Trips to Paraguay

What is

Tereré is a traditional refreshment of Paraguay, consisting of a drink of mate (Ílex paraguarienses, plants native Paraguayan) macerated in cold water with aromatic grass: mint and cedrón, among others. Difference of the mate in which this last one, traditionally, takes control of hot water.

Origin

A folkloric version of the creation of tereré tells that during the War of the Chaco (between Paraguay and Bolivia, 1932-1935), the troops began to drink cold mate not to ignite fires that exposed their position. Anyway it is a fact that tereré became popular in Paraguay when the veteran soldiers of introduced it to the Chaco in the daily life.

Another version of the origin of tereré relates, it to the mensú (enslaved of the yerbales of Paraguay and the Argentine northeast, until half-full of the S.XX), that if they were surprised by capangas (overseers) firing to take mate brutally was tortured, reason why chose to begin to take cold mate. It is therefore presumed that they were these mensú, enlisted in rows of the Paraguayan army that introduced this custom.
Nevertheless one thinks that tereré already was ingested by the guaraníes Indians, and who in S. XVII the Jesuits learned of them the virtues of mate (ka' to in guaraní). The same Jesuits praised the effects of the grass, since it gave a certain vigor to which it ingested the infusion and it calmed the best thirst than the pure water.

Container

Unlike the conventional hot mate, that is taken in porongo (pumpkin), in the case of tereré the grass can be put in a glass any. But, traditionally, the Paraguayans use guampa (“horn” in quechua), that usually is fact of cow horn, sometimes adorned with silver or some other metal. Also they are made in the form of horn but of palosanto (aromatic wood) and even of plastic. Some guampas are done completely of silver, sometimes with gold incrustations of artisan form, but at the moment much completely had people choose to acquire guampas of wood in aluminum, or by outside in leather, or resemblance, of colors with modern and customized styles with logo, images and texts.

How one drinks

In order to suck tereré a metallic light bulb is used that is inserted within the container. The light bulbs make generally of alpaca there are although them made in silver, gold, and even with figures of the symbol of the family, initials, or until precious stone incrustations.

Customs

The word tereré is onomatopoeical, referred the sound that emits the last one I suck of the light bulb. This sound is tacitly obligatory within the ceremony of tereré, since it indicates that everything has been consumed what it has been fattened (served), being the ready container to fatten the following person to him.
The boot is generally pahague, the smaller person of the group or, if no, a woman, although at the moment the majors fatten to demonstrate deference.
As with the hot mate, one is only due to be thankful to which “it fattens” tereré when one does not wish to drink more. The word “thanks” indicates to him to the boot that who has given back guampa to him no longer wishes to continue drinking.

Properties

Mate is 100% natural one, taking place in totally ecological form: it does not receive any chemical treatment in any phase of his production and processing.

- It acts like stimulating natural by his content of mateína; it does not produce habit, and it is healthier that the tea and the coffee.

- It is energetics: the use of Mate activates the cerebral function, excites the locomotive apparatus and other functions of the organism, due to its tonificante quality.

- Besides diurética, it is I supplement dietetic (it does not get fat).

- It has digestive and laxativas properties.

- It is a very rich vitamin plant, according to studies like those of the Pasteur Institute of France: It contains ac Pantoténico that the complex of the Vitamin B1 B2, vitamin includes/understands and, To and C.

When one drinks

Tereré is consumed so much in summer as in winter, by day like at night, in the street, the houses, the offices… In summer, the intense heat and humidity only can bear with liters and liters of tempting “tereré” refreshing. It is very good to stay hydrated and to share in round with friendly (everything a group supplies a single guampa).

The Paraguayans call tereré rupá - `bed (or nest) of cold mate', in guaraní) to a species of matutinal refreshment before tereré, that traditionally usually becomes in hours of mid-morning (about the ten): one is some sandwich so that the cold water “does not strike” the stomach.
Besides Paraguay, tereré is very taken in Brazil and the mesopotámicas provinces of Argentina (Missions or Currents), where the temperatures are lifted.