Tag worked for the United States government as an agricultural expert and was sent here to promote carrot farming. But upon arrival, customs officials confiscated his carrots, so Tag decided to tour the country until they were released. I met him sampling produce at the Mt. Hagen market and he invited me along to visit a friend. The van dropped us at the entrance to a trail where we were met by some men waving machetes. Short, stocky, in worn t-shirts and barefoot, they greeted us in pidgin English and offered a bit of the nut.
Betel nut is a mild stimulant popular all over South Asia and the Pacific.
Its preparation varies. In Papua New Guinea, the locals peel the nut, which is green and slightly larger than a walnut, pop it in with the back molars and chew. As the soft nut breaks up, they add a pinch of lime powder to start the chemical reaction so favorable to the millions of people with bright red teeth and black gums. The mixture must be combined quickly with saliva, or the lime burns. I chewed and red foam bubbled forth from my mouth, fizzing to the ground like a daiquiri waterfall.