The Indigenous History of Yaupon Tea
Before Coffee, There Was Yaupon
Long before the arrival of coffee, black tea, or colonization, the peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands were drinking Yaupon tea — a wild, caffeinated infusion made from the roasted leaves of Ilex vomitoria, a small evergreen holly native to the South.
Archaeological and oral histories trace its use back over a thousand years, from the Gulf Coast to the Carolinas. Among the Timucua, Creek, and Lumbee peoples, Yaupon was far more than a drink. It was a medicine, a ceremony, and a connector — a plant woven into community life and spiritual renewal.
A Ceremony of Cleansing and Connection
In Indigenous societies, Yaupon was prepared for purification rituals and community gatherings. Early European colonizers misinterpreted these ceremonies as “vomiting rituals,” which is how the Latin name Ilex vomitoria originated — a scientific slur born from cultural ignorance.
In truth, the practice was a spiritual cleansing, not a physical one. The tea was shared in a circle to clear the mind, prepare for decision-making, and restore balance between people and place. It symbolized clarity, honesty, and right relationship — values central to Indigenous governance and kinship.
Trade, Colonization, and Erasure
By the 1600s, Yaupon leaves were traded along the Southeastern trade routes and even exported to Europe, where it was called “cassina” or “South Sea Tea.” European colonists briefly embraced it for its caffeine and flavor — until plantation economies took root and colonial tea and coffee imports displaced it.
As the tea trade globalized, Indigenous plants like Yaupon were systematically erased. The narrative of what was “civilized” to drink became a tool of empire — and Yaupon, a native symbol of sovereignty, was nearly forgotten.
The Land Remembers
Despite centuries of suppression, Yaupon never vanished. It grew quietly at the edges of fields, forests, and backyards, a living remnant of Indigenous resilience. In Lumbee and other Southeastern communities, the plant was remembered as “tea holly” or “Indian tea,” still gathered by elders who knew its power to awaken body and spirit.
Today, Yaupon’s resurgence is not a trend; it’s a rematriation. Indigenous women entrepreneurs, herbalists, and land stewards are restoring it to its rightful place as both a medicine and a message: that the South’s first tea was always here, and it was always ours.
Yaupon as Cultural Continuity
Reviving Yaupon means more than reviving a beverage. It’s about restoring balance to the soil, the story, and the systems that define what is considered valuable.
Every cup tells the story of a people who refused to disappear. It bridges ancient practices with modern wellness, teaching that healing is not only personal, but ecological and cultural.
Honoring the Plant, Honoring the People
At Native Yaupon Tea, our work is to honor both the plant and the heritage it carries. By sourcing and roasting Yaupon holly from the landscapes where it has always grown, we are part of an ongoing act of remembrance, one cup at a time.
Learn More About Our Yaupon Revival →
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