Culture Bag, Volume Two: Tereré

To underscore the significance of tereré for new trainees, CHP makes it the subject of your very first day of cultural training here in Paraguay. When I sat down that first day and saw our agenda, I remember thinking that an entire morning sounded like a long time to learn about a drink. At the end of the lesson, however, it was clear that we would all need much more time to fully understand the complexities of the preparation and consumption of this ubiquitous beverage.

Tereré is essentially a green tea, served cold. When served hot, it is known as Maté. I had previously heard of Maté, a hot tea which is popular in certain Latin American countries, most notably in Argentina. Maté is consumed here as well, but only in the mornings, and during the winter when its colder outside.

Ingredients

There are two separate groups of ingredients used when drinking tereré. First is Yerba Maté, which is an herbal mix that is ground up into a somewhat fine mix. There are several brands to choose from, and lost of different styles. Some have mint or other flavors added, and some have ingredients which act like caffeine. Most people here have a particular brand which is their personal favorite. The second, much broader category of ingredients consists of “yuyos,” which are other herbs that are added for their medicinal benefits or for their flavor. Different yuyos supposedly help with different problems, whether its digestion, insomnia, etc. In markets where produce is sold, you will find a myriad of yuyos, but the most common tend to be Menta’i, Cedron, Poleo, Peperina, and Boldo. Whichever you choose, (you can always mix more than one), you generally must use a mortar to partially grind up the leaves.

Equipment

There are three main components to anyone’s set of tereré equipment: A “Termo” (or Jarra), a “Guampa,” and a “Bombilla.”

Termos are what hold your ice water. They are generally made of plastic, and sometimes are wrapped in leather. Termos are used as a sort of decorative accessory for some people, who use their termo to show off the colors of their favorite soccer club or show some pride in their country. You can have personalized things carved into the leather as well. Termos are, by far, the most common thing to be sold on the street and in stores. Most people carry the standard plastic termo, and only give the leather wrapped ones to friends and family as personalized gifts. Mine is a red and blue one, which happens to be the colors of one of the main soccer teams here – Cerro Porteño. My language professor is a fan of their main rival, and he lamented the fact I had chosen my thermo without consulting him on the “correct” colors. Your termo also holds the yuyos. When you are at home, it is acceptable to use a glass pitcher, or “Jarra.”

A guampa is a small cup, most traditionally carved out of a bull’s horn, which holds Yerba Maté. These, like the termo, can be customized and decorated, or sometimes sold as a set with the fancier termos. For the more utility-minded who are not concerned with aesthetics (like myself), it is common to simply use a small metal guampa.

Bombillas are special metal straws which are placed into the guampa. Since you don’t want to actually drink the Yerba Maté which resides in the cup, the end of the bombilla resembles a spoon that has a strainer wrapped around it. This way you get the water, which retains the flavor of the Yerba Maté, but without the pieces of the herbs.

Consumption

Guampas a designed to be small. After placing your Yerba Maté mix into it, there is a relatively small amount of water that will fit into it – You generally get about two gulps. Part of what makes tereré more of an activity than just a drink is that it is meant to be shared in groups. The fact that you only get a couple gulps per fill makes it possible for lots of people to get a turn.

Traditions and Beliefs

Traditionally, the youngest female in a tereré circle does the pouring. This is really not a custom I have seen followed very strictly, but whenever its just us volunteers sitting around drinking tereré, I usually invoke this rule to be lazy.

Some people take passing the guampa as an opportunity to do some flirting. When both people have their hands on the guampa as it is passing, the flirter will take his or her (usually his) index finger and do a brief little brush against the other person’s finger. Subtle, but an effective message.

A “turn” with the guampa is referred to by the Guarani word “ha,” as in, “Man! I left the circle for thirty seconds and I missed my ha.” A greedy pourer will occasionally double or triple ha, which means they just poured their turn, drank, poured again, and drank again. The “Super Ha” is an even greedier take on double ha-ing, which involves holding the guampa up to your face, putting the bombilla in your mouth, holding the termo above your head and doing a continuous pour / drink. I’ve done it when drinking tereré alone and have been super thirsty, but its a major faux pa to do the Super Ha in a social setting.

Almost all Paraguayans agree that yuyos belong in your termo during the morning. If you are drinking tereré in the afternoon, you are supposed to just use plain water. I have asked several people why this is, and I have not, as of yet, found someone who knew the answer. I guess its just tradition.

There are many myths regarding mixing tereré with other foods and drinks. The one that always sounds hilarious to me is the warnings that come with what you cannot eat after. The most common warning is watermelon. A lot of the other warnings remind me of common beliefs in the US that have to do with having to wait a set amount of time before being allowed to swim after a meal.

Read more about Paraguayan culture in the “Culture Bag” series.

Tagged as: Argentina, Bombilla, Cerro Porteno, CHP, Guampa, Guarani, Mate, Terere, Termo, Training, Watermelon, Yuyos