Meta Moment

This generation today spends more time communicating with people in far off lands than any of our ancestors. Many rely on their digital devices as a main source of entertainment and education as we grope our ways through the intangible world wide web

Real life mates are a luxury, in the post pandemie drinking a mate together is as endangered as the forests where these leaves originate from. Rituals are a memory of the past like ancient civilizations. And our thirst to consume can never be quenched.

In 2010 internationally acclaimed digital artist Michael Saup illustrated the magnitude of our internet consumption by juxtaposing a pyramid made of coal bricks next to an image of the pyramids in Giza. Pyramid Niger, or the avatar of the internet, according to Saup, would have a base of 1422 metres and height of 905 meters. This black pyramid towers over and proportionally illustrated the size the CO2 footprint of our energy consumption of the internet in 2009 10¹

It is alarming to imagine what that image would look like today as we continue to burn fossil fuels and destroy our forests to sustain our modern way of life with all of its conveniences. The so-called ‚last generation‘ in Berlin has resorted to annoying actions to draw attention to this matter as of late. And while we applaud their attitude, as mate activists we advocate alternative methods.

In 2012, Saup created a minature mate mountain which provided a strong contrast to Niger, illustrating the amount of renewable forest green energy needed to sustain communication and connection over a Meta Moment.

These days we are overloaded with endless options and especially those in urban settings often find themselves caught up in the constant stream of social media meet ups…..We often forget to take the time to stop, take a deep breathe, fill ourselves up wiht gratitude and share these feelings of joy with those around.

At the core of our Meta Mate Mission lies the belief that if everyone were to engange in the daily or at least weekly practice of drinking a mate alone or with others we as people and our planet would be a happier and healthier ecosystem.

A little bit of Mate goes a long way

It’s not about the quantity but the quality

23g MetaMate + 1LH20 = 1 meta-moment

69g of MetaMate + 6L H20 + 3 ppl = 1 ∞moment

We invite you to give it a try.

And for those of you in Berlin, Michael Saup’s Avatar will be exhibited from 12 May – 16 July 2023 at. Uferhallen – Uferstraße 8 – 13357 Berlin Wedding

Oktober 3, 2024Oktober 3, 2024

Meta Chaos Mates & Dates

As the days get darker and cold we are warming up our calendar with some special mate dates.

Berlin is celebrating a long weekend under the motto of unity and we are open in the afternoons.

Sunday, 6 Oct, from 2.30-5pm Leafy Mate Melody – will share some older moonshine mate harvests with friends

Sunday, 13 Oct from 2 – 5pm. MateMeetup w/ Über den Tellerrand

Please note, our shop in Berlin will be closed from 30 Oct – 6 Nov.

SAVE THE DATE – MauerParkMate 9/11

It’s 35 years since the wall that once divided this city was demolished and we would like to come together with friends in one of our favourite parks in the city to drink a Mate.

Bring your cups, straws, and hot water and we will provide you with the rest and let us meet and mate…

Stay tuned for more information…..

September 19, 2024September 19, 2024

Carijo Mate 20 Sept 2024

In conclusion to Amazon Week at the Brazilian Embassy, we will reflect on the fate of the Atlantic Forests, the struggles of its inhabitants and the almost extinct tradition of autonomous mate making.

4pm – Mate Circle with the new harvest

5pm – Summary from Amazon Week in Berlin

6pm – Talks about Guarani-Gaucho Culture

7pm – Carijo Film (Portuguese w/ English captions)

Meta Mate Green Wash 2024

While most of the harvest from this season was washed out by climate conditions, there were additional causes created by our capitalistic civilisation

What started off as a joke went a bit too far and we ended up creating a new campaign for our craft mate harvest.

Perhaps, as passionate materos, we want to provide you with the opportunity to infuse yourself in Mate so deeply so that it is flowing in and out of your pores (literally).

In fact, we want to call your attention to the precarious situation of our Mate farmers and to give value to the limited resources with this year’s harvest that will come in single-serving packages (for those who are used to big gaucho chimmarao).

The Family Gehm has not harvested this season but we are delighted that they have given their know-how further and we are pleased to be able to bring another family-produced barbacua mate to you later this month.

