Res. No. 383

Resolution recognizing November 30 as Yerba Mate Day in the City of New York.

By Council Members Menin, Krishnan, Moya, Hanif, Sanchez and Louis

Whereas, Yerba mate, commonly referred to as mate, is a caffeinated tea-like beverage that is made from the dried leaves and twigs of the Ilex paraguariensis plant, which is native to Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Brazil, where yerba mate has been grown and mate has been consumed for centuries; and

Whereas, Although native to these South American countries, the consumption of mate has now spread to other South American countries as well as to Central America, the Middle East, Europe, and North America; and

Whereas, Traditionally, mate is drunk from a vessel (which can be made from a gourd or from metal, glass, wood, or clay) through a filtered straw in a communal setting, where one person is in charge of infusing the leaves with water while overseeing the passing of the vessel around a circle of people so that each person can drink from it in turn; and

Whereas, Traditionally, sharing the vessel of mate is a symbol of friendship and affection among those in the group of friends or family; and

Whereas, Traditionally, drinking mate is an important form of social interaction and represents the joy people have when spending time together and the value they place on communicating with each other about important topics; and

Whereas, Drinking mate is such a common part of life in some Spanish-speaking countries that there a Spanish verb for it-matear, meaning to drink mate; and

Whereas, According to the customs of various countries, mate can be served with milk, fruit juice, sugar, or other herbs and may be served hot or cold; and

Whereas, Mate drinkers typically drink it every day and even several times a day-often individually while at home or at work, but also in social settings; and

Whereas, Mate is a healthy drink, which can contribute to increased energy and focus and which is full of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals; and

Whereas, November 30 was declared National Mate Day (el Día Nacional del Mate) in Argentina in commemoration of the birth of Andrés Guacurarí y Artigas, a military leader of Guaraní origin, who became the only indigenous governor in Argentine history in the early 1800s and who encouraged the production and commercialization of yerba mate in what today is the province of Misiones; and

Whereas, The early spreaders of the custom of drinking mate included the conquerors of the Guaraní people; later, the Jesuit missionaries who spread the custom through their missions; and, much later, Syrian immigrants who had fled to Argentina during World War I and then brought back yerba mate when they returned to their Syrian homes after many years; and

Whereas, According to estimated 2019 figures from the U.S. Census Bureau, as reported by the Weissman Center for International Business at Baruch College in NYCdata, New York City (NYC) is home to almost 400,000 individuals born in South America; and

Whereas, NYC’s South American communities, which are made up of both individuals born in South American and their family members born in the United States, could enjoy celebrating the traditional customs surrounding drinking mate by bringing families and neighbors together; and

Whereas, The designation of a holiday in NYC honors the vital role that South American communities play in the city and their positive impacts on the city’s culture and economy; now, therefore, be it

                     Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York recognizes November 30 as Yerba Mate Day in the City of New York.

LS #10529

10/14/2022

RHP