The History of Maté in SyriaThe History of Maté in Syria

After the historic sectarian massacres that took place in Lebanon and Damascus in 1860, thousands of Syrians and Lebanese migrated to South America to flee conflict; that’s where they were first introduced to maté, or Yerba matè. Around the 1970’s, descendants of these immigrants began migrating back to Syria, and along with them came Matè. Soon after, Yerba Maté became an iconic drink to many Syrians, they even changed the way maté is served and prepared.

Syrians typically serve it on a tray, which includes the yerba, gourd, lemon peel and sometimes added flavors like sugar. This presentation is not typical to South American countries, where yerba maté is simply set on the table with a kettle or thermos. Syrians use either a gourd or a small glass. These small vessels are unpopular in South America. However, it makes sense to Syrians when keeping in mind that they stir their drink instead of creating a little mound. The bombilla in the Middle East is generally called a “massasa”; the “massasa” is made of silver, with a distinct filter at the end.

Maté is a serious love for many Syrians, and Syria is often considered to be the 2nd top importer of maté in the world after Bolivia. In 2018 alone, despite the ongoing Syrian war, Syria imported over 34.5 tonnes of maté from Argentina! Since the 1860’s, Syrians have been captivated by it, and today it is mostly consumed by Syrians living in coastal Syria, in the Qalamoun mountain range stretching from the Rural Damascus to Homs governorates, and in the southern governorate of Sweida.