Recently we were reflecting on the term „bio economy“ and the fair and sustainable practice of purchasing exotic and esoteric products in the spirit of self-care and saving the planet.

We are well aware that by making claims such as „full moon harvest“ and „renewable forest energy“ that we are on paar with pioneer Deutsche / Demeter brands.

Most importantly, however, we let our mates speak for themselves and let our materos spread the word. We remain committed towards the origins and see beyond hipster trends.

September 17, 2024September 17, 2024

Living Resistance

The sky is falling and the destruction of forests and pollution of waters in these modern times is will make it impossible for the shamans to hold up and prevent it from crashing down to earth, according to Indigenous Yanomami Leader, Shaman and Activist Davi Kopenawa.

Berlin is blessed by the beings who travelled from far away over the past week to gather to protect our planet .

„You have dreamed, so I am here“ said Kopenawa as he shared the stage with climate activists at the Berlin Literature Festival last week promoting the release of the German translation of ‚The Falling Sky‘.

It is getting harder to ignore the cries of nature as the politicians continue to sell our lands to corporations that allow rivers to be poisoned and precious resources extracted from the earth.

Activists are often labelled Terrorists by the Establishment for their attempts to publicise alarming actions that are contributing towards a climatic catastrophe.

This past weekend we had the honour to drink a Mate with Mother Earth at the Extinction Rebellion Camp in Berlin and speak with students about sustainable business practices.

It is time to listen to the wisdom of our elders and realise that we all share this planet and should treat it and one another with love and respect. Progress is only possible if we incorporate the past.

Our Shop in Berlin will be closed from 16-21 Sept due to Amazon Week at the Brazilian Embassy.

Serving Mate is a form of Sacred Activism for us and we look forward to sharing those moments of meta with many mates. Wise Words from a Yanomami Shaman have been transcribed in the book The Falling Sky and we strongly urge those who feel the calling to find a version in their local language and read it to understand where we are at.

August 22, 2024August 22, 2024

Coffee Cup Hacks

Although Mate was „discovered“ by the European world around the same time as coffee and tea, the ceremonial aspects of how it was traditionally consumed slowed down its spread into global mainstream culture. Colonialism and Capitalism have left no natural resource untouched by commodification, and mate has suffered this same fate time and time again throughout history.

Perhaps it is naive to believe that the digital nomadic globalised generation of the 21st century will empower themselves and chose to energise themselves sustainably by slowing down to celebrate life and embrace nourishing practices such as drinking mate.

We are not quite there yet. The reality is that the stresses of daily modern society leave us with little time to sit down and mate. Quick ready to drink options are preferred and it the short run it is easier and economical to buy a bottle over a bunch of equipment.

This simple Coffee Cup Hack was created to ease you into trying it the traditional way without creating too much of a mess.

Place coffee filter in cup and generously fill up w/ mate leaves

Juli 12, 2024Juli 12, 2024

Cultivating Meta……

While we are unable to directly influence the weather patterns in Southern Brasil that affected the Mate harvest this season, we can work on cultivating Meta within and sharing the spirit of universal friendship that Mate embodies.

Mate is a social practice in different places around the world in different ways. Here in Berlin, mate is known as a soda that is drunk while partying. In cooperation with Lokal Labor and Über den Tellerrand, we invite you to a traditional mate round with an exchange in Gleisdreieck Park this during the afternoon of the July Full Moon

We look forward to a colourful circle with mate drinkers from all cultures and encourage those who can to bring their own cuias, bombas and thermoses to facilitate the sharing. We will have some to spare and lots of leaves on hand to provide plenty of wild sustainable forest energy for the gathering.

Juli 12, 2024Juli 12, 2024

Cure ur Cuia

Caring for your cuia is an essential part of mate hygiene. A well-seasoned calabash can last a lifetime. There are many techniques for curing your mate gourd before using involving elaborate rituals of soaking it with used mate leaves, or setting the insides on fire with alcohol and then coating with honey for 24 hours. Pyromaniacs are welcome to have their fun; in this article we will explain a technique to cure your cuia over a longer period of time.

Although the small round gourds are more stereotypical in mate imagery, we choose to work with directly sourced stable Calabasas from a cuia cooperative. These cuias have a wider opening and are already sanded on the inside to give a smooth clean surface.

