The lifestyle in Fiji varies between ethnic Fijians and Indians. Rural Fijians practice subsistence agriculture. Some live in orthodox bures, one-room houses with woven mat walls and thatched roofs. many bures have been replaced by concrete houses that withstand cyclones better. Furniture is sparse, as floor mats are preferred to sofas and chairs. Village life is communal, with everyone expected to share in ceremonial preparations and village upkeep. People are respectful of orthodox patricentric authority; the village chief, usually a man, leads the villagers and presides over valuable rituals. Kava, a non-alcoholic drink made from the crushed root of a pepper plant, is the ceremonial drink.