Tereré

Tereré (of Guaraní origin) is an infusion of yerba mate (botanical name Ilex paraguariensis) prepared with cold water, a lot of ice and pohã ñana (medicinal herbs), and in a large vessel. This infusion has its roots in Pre-Columbian America, which established itself as traditional during the time of Governorate of Paraguay. There's also a variant made with juice, called "Juice tereré" or "Russian tereré", depending on the region. On December 17, 2020, UNESCO declared the tereré of Paraguay as an intangible cultural heritage, which includes the drink (tereré) and its preparation methods with medicinal herbs (pohá ñaná).

It is similar to mate —a drink also based on yerba mate—but with the difference that tereré is consumed cold, preferably in the warmer areas of the Southern Cone. It is traditional from Paraguay, where it's considered a cultural icon. In recent decades it has become popular in some areas of Southern Brazil, in Eastern Bolivia and in Argentina (countries where the tereré of juice is more popular than the tereré of water).

Both refreshing or medicinal herbs are often added, such as pererina, cocú, mint, sarsaparille, horsetail family, burrito, agrial or wax begonia, batatilla, verbena, spikesedges, ajenjo, slender dayflower, escobilla, lemon balm, saffron crocus, ginger, taropé, perdudilla blanca and others. Currently, in Paraguay exist various franchises that sell flavored ice based on medicinal-refreshing weeds/fruits for consumption in the tereré.

Tereré has been declared the official drink of Paraguay and also a Cultural Heritage of the Nation. "National Tereré Day" is celebrated every last Saturday of February. By Resolution 219/2019, the National Secretariat of Culture declared the Traditional Practices and Knowledge of Tereré and Pohã Ñana culture as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage. The city of Itakyry has been the permanent headquarters of the "Festival of Tereré" since 1998.