increasing interest and uptake of this indigenous drink by Māori. This presentation argues that some of that increased use of kava by Māori can be interpreted as a cultural expression of pre-migration Hawaiki, rather than simply a new interaction with a foreign drug substance.