So much more than a simple tea, for many Yerba provides a chance spend time with friends, sharing a moment of their day over a mutual love of Mate! Commonly referred to as “The Drink of Friendship,” it is not uncommon to see Mate passed around a circle, sipped from a gourd, and filtered through a straw (bombilla) amongst friends. A ceremony of community, sharing, and respect for Nature’s gifts which began with the indigenous Guarani of Peru. And while the culture has evolved, its fundamental essence of connecting people to each other remains unchanged. Like coffee, Mate is the social lubricant of choice for many, particularly in South America where connoisseurs relish the opportunity to share a moment with close friends while getting a social buzz on.
At Yerbana we believe food heals, because of the nourishment it provides, but also because it brings people together. Personally, we’ve seen how Mate can take complete strangers, in a foreign land, and bring them to a commonplace of comradery and friendship. It somehow feels like the lift we get from Mate gives us the energy to connect and have great conversation, as if connection were ingrained in the essence of the plant itself. If there’s one thing that the world could use, it’s the energy to give one another our attention and make deeply connected, authentic communities. We are convinced that connection and community are as essential as the food we eat when it comes to a healthy and happy Soul.