Yaqona
/jaˈŋɡo.na/noun
The Fijian name for kava, a ceremonial drink made from the powdered root of Piper methysticum.
Did you know?In Fiji, a yaqona ceremony is traditionally a social and diplomatic ritual in which the shared kava bowl helps establish welcome, respect, and community.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Polynesian
PPN
*kava
“The kava plant or its intoxicating beverage; the reconstructed ancestor of related Pacific forms.”
Proto-Fijic or early Fijian contact period
Fijic
*yaqona
“A regional Fijian term for kava; its precise formation and pathway remain debated.”
19th Century
Fijian
yaqona
“Kava, especially the prepared ceremonial drink.”
19th–20th Century
English
yaqona
“A loanword used in English-language writing about Fiji for the kava plant or beverage.”
Modern English
English
yaqona
“The Fijian cultural and linguistic term for kava, particularly in ceremonial contexts.”