April 2002
Guayaki Tea Makes Sustainable Business
A healthful alternative to coffee, this organic herbal green tea does the body (and planet) good.
by Ana Arias Terry
Legend of the Guarani Indians of Paraguay has it that Jary, the youngest daughter of an old man, chose to stay behind to take care of her papa rather than follow the nomadic tribe into the forest in search of more fertile ground.
This act of love didn’t go unnoticed by the God Pa’I Shume, who sent a shaman to them, bearing the gift of a green plant that was scented with kindness. The shaman taught the old man how to plant it, pluck the leaves, dry them with fire, grind them, and place them in a gourd.
Sipping the tea, the old man became strong of body and spirit again, which enabled him and his daughter to rejoin the tribe. They were welcomed with deep joy. Hence was born the tradition of sharing yerba mate (Maw-tay) that provided courage and strength in friendship and solitude.
Today the tradition of sharing this native herb of the subtropical rainforests of Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina, Chile, and Brazil remains strong among millions of South Americans. Not only is yerba mate the national drink of most of these countries and welcomed as a healthful aid, it’s also a cultural drink for which preparation and consumption rituals are unmistakably intertwined with hospitality and friendship.
Guayaki Tea Guys & Company
Back in 1996, a small group of passionate guys with various professional backgrounds founded a company called Guayaki Sustainable Rainforest Products (SRP), Inc.
It all started when Alex Pryor, an Argentinean, came to California to attend college. He brought with him yerba mate tea to enjoy and share with others. As his circle of friends and acquaintances grew, so did their interest in this tea.
What began as Pryor’s senior project with the help of a "rainforest" bus RV (from which yerba mate is still brewed for traveling "tea parties") has grown to an operation that employs seventeen folks who share the same passion and vision: "To cultivate sustainability by working in harmony with indigenous cultures and their products that promote market-driven conservation." Pryor and co-founders Chris Mann, David and Steve Karr, and Michael Newton, hope to foster environmental, social, and economic sustainability by way of conscious consumerism.
Harmonious Partnership
Pryor’s extended family established the Guayaki Biological Reserve, a 20,000-acre reserve in eastern Paraguay. In collaboration with Fundacion Moises Bertoni, a non-governmental organization, and with the government of Paraguay, the reserve donated 2,500 acres of rainforest land and natural grasslands to the Guayaki, a sub-tribe of the Guarani people. It’s on this acreage that the tea alliance with nature and its people really manifests.
In 1996 the University of Cambridge conducted an ornithological study of the area, declared the project to be a sound example of sustainable agriculture, and ranked it as the second highest priority conservation site in Paraguay.
Today, approximately 200 Guarani individuals from thirty-four families live on these 2,500 acres of subtropical rainforest. Some work at the reserve’s school (there are about forty-two children) or health center, and some tend the village’s own food crops just outside the reserve. Yet other members of the community are involved in the cultivation, harvesting, and processing of the mate. By living in the rainforest and cultivating the herb, the Guarani help themselves in the preservation of their rich cultural heritage.
While Pryor is the overall manager of the reserve, the Guarani are intricately involved in the operations management of the project and protection of the Reserve’s integrity. Acting as a collaborative team, they also ensure that the land continues to be cultivated organically. Machetes are used to control weeds, and no pesticides or herbicides are ever introduced. In fact, this tea is grown and processed according to the strict guidelines of the non-profit FVO (Farm Verified Organic).
The Guarani handpick the leaves and stems of the mate, which are then flash-heated to retain the herb’s nutritional and antioxidant qualities. They smoke-dry the leaves for a twenty-four-hour period, using naturally felled rainforest hardwood trees, a practice based on a long-standing Paraguayan tradition. The herb is then placed in cedar wood chambers to age for one year.
After the mate is inspected and sampled during the aging process, it’s packaged in large sacks and shipped to the Guayaki SRP headquarters operation in San Luis Obispo, California. It’s distributed by the rest of the SRP gang from there.
