Since Walaa Ali first fled her home in central Syria nearly 10 years ago, she has moved around the country four times, seeking safety for her family.
Each time she settled in a new place, she spread the word about mate.
Every morning, Ms. Ali, 27, carefully sets out a gold-mirrored tray with a matching teakettle, a sugar bowl that she fills with ground ginger, her tea glass and a metal straw for her morning mate (pronounced MAH-teh) — the strong, bitter tea native to South America.
“I’ve been displaced from one place to another, and in every place, I got to know neighbors and I would introduce them to mate,” she said recently as she sipped from her cup, filled with hot water and a generous helping of mate leaves, which floated on top.
Syrians have increasingly taken to the social and communal ritual surrounding its consumption, not unlike a hookah shared among friends or family.
Persons:
Walaa Ali, Ali, “ I’ve, ”
Locations:
Syria, South America, Argentina, Brazil