Journey with Joy: The Yankee's Guide to Yerba Mate

...or how I fell in love with the cultural phenomenon of sharing mate.

First, living away from my home city for the first time, in a foreign country no less, has revealed to me how much I depend on others. I am truly grateful for so many of you who have been supportive and loving this year. Having people to talk to when I am down, friends who visit my parents, and folks sharing words of encouragement and prayers continues to give me comfort and hope. I am particularly touched at the support and affirmation I receive after my last correspondence where I shared a little of what it is like living as an open lesbian in a Lutheran program here in Argentina. You have shared your light of love and acceptance in my life and I am very grateful.

When I return to the US a plan of mine is to meet with many of you and share mate (or coffee, tea, tacos, ice cream - I am not picky). Mate, pronounced mah-tay, is one of the most popular drinks in Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Southern Brazil and is consumed year round by people of all backgrounds. It is a drink similar to tea but made of the yerba plant which gives the drink it's bitter, herbal flavor; although other plants can be added to alter the taste. The drink is caffeinated with a different caffeine compound than coffee so the energy it gives is less of a powerful jolt and more of a long-lasting effect. I do not allow myself any mate after 8pm or I won't be able to sleep until after midnight!

The act of preparing and serving mate is considered by many an art instead of a task. Although there is yerba in teabags, called mate cocido, typical yerba is drank out of a gourd or glassware also called a mate. There are many different kinds and styles ranging from squash gourds, wood, glass, metal, ram horns, plastic and silicone. The yerba goes into the mate loose leaf and the straw filters the liquid.

Metal Bombillas (pronounced bom-bee-shas)

The bombilla, or straw, is made of metal and reusable. At the bottom there is a filter which separates the yerba from the drink. There are various styles and designs of bombillas depending on the size of the mate and the consistency of the yerba. For example, the silver bombilla in the photo above is larger in size and has bigger holes as it is made for less finely ground yerba and a larger vessel.

The first step in preparing mate is filling your mate about 3/4's full of yerba because the water will make it expand some. Mates are typically fairly small and the usually hold 4 or 5 big sips each serving.

You want to cover the top of the mate with your hand and turn it over, lightly shaking it. This is so the finer pieces and powder fall to your hand meaning that the bigger pieces are toward the bottom of the mate, preventing the bombilla from getting clogged.

The next step is to create a pocket for the bombilla. You want to use a little water, some prefer cold while others use hot, to slowly wet the edge of the yerba, making a nice little hole for your bombilla.

The matanero or matanera is the server of mate and is in charge of filling it for each person, passing it in rotation and adjusting the bombilla. They always have the first drink of mate to make sure that the temperature and bombilla placement is correct (and usually get yerba in their mouths).

As you can see, only the area around the bombilla has had water poured on it. That is because it is very important not to drown the yerba by pouring too much water or in too many different areas or else the flavor will be ruin. Furthermore, the water should never be boiling or it would ruin the taste (and burn your taste buds).

You can also add sugar which is especially popular teenagers who are just starting to drink mate. There are many different brands that offer bold, strong flavors as well as smoother, softer yerba. Also, there is flavored yerba like orange or grapefruit and yerba mixed with herbs such as chamomile or mint. Sometimes this is for specific aliments like nausea and sometimes just for taste,

Juan Pablo, Ivan, Leandro, Rodolfo, me and Carlos were all excited I wanted to serve mate after church

Mate is one of my favorite traditions here because it is an act of community and sharing. The mate is passed around the circle and all are invited to share regardless if you are close family or if you just met. It may seem unusual to people of the US who don't want to share straws with their friends much less strangers but here we trust that if someone is sick they will not participate. There is a strong cultural attitude of sharing here in almost everything food related - I have had children from disadvantaged backgrounds share their cookies and potato chips with me and everyone around them without any prompting.

Mate is sharing in more than a drink; it is sharing conversation and time together. It is drank when taking a break from work or sitting in a plaza with friends. I have engaged in lighthearted jokes and funny stories, serious debates on the state of the society; yet sharing in tranquil conversation with easy silences is the most typical way the time passes. In the beginning it was something strange and uncommon but now I have drank mate thousands of times and in a circle with hundreds of people (not all at the same time though).

Every Sunday after church service everyone is invited to share mate in the church office and we catch up on each others' lives. I drink it daily with my friends at my work and share it with my housemates in our patio or in the plaza. It has been part of so many moments this year; as I take the drink home with me, I will take the memories as well.