Values & Visions
CEO Chris Mann’s enthusiasm for the company’s activities is equaled only by his fervent respect for the Guarani, their cultural heritage, and the preservation of the rainforest. Still, he doesn’t take himself too seriously. Leading the list of corporate titles on his business card is Chairman of the Gourd.
"One of the beautiful things that’s central to what we do is helping to sustain the environment and preserve culture," says Mann. "The Guarani people were traditionally hunters and gatherers who sometimes covered a hundred miles per year." One of Guayaki SRP’s objectives all along has been to provide ongoing education on sustainability and restoration concepts to the Guarani, who are embracing practices that will ensure long-term resources and natural health for future generations.
What’s more, Mann and his fellow SRP colleagues seem to embody and honor within their own operation the sense of sharing and ritual that’s such a part of the Guarani. All employees are fans of mate, and it’s tradition to share a gourd of mate at company meetings.
A strong commitment to the betterment of the world is what drives Mann and his company. "Ultimately, our environment is disappearing. The world’s diversity of forests and people is shrinking," he says. "We want to contribute beyond conservation to restoration of natural systems so a wide variety of species can thrive."
Mann speaks nostalgically of the two things that helped to bridge the language and cultural gaps between the SRP team and the Guarani when they first met each other: the sharing of terete (cold mate) and an old acoustic guitar. His face lights up when he mentions the Guarani children of the village at the reserve. He says they possess a vibrant and physically affectionate quality that he doesn’t see much in the U.S.
Of course, there’s plenty of room for improvement. This year the company looks to continuing the improvement of working conditions on the Reserve and of processing the yerba mate; conducting and facilitating scientific studies; and refining sustainable management plans. Mann explains that they’re conducting a detailed survey of all plant species in the upper canopy of hardwoods to learn more about the shading properties of certain trees and how they benefit or otherwise affect the growth of mate.
The company is starting to document what happens when anything in the reserve is removed and how that affects the health of the local environment. Right now, there are approximately 272 species of birds and 36 species of mammals at the Guayaki Rainforest Reserve, including jaguars, macaws, and blue-winged macaws. A group of U.S.-based ornithologists will conduct a follow-up study, picking up from the original findings of the 1996 University of Cambridge study on the health of the ecosystem.
The Guayaki SRP team is also busy working on formal translations (into Guarami and Spanish) of material stating the key benefits of sustainable and organic processes and ways to become more efficient in agricultural and preservation practices. Once those are complete, the company will use them to further educate the Guarani.
In addition, Mann and colleagues will be meeting with a Paraguayan anthropologist to see how Guayaki SRP can collaborate in the research, documentation, and even creation of a database about the Guarani culture and its various indigenous groups. Ultimately, the company plans to explore ways of developing similar yerba mate projects in Argentina and Brazil, while at the same time preserving biological corridors for local fauna and flora.
Brewing Tradition
The traditional way in which the brew is served up starts with the "cebador" or the person serving the mate. This individual drops loose herb into the gourd and then inserts a wood or metal "bombilla" or straw with a filter at its end.
To protect the nutritional and antioxidant qualities of the mate, cool water is added. This first concoction is consumed by the cebador, who ensures that the bombilla’s flow is working properly. The gourd then gets refilled with hot or cold water and given to the next individual. Each person consumes the contents of the gourd, returning it to the cebador who refills and keeps passing it to the other members in the circle. But the focus is always on the moment of sharing the gourd, as opposed to the liquid.
The process of sharing yerba mate is steeped in a tradition of hospitality. According to Mann, "The gourd embodies community and expression." Stories and ideas are shared as the mate gourd or guampa (bull horn) is passed around in a circle. It’s a time for pause and contemplation. After fifteen to twenty refills, the herb is returned to the ground. (Yerba mate, incidentally, is a good fertilizer and makes for a healthy compost.)
The one criticism that this sharing practice has brought to the surface is concern for hygiene, since traditionally more than one individual shares the use of a straw. In cases where this is objectionable, individuals can still share in the spirit of the experience by having their own bombilla and possibly their own gourd.
At the Root
It’s refreshing when companies put their money where their mouths are. Guayaki SRP seems to genuinely practice what it preaches in sustainability, restoration, and preservation of cultural and biological heritage. The health and environmental benefits of yerba mate Guarani-style are no-brainers.
But the Guarani’s sharing ritual also seems to me a worthwhile habit to pick up. Given that many of us are still co-dependent with the proverbial rat race yet crave quality time with loved ones, the sharing ritual offers an opportunity to do something about it besides moan.
I for one look forward to creating my own portable sack of hospitality, complete with yerba mate, gourd, and bombilla. I’d be glad to share it with you....
Salud!
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Anatomy of Mate Yerba mate has a strong following in many regions of the world. It contains 196 active compounds, including mateine, which is closely related to caffeine. However, the properties of mateine and the way in which the body absorbs it act as a natural stimulant with none of the toxicity or side effects of caffeine. The herb is also commonly found in household ingredients of the Guarani Indians of Paraguay and Argentina. An evergreen relative of the holly family, this herb contains a powerful combination of twenty-four vitamins (e.g., A, C, E, B1-B3, B5, and B Complex); fifteen amino acids, fatty acids, flavenols, polyphenols, and chlorophyll; and minerals (e.g., calcium manganese, iron, selenium, potassium, magnesium, silicon, and phosphorous). The Guarani use this herb to lend a helping hand to the immune system, detoxify and clean the blood, boost the nervous system (e.g., brighten moods, improve mental clarity, lower stress, and wipe out insomnia), enhance digestion, control appetites, relieve allergies, fight fatigue, recondition hair color, and even minimize the reactions of diseases that debilitate. When combined with other herbs, it’s believed to enhance the healing qualities of those herbs. |
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Taste Test Recently, as I strolled through the aisles of the local food co-op, I noticed the vivid "Guayaki Yerba Mate" logo pasted on a bulk container. I knew it was a sign: I was researching the tea and the "Guayaki Tea Guys," so who was I to argue with Fate? I gathered I was meant to taste the stuff, so I grabbed some of the loose-leaf herb and brought it home. Short of a gourd, but not lacking in respect for ritual, I concocted my own version of a ceremony. Out of the cupboard, I chose a mug made of clay that sports a humorous face. (Any self-respecting tea taster has a preferred mug for such occasions.) I followed the company’s brewing instructions for a simple cup of hot Guayaki yerba mate. I moistened the loose tea in cold water first and then proceeded to add hot water. Boiling water is a no-no in this process. I remained open minded, but my expectations were high. Like a movie handicapped by hype, the tea faced close scrutiny. Despite the sustainable growing and harvesting practices of its parent company, it would have to be in harmony with my taste buds if I were to consider it as a replacement for my on-again-off-again Mountain Dew habit. I took my first sip: the tea was earthy, unpretentious. Its smoky, cedar essence delights the taste buds while emitting a scent that’s equally pleasing to the nose. As I savored the brew and swallowed, the visualization that popped into my mind was equally unexpected. Images of deep-green forests rich in flora and fauna got activated with every sip. I’m now on my third mug of yerba mate. I’ve been testing out various strengths and variations (e.g., with and without honey; cold), and I’m tickled to have found such a soulful replacement for the chemistry and artificial colors of Dew. I’m even more thrilled to know that my consumption of this brew helps to promote sustainability and protect a cultural and biological biodiversity. I’m a Guayaki yerba mate convert. |
Learn More
If you’d like to try out their yerba mate, mate blends (chai, mint, or orange), gourds, bombillas, music, and other goodies), you can reach them at:
Guayaki Sustainable Rainforest Products, Inc., 888-guayaki, info@guayaki.com, www.guayaki.com
If you’d like to learn more about yerba mate, check out:
If you want to read up a little on the Guarani and Paraguay, go to Terere
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