what is the ‘sevusevu’, or gift, that you should offer to a village chief?

The "sevusevu" is a traditional gift presented to the village chief when visiting a Fijian village. The most common and culturally significant sevusevu is a bundle of yaqona, also known as kava root. This gift is offered as a sign of respect and to seek permission to enter the village. The yaqona root is used to prepare a traditional ceremonial drink during the sevusevu ceremony. The typical amount for sevusevu is about half a kilo (500 grams) of kava root or 500g to 1kg of powdered kava. The root form is preferred because villagers can extract more from it. This gift is deeply woven into Fijian culture and is comparable to bringing a case of beer or wine when visiting someone's home in other cultures. The sevusevu is traditionally presented to the village headman, called the turanga ni koro, who then presents it to the chief on behalf of the visitor. In addition to yaqona, other gifts like stationary or sports equipment for village children can be brought, but yaqona remains the essential and primary sevusevu offering. The ceremony also involves specific etiquette, such as removing shoes, hats, and sunglasses and sitting with legs crossed on a mat during the kava drinking ritual.