No kava for the multicultural festival

“Island of the Colorblind” by Oliver Sacks contains a very beautiful passage describing his kava experience on teh island of Pohnpei, Micronesia. Seems it reduces anxiety without dulling the senses. I’d give it a go, given the right environment. Must get a hold of that book again.

buzz819 said :

Jethro said :

Quit the hysteria buzz819 and Duffbowl.

Kava is very very mild. I drank litres of the stuff over the course of a few hours and basically ended up with a mild level of drowsiness, akin to maybe two or three beers.

The classification of Kava is silly. There is a fair bit of evidence that Polynesian communities with limited access to Kava are turning to alcohol instead, with far worse social consequences.

Mate your an idiot, between this and your pro cannabis wanks you put up on here, the line is drawn in the sand, you can not drink it legally, you can not possess, grow or supply cannabis, you can not drink and drive, you can not murder people, you can not have too many persons in the one licensed premises. You don’t like the laws then buy an island and do what you want. Go back over to the Greens and focus on the big issues, like women only pools.

Spoilsport.

It is not racism. It is not intended to demonise anyone. It has nothing to do with cannabalism. It has nothing to do evil white men colonising countries.

It is a fact. And it was considered perfectly normal behaviour.

Whether it is still practised today I cannot say, but it most certainly was practised within the past 50 or so years.

I could dissect that entire comment in terms of implicit cultural imperialism or as you put it “evil white men colonising countries”. Leaving aside the question of whether it is true, or aberrent vs normative behaviour. You choose to interpret this practice refracted through the Western cultural lens. It is homoerotic behaviour and thus reprehensible?
Rape? Only from a western point of view
Within it’s own cultural context it may be considered perfectly normal if so, what of it? I’m sure some Western customs seems as bizarre and abhorrent when viewed from a different cultural perspective. Are you arrogant enough to believe the way we do things is the One True Right and Only Way?

Stevian said :

Baldy said :

Stevian said :

Thoroughly Smashed said :

Because tradition has always been a good reason to keep doing something.

In some PNG tribes it is tradition for the Big Men to initiate the young boys into the tribe by gathering them all together in a single building for a night and then raping them.

.

Got a cite for that? Sounds like Racist Bulls***

Agree it does. If true how the h*** did a tradition like that start????

Frankly I can’t remember the source, it’s been a long time since I studied anthropology at uni.

And no, nothing racist about it.

Just showing that because something is tradition it doesn’t mean that it is good.

Like stories of Canibalism such tales are primarily to demonise the “savage primitives” and as such are Racist. If in anyway true, they are account of abberant rather than normative behaviour. So the question stands is it just a travelers tale or is there any truth to it?

Why do people simply scream ‘racism’ whenever something they don’t like is mentioned?

It is not racism. It is not intended to demonise anyone. It has nothing to do with cannabalism. It has nothing to do evil white men colonising countries.

It is a fact. And it was considered perfectly normal behaviour.

Whether it is still practised today I cannot say, but it most certainly was practised within the past 50 or so years.

If it is a fact as you say, please provide evidince.
Otherwise I agree with the suggestion that there is a good chance that it is a myth that was developed to demonise a group of non-white, non-christian people and can therefore be claimed to be a racist statement.

Stevian said :

Like stories of Canibalism such tales are primarily to demonise the “savage primitives” and as such are Racist. If in anyway true, they are account of abberant rather than normative behaviour. So the question stands is it just a travelers tale or is there any truth to it?

What a ridiculous bit of leftist ideology you are regurgitating. I assumed it was satire on first reading.

What’s the clear evidence of cannibalism among Japanese troops in New Guinea? Racism as well?

Cannibalism in plenty of savage primitive cultures was entirely normative, contrary to your leftie delusions.

Suttee, also, was not aberrant (but definitely abhorrent).

Plenty of cultures display plenty of normative behaviours which are completely unacceptable to a civilised society.
Fact.
Not “Racism”.

It’s a combination of lack of thought and knee jerk reaction intelligence. The religion of the left states that any time any differences between races are noted, or that a person is of a race, or of another colour skin, gets mentioned, screaming “racism” is the most powerful approbation that can be issued, and saves you ever having to think about the subject or actual issue at hand.

racism or racialism
— n
1. the belief that races have distinctive cultural characteristics determined by hereditary factors and that this endows some races with an intrinsic superiority over others
2. abusive or aggressive behaviour towards members of another race on the basis of such a belief

Having done some reading today (no, I’m not claiming to be an expert), it seems the biggest issues with kava come down to overuse, or use in conjunction with other intoxicants. Used in lower levels of concentration, and treated as a social use, it appears to be no worse that alcohol in similar concentration and use patterns.