You may rinse your gourd out with warm water and use immediately.

When you are done drinking for the day throw out the use leaves and wash your gourd with warm water. NEVER use soap to clean your gourd. Please be aware that especially the beginning the pores of the gourd are sensitive and can easily absorb strong flavours. Therefore, we advise using pure mate leaves in the beginning.

Empty out the water and add 1 -2 tbs of old mate powder into the cuia. This is normally included in your purchase from Meta Mate, otherwise any old mate leaves will suffice.

Cover the top of the cup and shake it around until you have the feeling that the mate is evenly distributed on the inner surface.

Leave the cuia in a dry bright place for a couple of days. You can check if it is ready for drinking by putting your fingers deep inside, if the mate leaves are still moist, it still needs a bit of time.

When the cuia is try you should be able to shake out the mate powder, if you feel the need you can rinse it and then drink a mate. Repeat the process with the mate powder afterwards. (this can be done the first 3-4 times after drinking

Even a well used cuia can get mouldy if not cared for properly. For this reason we caution drinkers to take care and don’t leave their gourds sitting for over 24 hours with moist mate leaves inside on a regular basis. And please ensure that you allow your gourd to properly dry between one usage and another.

Even a well seasoned cuia with a hard smooth inner surface should be given a rest at least once a week. If you don’t have an alternative such as a ceramic cuia, try a regular coffee cup.

Please bear in mind that Calabasas are not from Europe and the climate conditions differ from their native home, they are organic materials and should be treated with care!

Juni 1, 2024Juni 1, 2024

MetaMateVerse @ re:publica24

It was a peculiar sight in the MakerSpace during Republica24, the renowned festival for digital society in Berlin, to find a simple wooden construction with seemingly archaic hardware named the MateVerse. Over a 69 hour period we managed to serve 108 Mates using about 4.2kg of Mate Leaves and infinite litres of hot and cold water spreading the Meta and connecting with Mates from around the world at the Global Innovation Gathering

Mate in its bubbly brause form fuels festivals such as this where visitors often pay up to 4€ for a bottle of sugar and chemical caffeine. Over the past decade Meta Mate has been on a mission to provide people with the chance to try a real mate in a somewhat traditional style.

Conferences do not provide the calm setting for sitting and sharing a meta moment in silence with a mate. and so we adapted the Angebote and offered single mates in glass cups that were easy to take with and refill with water throughout the day.

We did provide a few options in terms of drinking the mate hot or cold and with a dash of hounder and lime. For some it was a sustainable way to stay energised and hydrated during the day.

The MateVerse was an open space where participants had a chance to stop and savour the moment in the here and now and infuse themselves with some fresh forest energy. Mate is more than just a natural energiser . The theobromine and vitamins lead boost the immune system and lift the spirits. Facilitating communication and sharing time offline, mate is a way of bringing people form different backgrounds together to engage in a dialogue.

In the past Mate used to be a drink to pass around and partake in a ritual of sharing endless time together. Those days a long gone like the South American rainforests. Our circles have been disrupted and we re:learn to connect from within. Living in virtual urban bubbles, we need the renewable fresh forest energy to invigorate us.

Highlights from the MateVerse – Berliner style DIY Mates to Go.

From Planning to execution, the Mateverse was intended to be a hexagonal circle where participants could immerse themselves in a Meta-Forest.

Building up – our stoods seemed like lost mate trees in the soyascape of the Station Hall, however, we were able to create a cozy space with some forest feelings

Our Special RP24 mate mixture consisted of a Vintage harvest from the Family Drey mixed with Meta Mate 1 and the RainbowBlends.

Many had the first chance to try a traditional Mate and we hope to see the habit spread to far corners of the globe like Togo.

It was a refreshing and rewarding to spread the meta mission with our weapons of mass communication ammunition box. The interactive space was run on a non-commercial donation basis

Mai 25, 2024Mai 25, 2024

Who Cares? May Monsoon Mates…

Normally by this time, following the full moon in May, we should be breathing in the aroma of the fresh harvest of mate leaves drying in the Barbaqua. This season the fires have been dampened due to heavy rains. Fortunately forests were not flooded like countless urban regions in South Brasil. However, many of our meta-mates have been affected by the calamities and our well wishes go out to them.

