Informal riches: How betel nut has lifted PNG sellers out of poverty and even created buai pirates

"It's just like an early morning coffee. People wake up, take a shower, they brush their teeth, they're go and grab betelnut."Betel nut – or buai – is everywhere in Papua New Guinea.Buai is the seed of the Areca nut, wrapped in betel leaf… and chewed until you feel a surge of energy. It has plenty of ceremonial uses, but for everyday chewers this is a recreational activity.However, it's addictive — even deadly. So deadly the government has tried to ban it. That's not such a simple task given the informal economy flourishing around betel nut has given many families financial stability — especially in rural areas.So, how did this nut turn from a cultural keystone into an addictive pastime?You'll hear from Belinda Kora, a journalist living in Port Moresby who has seen the pros and cons of the buai boom and Sprigga Mek, a rapper from Papua New Guinea whose latest song discusses his family's connection to the buai trade.Culture Compass was produced by Deadset Studios for ABC Radio Australia. ​​​​​​​This edition of Culture Compass was a repeat of the program broadcast on 16th January 2024