Tereré: More Than a Drink, a Paraguayan Tradition

In Paraguay, tereré is much more than a cold drink. It is part of our everyday life and one of those traditions you will see almost everywhere.Tereré is made with yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) and very cold water with ice. We drink it from a guampa, using a metal straw called a bombilla. We also often add medicinal or aromatic herbs, known as pohã ñana in Guaraní.Drinking tereré has its own little rituals and unwritten rules. When a group shares it, one person is the cebador, who pours the water and passes the guampa around. Traditionally, the youngest person in the group often takes this role.There is also an important rule about saying “gracias.” In a tereré circle, it means “no more for me.” Once you say it, the cebador knows not to serve you again.There are even names for different kinds of tereré. Tereré pantano (“swamp tereré”) is made with so many pohã ñana herbs that the water becomes intensely green and full of herbs. Tereré jorador is traditionally prepared after a night of drinking or celebrating, using diuretic herbs as a popular remedy for a hangover.Medicinal pohã ñana are traditionally taken with tereré in the morning, and there is a popular belief that medicinal tereré should be drunk before midday.Tereré is perfect for Paraguay's hot weather, but what makes it truly special is sharing it: preparing it, passing the guampa from person to person, talking and spending time together.If you ever visit Paraguay and someone asks you, “¿Querés tomar tereré?”, they are not only offering you a drink — they are inviting you to join the circle and share a little moment of Paraguayan life.