Coconut shell cup

In Fijian traditions and ceremonies it's called a Bilo. Yaqona is a cousin of the pepper plant (Kava) Then he cups his hands, claps three times and begins to serve the Yaqona in a Bilo (coconut shell cup). This will then be carefully taken to the chief in his personal bilo (all others will drink of the same cup). The chief will receive the bilo of Yaqona by cupping his hands and clapping with a deep, dignified sound. Then he will take his bilo and drink. As he is drinking everyone will clap in slow time, and when he is finished the herald will exclaim “Maca” and all will clap three times.

Kava ('ava) makers (aumaga) of Samoa. A woman seated between two men with the round tanoa (or laulau) wooden bowl in front. Standing is a third man, distributor of the 'ava, holding the coconut shell cup (tauau) used for distributing the beverage.

Tanoa bowl on its side, coconut shell drinking cup (ipu 'ava), leaves of the kava plant and strainer

The coconut shell cup used for distributing the 'ava in a ʻAva ceremony is made from the half shell of a ripe coconut and it is cleaned and polished. It is sometimes ornamented with different designs, and with early European contact, it was sometimes decorated with inlaid silver. The Samoan name for this cup is tauau or generally, ipu tau ʻava ('ava cup).

See also

• Coco chocolatero, the coconut shell cup of the Americas
• Coconut cup
• Kava culture

References