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Guayakí Yerba Maté Products  Considered the “drink of the gods,” yerba maté is revered by South Americans as a powerfully stimulating, rejuvenating tonic and a highly nutritive alternative to coffee. As the national drink of Paraguay, Argentina and Uruguay, millions of people have relied on maté for energy, mental clarity, mood enhancement and daily detoxification for centuries.
A symbol of hospitality, yerba maté is shared from a traditional maté gourd sipped through a bombilla to invite community and “Te levanta el espíritu” (lift the spirit).
Traditional Maté Gourd Ritual
Sharing yerba maté is a symbol of hospitality. As the maté gourd is passed around the circle, ideas are shared, stories are told, and a sense of community is created. The following is the traditional method of sharing maté with a friend or group: the cebador (maté server) adds loose yerba maté to the gourd, then inserts a bombilla (metal straw with a filter at the end). Cool water is added to the maté to protect the nutritional and medicinal properties. The cebador drinks the first infusion, making certain that the bombilla is flowing smoothly. The gourd is then refilled with either hot or cold water and passed to the next person. Each recipient drinks the entire gourd, then passes the gourd back to the cebador to be refilled once again and passed to the next person in the circle. After 15-20 refills, the yerba maté is returned to the earth (it makes fantastic compost!) , the gourd is rinsed with fresh water and dried, and the group enjoys their lifted spirits!
Guayakí is great company working directly with the indigenous Guayakí people to produce a truly sustainable rainforest product which promotes and protects a traditional culture and its fragile, native rainforest habitat. |
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