
Kava is common around the Pacific and comes from the local Yaqona plant. So, it’s totally natural, nothing artificial. In Fiji, we discovered this over a thousand years ago when “artificial” didn’t even exist, yet.
Our ancestors figured out, if you take the roots, dry them in the Fiji sunshine, pound it into a powder and mix the powder in water, it makes a nifty presentation in a half coconut shell. (No paper umbrella necessary. Straw optional.)
The roots of every kava plant contain an active ingredient called kavalactones. We choose kava plants with really high concentrations of kavalactones. And only the right kavalactones to make you feel the world is a wonderful place.
Crack open a bottle of Taki Mai. Any flavor will do. When you drink, your lips and tongue will feel a slight numbing effect. All to be expected. Then comes the calm. Ahhhhhhhhhhhh. Thank you, Taki Mai.
Stress in America™, 2013 by American Psychological Association
Stress in America™, 2013 by American Psychological Association
Stress in America™, 2013 by American Psychological Association
Stress in America™, 2013 by American Psychological Association
Stress is impacting your personal and professional lives.
An honors student, named Zane, spent every day after school, around the tanoa (a big kava bowl) passing half-coconut shells of kava, with his friends. While Zane saw the popularity of energy shots, he wondered about the opposite –– getting calm.
His dream was to share kava with everyone. He named his new kava shot Taki Mai, which, in Fiji, means “Serve me now.” We built specially-designed kava farms in Fiji, and hired local, indigenous Fijians with the experience and knowledge to grow the highest quality kava.
Our kava farms are run ethically and sustainably. We provide our Fijian farmers with steady income and add to community development. We wanted to do the right thing for Fiji.
We take out our tanoa bowl, mix up the kava and sit in a circle, sharing stories and building friendships. We look at it this way –– kava bonds people and our entire society.
The story of kava, in Fiji, goes back for thousands of years. So it’s no surprise that it is pretty important in our history and culture.
If you remember your grade school history, you learned about explorers like Columbus and Magellan. There was another explorer named Captain Cook who explored the South Pacific. He claimed to “discover” kava in 1778.
To us in Fiji, this is hilarious. Fijians had already discovered kava and were drinking it for over 1,000 years before Captain Cook was even born.
During all those centuries, Fijians thought kava was so special, we reserved it for chiefs and priests.
They also used kava to connect with the spiritual world in certain, special rituals.
In Fiji, kava has been used as part of healing ceremonies. Which is no surprise, because you have to admit, it makes everyone feel better.
It’s also been used in marriage ceremonies. You feel impossibly calm, totally un-stressed and without so much as a wrinkle on your wedding day. Even that’s possible with kava.
In Fiji, we also use kava to greet honored guests --– clap your hands and say, “Bula!” (meaning, hello, love and more) and swallow in one gulp.
It’s wonderful to help your guests feel calm, serene and happy the moment they sit down. Now, THAT is Fijian hospitality.
We did some high-level research working with the University of the South Pacific.
We wanted to find the specific plant variety (a.k.a., cultivar) of the kava plant that offers the kavalactones with the most soothing effect.
The research not only determined the perfect plant variety, but also identified a “water extraction process,” which is extremely close to the traditional, Fijian way of making kava.
We contacted Dr. Jerome Sarris, of the Department of Psychiatry at the Universityof Melbourne. Dr. Sarris conducted an entire series of clinical trials. This testing determined kava’s efficacy and safety while making clinical recommendations.
The results of the research on kava, led by Dr. Sarris, revealed significantly reduced symptoms of anxiety in his subjects. And no considerable adverse reactions that could be attributed to kava. These results are published in the Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology.
The high quality kava cultivars we grow, harvest and process, are among the most consistent and finest in the world, with few, if any, who can achieve kava at this level. We maintain a desirable chemotype profile. And our manufacturing process includes a cold water extraction process of rhizomes, adhering to the traditional and safest method, to yield a dry powder.
Whether for use in capsules, for teas, other beverages, chocolate or other foods, Taki Mai branded milled kava is packed in 1kg containers. We are happy to spread our good fortune and good kava.