Indulgences

1. Káña

   Káña (sugarcane spirit)

   Usage

   A spirit distilled from takuare'ẽ (sugarcane) or from honey. The same word is used in Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina, Mexico, Brazil, Ecuador and Spain. In a Paraguayan bar, simply asking for "caña" works better than naming a brand

   Grammar Note

   The proper Guaraní spelling carries the accent: "Káña"

2. Karrulim

   Karrulim (caña steeped with rue and lemon)

   Usage

   The name splices ka(ña) + rru(da) + lim(õ). Tradition says three shots before breakfast on the morning of 1 August carry off the year's misfortune. If your trip touches early August, every bar will be talking about it

   Grammar Note

   On 29 July 2019 Paraguay's Secretaría Nacional de Cultura recognised karrulim as national intangible heritage

3. Kaguy

   Kaguy (wine)

   Usage

   Fermented grape juice, i.e. Spanish "vino". In a Paraguayan shop the Spanish "vino" is what works; "kaguy" is the Guaraní form found in writing

   Grammar Note

   Note: kaguy (wine) and ka'aguy (forest) are different words, separated by the puso

4. Petỹ

   Petỹ (tobacco)

   Usage

   Nicotiana tabacum. Spanish alternatives include "tabaco de Virginia", "petén" and "hierba santa". Paraguay grows leaf tobacco, and country markets sell it rolled in the leaf

   Grammar Note

   Note the nasal vowel: the correct spelling is "petỹ"

5. Ka'a he'ẽ

   Ka'a he'ẽ (stevia)

   Usage

   Literally "sweet herb". Stevia rebaudiana is native to Paraguay and Guarani people have long used it to sweeten mate. It is a pohã ñana (medicinal herb), said to lower blood pressure and blood sugar. Sold as dried leaf or powder for visitors to take home

6. Arapaho

   Arapaho (alfajor, filled sandwich biscuit)

   Usage

   Two biscuits sandwiching dulce de leche, coated in chocolate or icing sugar. A kiosk staple, taken with coffee or mate

   Grammar Note

   "Arapaho" comes from Spanish "alfajor" and ultimately Arabic "al-hasú" (filled). Note that "Arapaho" is also a North American people

7. Chokora

   Chokora (chocolate)

   Usage

   A sweet made from kuvuasu (cacao) seed with eiratã (sugar), sometimes combined with milk or manduvi (peanut); it traces back to the cacao drink of the Maya and Aztec

8. Pororo

   Pororo (popcorn)

   Usage

   A salty or sugared nibble made from maize that has burst. The word itself imitates the popping sound, and Spanish speakers in the region use the same form, "pororó"

9. Eirete

   Eirete (honey)

   Usage

   What the eiru (bee) makes from yvotyry (flower nectar). In Paraguay it sweetens mate and sweets in place of sugar, and country markets also sell honey from native stingless bees

   Grammar Note

   "Eíra" is honey generally, "eirete" the true honey, and "eiratã" hardened honey, i.e. sugar

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