Prior to the onset of the May Monsoons, the Family Gehm had wisely decided to sit out the season to give their forests a rest this year. It is an appropriate time for all of us to reflect on the balance between our consumption habits and our attitudes towards natural resources.

Meanwhile in Berlin, Brandenburg we are threatened with forest fires, sweltering summers and dry-spells. The only bright side of the heat is that it is perfect weather to enjoy refreshing tereres.

Young Activists gathered East of Berlin earlier this month to connect and voice their concerns with regards to the expansion of the Tesla Factory in the region.

In the spirit of real renewable forest energy we rode down with 10L Water to enjoy a round with mates.

We realise that for many Mate is just something you drink every once in a while (perhaps even in a bottle as a sign of protest). But it is deeply rooted in the commons and counter culture, and for us providing mate to such meta-gatherings is our form of activism.

It was an unexpected surprise to find our original brause mates, MunterMate with a small kiosk at the anti-tesla camp, a reassuring sign that there are many who are taking up similar causes.

In the spirit of sacred activism the MateVerse will be setting a space at the Station Berlin towards the end of May to share a meta-moment. We hope to be able to offer the room for reflection and ritual in the midst of a media messe……we look forward to some great mates and sharing some meta moments for those who care!

Click here for more information about the MateVerse at re:publica24

Mai 12, 2024Mai 12, 2024

Mate do Alemâo – Die Ursprung der Ur-Uru….

Nearly two decades ago, following the death of his grandfather, with whom he used to make mate as a child, Ricardo returned to Linha Lorenz

„I just wanted to do something good with my life. So I went into the forest and prayed with all my heart“

Reviving his roots by harvesting mate from his family forests and firing up the old barbaqua every now and then, Ricardo started to distribute his self-made mate in a grassroots way amongst his friends as Mate do Alemâo.

It was this dream that was the inspiration to bring this „German Mate“ from Brasil to Berlin and beyond and 15 years ago what was to become Meta Mate was born when we joyned Ricardo at Linha Lorenz to harvest Mate together.

None of us were sure where the journey would take us back then, but we truly believed in the power of this special Mate.

The Uru is the one who lights the fire and cares for the drying of the Mate in the Barbaqua. Ricardo’s role in the early years was essential to teach us how to harvest in harmony with Caá.

Today there are many hands that joyn together to make it possible for us to serve you Meta Mate so far away from the forests.

The 2024 season is due to start soon and the mate making region has been engulfed by storms. There have been other seasons when the area was struck by severe drought. Nature is protesting the abuse.

At this point we can only send our prayers to the families and forests who have been affected and hope for some sunshine…

Click here to view photos of the 2009 Harvest at Linha Lorenz in the MateLeaks Book

April 29, 2024April 30, 2024

Friedvolle Mates……Walpurgisnacht 2024.

As the annual Walpurgisnacht Fire will fall out this year, we will be joining our systars on the streets this Tuesday evening for a Friedvolle Fest to stand up for a taboo topic. This time we will not be sharing mates in a circle but invite you all to take back the night and commemorate in a peaceful and powerful manner.

Infos zum Demo

Domestic Violence is a cliché; something that always happens out there but never in our close circles. The shame, self-blame and above all the pride.

There has been a move as of late towards relabelling such incidents as toxic relationships, but everything is toxic these days from the foods we eat to the digital mediums we communicate with.

Each story is individual, yet there are similar patters that weave through all. Resilience and cultural convictions twist the threads into a multitude of musters, fabricating our lives with fantasies that things will change.

„I was not ready to admit being a victim; that was for the weak. I have been raised as an independent strong woman, free to choose my future, educated with a black belt and college degree. Gaslighting belonged to the village dowry dramas of my mothers and grandmothers cloaked in burkhas in their ancient lands. „

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We believe in the power of dialogue and feel that Mate is a valuable tool in facilitating non-violent communication. In Berlin Mate is often associated with the rebellious counter culture as a energising fun fuel for partying and protesting. And as more people turn towards the traditional variations there is more of an opportunity to sit down and Mate together

We are open on the 1st of May from 2 – 6 pm

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