The caffeine-rich South American drink consumed in Lebanon’s Shouf and Aley areas is maté. It is an infusion made from the dried leaves and stems of yerba maté, a plant scientifically known as Ilex paraguariensis.
Maté originated among Indigenous peoples of South America, especially the Guaraní, and became widespread across Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and southern Brazil. It is traditionally served in a gourd and sipped through a metal straw called a bombilla. The drink contains caffeine and other stimulants, giving it a role similar to coffee or tea.
Maté became especially established in Lebanon through migration between Lebanon and Latin America. Many Lebanese emigrated to Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay, where they encountered the drink and later brought the custom home. In Lebanon, it is strongly associated with communities in the Mount Lebanon highlands, including parts of the Shouf and Aley.
Maté is sometimes confused with a conventional herbal tea, but it is not caffeine-free. Nor is it the same as qishr, sahlab or karkade, which are different regional drinks.