•  Yerba Mate and the Gauchos

Roots of Yerba Mate History

The history of Yerba Mate is rooted in an old Indian legend that depicted the god Tupã as a tall, bearded white man, the natives built their social life around Yerba Mate. That, in turn was adapted by the European settlers, who, in their turn, attributed social traditions and folklore to Yerba Mate. Today, the tradition of Yerba Mate is rapidly expanding to other cultures, as it is linked to more and more health benefits. Here we present a brief history of how Yerba Mate became the drink it is today.

European explorers first learned of Yerba Mate in 1592 from the native tribes. Today, the pounded leaves of the caá, known as "erva mate" to those who now live in the lands of the Guarani, are used to brew a rich, stimulating tea, held to be synonymous with health, vitality and long life.

They sit together at lunchtime or at the end of a hard day of work and refresh themselves around a fire, socializing and passing around the "cuia," as the gourd is called, so all can have a drink of the Yerba Mate. The ancient custom of drinking the pounded Yerba Mate herb in a gourd still survives and is a day to day habit among the people that now inhabit these lands.