I always feel honored when people share mate with me. I can’t drink too much, though, or it makes me jittery, just like what happens when you drink too much coffee!
Mate originated among the Guaraní people in the lands that today form parts of Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil. The tradition spread throughout southern South America, and today it is most associated with Argentina and Uruguay. Where I live in Patagonia, mate has been strongly adopted by the indigenous Mapuche and Mapuche-Tehuelche peoples.
Mate is important for community bonding and for welcoming visitors to a community. Drinking mate also helps to warm you up, which is important in the colder and windier environments of Patagonia. Cattle ranchers, farmers and builders often take breaks to warm up with mate and rest their bodies from hard labor. Today, it is also common to take mate on a hike with you and drink it at a scenic viewpoint. I really love this tradition!
The mate leaves as well as the gourd used to make the mate cup are plants that are native to the region. There are several Guaraní legends about mate, all tied closely with the environment.
Read a legend about the origins of mate here: https://mateovermatter.com/education/the-legend-of-yerba-mate-and-the-moon-luna/
Watch a video about how to make mate here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZkxHSnyqxQU
