Mate-Tea Set

The tea set is roughly 30-50 years old and belongs to Irina’s husband. The tea set is from Argentina and it is used to make yerba mate which is a traditional Argentinian tea. Drinking mate is a social activity among family members in a household and it is a very old tradition in Argentina. Since the beginning of Argentina’s formation as a country, friends and family continue to gather for a meal and drink mate together. In Argentina, drinking mate is a daily activity and is a way for people to talk and be together. For example, a husband and wife would drink mate and discuss family affairs together.

The process for making mate includes adding a little sugar at the bottom of the container, adding the yerba leaves, and then pouring the water when it is just about to boil. A metal straw called a bombilla is used to drink the tea and the container or gourd to hold the mate is called the guampa. The guampa is traditionally made from a hollowed-out gourd. The mate tea is made from the yerba leaves and provides a stimulant similar to drinking a Coca-Cola. Some people claim drinking mate has a variety of health benefits and is a body cleanser. Yerba mate can be consumed as a cold beverage which is called tereré. The items were brought from Argentina and were not made in the United States.

People living in the South American countries of Paraguay, Uruguay, Southern Brazil, and northern Argentina drink yerba mate from morning until night. Once the rejuvenating qualities of yerba mate were discovered by the missionaries in the region, it became the region’s primary cash crop and was later privatized by various enterprises.

Irina’s husband is from Argentina and Irina is from Puerto Rico but has lived in New England for the past 45 years. The couple continues to use this traditional tea set in their home in New Britain.

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