Like the flourishing `awa plant is the knowledge of the gods, Knowledge from the source, knowledge by hearing, The last lines of the translation are:Īccessible is the day whereby knowledge is gained, In a story about the daughters of Haumea, the eldest being Pele, and her family's travels from Tahiti to Hawai`i Nei, throughout the islands, ending in Hawai`i Island where she resides now, there is a chant given, which was chanted upon making an offering of pig and `awa to Laka, the goddess of hula, to receive instruction. It is a social tradition and an offering of gratitude to the divine, both before and after events and festivals in the life of the people. Spiritual leaders use `awa ceremonially at appointed times, such as at a ritual following a canoe race-meet. `Awa is a muscle relaxant to weary farmers, fishermen, hunters and paddlers. Those who perform strenuous work especially appreciate its properties as a relief for stiffness, tenseness and fatigue in the muscles. In the old days, it is said that the chiefs and priests were the principal users of `awa, but in more recent times it has been taken to use by all the people. Over indulgence in `awa use for a period of time can adversely (but temporarily) affect the skin and eyes. It is also used as a tonic when people feel weak, as it is stimulating and refreshing, unless drunk in large quantities. `Awa is used principally as a sedative to induce relaxation and sleep, especially when combined with lomi lomi massage. The plant is also used during teething and in rituals at the time of weaning. To make feverish or restless young children go to sleep, the leaf buds are given to the child after being chewed by the mother. It assists in opening communication channels with others and with the elements.Īs a medicine, the roots - as well as the leaves, stems and bark - are used for the following: general debility, weary muscles, chills, colds, headaches, lung and other respiratory diseases such as asthma, displacement of the womb, diabetes, congestion of the urinary tract as well as for rheumatism. `Awa is also a sedative, used as a sacred plant for prayer, as well as appreciated for pleasure, especially in the south Pacific islands. It is valued as an intoxicating drink and as a medicine. It needs to grow for 2 to 3 years minimum to achieve usable potency. The root is thick, soft wooded when fresh, hardening as it dries. The flower is an inconspicuous narrow yellow-green spike. It has large, smooth, heart-shaped leaves and green or black jointed stems, with swellings at the joint. ![]() The sparingly branched, erect shrub is very hardy and grows up to 12 feet high. More than a dozen varieties of `awa were known in old Hawai`i. ![]() This plant grows well at low elevations where there is constant moisture and partial sun. `Awa ( Piper methysticum, pronounced ah-vah with the "w" as a "v" sound), a member of the pepper family, grows in the wild now and is also cultivated increasily throughout the Pacific Islands, where it is called Kava or Kava Kava. `Awa is one of the plants brought in their sailing canoes by the earliest Polynesian voyagers arriving in Hawai`i. Home - Intro - Contents - Bibliography - Links - Credits
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