Kava: A Crop with Centuries of Tradition and a Coast-to-Coast Community in America

Kava is a deeply rooted part of America’s agricultural and cultural heritage. For centuries, it has been grown, prepared, and shared in U.S. jurisdictions like Hawai‘i and American Samoa, long before they became part of the United States. Recognized under federal law as a traditional food, kava carries a documented record of safe use that stretches across generations. From its depiction on the American Samoa quarter to its place in kava bars from Honolulu to New York, kava represents both a living tradition and a thriving coast-to-coast community. Protecting kava means preserving not just a crop, but a vital piece of America’s cultural fabric.