The traditional South American drink made from yerba mate leaves is called mate. It is an infusion of dried leaves and twigs from Ilex paraguariensis, a holly species native to parts of South America.
Mate was consumed by Guaraní and related Indigenous peoples before European colonization. It later spread through Paraguay, Argentina, Uruguay, southern Brazil and neighboring regions, becoming an important part of everyday social life. In Spanish-speaking countries it is generally called mate; in Brazil, the hot preparation is commonly known as chimarrão.
Traditionally, the leaves are placed in a hollowed calabash gourd and water is added without boiling it. The drink is filtered and sipped through a metal straw called a bombilla. Sharing one gourd among friends is a customary ritual, not merely a brewing technique. Cold-brewed mate is known as tereré, especially in Paraguay. Mate contains caffeine, so it is sometimes compared with tea or coffee, but its cultural traditions and preparation are distinct.