Photos of Kava Drinking Sessions From Around the Pacific

Kava is a drink made from the dried roots of a Pacific Island shrub pounded into a gritty powder. Evidence suggests it first appeared in Vanuatu some 3,000 years ago, and today is used both ceremoniously and recreationally across the Asia Pacific.

US-born, New Zealand-based photographer Todd Henry drank his first shell of kava in 2004. He says it made him feel relaxed, but without muddying his mind. Intrigued, he became a frequent kava drinker in Tonga, where he’d moved with his wife. 

In his ongoing photo essay Tau ‘Alu Faikava, Todd documents kava traditions around the Pacific. We spoke to him about what he’s learned in the process.

VICE: Hey Todd, can you tell me about your first encounter with kava?Todd Henry: I first came to New…