Bread Filter Posted February 9, 2012 I just heard on Win news that the A.C.T. Chief Minister was able to organise an exemption for Kava to be available at the upcoming Multicultural Festival this weekend. The news article said the requirements were that it must be prepared in the traditional manner. That is all the info I have been able to find. I am going to go along and check it out on Saturday and will report back. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Blood Trance Fusion Posted February 9, 2012 I had no idea it was controlled! Tread carefully - it might be as potent as a standard drink. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bread Filter Posted February 10, 2012 (edited) The latest news from the Canberra Times is that the exemption has been in place since midnight last night but that Kava will not be available to the general public: Govt relaxes ban on kava at festival BY MEGAN DOHERTY AND EWA KRETOWICZ 10 Feb, 2012 01:00 AM The ACT government has bowed to community pressure and will allow kava to be served to Pacific islanders at the National Multicultural Festival in Canberra tonight. But a ban on national flags in the grand parade tomorrow afternoon will remain, with the chairman of the festival saying he wanted a harmonious event. Chief health officer Paul Kelly said chief minister Katy Gallagher agreed to a trial exemption for cultural kava use at the festival starting at midnight last night and ending at midnight on Sunday. ''I've always been of the view that kava for cultural purposes is not dangerous ... and it's on those grounds that the minister has changed her decision,'' Dr Kelly said. He said under the trial kava may only be legally prepared and used in accordance with Pacific island culture at the site of the festival. ''This would permit the use of kava in traditional kava ceremonies or kava circles, for example. The trial exemption applies to the physical boundaries of the [festival] and for the duration of the 2012 event only.'' Dr Kelly warned that supplying kava recklessly or outside cultural norms would jeopardise future exemptions. Canberra Tongan community leader and spokesman for the Australian Kava Movement Siosiua Lafitani Tofua'ipangai was delighted with the decision and said the community had promised not to supply kava to the general public. ''Kava will only be passed around the circle, no kava will go out to the public in general,'' Mr Tofua'ipangai said. ''That's our agreement.'' http://www.canberrat...al/2450688.aspx Edited February 10, 2012 by Bread Filter Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MORG Posted February 10, 2012 I hope they do it Tanna-style with virgin boys masticating mouthfuls of the raw root. The only way to drink kava. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bread Filter Posted February 11, 2012 I went and checked out the festival tonight and from what I saw it was only Islanders that were able to join the Kava circle so it wasn't any different to previous years. I watched a bogan looking guy ask if he could join the circle being told to piss off which he subsequently did. All the Islanders looked they were having a great time chilling out and singing along to some guitar playing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
qualia Posted February 11, 2012 no kava for whitey, but you can get shit faced on booze all you want makes sense 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites