Drug Cultures

Author: Unquantifiable Creations

At drug cultures, we pull the veil back on one of the most taboo topics, exploring the ways in which cultures throughout history have used psychoactive substances. Join your host Skye Hawthorne on a journey through the strange world of drugs past and present, and how they've been embraced, incorporated, or shunned by societies worldwide.
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Language: en

Genres: Science, Social Sciences

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E18 - Kava and Christianity in the Pacific
Wednesday, 15 October, 2025

Kava has become one of the most popular "alcohol alternatives" in many Western countries in recent decades. But for thousands of years, it held an important spiritual and political role in Pacific Island societies, and was viewed as a major threat by Christian missionaries from Europe. In this episode, I unpack kava's history, focusing on Vanuatu and Fiji to explore the intersection of race, religion, culture, and mythology as it relates to this remarkable root.