A TANOA
Once I was in a queue at a courier company. Having been in the queue quite some time I started peering behind the desk to see where whoever should have been serving me was. I saw a few guys sitting around a table dipping half a coconut shell into a bucket and drinking muddy water. Not at this stage I was pretty... erm negative about this whole 'uncivilised country' so I justrolled my eyes and thought nothing of it.
I later learned that they were drinking Kava, a narcotic drink made from yaqona root (that was somehow supposed to make me feel better?). The bucket had been a handy substitute for the tradiional wooden Kava bowl, or Tanoa (also incidentally the name of a pretty friendly hotel)
These memories resurfaced recently as I was walking through the aisles of energy drinks, I noticed a few of these products list Kava among their ingredients, claiming a sedative affect. Now I don't know a lot about food and drink regulations in Australia, but I assume some people would be disturbed to find their kids buying narcotic softdrinks in the supermarket.
I have been initiated with a Kava ceremony, drunk it socially and was even farewelled with a scull, but far removed from its natural source and chemically inserted into a yuppie trap I have to say I am cautious to partake.