fuente: https://ar.pinterest.com/pin/554013191633911942/
To understand the origin of yerba mate we must travel in time, it will return to the era of the native peoples, the Guarani.
The Indians in Guarani language called it Caá, they were the ones who discovered this plant, but since they knew that the leaves could be consumed, well that is the story that happens this post.
We have traveled in time, arriving at indigenous times, this begins in the Missionary forest, sister of my native province, originally this was Corrientes territory until 1881 where Corrientes de Misiones separates.
The missionary forest is a beauty of nature, has dense wooded forests that make a majestic green landscape in contrast to its red earth, beautiful native flowers, wild animals and birds that enliven the jungle with their singing.
Leafy roads, accompanied by orchids, toucans, anteaters, coaties, monkeys, parrots, hummingbirds and butterflies; A magical and enchanted place, walking in the furrows of the road causes the skin to erect, from time to time you receive a faint glow of the sun that sneaks between the leaves of the great trees.
The moon fell in love with the beautiful landscape, excited by its discovery, bitter comment of the place with the sun and the clouds, from that moment only spoke of my missionary forest.
The cloud and the sun, began to flirt with the jungle, the cloud gives way to the sun to illuminate with its rays the woods of the trees.
The moon and the cloud wanted to visit the beautiful jungle, one day decided they came down to it. The Tupá saw the stars very excited, transformed them into beautiful ladies and gave them the privilege of living on earth.
The beautiful girls ran along the narrow paths of the thicket, marveling at the songs of the birds, touching with their hands everything that was within their reach, they could not believe in such beauty, birds, flowers and animals were delighted with The girls, except one, the jaguareté.
Silent walked through the thicket ready to attack them, the beautiful girls continued their discovery, far from knowing that they were in danger, meanwhile the animal continued with its sneak, after the passage of the yaguareté came an Indian hunter ready to succor the maidens, The yaguareté found the right moment for the attack, the Indian warns the attack of the jaguar to the girls, the hunter went out to the shelter, shot an arrow to the animal giving in the body of the jaguar, the raging animal turned around wanting to attack the Indian, Throwing the loudest roar ever heard, the beautiful guainas warn the danger they are petrified, a new arrow hits the animal, falling yielded in the red earth.
The moon and the cloud upon seeing this disappeared in the jungle, the young hunter checked the dead animal and looked for the beautiful girls, but could not see anything, desperately sought the young women, it was impossible to find them.
I left the place in the direction of his village, arrived the night and prepared to rest, very tired I entered a deep sleep, I dreamed of the situation of the yaguareté and the maidens, this time to contact with the girls, I saw them well, were Two young beautiful snow white women in a beautiful black jet coat.
The girls waited for their encounter on the narrow road. The moon and cloud appeared by name and thanked the Indian for saving them from the dangerous animal.
The grateful princesses told us in their dream for your bravery we are going to give you a gift, tomorrow in front of your hut you will find a plant and call it Caá, you will harvest the leaves, you will let it dry and you will grind it, with it you will prepare ka'ygua Mate) when you drink you will see that you will never be alone, everyone will want to share your drink, this drink will join your town and your people with other peoples, just as the dream was diluted, the indigenous continued with his deep rest.
The next morning the young Indian woke up, rose from his rest and saw the beautiful plant, as it was announced in his dream by the beautiful princesses.
When he saw the plant he rejoiced with joy, he called everyone in the village, showed his new plant to his native family.
He looked around and was not surprised, saline one plant and another more, then several more, he remembered the instructions of the moon and the cloud which he shared with all the natives, harvested the leaves, put them to dry, then grind them , In order to ingest the ka'ygua (mate) they searched for a pumpkin or mate porongo and a thin tacuara to suck the liquid, cut in the upper part of the pumpkin, poured the Caá (Yerba) and began to take mates, all the natives Of the village formed a large circle and shared this bitter but tasty drink.
This was the way that my ancestors the Guaraní native peoples knew and knew how to use the Caá (Yerba) and the way to share a good mate.
To those called Caá miraculous herb Yerba Mate.
Fuente: http://sobreleyendas.com/2008/10/07/el-mate-la-leyenda-de-su-origen/
Fuente: http://www.identidad-cultural.com.ar/leernota.php?cn=1028
José Luis
Corrientes Argentina
