The art of sharing mate
The ceremony of drinking mate in Argentina might be the loveliest thing there is to bring people together.
It has been about two months since I first tried mate in Buenos Aires. I actually tasted it some years before when a former colleague who used to live in Argentina let me try it but I didn’t feel anything special back then.
But here in Argentina, it is a different story. Mate is everywhere. It is rooted in the culture. Every single moment you see someone sipping it with a bombilla (metal straw) and common spaces are full of people who are passing on mate cups.
Mate refers to the national and everyday social drink of Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay, possibly the drink of the Gods according to the legends of Guarani and Tupi tribes. It is said to have several health benefits and is caffeine packed so it stimulates both the body and the mind. What I found really nice is the ritual of serving it and sharing with others. People would meet up in the park or in someone’s home and a person who brought mate would keep pouring hot water into the same cup and passing it to others until there is no more water left in the termo.
You can do this any time of the day and it just creates a nice environment for people to calm down, chill and talk.
I am coming from a beer drinking culture. Czechs consume the most beer per capita in the World. And the saying has it that beer is cheaper than water which is about right. When we want to meet up with friends we usually say that we are going out for one. Meaning one beer which is the biggest lie there is because it never ends up with just one. Honestly, there aren’t so many social occasions which don’t involve drinking alcohol.
I relish drinking coffee with my flatmates or work colleagues as an every morning ritual. The preparation of coffee in Moka cup or French press and the heavenly smell is beautiful. It’s just not the thing you usually do outside in a group of people at any time of the day. And the cup of coffee is small. The party is usually over too soon.
We also organize communal dinners or picnics which I love. You just don’t do it every day because it takes some time to coordinate people and prepare food.
To meet up to drink mate is the easiest thing for the people here in Argentina.
Tomamos matecito en el parque? Si vamos! Simple as that.
Don’t get me wrong I am still going to take delight in drinking beer with friends back in Prague. Pilsner from the tank for two euros is a divine experience. And the beer culture is unique. Don’t forget to look into each others’ eyes as you clink glasses! But I am packing a bombilla, a mate cup and a termo in my backpack for the return trip.
