Clouds

1767 - The expulsion of the Jesuits from the Spanish colonies in 1767 ended the cultivation of yerba maté on the mission plantations. When they were expelled from all Spanish dominions their missions on the Parana-Paraguay were abandoned. This caused huge changes in yerba maté production, as the missions were transferred into royal and private hands. Massive exploitation and slavery of the local Guarani population proceeded.

1514 - The knowledge of yerba maté goes back to the beginning of the indigenous Guarani people. When the Spanish conquistadors came to Argentina in 1514, they found this indigenous group using yerba maté for food, drink, and medicine. Yerba maté is nutritious, but for the Guarani people it also played a social role. It was used as part a of their culture and as a currency of exchange with other pre-Hispanic cultures including the Incas and many indigenous groups in the northern Amazon basin.

Yerba Maté has a long and traditional history steeped in legend and story telling. We have collected key dates and documented the plant throughout the years from verbal oral traditions all the way up until today.

Due to the traditional method of sharing the gourd or maté as in Argentina it is easy to see how an oral story telling history would develop behind this powerful stimulant.