Here, for example, is some basic pictures of the 'sakau' process. What is sakau? is something that I'm sure some folks would ask themselves. Sakau is the root of a pepper shrub, piper methysticum. It's presence looms large here on Pohnpei. I've heard a few stories about where sakau came from, including some about rats nibbling on the plant and getting a little stoned drunk and one story that shan't be repeated here, but involved the sakau coming from Kosrae in a special kind of package. Whatever the story is, or stories are as it may be, sakau is very popular here. It has a large role in traditional customs including funerals, birthdays, feasts, and weddings. These days, sakau "markets" or bars have opened up and people come to drink sakau or get takeout in bottles. Basically what happens is someone takes up the sakau plant and cleans them. A special sakau stone is used and the roots are pounded into a sort of pulp. Some stones are quite large, and all make a ringing sound when being used. There is a kind of rhythm to pounding and specific rhythms that I've heard.
Wet hibiscus bast (part of the bark) is made into a kind of mesh and the sakau is squeezed through the hibiscus. It sort of tastes spicy and bit muddy and has a slimy thick viscousness at first. Strong or good sakau will numb your tongue and lips and send a warm cozy feeling through your body. They say that sakau is stronger than alcohol, if you get really drunk on sakau, you end up kind of "playing the piano" as I like to say, that is, you get really shaky and can't walk well at all. Ill effects include not wanting to get up, feeling kinda sluggish in the morning. A lot of people like to kapopo here, which basically means to have one drink of alcohol after you drink sakau. It's like a mixing of local and U.S. custom...

Here are some pictures to illustrate the process:

Cleaning and sorting the roots

Kneading the sakau, on the rockPlacing sakau into hibiscus.
Twist and squeeze

Into the cup, then drink it.