Buw! Inter islands trade and cultural significance of betel nut in Micronesia.
Résumé
Betel nut consumption is widely spread around the Asia-Pacific area as well as among the austronesian speaking societies from Madagascar to Micronesia.
It is one of the most popular drug, used on a daily basis by over 600 millions of people around the world. It is also widely involved in religious offerings, indigenous medicine and magic.
Chewing the nut of the areca palm tree (areca catechu) requires several adjuvants in order to increase its psychoactive effect and its taste. Most common of these adjuvants are betel leaves (piper betle) and slaked lime, along with tobacco and a wide range of different spices.
While most previous researches focus on health issues and addiction, anthropological approaches to betel nut use and trade remain either marginal or, in the case of Micronesia non-existent.
Origine | Fichiers produits par l'(les) auteur(s) |
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