Mate, the national infusion of Argentina, is widely seen as an authentic marker of national identity and a basic daily necessity. And yet, for much of the 20th century, per capita consumption declined and mate was considered an outdated tradition of the countryside. This presentation explores the meaning of yerba mate in Argentina, its decline between from the 1950s to the 1980s, and its resurgence in recent decades.

Dr. Julia Sarreal is an associate professor of history at Arizona State University. Her first book, The Guarani and Their Missions, was published by Stanford University Press. Her forthcoming book on the history of yerba mate will be published by the University of California Press. Dr. Sarreal, a former Peace Corps volunteer in Paraguay, received her Ph.D. at Harvard University.

This lecture is presented by the Latin American Studies program.