August 24th, 2024

Regarding kratom, you should be glad that it’s 2024. Back in the day, only men could enjoy kava. Yes, you read that correctly. Tongan women couldn’t enjoy kava, but men routinely drank kava in group settings. These men would gather after work and sit around drinking kava, discussing important manly manners. However, women were only allowed to serve the men. Let’s take a look back at gender roles and kava in Tongan culture.

The Traditional Tou’a

In Tonga, women would serve the village men their nightly kava, but remember that these were not just any ol’ women. No, they were usually young and unmarried. They even had a unique name and were called the “tou’a.” An unattached man was typically pursuing the tou’a at the time.

The tou’a stirred the kava to the right consistency and poured it into coconut cups. The coconuts were passed from man to man to reach the person sitting the farthest away. Once they finished drinking the kava, the men passed the empty coconut cups from person to person.

As the tou’a served, the men routinely sat cross-legged as they received their kava in rounds. The men talked about various topics, including sports, politics, culture, and their native traditions, and even cracked a few jokes. In some cases, the gentlemen might break into a traditional love song.

The Evolution of the Tou’a

While Tongan men still like to enjoy their kava, some things have changed. Nowadays, the tou’a cannot be related to any of the men gathered. If the woman is related to any of the men, the man has to leave. Talk about progress! The goal is to ensure that men can freely talk about anything, including relationships. It gets harder to talk about intimate things if your little sister is hovering around.

The men commonly ask foreign girls from different countries to be the tou’a for the night. If there are no women around or the group is small and informal, get this: a man will serve the rest of the group. Times have really changed!

Kratom for All

Good news—nowadays, everybody can enjoy kratom—men and women alike! Best of all, you don’t have to wait for a special event to enjoy top-shelf kratom from a reputed place like Kratom Kaps. We are committed to providing our customers with only the best, which is precisely what we do. Enjoy kratom for all with Kratom Kaps!