There, families would get together around a fire to drink mate and talk about their day. This was particularly relevant in the community of Pulil, in the south of Chile. Mapuche peopleĪccording to Daniel Vidart, Mapuche people also drank mate as part of a social gathering. In addition to being consumed, yerba mate was considered a valuable asset and it was used to exchange other goods with tribes from the south of the continent. Félix de Azara explains that these people got the yerba from other groups from northern Argentina. It is captivating to know how these people consumed yerba mate even though no Illex grows in the area. Pampas is a term that encompasses many tribes that lived in the central part of Argentina, such as the puelches, taluhets, and chechehets, among others. Then, after a while, they would drink the water and chew the leaves. They would use a gourd or a horn as a cup, where they would put whole leaves and hot water. In fact, they would gather in a circle to share it. They related closely to the guaraní people, using similar techniques and tools to drink mate.Īccording to chronicles from the 18th Century, Charrúas drank mate not as part of rituals, but as a social event. The Charrúas lived around the Uruguay river. The Ilex paraguariensis leaves were also used to make an alcoholic beverage called kukuai. They chewed and ate the green yerba mate leaves. The Xetás lived in present-day south of Brazil and southeast Paraguay. Then, they would drink it using their own teeth to ‘filter’ the leaves, or using a small, hollow reed. They would put the whole leaves and hot water in a gourd and waited for the yerba mate to release its properties. Several chronicles tell us about their technique to drink yerba mate. They chewed yerba mate leaves but they also used them for infusions. Related to the Guaraní people, the Tupí lived on the Atlantic coast. They also used yerba mate in medicine and religious practices that still remain a mystery. Moreover, they used comparable techniques to toast, mill and dry the yerba mate. Guaraní people have highly influenced the present-day consumption of yerba mate, as they used similar techniques and tools. Present-day central Paraguay, northeast of Argentina, south and southwest of Brazil and southeast of Bolivia were part of their influence area. At the time of Spanish conquest, they lived in the central region of South America. They shared different aspects of their culture, such as language, history and myths, traditions, etc. Guaraní is an umbrella-term for groups of different tribes. It supposedly helped cure sexually transmitted diseases and had an almost magical effect on sterile women, who would easily get pregnant after drinking it. ![]() On a chronicle in 1789, the Spanish priest Juan de Velasco described the plant and its benefits. The Ch'unchu tribe lived in what is now the northeast of Peru and they prepared Ilex guayusa as an infusion. This is one of the few dated proofs of yerba mate consumption in South America before the Spanish conquest. They designing and decorating their tombs with special care.Īt the site of Ancon (near Lima, Peru), archaeologist found yerba mate leaves among some of the dead's personal belongings. ![]() It is known that like many other civilizations, the Quechua people considered death and afterlife as important steps in their life. Quechua people is an umbrella-term that comprises many groups and civilizations, including Chanka, Huaca, and Incas among others.Īt the time conquerors arrived in South America, the Quechua people lived in what it is currently Peru and Bolivia. This experience was believed to be magical and help to purify the body. They would consume the beverage in the course of three days, which caused hallucinations and vomit. In 1562, the explorers René de Laudonnière and Gaspard II de Coligny described how the drink had a crucial role in rituals. This plant was used to prepare a beverage known for its black color and its bitter taste. The Creek people lived close to the Appalachian Mountains (east of the US), where the Ilex dahoon grows. We will include a brief summary of said research to give an idea of the expansion of yerba mate use. On his book ‘ El mate’, Javier Ricca explains in great detail every who used yerba and to what purpose. And in fact, it has been determined that Ilex plants, including Ilex paraguariensis, were used by different groups of people around the continent. ![]() It grows in the north of Argentina, Paraguay, and south of Brazil.Īccording to the 19th Century explorer Joseph Hooker, yerba mate was consumed in South America long before the Spanish and Portuguese conquerors arrived. Yerba mate is a species of Illex with the botanical name Ilex paraguariensis. Mate is a beverage made with water and processed yerba mate leaves. In this article, we'll learn about the early history of yerba mate.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |