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| A group of people drinking mate |
After being in Argentina for over 8 months I have gotten to know a lot about Argentina’s national beverage known as mate (mah-tay). At first this strange tea-like drink seemed so unusual and it scared me a little because we really do not have anything like it in the United States. I had no idea about the specific etiquette involved and I did not want to offend anyone. Now, after being here for almost a year, I see it as an endearing part of the Argentine culture and it is a custom that I will miss when I return to the United States. Mate and its traditions reveal a great deal about the Argentine culture; but before I go into all of that I want to share a bit of basic information about this mysterious drink known as mate.
Mate herb is brewed from the leaves of an evergreen tree that is native to northeastern Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay. The herb contains mateine, a gentler stimulant than the closely related caffeine but without the nasty side effects. The herb is a tonic and a digestive agent, and by dulling the appetite can help you lose weight. As with other brewed herbs, yerba mate leaves are dried, chopped, and ground into a powdery mixture called yerba (pronounced zsheer-buh by Argentines).
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| Yerba (mate herb) |
The traditional drinking vessel is known as the mate (pictured below), a type of hollowed-out gourd originally native to the region. Many of these mate gourds are works of art. They are sometimes carved and/or painted, and often made of wood, clay or metal, though enthusiasts claim gourds add extra flavor and are the best material for mates.
Another essential tool needed is the bombilla (bom-bee-zshuh)(pictured below), originally a reed or a stick of bamboo. Today most are made out of silver, aluminum or tin. The bombilla acts as both a straw and a sieve. The end from which you drink is flattened and the submerged end is flared, with small holes or slots that allow the brewed liquid in, but block the chunky matter that makes up much of the mixture.
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| Typical bombilla |
Mate is traditionally drunk in a particular social setting, such as family gatherings or with friends. After preparing the mate gourd with yerba (mate herb) and thrusting the bombilla (metal straw) into the yerba, the server (cebador in Spanish) trickles very hot, not boiling, water down the side of the bombilla. Generally the cebador will start a new infusion and then take the first drink. The other people in the circle consider this an act of kindness, because usually the first serving is considered the worst.
Next, the cebador passes the mate clockwise. Each drinker in the circle must drain the mate through the same bombilla, without moving the straw, and by sipping gently and quickly before handing it back to the cebador. Slurping, surprisingly, is not considered rude and occurs often. This rotation continues until the yerba has lost its flavor or everyone has had enough. Saying “gracias” means that you have had enough, and the cebador will pass to someone else when your turn comes around again.
Ok so now you all know how to survive in a group that is drinking mate. What an interesting tradition! There are some people here who almost only have the use of one hand because the other hand always has a mate in it. I have seen mate in some very surprising places. People here REALLY love their mate. I have seem people drinking it on mopeds and in cars while driving, while walking down the street, during classes and meetings, while on a bus, while hiking, and while in plazas even when outside temperatures are insanely high and you would think that no one would be able to stand drinking a hot beverage. Basically any scenario you can imagine I am sure someone here has done it while drinking mate.
Those who share the mate join in a kind of bond of total acceptance and friendship. Mate is more than just a drink. The magic of Mate is that the drinkers are sharing in community. As everyone sits in the circle they chat about anything and everything sometimes for hours and hours. At first, being a person from the sometimes hygiene obsessed United States, it was difficult to drink out of the same straw as everyone, sometimes even people I hardly knew. Now, I feel lucky to be asked to share a mate with someone. It is a simple way of welcoming, offering friendship and even a listening ear. Truth be told, I do not enjoy the taste of mate due to its bitter flavor; but being allowed to enter into the circle of trust with others makes me feel honored and helps me to enjoy it more and more. I have also been informed that most Argentines do not even enjoy the taste of mate but it is so infused into their culture that people drink it everyday nonetheless.
My favorite mate moment was when I was visiting Krystal, another YAGM volunteer, in Bariloche located in Patagonia. I went hiking at cerro llao llao with Krystal, Emily (the YAGM volunteer in La Plata) and Vicky, another girl who lives in La Plata with Emily during the school year but was at home in Bariloche for the summer. Vicky suggested that we bring a thermos of water and mate to drink on our hike. I would have never thought of bring mate on a hike but it turned out to be really great having it along. At the top of the mountain we looked out at the spectacular view and shared a mate. Not only was it nice to drink a hot beverage but also it was fun resting and chatting with friends for a while before we started out descent.
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| Enjoying mate on top of the llao llao mountain |
The custom of drinking mate reflects the nature of most Argentine people. They are warmhearted, caring, sharing, and tranquil. One thing I have learned a lot about here is the idea of “being” and just enjoying what you are doing when you are doing it. Before coming here I sometimes would be so busy that I was constantly focusing on what was coming next or what I needed to get done instead of taking pleasure in what was going on at that exact moment. Here I have learned a bit of how to throw the ol’ schedule out the window. Argentines are not continuously focused on being on time or thinking that they need to be working toward a specific goal. They know how to just “be.”
This Argentine culture knows how to sit, share, and enjoy the company of others. Spending time sharing mate and chatting with friends is not seen as a waste of time but a normal part of their daily living. I like that and I wish our United States culture had such an interesting and simple way of sharing in community with others. I plan to bring all the mate essentials back with me from Argentina so everyone can try it!
This month’s quotes for thought:
“You can’t change the past, but you sure can ruin the present by worrying over the future.” Kennons Wilson
“All journeys of soul lead us to the smallest moment of the most ordinary day.” Sue Monk Kidd, The Dance of the Dissident Daughter
This moth’s scripture quote for thought:
Importance of sharing in community:
“Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us.” Romans 12: 4-6
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