Tereré in the culture of Pohã Ñana (medicinal plants) of Paraguay

Paraguayans and North Argentinians drink Tereré – cold mate with iced water or fruit juice (orange or lemonade) and herbs such as mint or lemon grass and/or lime, lemon and/or orange slices.

Tereré, drunk in the culture of Pohã Ñana is an infusion of yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) prepared with cold water, a lot of ice and mixed with Pohã Ñana crushed in a mortar. Pohã Ñana is a Guaraní term for plant based medicine. Tereré in the culture of Pohã Ñana is widely practiced throughout Paraguay.

In this Article

Ilex Paraguariensis

Family: Aquifoliaceae (holly)
Guarani- Tupi: Ka’a, CA´A, Caá-y, yerba verdadera, yerba por excelencia
Spanish: Yerba, Yerba mate, Mate, Mate cocido, Cha mate, Terere or Tereré
Portuguese: Erva mate, Chim arrão
Quechua: Mati
English: Mate tea
Other names: Paraguay tea, Jesuit’s tea.

Buenos mates buena vida – Drinking Mate

The use of mate in history and heritage of traditional Southamerican medicine and daily life shows, that Mate is like the pipe of peace, that circulates from mouth to mouth in collective intimacy, axis of a circle which is always of brotherly friendship, writes Manuel Seoane Chorrillos, Perú, 1900. Washington, USA, 1963.

“El mate es como la pipa de la paz,

que circula de boca en boca

en intimidad colectiva, eje de un círculo

que siempre es de amistad fraternal”.

Manuel Seoane Chorrillos, Perú, 1963.

Mate is widely consumed in Paraguay, Argentina, Uruguay and in some areas of Brazil (mainly the states of Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, Parana y Mato Grosso do Sul).

It is also drunk in the South of Chile.

Each people of Southamerica has its own preference in terms of the type of yerba, temperature of water and different ways of preparing and drinking mate.

In Brazil and North of Argentina people usually use a big mate gourd, whereas in Uruguay, South of Argentina and Chile it is more common to drink from a small mate gourd. Paraguayans usually drink from guampa (a cup made of horn).

Cimarron (“unsweetened mate”, literally “feral mate”);is the preference in Uruguay, South of Argentina, Chile and south of Brazil.

In Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay and Chile, mate is widely used. Perhaps because Yerba mate increases mental energy and focus, improves mood, and can promote deeper sleep. 

Yerba mate now is thought to help with rheumatic and intestinal problems (amongst others), and is also taken as a sort of energy drink. Further research has indicated that the Ilex Paraguariensis tree, let us cope better with hot weather, especially if consumed as Tereré.

There are those who believe that cold mate or tereré arose from the war that Paraguay waged against Bolivia, when fire could not be lit to heat the water because of the danger of being spotted by enemies. Consequently they began to consume cold yerba mate, with the addition of some herbs, and it became the national drink.

Paraguayans and North Argentinians drink tereré. Cold mate with iced water or fruit juice (orange or lemonade) and herbs such as mint or lemon grass and/or lime, lemon and/or orange slices.

Adding medicinal plants to Yerba mate helps mask unpleasant flavors, controls dosage, and is an important social ritual in its own right.

Yerba mate is consumed many times a day, most days of the year, and nearly always with some medicinal plant, which is selected sometimes for general preventive properties in addition to those preventive properties attributed to yerba mate itself, or else simply for flavor.

Yerba mate is drunk both hot and cold, and medicinal plant preference is influenced by this custom. Some plants are associated with either the hot or the cold version because of flavor. Bitter and sharp flavors such as wormwood and anis are preferred in the hot drink, while smooth flavors like mint, lemon grass and saffron are preferred in the cold.

The Guaraní ancestral drink in Paraguay – Tereré in the culture of Pohã Ñana (medicinal plants)

Since 2011, Tereré is considered part of Paraguay’s cultural heritage.

The tradition of mate drinking as we know it is mainly inherited from the Guaraní culture. However, the word mate however is not from the Guaraní origin.

Pohã Ñana – a Guaraní term for plant based medicine, is widely practiced throughout Paraguay.

Tereré, drunk in the culture of Pohã Ñana is an infusion of yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) prepared with cold water, a lot of ice and mixed with Pohã Ñana crushed in a mortar.

Pohã Ñana (medicinal plants)

Herbal shops and the yuyo vendor can help choose the right herb for the customers. This is a form of ancient knowledge that is transmitted from generation to generation. 

Both refreshing or medicinal herbs are added to Tereré, such as pererina, cocú, mint, sarsaparille, plants from the horsetail family, burrito, agrial or wax begonia, batatilla, verbena, spikesedges, ajenjo, slender dayflower, escobilla, lemon balm, saffron crocus, ginger, taropé, perdudilla blanca and others.

Fennel or burro’s tail, are used as a remedy for stomach problems. Horsetail, as a urinary facilitator, or ginger, as a flu preventative, are some of the herbs used for a medicinal mate drink.

Plants considered energetic, are mixed in “Tereré levantol”, a formula composed of lemon verbena, sarsaparilla and other roots that is also used as a male aphrodisiac and stimulant.

Or white perdudilla, the Santa Lucía flower and bitter herbs. The traditional preparations are served by

Letting the Tereré rest with the yerba mate and reserving the first sip for Santo Tomás.

Reserving the first sip of Tereré for the gods or saints is a custom we widely witness and been part of in South America. The first sip of beer spilled on the ground for Pacha mama (the earth mother) is such a ritual.

Yerba mate is rich in antioxidants and minerals, among the polyphenols in Yerba Mate are caffeine, caffeic acid, quercetin, catechin, epicatechin gallate. The saponins in the yerba have been shown to stimulate the immune system. It balances the body in all its functions and contains less caffeine than coffee or green tea.

Drinking Yerba mate also boosts energy, fights fatigue, reduces appetite and is utilized in the treatment for gastrointestinal disorders.

Traditional use of Yerba Mates stem and leafs

Mate is rich in antioxidants and minerals, (Among the polyphenols in Yerba Mate are caffeine, caffeic acid, quercetin, catechin, epicatechin gallate).

Ethnobotany of Mate:

Ethnobotany is a multidisciplinary science that studies how people traditionally use plants – for food, clothing, shelter and their use for religious ceremonies and health care (Ethnomedicine).

Mate is rich in antioxidants and minerals, (Among the polyphenols in Yerba Mate are caffeine, caffeic acid, quercetin, catechin, epicatechin gallate).

Mate might have the following properties:

The stem and leaf:

– boost energy,

– fights fatigue,

– reduces appetite,

– treatment for gastrointestinal disorders,

– balances the body in all its functions and contains less caffeine than coffee or even green tea,

– contains saponins which have been shown to stimulate the immune system.

El Tereré in the culture of Pohã Ñana (medicinal plants) holds great significance for the people of Paraguay.

Note: This post does not contain medical advice. Please ask a health practitioner before trying therapeutic products new to you.  If you do wish to experiment, I suggest doing further research.

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Works Cited & Multimedia Sources

ttps://digitalcommons.mtu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1404&context=etdr

https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/practices-and-traditional-knowledge-of-terere-in-the-culture-of-poha-nana-guarani-ancestral-drink-in-paraguay-01603#identification

Don Aníbal Cambas. Leyendas Misioneras. 1945. as on Compartiendo culturas

The Guarani. Survival International.

Dr Ruiz de Pagés Myrtha Elba and Fernando Pagés. https://www.scribd.com/document/177937932/Legends-of-Yerba-Mate#

Portal Guarani. Multilingual: arts, literature, and history, created or written by guaranies.