Yaupon tea has been used by the indigenous people of the Southeastern North Americas for thousands of years. Dating back to the Mississippian Era, natives have used the leaves and twigs from the Yaupon Holly to create a drink full of vitamins, minerals, and most importantly: caffeine. This drink, referred to as “Black Drink” or “Big Medicine”, was used not only as a source of energy for pre-battle warriors, but as a purifying agent for ceremonies. It was also served at inter-tribal meetings, as it was considered the ultimate sign of hospitality.

The Yaupon Holly is in the same family as Yerba Mate, a delicious and culturally significant drink to the indigenous peoples of the South Americas. The leaves were dried and boiled, infusing the water with the vitamins and minerals necessary to act as medicine and antioxidants. Many people drank black drink out of intricately carved whelk shells. Due to the environmentally beneficial impact that the Yaupon Holly has, the trees were able to grow in abundance. Soon, many nations introduced Yaupon in their trading habits, even traveling to Mexico to trade Yaupon for cacao.

Yaupon has reached as far as Europe, beginning in Spain after Spanish settlers described it as “Indian Chocolate” due to its sweet flavor. Today, many cafes in Savannah honor this timeless indigenous tradition of drinking the big medicine by serving it to curious customers and loyal consumers. Many people even prefer Yaupon over coffee for their caffeine fix, as it doesn’t incur the same “caffeine crash” that coffee does, and it is attributed to better health and longer lifespans in regular partakers. Honor the land you walk on during Indigenous History Month by enjoying a nice cup of black drink- history has never tasted so sweet!