No description of Sweida’s culture is complete without Matteh, the region’s beloved national drink. Brought from South America by emigrants who returned home more than a century ago, matteh (yerba mate) quickly became a daily ritual in the mountain. In Sweida, drinking matteh is not only about taste — it is about community, patience, and conversation. Families and friends gather around a shared gourd, passing the metal straw (bombilla) from one person to the next, each sip marking trust and togetherness. The earthy, bitter flavor of matteh has become inseparable from the identity of Sweida’s people, a symbol of resilience and hospitality that unites generations around one cup.