In 1526 Sebastian Cabot alias Sebastian Gaboto, an Italian voyager, while expediting for Spain, explored Rio del Plata in South America. He believed that at the source of Paran┬áriver on which he was sailing, there is a land endowed with silver and gold. Cabot was wrong but this does not mean that there were no treasures in the land along the rivers.

Instead of precious metals, Mother Nature gifted this land with an evergreen plant known to the natives as Caa. It was a gift from Yari (the goddess of the moon) and the holy spirit of Tupa. A precious plant of an equal commercial value to gold. This evergreen plant was later scientifically christened Ilex paraguariensis.

How did the Spaniards come to learn about Yerba Mate? Well, when the missionaries and colonial representatives first arrived in Villa Rica and Ciudad Real from Spain, like most colonialists then, they extensively explored the land for precious minerals. Disappointed that there was none, they fled leaving behind a small group which eventually settled along the Paran River. The native Guarani Americans amongst who they settled were hospitable, athletic, strong and healthy. The Spaniards sought to know the secret of this good health and learned, from the natives, that this was attributed to drinking the infusion of dried Caa leaves.

When most of the settlers adopted the habit of drinking Yerba Mate, they were surprised by the magical value of the tea. They had an improved physique, better health and uplifted spirit. More importantly, it boosted their commercial instincts. Towards the end of the 16th century, Yerba Mate was a favourite drink for native communities and settlers alike.

Yerba Mate, cultivated from wild strands, became a common beverage in South America. It spread so fast that in the beginning of the 16th century it was a common beverage in Paraguay, Colombia, Uruguay Brazil and Peru. The Spaniards and other settlers were not left behind either.

In the early years of the 17th century, the consumption of this tea spread so fast that it even surprised both church and colonial leaders. Early Spanish colonization of Paraguay and parts of South America was directly linked to the Jesuit mission and the Catholic Church in general. The mythical origin and ritualistic consumption of mate therefore developed great distrust from the Jesuits.

According to them, this was an evil drink which would hinder the spread of Christianity among the Indian communities. This led to a united opposition of the “demonic” drink which eventually led to its ban within their territories in 1616. The punishment against disobeying this decree was the harshest, excommunication.

This decree, and the branding of the drink as aphrodisiac by a Domitican priest, became detrimental to the church. Despite the decree and the branding, people continued to sip the widespread green gold. The church was therefore in the verge of losing its newly recruited faithful, contrary to what the Jesuits had in mind.

The Jesuits failed miserably to discourage or control Yerba Mate consumption and the ban was lifted as they could not compromise the growing numbers in the church. They therefore began to accept it and sanitized its earthly, pagan origin by substituting Tupa (Guarani holy spirit) for Santo Tome, Spanish for Saint Thomas. Changing the indecent history of the beverage created a closer link between Yerba Mate and the missionaries hence the herb is sometimes referred to as yerba missionera.