The Land Without Evil

Paraguay has endured hard times over the centuries, yet the ruins of its Jesuit missions recall the days when its Indigenous people found a strange kind of paradise

- George Kipouros

 

No journey in Paraguay can start without tereré," smiled José Acosta Perez, my encyclopaedic guide, as he watched the street "N vendor meticulously select different herbs and then pound them together in a stone bowl. "It all starts with yerba maté," he explained, pointing to a leafy green substance nestled among dozens of similar-looking herbs.

"Oh, the Argentinian drink," I replied somewhat instinctively, causing him to visibly rumble in frustration.

"No, no, no! Yerba maté is originally from Paraguay, even its botanical name is Ilex paraguariensis. The local Guaraní people were drinking it as a herbal infusion long before the Argentinians claimed it as their own!" he declared while pressing yet another herb into my hand. "And this natural sweetener, stevia, is another one of our famous exports," he smiled, taking in my bewilderment.

In truth, I knew very little about Paraguay, one of South America's least visited countries, until arriving in capital Asunción. José was on a mission to give me a crash course on its history, culture and traditions before our road trip across the country's southern region, where I would encounter its Christian Jesuit missions and their remarkable story.

Armed with our cooled tereré flasks, we began exploring the capital. Its historic downtown was full of imposing yet derelict colonial-era buildings that seemingly limped alongside the murky Paraguay river. I couldn't help but think that it felt more like a quiet, provincial town than a major city.