• Fiji

• Wood

• First half 20th century

• 16.25 w x 5 h in. / 41 w x 13 h cm

The root of the Kava plant can be ground up to produce a mild sedative, inducing relaxation and a mild euphoria without impairing mental clarity. Very early kava bowls had four legs. This changed with the introduction of tourism in the late 19th century. Enterprising locals began charging tourists by the number of legs resulting in a design change incorporating many legs. Over time, the many-legged versions came to be used for actual kava consumption, replacing the traditional style by the end of the 19th century.

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