HenryBG said :

Baldy said :

Stevian said :

Thoroughly Smashed said :

Because tradition has always been a good reason to keep doing something.

In some PNG tribes it is tradition for the Big Men to initiate the young boys into the tribe by gathering them all together in a single building for a night and then raping them.

.

Got a cite for that? Sounds like Racist Bulls***

Agree it does. If true how the h*** did a tradition like that start????

Sounds plausible – a parallel tradition seems to have developed within the Catholic Church.

Anyway, Kava is far more harmless than alcohol or tobacco. Its ban is a form of cultural discrimination against pacific islanders, just as Jethro said.
Completely hypocritical and unacceptable in this day and age.

Frankly I can’t remember the source, it’s been a long time since I studied anthropology at uni.

And no, nothing racist about it.

Just illustrating that just because something is traditional it doesn’t necessarily mean that it is good.

I was also informed about this practice while studying ANthropolgoy at ANU some years back.

Kerehona said :

chewy14 said :

In my culture it’s common to snort MDMA and dance all night.
Can we get an exemption?

Kava drinkers shouldn’t be considered as drug addicts

No. Particulaly since it isn’t illegal.

Baldy said :

Stevian said :

Thoroughly Smashed said :

Because tradition has always been a good reason to keep doing something.

In some PNG tribes it is tradition for the Big Men to initiate the young boys into the tribe by gathering them all together in a single building for a night and then raping them.

.

Got a cite for that? Sounds like Racist Bulls***

Agree it does. If true how the h*** did a tradition like that start????

Frankly I can’t remember the source, it’s been a long time since I studied anthropology at uni.

And no, nothing racist about it.

Just showing that because something is tradition it doesn’t mean that it is good.

Like stories of Canibalism such tales are primarily to demonise the “savage primitives” and as such are Racist. If in anyway true, they are account of abberant rather than normative behaviour. So the question stands is it just a travelers tale or is there any truth to it?

In some PNG tribes it is tradition for the Big Men to initiate the young boys into the tribe by gathering them all together in a single building for a night and then raping them.

That might explain the recent increases in Catholic clergy resident in PNG.

Baldy said :

Stevian said :

Thoroughly Smashed said :

Because tradition has always been a good reason to keep doing something.

In some PNG tribes it is tradition for the Big Men to initiate the young boys into the tribe by gathering them all together in a single building for a night and then raping them.

.

Got a cite for that? Sounds like Racist Bulls***

Agree it does. If true how the h*** did a tradition like that start????

Sounds plausible – a parallel tradition seems to have developed within the Catholic Church.

Anyway, Kava is far more harmless than alcohol or tobacco. Its ban is a form of cultural discrimination against pacific islanders, just as Jethro said.
Completely hypocritical and unacceptable in this day and age.

chewy14 said :

In my culture it’s common to snort MDMA and dance all night.
Can we get an exemption?

Kava drinkers shouldn’t be considered as drug addicts

For those who didn’t know, Kava is to the Pacific Islanders the Blood of Christ.
So important that the Tongan Royalty drink it in ceremonial matters.
For Australian Islanders, Kava drinking groups or clubs are ways for the community to come together – keep, the young men off the street and learn the thousands of songs, oratory and also the art of comedy and public speaking. When the men get together they pool money for members of the community in need.
This money from every Kava club is sent back to support the homeland – plus sustains the Kava industry there.

Without blowing my own trumpet again, I filmed a kava club – http://vimeo.com/23034059
For those who think Kava should be banned you may learn something and change your opinion.

“Honest officer, smoking it is part of my culture and heritage, Rastafari, Jah rule!!!

Stevian said :

Thoroughly Smashed said :

Because tradition has always been a good reason to keep doing something.

In some PNG tribes it is tradition for the Big Men to initiate the young boys into the tribe by gathering them all together in a single building for a night and then raping them.

.

Got a cite for that? Sounds like Racist Bulls***

Agree it does. If true how the h*** did a tradition like that start????

Perhaps it has something to with some of these reported issues?

http://www.healthinfonet.ecu.edu.au/health-risks/illicit-drugs/reviews/our-review-kava
http://www.nt.gov.au/health/healthdev/health_promotion/bushbook/volume2/chap1/kava.htm
http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/content/importation-of-kava
http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Kava
http://www.druginfo.adf.org.au/drug-facts/kava
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-01-24/kava-problem-growing/1916502

Thoroughly Smashed said :

Because tradition has always been a good reason to keep doing something.

In some PNG tribes it is tradition for the Big Men to initiate the young boys into the tribe by gathering them all together in a single building for a night and then raping them.

.

Got a cite for that? Sounds like Racist Bulls***

Oooh, Deja vu
http://the-riotact.com/poll-allowing-kava-at-the-multicultural-festival/38210

I’m pretty sure this happened last year.

buzz819 said :

Jethro said :

Quit the hysteria buzz819 and Duffbowl.

Kava is very very mild. I drank litres of the stuff over the course of a few hours and basically ended up with a mild level of drowsiness, akin to maybe two or three beers.

The classification of Kava is silly. There is a fair bit of evidence that Polynesian communities with limited access to Kava are turning to alcohol instead, with far worse social consequences.

Mate your an idiot, between this and your pro cannabis wanks you put up on here, the line is drawn in the sand, you can not drink it legally, you can not possess, grow or supply cannabis, you can not drink and drive, you can not murder people, you can not have too many persons in the one licensed premises. You don’t like the laws then buy an island and do what you want. Go back over to the Greens and focus on the big issues, like women only pools.

yes because drinking a mild sedative that has yet to be proven to have any effect on anyone is akin to murdering someone. Meanwhile alcohol and smoking is legal. Just because something is illegal now doesn’t mean it has to be forever.

Also I don’t think drinking it is illegal, just selling teh drink at social gatherings.

Jethro said :

Quit the hysteria buzz819 and Duffbowl.

Kava is very very mild. I drank litres of the stuff over the course of a few hours and basically ended up with a mild level of drowsiness, akin to maybe two or three beers.

The classification of Kava is silly. There is a fair bit of evidence that Polynesian communities with limited access to Kava are turning to alcohol instead, with far worse social consequences.

Mate your an idiot, between this and your pro cannabis wanks you put up on here, the line is drawn in the sand, you can not drink it legally, you can not possess, grow or supply cannabis, you can not drink and drive, you can not murder people, you can not have too many persons in the one licensed premises. You don’t like the laws then buy an island and do what you want. Go back over to the Greens and focus on the big issues, like women only pools.

Duffbowl said :

Jethro said :

Quit the hysteria buzz819 and Duffbowl.

No hysteria on my part. Just wondering where the line gets drawn. Kava, like alcohol and tobacco, is regulated for public consumption in Australia.

While you can indeed drink litres of the stuff, it is dependent on the preparation. Just like making alchohol, changing the quantities used in preparation can change the final product.

The line has been drawn in the wrong place.

I see the Kava ban in a similar light to the cannabis ban, which was originally a racist reaction to its use by Mexicans and black people in America.

Jethro said :

Quit the hysteria buzz819 and Duffbowl.

No hysteria on my part. Just wondering where the line gets drawn. Kava, like alcohol and tobacco, is regulated for public consumption in Australia.

While you can indeed drink litres of the stuff, it is dependent on the preparation. Just like making alchohol, changing the quantities used in preparation can change the final product.

Quit the hysteria buzz819 and Duffbowl.

Kava is very very mild. I drank litres of the stuff over the course of a few hours and basically ended up with a mild level of drowsiness, akin to maybe two or three beers.

The classification of Kava is silly. There is a fair bit of evidence that Polynesian communities with limited access to Kava are turning to alcohol instead, with far worse social consequences.

Because tradition has always been a good reason to keep doing something.

In my culture it’s common to snort MDMA and dance all night.
Can we get an exemption?

This site might be of interest to folks: http://www.australiankavamovement.com.au/

Kava is an integral part of the culture of Polynesian, Micronesian and Melanesian culture – it’s an integral part of the culture of Oceania (including Australia), in fact.

I hear it’s traditional to chew on coca leaves in South America. Maybe we could ask for that?

Yes and allowing people to supply what is classed as a prescription only medicine to anyone thus giving them permission to break the law is a sooo much better alternative.