By Julieta Cuba
Is there a product that comes from the earth, whose roots represent a culture and its history transforms it into a magnetic symbol?
The answer is YES, and we are talking about mate, known as one of the most consumed and produced infusions in the world, especially in Latin American countries.
Prepare some mates and let's take a tour to learn about its history!
Yerba mate or llex paraguariensis (its scientific name), is native to the Southern Cone of South America, dating back precisely to the Guaraní natives, who used its leaves as a drink, an object of worship and sometimes as currency in their exchanges with other towns.
It is a tree that can reach between 12 and 16 meters in height, its properties are medicinal, it has nutrients, vitamins and works as food. The climatic conditions and soil where this plant is grown and harvested are of vital importance. It is a plant that grows in tropical or subtropical environments, with a lot of humidity and rain.
Consumed from its beginnings, during the time of Spanish and Portuguese colonization in the 16th century, its use spread throughout the region.
In the 17th century, the demand for yerba mate grew and crossed oceans and borders, reaching Spain, where the royal court and aristocracy adopted this drink as an exotic display of status, which boosted trade and cultivation in the native lands.
Drinking mate is one of the most current customs around the world. It is so significant that it even has its own festive date, November 30, and was chosen to commemorate the birth of Andrés Guacurarí y Artigas, a Guaraní leader who was one of the first federal leaders of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata and the only indigenous governor in Argentine history.
In 2022, although a long list of the largest exporters was registered, the first six were: Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Germany, the United Kingdom and the Syrian Arab Republic. While the first five importers were: Uruguay, Syrian Arab Republic, Argentina, Chile and Spain.
This drink vindicates our native roots, nourishes us culturally and socially. It unites us and connects us with the people we share with and even with nature itself.
It is one of the most popular traditions that travels the world and links you with the Latin American ancestors and first inhabitants of those lands.
Did you know?...
Depending on cultures and contexts, its consumption varies, however there is something that everyone has in common when sharing a mate and that is unity. It became more than just a drink, it is part of a custom, a cultural ritual.
It is so popular that there are even different versions to prepare and consume it depending on the country and even national regions. For example: there are those who prefer it sweet, bitter, with citrus peels (orange or lemon), with additions such as mint, burrito, lemon verbena, coconut, flavoring teas, among others.
Let's see how two of the countries where this drink is the most popular consume it!
Mate in Argentina:
It is a social and sometimes individual ritual. For Argentines, mate is sacred and is shared in groups, in addition to being consumed alone.
The “cebador” is in charge of preparing, drinking the first mate and sharing it with the rest, always using the same container. In this country there are thousands of variations in terms of the materiality of mate, there are those made of pumpkin, wood, plastic, silicone, glass and aluminum.
The yerba used is made with sticks, the water has to be hot, it does not have to boil and the bulb material is usually made of nickel silver, plastic, aluminum, metal, among others. A mate equipment called “matera” is used, it is made of leather, however there are those who prefer to carry it in a backpack or cloth bags..
Mate in Uruguay:
Here it is also a social and individual ritual, it has a lot of presence and is an important national symbol.
The yerba is composed of a very high percentage of dust and contains few sticks, the water temperature must be hot, the mates are larger in size and the most common are pumpkin ones with a wide mouth covered in leather. The mate bulbs are larger and thicker, known as “parrot beak”, they have the holes close together to better filter the yerba given its high percentage of dust.
An example that comes from Latin America where this drink is popular and widely consumed is in Syria, where they consume it in a glass container and individually, the only thing they share is the kettle with the water.
Mate is not static, it is found in many parts of the world. It is an accompaniment for that lonely traveler who went in search of adventure, for those families who go on vacation and travel on the road, for grandmothers who share with their grandchildren and children, for those parents who prepare it to do their work day. more enjoyable, for those students who have to prepare for their exams, for those meetings with friends to chat about life and countless moments that not only make the union, but also form millions of memories.