If you wanted an impression of how significant Kava is to Tonga, and Pacific Islanders, a simple measure is to query Kava Tonga on Social Media or Video, where Tongans freely publish activities they are involved with.
Like the ngatu, Kava is involved in all parts of Tongan life.
Kava is part of significant studies, supporting it’s role and misrepresenting its value.
The other rationales are byproducts of modern rationalisations or justifications for ‘positive’ aspects of Kava. Kava’s positive aspects have little to do with it’s medicinal or therapeutic aspects. Kava’s positive aspects for the people of Tonga, is around Kava the community is brought together to share and commune, be a community.
The history is documented by the University of the South Pacific
but our traditions and folk-lore tell of why Kava is integral to Tonga’s customs of loyalty and fua-kavenga.