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Tea ceremony

The Klingon tea ceremony

The Klingon tea ceremony was a test of courage. The two participants both ingested tea that had been brewed from a poisonous plant and recited poetry to each other. In 2365, Worf stated that this was to teach that "Death is an experience best shared, like the tea."

The tea used was deadly to Humans, and mildly poisonous to Klingons as well. However, Doctor Pulaski was able to partake fully in the tea ceremony by treating herself with an antidote (whose effects were at least partial, and certainly prevented the death of any Human participant) before the ceremony commenced. (TNG: "Up The Long Ladder")

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