Report from Kiribati
yee Jonathon, Please feel free to post any of the E-mail information on your discussion board. Next week we will be leaving for the outer island of Onotoa where we will spend the next 2 years. No electricity or e-mail there. Two other things I've noticed; Kawa is sold here under the nickname of Rabi Grog & the brand that is sold is 'Waka' Kawa. Our address in Kiribati is: Tim and Joy Gallaher PCV's TeWinnota Primary School Onotoa Repbublic of Kiribati Shipping to Kiribati however is very expensive, so it is not necessary to send us samples. Let me know if there is anything else that I can report on while we are here. Thank you. Timothy Gallaher Jonathan Yee <yee@hawaiiankava.com> wrote: > >Hello Johnathan, > >I took your Course on Kawa and bought a few plants from you a while back. My wife and I are on a Peace Corps mission in The Republic of Kiribati and I wanted to report on the Kawa situation here. There is alot of Fijian Kawa here sold in half Kilo Quantities for $20-30 Australian. Sometimes the Kawa (Nankona) has a strong 'pesticide' flavor and smell. Kawa is pretty big here although it is a relatively new import to this part of Micronesia. It is not yet grown locally. It is a very social drink typ > he drinker will clap 3 times. New comers will be asked to state their name, parents name and where they come from. > >Kawa is still somewhat controversial here officially, some towns have banned it as an intoxicating beverage along with alcohol, the central govt recently voted to make it illegal but tha! t measure was defeated. > >Timothy Gallaher Aloha Timothy, Thank you very much for writing. Very interesting to hear news from Kiribati. Would it be okay for it to be posted it on the Discussion board? The situation is also somewhat dire here, yet some of the scientists I've talked with feel that kava will be vindicated eventually. One concern is that the farmers here can't wait, and so when kava becomes popular again, they won't be ready. Really seems fun that you and Joy can have an adventure in the S. Pacific. Certainly a very enriching experience. I'm sure you'll have plenty of exciting stories to tell. =) As I presume, many there are on a subsistence lifestyle? The Peace Corps is a noble cause. If you have a postoffice or street address, I would like to send some free Hawaiian kava samples to share with the natives and your friends.