The Relevance of Maté for Social Life and the Identity of Pehuenche People

Through the discussion of maté in ethnographic and historical contexts and its treatment as a commodity in the wider sense, it is possible to reflect on how the analysis of a single category of object must be considered through an interdisciplinary approach using a variety of sources. In this case, ethnographic information served to interpret the acquisition and consumption of yerba mate and its material kit as elements of distinction for the Pehuenche, an indigenous group from South America, for the transmission of their values and knowledge, but at the same time as the link with the dominant society. This perspective opens-up the possibility to widen the vision regarding the analysis of an object from an archaeological perspective, incorporating the social implications of its use, both from past and present times.