While living on Guam I attended several island celebrations where Sakau was served. Sakau is called Kava in other areas of the pacific. I was unfamiliar with this local pacific island tradition. Fortunately I attended these celebrations with an island friend who was knowledgeable about Sakau so at his suggestion I took the plunge and accepted a cup. Sakau looks a little like a cup of mud so though I accepted it with a smile I was feeling some trepidation in not wanting to offend my Pohnpeian host. With all eyes on me I tasted this unusual foreign concoction. Almost immediately I felt a tingling numbness spread across my mouth and tongue. As I drank the cup of Sakau it didn’t taste like much, certainly not like anything I could identify. Yet it’s effect was a delightful feeling of relaxation and calm.

A couple weeks later I flew to the island of Pohnpei with friends. I was ahead of the game this time when Sakau was introduced. I was able to explain this traditional island drink my friends were being offered. Sakau/Kava is made from the ground up pulp of the pepper plant root and mixed with water. Kava/Sakau is often handed around during tribal island celebrations and at family gatherings. It’s gentle effect of relaxing the body and numbing the tongue and mouth are the only effects my friends and I felt while drinking it.

Fast forward several years and a move back to the U.S. I suddenly was enjoying a “wow, I tried that,” moment watching the Vanuatu survivors experience a tribal ceremony that included drinking Kava. Its a unique experience to drink a local island concoction served in a simple milk jug knowing that drink has been made by hand, pounded into a pulp. It leaves a special memory in my mind of Guam and the pacific islands when I think of Sakau/Kava and my first experience drinking it.

When I opened my copy of this Sunday’s edition of the St Petersburg Times and learned that a cafe has opened which serves Kava I was bowled over with surprise. I didn’t expect a pacific island drink to go mainstream and be found in a Florida cafe. As I read the article I knew a visit was in order; yet I knew nothing would surpass that first Sakau experience on Guam where local friends taught me one of their island traditions. Some things are better experienced in the heart of Micronesia.

If you are new to Kava and in the St Petersburg, FL area and would like to taste this island drink you can head over to Bula Kafe. at 2500 5th Ave North in St Petersburg, FL.

Sigua Falls, Guam. Photo Credit: Goatlockerguns Flickr
Life on Guam revolves around the outdoors. Weekends can be spent hiking, diving, fishing or enjoying a village fiesta. There are many different boonie stomp trips on Guam and several groups do weekly or monthly hikes around the island. Boonie stomps vary from easy to moderate to quite difficult. The hiking conditions on Guam can vary wildly with the intense rain and sweltering tropical heat.

It’s best to be very prepared when going on a Boonie stomp. My own Guam hiking experience includes several amazing boonie stomps, along with one that was a real nightmare. I hiked to Sigua Falls with friends. A co-worker’s boyfriend guided us and he didn’t know as much as he thought. We ended up lost, hiking for hours and ran out of water. When we finally reached the falls, they were amazing and beautiful, absolutely worth the pain and struggle we faced getting there.

We refilled our water bottles in the falls which I prefer never to do; yet if I have to choose between no water and an unknown water source, I will take the unknown. This very experience taught me to be exceedingly prepared. Now I always plan ahead with extra water and healthy snacks in the event I end up lost again.
For more insight on Guam hikes and boonie stomps take a look at The Best Tracks on Guam. It has limited availability but if you can find a copy it’s worth the look.

Volunteers must show medical proof of good health and have scuba certification with two years diving experience. Volunteers live in apartments five minutes from the dive site and live in groups of three. The working group typically consists of 5 to 9 people and from what I saw on the site the trips are generally thirteen days in length and are offered several times per year.

 The cost of the trip is listed at $2,646 with fellowships available to defer costs. Honestly having lived in Micronesia and paid the airfare back and forth several times over if this trip is inclusive of airfare this is a steal. I paid upwards of $1,500 just for airfare and this trip includes diving in Truk lagoon  to assist with preserving the natural and heritage attributes of the Truk lagoon. It also includes accommodations and food for the volunteers. This sounds like an amazing adventure and opportunity to learn more about the history of the island of Chuuk, in the Federated States of Micronesia while diving the beautiful waters and doing something wonderful to preserve the history found there.

Flickr photo: Chuuk Micronesia, Truk Lagoon By: j cator photo’s